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,<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> with about 70% of all riders using the system as their primary mode of transit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Organizational structure

Template:Overly detailed 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 transit service. Contractors and their staff are based at various vehicle depots dispersed throughout the service area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.

File:Pioneer Valley Transit Authority University of Massachusetts Transit New Flyer Xcelsior articulated bus.jpg

A PVTA articulated bus operating Route 31 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The UMass Transit garage is located on-campus at 185 Holdsworth Way, Amherst. All UMass Transit fixed-route buses are numbered in the 3000 series.

The fixed-route van shuttles (Ware Shuttle, Palmer Shuttle, and Nashawannuck Express) are operated by Hulmes Transportation Services, located at 15 Bridge Street in Belchertown. These routes are operated by vans numbered in the 1200 series.

ADA Paratransit Service and Senior Van Service is provided by MV Transportation for the entire service area. MV is based at 2840 Main Street in Springfield. All paratransit vehicles are numbered in the 5000 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Chicopee / Sumner Avenue-Allen Street-Canon Circle
G2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	East Springfield via Carew St / Belmont Avenue - Dwight St
G3<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Springfield Plaza via Liberty St / King St - Westford Circle	Also serves Springfield Registry of Motor Vehicles.
B4<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Plainfield Street	Serves Wason Medical Offices.
G5<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Dickinson Street-Jewish Home-Longmeadow	Connects with CTtransit 905 (Windsor Locks - Enfield Express) at MassMutual - Bright Meadow Campus, Enfield, CT.
B6<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Ludlow via Bay St
B7<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Wilbraham Big Y-State St-Boston Rd
R10<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Westfield / WSU / West Springfield via Route 20
P11<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke Community College Express
B12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Stonybrook Express
R14<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite web</ref>	Feeding Hills-Springfield	Some trips serve Heritage Nursing Home and Agawam Industrial Park.
B17<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Wilbraham Big Y-Worthington St-Wilbraham Rd
G19<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Montcalm-Chicopee	Replaces former X90A service between downtown Holyoke and Chicopee Big Y, via Montcalm St and Memorial Dr.
P20<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Springfield via Holyoke Mall
P21<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Springfield via Chicopee
P21E<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Springfield Express via I-391
R22<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Grattan-Chicopee	Replaces former X90B service between downtown Holyoke and Chicopee Big Y via Grattan St and Montgomery St.
B23<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-Westfield via Holyoke Community College
R24<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	HTC-Holyoke Mall via Northampton St	Revised in August 2025 to operate two-way service in Holyoke along Northampton St.
R29<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Holyoke-South Hadley	Transfers are available at Mount Holyoke College to 38.
G73E<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Ware Shuttle	Connects to B7 and B17 at Wilbraham Big Y.
PS<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Palmer Shuttle	Some trips run express service between Palmer Big Y and Springfield Union Station.

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. Many routes (more specifically, the 38 and 39) are operated primarily for students and staff of the Five College Consortium, and as such have reduced service when classes are not in session and on weekends.

Route	Route Name	Notes
30<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Sunderland / South Amherst	Transfers with FRTA Route 23 at Sugarloaf Estates for service to Greenfield
33<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Puffers Pond / Big Y and Stop & Shop
34<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Campus Shuttle (Northbound): Mullins Center via Computer Science Building / Orchard Hill via Sylvan	Only operates on weekdays during full service periods
35<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Campus Shuttle (Southbound): Orchard Hill via Butterfield / Mullins Center via Southwest	Only operates during full service periods
38<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	UMass (Haigis Mall) / Amherst College / Hampshire College / Mount Holyoke College	Operates a no school schedule when Five College classes are not in session. Transfers are available at Mount Holyoke College to R29.
39<ref name="autogenerated2">Template:Cite web</ref>	Smith College / Hampshire College	Only operates when Five College classes are in session.
45<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	UMass / Belchertown Center via Gatehouse Rd	Operates Monday - Friday.
46<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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
PG<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pelham-Greenfield	Operated in a van with three round-trips per weekday between the Pelham Community Center in Pelham and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, with stops in Amherst Center, UMass, Leverett Center, Sunderland Center, and 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Smith College / Mount Holyoke College Express	Only operated during weekdays when Smith College and Mount Holyoke College classes are in session.
R41<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Northampton / Easthampton / Holyoke Community College / Holyoke Mall	Additional service to Easthampton available on the Easthampton Nashawannuck Express. Continues to Route R42.
R42<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Northampton / Williamsburg	Continues to Route R41.
B43<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Operates different school and no school schedules (school schedule is only operated when Five College classes are in session). When fares are being charged, and if while class is in session, students, staff, and faculty of the Five Colleges can ride for free by presenting an ID associated with one of the institutions.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
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. When fares are being charged, students, staff, and faculty of the Five Colleges can ride for free by presenting an ID associated with one of the institutions.<ref name=":0" />
R44<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Florence Heights via King St and Bridge Rd	Serves Hampshire Plaza and the Hampshire County Correctional Facility.
B48<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Northampton / Holyoke via Route 5
NE<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Nashawannuck Express (Easthampton)

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

External links

• Template:Official website