Starting Monday, the Vineyard Transit Authority is piloting a new microtransit service for up-Island passengers, available seven days a week.
Traffic and bus service up-Island will be affected by road closures and rerouting during the president's visit beginning Saturday. Police and public safety officials are advising Islanders and visitors to allow extra time to reach their destinations and to expect traffic delays at times.
Expanding transportation services among airlines, ferries, buses and trains have made the Vineyard more accessible than ever this summer.
Four airlines are now operating summer service between the Island and three major metropolitan areas. And two months ago train service began between Boston and the Cape that connects with a shuttle to the Steamship Authority.
Thank you so much to the honest, hardworking, helpful people of the Vineyard Transit Authority. You are heroes. You saved me seven years ago and again on Monday.
The bus stop across the road from Alley’s General Store will be slightly relocated for safety reasons, the West Tisbury selectmen agreed this week.
At their meeting Wednesday, the selectmen voted to move the stop about one bus length south on State Road from its present location near the front of Howes House. The move still needs approval from the state highway department.
Selectmen, police chief Dan Rossi, Vineyard Transit Authority representative John Alley and Field Gallery owner Chris Morse met Wednesday afternoon to inspect the new location.
West Tisbury selectmen decided this week they will continue to purchase fuel for town vehicles from the Vineyard Transit Authority, despite complaints from the owners of Up-Island Automotive who told the selectmen last week the switch to discounted gasoline has hurt their business.
It was a banner year for the Vineyard Transit Authority, which posted its highest ridership numbers ever. But while an unprecedented number of passengers chose public transit on the Island this summer, transit authority administrator Angela Grant said her organization could use some relief.
“We should be running more bus service than we actually are, but we don’t have the funding to do it,” she said.
