The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is starting a new shuttle bus service to make Logan International Airport more accessible by public transportation from downtown Boston and the MBTA. The new service will provide tens of thousands of passengers with an alternative to driving or taking a taxicab.

"Getting to Logan is about to get a whole lot easier for people using public transportation," said Massport Executive Director and CEO Virginia Buckingham. "Massport is committed to getting more people out of their cars and onto public transportation. Whether it's Worcester Airport or the Airport Water Shuttle, Massport is giving its customers more choices than ever."

20-seat shuttle buses will carry passengers every 15 minutes from South Station's Gate 25 to each of Logan's five terminals. Using the Ted Williams Tunnel, the buses will depart each terminal every 15 minutes, providing convenient service from the airport into the downtown/Financial District area and to MBTA services in South Station such as the Red Line and commuter rail. The buses also will pick up at Summer Street. Fares will be $5.00 each way and the service will operate Sunday through Friday from 6:00AM - 8:00PM.

More than 65,000 people are expected to use the shuttle during the first year of operation, freeing up taxis into downtown Boston and easing the demand on parking during peak times. By the third year of operation the number of travelers using the shuttle is expected to grow to 175,000 annually.

The shuttle bus service is an interim program before the Airport Intermodal Transportation Connector (AITC) comes on line in 2003 with the construction of the Transitway Tunnel. The AITC will provide bus service between Logan's terminals and South Station via the South Boston Waterfront District. The MBTA buses will use the Ted Williams Tunnel and the MBTA Transitway Tunnel to provide a 10- to 12-minute trip from downtown Boston to the airport.

"This shuttle meets a real need for direct transportation from downtown Boston to Logan," said Buckingham. "This is the right service at the right price and it will get people who might have taken their car to Logan to leave it in their driveway."

Buckingham has pledged to local residents to continue Massport's efforts to reduce automobile traffic through community streets. Last year, Buckingham initiated a discount program for the Airport Water Shuttle during peak weeks to encourage environmentally friendly public transportation.

More in this Section