By early 2027, Boston expects to start five free shuttle routes serving parts of the city with limited transit access: the Seaport, Roxbury, Mattapan, Allston-Brighton, and the stretch between Charlestown and the lower Mystic.
Backed by $11.5 million in federal funding, the city announced the service is set to operate for three years and provide free connections to MBTA stations, jobs, and everyday destinations.
Here's what to know
The initiative is being rolled out under Boston's Link Bus program. City officials said the effort is aimed at neighborhoods with too few public transit options, and some service details are still being worked out before launch.
"Boston is a city of incredible opportunities, but residents must have more reliable and affordable transportation for every family to build their fullest lives and strengthen our community," Mayor Michelle Wu said in the announcement's press release.
The Boston Globe reported Allston-Brighton will get two shuttles, including a north-south route from Harvard Square to Washington Square and an east-west route from Coolidge Corner to Oak Square.
Planned stops on the Seaport Circulator include South Station, the Menino Convention and Exhibition Center, Commonwealth Pier, and Seaport Boulevard as it loops through the waterfront area.
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Pat Sullivan, who is helping oversee the transportation management associations running those lines, told the paper the city also plans a route from Assembly Row to North Station with stops at Sullivan Station, Hood Park, City Square in Charlestown, and the Navy Yard.
More background
Route plans for Mattapan and Roxbury have not been finalized. For those two lines, the city plans to pick operators through competitive bidding and, once service starts, publish schedules and stop locations on its website.
At a Boston Planning and Development Agency meeting in September 2026, the Globe reported Boston Transportation Department director Matt Moran said officials will hold public meetings in Grove Hall and Mattapan before settling on the final two routes.
"Link Bus services will complement the MBTA by filling targeted first-mile and last-mile gaps and connecting people more directly to the regional transit network," explained Chris Osgood, Interim Chief of Streets, in the city's announcement.
What's being done?
Rather than treating the shuttles as a short-term test, Boston is using a Federal Highway Administration award to pay for three years of service.
That three-year funding window gives the city time to build out service in multiple neighborhoods and see how well the routes fill gaps in the existing network.
The city is also building on a model already underway.
A related example is already in operation, the Globe noted. In November 2025, Sullivan's group launched the Lower Mystic Link with $200,000 in state grant funding, connecting Bunker Hill Housing on Medford Street to the Market Basket in Chelsea.
By combining federal money, transportation management associations, and a city-led procurement process, Boston is spreading the work across multiple operators.
"The Link Bus program will bring free transportation services directly into our neighborhoods, strengthen connections to the MBTA, and make it easier to get to work, school, appointments, and local businesses," Wu declared in the announcement.
Where can I learn more?
Boston's shuttle rollout is part of a broader effort to make public transportation cheaper, more connected, and easier to use.
• In Washington, D.C., buses will be free for life as fare-free service expands.
• In Seoul, South Korea, a new transport program helps residents commute more cheaply and with lower pollution.
• In British Columbia, Canada, new buses and infrastructure upgrades are headed to growing communities.
• At UCLA, a $20 million public transportation project could reshape campus and regional bus connections.
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