Four years after pandemic-related route cuts, riders of the #55 bus are still waiting for a schedule that meets the neighborhood's needs. The Fenway's only cross-neighborhood bus currently runs on a 10am-4pm schedule instead of its original 6am-11pm hours. This means the many residents who rely on this bus for accessible, affordable transportation to medical appointments, grocery stores, work, and community meetings have been left to cobble together alternatives or miss vital things.

The MBTA has recognized the need for longer bus hours by promising a 6am-7pm schedule for the #55 bus as part of their Bus Network Redesign (BNR) process. However, it's been years and the community is still waiting for those hours to arrive. We're calling on the MBTA to restore vital service by implementing the 6am-7pm bus schedule when they next make service changes in mid December.

Here's what #55 riders have said about the importance of this bus route:

“I have a back injury that has made it very difficult for me to walk 10+ minutes to the train - the [#55] bus creates a close, reliable, safe mode of transportation for me. Now that the hours have been limited, I haven’t been able to take the bus to my therapy appointments or to work.” – anonymous resident

“Reducing the hours has put a strain on myself and many other elderly neighbors who need it to get to work. This isn’t a casual thing for us.” - John Donovan, West Fenway resident 

“My rollator makes using the green line trolley difficult, also it’s a long walk. Without the 55 bus, I’d be a virtual prisoner in my apartment.” -William Stoll, West Fenway resident, 76 years old