HAVERHILL — On weekdays starting Monday, MeVa’s Route 13 buses from Haverhill to Plaistow will run on the half hour for most of the day, instead of hourly.
Also, the 19 Route will take passengers directly to the entrance of Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, with the construction of a new bus platform.
In addition, Route 17 passengers traveling from Haverhill to Amesbury, the Costello Transportation Center, will now be able to transfer directly, without waiting, to Route 19 destinations, including Anna Jaques, and ending at the Newburyport MBTA Station.
The same is true of travel in the opposite direction, from Newburyport to Haverhill.
Finally, seven MeVa bus routes have been coordinated to start at the same time, 5 a.m., on weekdays.
These improvements, and others made within the last seven months, including the return of Sunday service, and later, evening service on weekdays, were paid for by Fair Share Amendment dollars and increased state funding to Regional Transit Authorities in the Fiscal ‘24 budget, said MeVa Administrator Noah Berger.
MeVa, which has 24 fixed bus routes that travel as distant as Lowell and Salisbury, and serves 14 towns and cities, received $4 million more in ‘24 than the previous fiscal year, said Phil Clayton, MeVa chief of staff.
Funding increased from $7.94 million in ‘23 to $11.98 million in ‘24, Clayton said.
A fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.
Route 13 will run on the half-hour from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The route will remain hourly between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
It’s the only MeVa transit line that enters New Hampshire, traveling from Washington Square Transit Center in downtown Haverhill to Stateline Plaza then another five minutes to the Plaistow Walmart.
Demand drove the increased service from Haverhill.
“The (13) route is packed most of the day,” Berger said.
More New Hampshire transportation is on MeVa’s radar, but funding it is another matter.
The transit authority has talked with the new Mass General Brigham Healthcare Center in Salem about providing transportation there, Berger said.
In addition, riders have asked for MeVa service to Salem’s Mall at Rockingham Park and Tuscan Village.
“We would love to go to New Hampshire,” Berger said.
Barriers to crossing state lines have less to do with regulations than funding, Berger says.
The improved service to Anna Jaques Hospital, 25 Highland Ave., came after conversations between MeVa, hospital administrators and Newburyport’s mayor.
Previously, the hospital entrance was designed to accommodate cars and pedestrians, not buses; the new onboard area will allow safe, front-door access for bus passengers, Berger said.
Service changes, as a whole, resulted from conversations with riders, businesses, employers, hospitals, organizations and city officials, as well as reviewing ridership numbers, Berger said.
The seven routes now rolling out at the same time, 5 a.m., are routes 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10.
They were coordinated to eliminate the confusion that some riders were experiencing over scheduling, Berger said.
Also, in March, the MeVa Advisory Board approved expanding Route 14 and establishing a new route, 11, to accommodate workplace transportation.
These changes are contingent upon MeVa’s successful application for a $2 million innovation transportation grant, funded by a Legislative appropriation.
The expanded Route 14 would establish direct service between Lawrence and Amazon, in North Andover, and Haverhill businesses.
Route 11 would connect Lawrence, Methuen and Haverhill with Newburyport industrial parks, shops and restaurants.
Grant recipients are expected to be announced early this year.
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