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Bus Line To Boston Has Strong First Year

The Department of Transportation says the Boston Express is the most successful new bus line in the country.

With 7.7 million dollars in federal and state subsidies, the Boston Express  launched in 2007.  It runs round trips to Boston from Nashua, Manchester and Concord.

After five years, the commuter service is beginning to pay for itself.

Mark Sanborn is the federal liaison with the state's Department of Transportation.  He says officials look at what’s called the fare box recovery rate.  That’s the percentage the bus fare contributes towards the operating costs.

"As of this year the Boston Express is at 91 percent fare box recovery rate, which for a subsidized transit service is incredibly rare. By those standards it is arguably the most successful new start-up bus transit program in the country."

Sanborn also says ridership is up 22 percent from this time last year.

 

Sheryl Rich-Kern has been contributing stories for NHPR since 2006, covering education, social services, business, health care and an occasional quirky yarn that epitomizes life in New Hampshire. Sherylâââ

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