Additional bus service was launched Friday morning to help people get around the Chinatown area of Boston during the Orange Line's shutdown.
The City of Boston has contracted with a third-party transportation company to provide daytime shuttle service that will operate between the Government Center, Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center T stops.
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Shuttle service will now run every 30 minutes between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., according to a news release from Mayor Michelle Wu's office.
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The city sponsored service is in addition to the shuttle buses operated by the MBTA in the area that only run in the early-morning and at night. Both shuttle services will run along the same route through Sept. 18.
Each of the city-sponsored shuttles will hold at least 14 riders and will be ADA compliant with either a ramp or lift. Each shuttle will also have at least one designated seat for people with wheelchairs.
"Convenient and efficient transportation in Chinatown has been a priority of the city’s since the original shuttle diversion routes were announced, and I’m thrilled to see commuters in this area will have more options," Mayor Michelle Wu said in a news release. "This expanded shuttle service shows what’s possible when we listen to our residents and work together to make positive change."
The city says it continues to make progress on accommodating the alternative modes of transit being used during the month-long closure of the Orange Line train, including completing more work on bus lanes, transit-only areas and parking restrictions.
Orange Line service is suspended through Sept. 18, as crews work around the clock on major repairs.
