REGION – On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced a new layout for 12 PDF bus schedules, including the 441/442 bus that serves North Shore commuters between Marblehead and Wonderland Station in Revere.
There are no schedule changes or route differences, according to Lisa Battiston, MBTA Deputy Press Secretary. The other PDF schedules that have been redesigned are Route 8, 9, 15, 16, 34/34E, 36, 86, 95, 134, and 240.
In the Tuesday press release, the MBTA said that these routes were chosen in part because they have multiple complicated variations. The new timetables are clearer and easier to use. Riders can easily identify special trips and variations without relying on footnotes.
In comparison to the old one-page versions, the new timetables are spread across several pages and feature a larger type size. For example, the weekday schedule for Route 441/442 is now four pages, divided by direction: Inbound to Wonderland Station and Outbound to Marblehead. A footnote explains that the route 442 trips are unmarked and 441 trips are marked, and the PM times are indicated in bold.
Additionally, service changes are circled and magnified on the map, found on page 1. The 441/442 map includes a note that says, “Due to the closure of Lynn Commuter Rail Station, all Route 441 trips will serve Swampscott Station.”
At the end of each PDF are the 2022-2023 holiday operations.
PDF versions of the new timetables are available on each bus route’s schedule webpage.
The new layout began with the winter 2023 bus schedules on Dec. 18 and will be in use for one year. Riders are encouraged to offer feedback about the redesign at mbta.com/timetablefeedback. This link can also be found at the top of the redesigned PDFs.
“This feedback will be gathered and analyzed in order to inform future designs of the PDF bus schedules,” said Battiston. For all questions and comments, please contact MBTA Press Office at [email protected] or at 857-368-8500.
