Fall cutbacks have come early for the Vineyard Transit Authority, which on Monday announced immediate schedule reductions on nine of its 14 routes due to a driver shortage.

Most seasons the Vineyard Transit Authority has seven buses driving route 13.

The $2 million project, which broke ground in January and wrapped up in the middle of June, is part of a broader goal to fully electrify the VTA bus fleet by 2028,

Bus passes, including annual passes, are now available online for touchless scanning via smartphone. Physical passes also remain available.

A $4.5 million solar energy project at the Vineyard Transit Authority officially went online Friday, with a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the latest milestone.

Ridership has declined sharply on Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) buses this year, as the pandemic’s impact on public transit authorities nationwide trickles down to the Island.

After months of review, Edgartown’s VTA Church street committee gave a strong endorsement to a controversial plan to install three electric bus induction chargers at the downtown bus terminal.

Concerned about crowding on buses, Vineyard Transit Authority drivers presented the VTA advisory board with a petition last week asking for better safety protocols.