BOSTON — The Orange Line shuttle buses may not be accessible to those with disabilities, so there are fifteen handicap-accessible vans stationed throughout the Orange Line route to provide transportation to those who may not be able to get on and off the buses as easily as they would with the train.
One of the drivers of the vans says so far, so good with the new system as they work with the Yankee Bus dispatch system and the MBTA.
“Day 2, no real issues, dispatchers are becoming familiar, drivers have to become familiar with call signs and things with that nature,” said Larry Curtis, a driver with Alert Ambulance Transportation Services. “It’s like anything you have to work through – it was good that they started on a Friday night into the weekend because the volume obviously isn’t as much as it could be, but come Monday morning who knows!”
Drivers with Alert Ambulance Transportation Services will be available from 5 AM until midnight every day while the Orange Line is shut down.
“It’s like any other process, it takes a little bit of time to work through the kinks, if you would, but what we’re seeing is we’re hopscotching all over the Orange Line,” said Curtis. “You know, somebody may get someone from here at Government Center and take them over to Assembly Square – if you’re there at Assembly Square you can stay, if volume picks up back in Boston, we’ll come back to Boston.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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