波士顿将推出五条免费社区接驳巴士线路 联邦1150万美元支持三年运营
波士顿市政府宣布，将推出名为「Link Bus」的五条免费社区接驳巴士线路，服务马塔潘（Mattapan）、罗克斯伯里（Roxbury）、奥尔斯顿—布莱顿（Allston-Brighton）、查尔斯顿与下米斯蒂克（Charlestown/Lower Mystic）以及南波士顿海滨（South Boston Waterfront）等社区，方便居民接驳地铁、通勤铁路和主要就业区。
项目资金来自联邦公路管理局的拥堵缓解计划，经马萨诸塞州交通厅（MassDOT）拨付约1150万美元；这笔钱属于总额2160万美元的「LINKUP Greater Boston」拨款的一部分，其余约1000万美元将用于扩大 Bluebikes 共享单车和电动自行车网络。联邦资金将支持线路最初三年的运营，市府将在运营期内评估客流表现和长期资金的可持续性。
市长办公室表示，这五条线路优先考虑了公共交通服务相对薄弱、居民通勤距离长的社区，接驳班次将与 MBTA 的列车时刻衔接，车辆和站点选址听取了社区意见。市府尚未公布每条线路的具体开通日期，表示将在车辆和司机到位后分批上线。
交通倡导组织对免费接驳表示欢迎，同时提醒市府应及早规划三年后的接续资金，避免线路因断资停运。
信息来源：波士顿市政府官网（Boston.gov）
Boston to Launch Five Free Link Bus Community Routes with $11.5 Million in Federal Funding
The City of Boston has announced five free community shuttle routes under the 'Link Bus' name, serving Mattapan, Roxbury, Allston-Brighton, Charlestown and the Lower Mystic, and the South Boston Waterfront, connecting residents to subway and commuter-rail stations and major job centers.
The service is funded with about $11.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration's congestion-mitigation program, administered through MassDOT. The money is part of a $21.6 million 'LINKUP Greater Boston' award, of which roughly $10 million will expand the Bluebikes bike-share and e-bike network. Federal funding covers the first three years of operations; the city says it will evaluate ridership and the long-term sustainability of the service during that period.
The mayor's office said the five routes prioritize neighborhoods with comparatively weak transit service and long commutes, with shuttle schedules timed to MBTA trains and stops chosen with community input. Specific launch dates for each route have not yet been announced; the city plans a phased rollout as vehicles and drivers are ready.
Transit advocates welcomed the free shuttles while urging the city to plan early for funding beyond year three so the routes do not disappear when federal money runs out.
Source: City of Boston (Boston.gov)
图片来源：波士顿 MBTA 公交车，CC BY 4.0，摄影：4300streetcar（Wikimedia Commons）
