Okay, this one’s a bit weird. Basically, the town of Foxborough has this free commuter lot for residents. It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, though, so they needed a bus company to provide a shuttle from there to Mansfield Station. Hi, GATRA!

Nathan and I hopped aboard the Dial-a-Ride vehicle (because of course that’s what it uses), and we headed around onto North Main Street, which traversed an underpass beneath the Commuter Rail tracks. It became County Street, and there were a few houses alongside it, but then there was a stretch of pure woods. And then, we pulled into the parking lot. THE END!

GATRA Route: Foxborough MBTA Commuter Service

Ridership: We were on the last trip of the day, and there were four other people on board. It’s a shame we couldn’t get on an earlier one to see how full the parking lot was!

Pros: I mean, it’s free, it connects with trains on each of its runs, and it takes about three minutes to get to its destination (although longer at the moment because of construction, according to GATRA). Not bad! Plus, the lot used to be “contaminated with hazardous chemicals by the former owner” and the town cleaned it up, so good job, Foxborough!

Cons: The lot is unfortunately only for Foxborough residents, and because of that, it might not be as well-used as it could be (although maybe that’s changed with the still-ongoing station construction?). To get access to the lot, residents need to go to Town Hall to apply for a pass, and that’s only open from 8:30 to 4:00 on weekdays (open later on Tuesdays and closed earlier on Fridays). It’s also kinda sad that this unofficial Facebook page has more information than GATRA does, which links to a permit application from 2012.

Nearby and Noteworthy: A parking lot. Like, that’s it.

Final Verdict: 7/10
Yeah, I mean, it’s a parking shuttle! It just kinda does its rounds at rush hour, shuttling people from this little lot to the Commuter Rail station. It’s nothing spectacular, but there’s not a ton to complain about either (my problems are really more with the lot rather than the bus itself).

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates