Advance Transit, the local bus system for Hanover and surrounding towns, recently changed its rates, altered its schedule and extended its free-fare zones to include Lebanon.
This means passengers can now travel between Hanover, the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Lebanon for free.
Rates for travel outside this district are now fixed at $1.25. Fares previously varied from approximately $1 to $1.75 depending on the distance traveled, said Phillip Poirier, operations manager at Advance Transit in Hanover.
Advance Transit has also altered its bus schedules to increase efficiency and better respond to passenger demand, Poirier said.
Time schedules were changed slightly by a few minutes with some bus schedules, which expedited connections with other buses, said Susan Langsten, Advance Transit's marketing and ride share coordinator.
"The schedule change was necessary due to getting the buses around easier and making the system available to people," Poirier said.
Poirier said the new printed schedules, which are available at the Hanover Inn and the Dartmouth Bookstore, are easier to read. He added that fewer people have called Advance Transit with questions since the changes.
In previous years, the Hanover Shuttle was a free bus service financially supported by grants from the College, the town of Hanover and the DHMC. Funding reductions forced the shuttle to cut back its service last year.
Advance Transit then took over the system. Additional funding from the town of Lebanon and the DHMC allowed the company to extend its free service to Lebanon.
Advance Transit buses can be picked up in front of the Hanover Inn, at various entrances to the DHMC and on Court Street in Lebanon.
A 10-ride bus pass can be purchased for $11.50. A monthly pass can be purchased for $35.00.
