Public transportation, many students rely on, for their daily commutes (Louise Ineson)
By Louise Ineson
With the 4Cs student population growing as the college becomes more accessible for aspiring learners, there are more commuters on campus struggling with the transit-heavy demands of attending class. Whether you lack consistent access to a personal or family vehicle, are in the process of getting a license, or simply find yourself unable to travel for any reason, there is an alternative solution for every Cape Cod resident. The Cape’s public transportation service, the RTA, has a variety of services ranging from their scheduled fixed-route buses to their DART (Dial-A-Ride Transportation) service that could be a lifesaver for students in need of a ride to campus.
Travel Services
Because the RTA’s main bus service relies on fixed routes, it can be difficult to find an exact bus stop or time among the sea of route maps and schedules, however, there is a method to the madness of public transportation. The RTA currently operates eight fixed routes which run several times throughout the day on multiple buses, traveling from their Hyannis Transportation Center hub at the end of Main Street, in Hyannis, to as far as Woods Hole, Buzzards Bay, Provincetown, and everywhere in between. Not only are these buses reliable, but every one is fully accessible and ADA-compliant, with ramps and wheelchair seating. Locally, the RTA’s buses even make stops in Hyannis and Barnstable that can take students directly to our college campus.
That’s right, students on campus may have seen the RTA’s buses making stops around the ring road during the day on their Barnstable Villager – Hyannis route. This route is scheduled to stop by the college once every hour from 9 AM to 5 PM. From 4Cs, it can take you directly to the transportation center where every other route connects, or into the Barnstable Village. Be advised, however, because these routes travel both ways throughout the day, to always double-check the signage on the bus or ask your driver to ensure you’re headed in the right direction.
For exact information on any fixed route you need, the RTA’s main website “capecodrta.org” includes a simple, printable chart of every bus stop and scheduled stop time for each route in both directions. To locate your closest bus stop or find a route for you, simply find the RTA’s “Fixed Routes” tab, and you will be provided with a chronological list of every route’s stops along with the precise times your bus will be there.
If the RTA’s fixed route buses are still unable to meet your needs, however, there is an even more personalized and accessible service for you. The RTA’s new “DART” bus is an on-demand ride-hail service that can be reserved to pick up and take travelers anywhere within its two “zones”. These zones are divided between Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Sandwich, and Falmouth as “Zone 1”, and Wellfleet, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, and Truro as “Zone 2”. This means that the DART service can be used to pick students up from anywhere within Zone 1 to be dropped off at our college campus for the DART service’s fixed fee or allow transfers between any fixed route bus stop for free.
The DART service can be hailed either by calling your reservation into the DART phone line at (800) 352-7155 or by downloading the Cape Cod RTA’s new “SmartDART” app from the app store. The app allows you to reserve rides and manage payments directly from your phone. With both of these methods, a DART reservation must be made, at the latest, by noon the day before pick-up to ensure a driver will be able to accommodate the reservation.
Payment and Discounts
Not only are the RTA buses and services conveniently available to 4Cs students, but they are also a much more affordable option than other transportation services. RTA fixed route buses cost $2 to board, and a DART ride has a flat fee of $3 per ride. However, these costs can be reduced for students, senior citizens, and people with disabilities on the Cape through the RTA’s discounts. On fixed routes, students of any school on Cape Cod are eligible for a discounted rate of $1.25 to board, and all seniors and people with disabilities ride for free. The DART service remains a flat fee for students, while seniors and people with disabilities can receive discounts of $1.50 per ride.
For fixed route payment, travelers have historically been able to register the MBTA’s ‘Charlie Card’ for the convenience of a swipe and pay board, but this has been replaced on Cape Cod with the CCRTA’s new version: the Go Card. The Go Card can be newly registered with a student discount at the Hyannis Transportation Center for free, but proof of student enrollment and cash will be needed to open and load initial funds. The Transportation Center is also offering to swap any current holders’ Charlie Card and transfer the remaining funds to a new Go Card, as they are discouraging Charlie Card’s continued use on Cape. Unlike its predecessor, Go Card’s funds are loaded electronically through the RTA’s new “Go App” which allows you to manage your account directly from your cell phone. Similarly, the DART service can be paid through the SmartDART app when booking your ride. Cash is universally accepted as payment on all RTA services, but change is only given out in the form of RTA bus fare vouchers, so it’s recommended to have exact payment.
As 4Cs become more accessible and available to all students, public transportation on Cape Cod is only becoming more available it through the CCRTA’s services. For additional help catching an RTA ride, more resources are available through both the Cape Cod RTA’s main web pages and the Wellness office on campus.
