Tufts Blogs

With the Medford/Tufts green line station finally erected on Boston Ave, SMFA students (or any students commuting into the city, for that matter) have been presented with the fundamental question: SMFA shuttle or MBTA green line? Well, having relied on the shuttle for four-of-five of my years at Tufts, I find myself in the unique position of ‘shuttle scholar.’ Fundamentally, as I have found, SMFA students value two components of their commute: comfort and efficiency.

While I may have extensive experience with the SMFA shuttle, I will admit that my tendency to fall ill to vertigo and motion sickness generate an inexorable bias against the buses. So, I asked Spencer, my friend unhindered by either ailment, for his unbridled opinion of the SMFA shuttle in reference to comfort, and aggregated his accounts with my own.

The SMFA shuttle, which features “Tufts University” plastered along the sides, returns rather average scores regarding comfort. The the shuttle boasts standard padding, adequate legroom, and decent window coverage, and has the added benefit of not having multiple stops.

In comparison, the MBTA green line returns relatively similar scores. Featuring more antiquated ‘trolly’ carts, as opposed to the high-speed train construction, the green line includes comfortable seating in versatile configurations and extensive windows on either side of the cars. However, the train can get quite crowded at rush hour, which is important to keep in mind.

Moving to efficiency, both modes of transportation do the best they can. Without accounting for traffic, the shuttle can reach SMFA in less than thirty minutes. However, the ubiquity of traffic in the Boston area prevents any journey between sunrise and sundown from breaching below forty-five minutes. Similarly, the trip between the Medford/Tufts and Museum of Fine Arts stations hardly operates below forty-five minutes either way. At the worst, either ride could delete an hour-and-thirty minutes (or more) from your day, depending upon train slow-downs or rush hour traffic.

And finally, in terms of accessibility, while the SMFA shuttle runs every hour on the hour, the MBTA green line departs the Medford/Tufts station every seven or so minutes. Whereas the SMFA shuttle is free for all students, the MBTA requires that all passengers pay their fare before entering the station—fortunately, the SMFA offers (full-time) students pre-paid MBTA Charlie Cards. For students residing at Tufts, both stations are within five to ten minutes walks from any residential hall—both modes receive 10/10 scores for accessibility.

So, while there's some differences, both options serve their purpose well—Spencer and I conclude that any decision between the two forms of transit relies on personal preference.

Photo Credit: MBTA