Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) oversees and coordinates public transportation in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, offering fixed-route bus service, paratransit service, and senior van service. PVTA was created by Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws in 1974. Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, PVTA serves Hampden and Hampshire counties, and provides connecting service to CTtransit in Hartford County, Connecticut, to FRTA in Franklin County, and to WRTA in Worcester County. It is the largest regional transit authority, and second largest public transit system in Massachusetts after the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, providing service to over 11 million riders annually across 24 municipalities in the region,^[1] with about 70% of all riders using the system as their primary mode of transit.^[2]

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

Union Station, a multi-modal transportation center in Springfield featuring local and intercity bus, train, and taxi service, as well as a parking garage.
Founded	1974
Headquarters	2808 Main Street Springfield, MA 01107
Locale	Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts
Service area	Hampden and Hampshire counties
Service type	Bus
Routes	46 (as of January 2023)
Hubs	Springfield Union Station Holyoke Transportation Center Westfield Olver Transit Pavilion Northampton Academy of Music UMass Haigis Mall / Fine Arts Center / Studio Arts Building Amherst Post Office / Cowles Lane
Depots	Cottage Street Operations and Maintenance Facility Main Street Operations and Maintenance Facility Northampton Operations and Maintenance Facility UMass Bus Garage
Fleet	186 buses, 144 vans
Annual ridership	8 million (FY2024)
Fuel type	Diesel, gasoline, battery-electric
Operator	See organizational structure below
Chief executive	Sandra Sheehan (administrator)
Website	https://www.pvta.com/

Organizational structure

As per Section 25, Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws, regional transit authorities in Massachusetts are not permitted to directly operate their service, but must instead contract with other entities to operate the buses. As such, the PVTA contracts with two entities to provide fixed-route service in the service area:^[3] DGR Management and UMass Transit Services. DGR Management took over SATCo and VATCo following the purchase of First Transit by Transdev. The contractors run semi-autonomous garages that act as vehicle depots for the surrounding areas.^[4]

A route 31 PVTA/UMass bus at the UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center

University of Massachusetts Transportation Services operates PVTA's routes through the Five Colleges area in eastern Hampshire County and neighboring towns, with most of the routes centered around UMass Amherst, the largest ridership generator in the service area. UMass Transit Services is a department within the University of Massachusetts Amherst.^[5] The UMass Transit garage is located on-campus at 255 Governors Drive, Amherst. All UMass Transit fixed-route buses are numbered in the 3000 series. UMass Transit is a student-based organization with more than 90% of the employees (i.e. bus drivers, mechanics, dispatchers) being UMass students, with the remaining employees falling under University 03 employment status or full time administrators. UMass Transit Services is one of the oldest student driver groups in the country, having been founded in 1969 as a demonstration grant from the Urban Mass Transit Administration. UMass Transit Services operates 10 routes with a fleet of 40 transit vehicles (35' - 60'). Service runs 12 months a year, 20 hours per day, seven days per week. Route B79 was originally operated by the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation and the Town of Ware, through its Quaboag Connector partnership. PVTA reassigned operation of this route to UMass Transit Services, starting on January 5, 2025.

The Springfield Area Transit Company (SATCo) operates the southern portion of PVTA's service area, servicing Hampden County. SATCo, located at 665 Cottage Street in Springfield, is managed by DGR Management. All SATCo fixed-route buses are numbered in the 1000 series.

The Valley Area Transit Company (VATCo) operates the central portion of PVTA's service area. All of its routes originate from Northampton, providing connections to the UMass Transit service area via Route 9, and to the SATCo service area on the other side of the Mount Tom Range via Routes 5 and 10. VATCo, located at 54 Industrial Drive in Northampton, is managed by DGR Management. All VATCo fixed-route buses are numbered in the 7000 series.

ADA Paratransit Service and Senior Van Service is provided by MV Transit for the entire service area, except for the University of Massachusetts, where the UMass Accessible Van Service (operated by UMass Transit Services) provides service for University members. Amherst-area paratransit passengers who are not members of the University community are served by MV. All paratransit vehicles are numbered in the 5000 series.

The fixed-route van shuttles (Ware Shuttle, Palmer Shuttle, and Nashawannuck Express) are operated by Hulmes Transportation Services. These routes are operated by vans numbered in the 1200 series.

Routes

Springfield-area

These routes are operated by the Springfield Area Transit Company (SATCo), except for the Ware Shuttle and Palmer Shuttle, which are operated by Hulmes Transportation Services.

Route	Route Name	Notes
G1[6]	Chicopee / Sumner Avenue-Allen Street-Canon Circle
G2[7]	East Springfield via Carew St / Belmont Avenue - Dwight St
G3[8]	Springfield Plaza via Liberty St / King St - Westford Circle	Also serves Springfield Registry of Motor Vehicles.
B4[9]	Plainfield Street	Serves Wason Medical Offices.
G5[10]	Dickinson Street-Jewish Home-Longmeadow	Connects with CTtransit 905 (Windsor Locks - Enfield Express) at MassMutual - Bright Meadow Campus, Enfield, CT.
B6[11]	Ludlow via Bay St
B7[12]	Wilbraham Big Y-State St-Boston Rd
R10[13]	Westfield / WSU / West Springfield via Route 20
P11[14]	Holyoke Community College Express
B12[15]	Stonybrook Express	Serves Hampden County Correctional Facility at Stonybrook.
R14[16]	Feeding Hills-Springfield	Some trips serve Heritage Nursing Home and Agawam Industrial Park.
B17[17]	Wilbraham Big Y-Worthington St-Wilbraham Rd
G19[18]	Holyoke-Montcalm-Chicopee	Replaces former X90A service between downtown Holyoke and Chicopee Big Y, via Montcalm St and Memorial Dr.
P20[19]	Holyoke-Springfield via Holyoke Mall
P21[20]	Holyoke-Springfield via Chicopee
P21E[21]	Holyoke-Springfield Express via I-391
R22[22]	Holyoke-Grattan-Chicopee	Replaces former X90B service between downtown Holyoke and Chicopee Big Y via Grattan St and Montgomery St.
B23[23]	Holyoke-Westfield via Holyoke Community College
R24[24]	Paper City Express	Holyoke Shuttle: Holyoke Transportation Center - Cabot St - Pleasant St - Holyoke Medical Center - Sargeant St - Holyoke Mall. Also serves Holyoke Train Station. Deviates on request to Holyoke Shopping Center.
R29[25]	Springfield-Amherst via Holyoke	Serves Springfield Union Station, Holyoke Transportation Center, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, Amherst College and UMass.
G73E[26]	Springfield-Northampton Express	Express service via I-91 serving Springfield Union Station, Holyoke Mall, and Northampton Academy of Music. P20E was eliminated when this route was introduced.
X90[27]	Inner Crosstown	Operates as a Springfield crosstown connector, connecting Chicopee Big Y and East Longmeadow Big Y via Chicopee Falls, Liberty St, Walnut St, and White St. Transfers are possible to G1, G2, G3, B6, B7, B17, X92, and X94.
X92[28]	Mid-City Crosstown	Operates as a Springfield crosstown connector. Serves Union Station, Mill Street, Island Pond Rd, Independence House, Raymond Jordan Senior Center, and East Springfield Memorial Industrial Park. Transfers are possible to G2, B6, B7, and B17 along the streets it operates on exclusively; transfers are also possible to G1 and G2 along Main St in downtown Springfield and to most Springfield-area routes at Union Station.
X94[29]	Outer Crosstown	Connects Ludlow Big Y to East Longmeadow Big Y via East St in Ludlow and Parker St in Springfield, with transfers possible to G1, G2, B6, B7, B17, and X90.
WS[30]	Ware Shuttle	Connects to B7 and B17 at Wilbraham Big Y. Operated by Hulmes Transportation Services.
PS[31]	Palmer Shuttle	Some trips run express service between Palmer Big Y and Springfield Union Station. Operated by Hulmes Transportation Services.

Amherst-area

These routes are operated by UMass Transit Services (UMTS), except for 39 and AG, which are operated by MV. PVTA buses operated by UMass Transit (except for route B79) do not charge fares.

Route	Route Name	Notes
30[32]	North Amherst / Old Belchertown Road	Serves Valley Medical Center from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm on weekdays and noon to 4:30pm on weekends, upon request
31[33]	Sunderland / South Amherst	Transfers with FRTA Route 23 at Sugarloaf Estates for service to Greenfield
33[34]	Puffers Pond / Big Y and Stop & Shop
34[35]	Campus Shuttle (Northbound): Mullins Center via Computer Science Building / Orchard Hill via Sylvan	Only operates on weekdays during full service periods
35[36]	Campus Shuttle (Southbound): Orchard Hill via Butterfield / Mullins Center via Southwest	Only operates during full service periods
36[37]	Olympia Drive / Atkins Farm	Only operates during reduced service periods (Thanksgiving Week, Winter Break, Spring Break, and Summer). Functions to provide service to South Amherst during periods when the 38 is not operated
38[38]	UMass (Haigis Mall) / Amherst College / Hampshire College / Mount Holyoke College	Only operates during full service periods
39[39]	Smith College / Hampshire College	Service operated by MV. When it was being operated by UMTS, it: Only operated during full service periods and wintersession (January) Provided evening and weekend service to Hampshire Mall On weekdays, two trips were operated directly between Smith College and Mount Holyoke College as an express variant of Route 39 (mimicking Route 39E). On wintersession weekdays, provided service between Smith College and Mount Holyoke College via Hampshire College. The Hampshire College–Mt. Holyoke portion was shared with the Route 38
45[40]	UMass / Belchertown Center via Gatehouse Rd	Operates Monday - Friday.
46[41]	UMass / Whately Park & Ride via South Deerfield Center	Operates Monday - Friday. Connection available to FRTA Route 31 at Whately Park and Ride Currently mostly eliminated; interlined with Route 31. There are a total of two trips providing service to South Deerfield and Whately.[42] The first trip (morning) travels to Whately via Sunderland Road as Route 31/46, before continuing to Sugarloaf Estates, where it begins a southbound 31 trip. The second trip (evening) travels from Sugarloaf Estates to Whately as Route 31/46, before returning to Sugarloaf and starting a southbound 31 trip.
B79[43]	Amherst-Worcester Intercity Service	Three round trips every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, two round trips every Sunday. Timed to connect with MBTA Framingham/Worcester Line services
AG[44]	Amherst-Greenfield	Operated in a van with three round-trips per weekday between the Bangs Center in Amherst Center and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, with stops in Leverett Center, Sunderland Center, downtown Greenfield.

Northampton-area

These routes are operated by the Valley Area Transit Company (VATCo), except for the Nashawannuck Express, which is operated by Hulmes Transportation Services.

Route	Route Name	Notes
39E[45]	Smith College / Mount Holyoke College Express	Only operated during weekdays when Smith College and Mount Holyoke College classes are in session.
R41[46]	Northampton / Easthampton / Holyoke Community College / Holyoke Mall	Additional service to Easthampton available on the Easthampton Nashawannuck Express. Continues to Route R42.
R42[47]	Northampton / Williamsburg	Continues to Route R41.
B43[48]	Northampton / Hadley / Amherst	Serves Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall in Hadley. Combined with former M40. Operates express trips on weekdays between Smith College and UMass, effective September 5, 2017 (see B43E below).[49] Operates different school and no school schedules (school schedule is only operated when Five College classes are in session).
B43E	Northampton / Hadley / Amherst Express	Express service between downtown Northampton and UMass with limited local stops in downtown Northampton and on Route 9 near the Hampshire Mall. Serves all local stops between Haigis Mall and Amherst College. Only operated during weekdays when Five College classes are in session.
R44[50]	Florence Heights via King St and Bridge Rd	Serves Hampshire Plaza and the Hampshire County Correctional Facility.
B48[51]	Northampton / Holyoke via Route 5
NE[52]	Nashawannuck Express (Easthampton)	Operated by Hulmes Transportation Services.

See also

• Holyoke Street Railway, a predecessor of the authority and former contractor, dissolved in 1991
• Springfield Street Railway, a predecessor of the authority, merged into the Springfield Area Transit Company in 1981