MetroWest Regional Transit Authority

The Natick Commuter Shuttle is pretty reliable, so I’m giving 2 stars just for that one bus.
Every other experience I’ve had with MWRTA has been horrendous. The Route 1 shuttle is particularly bad. It never runs on time, and usually the buses are late. If a bus arrives early to a stop, it leaves early. This means you have to be waiting at the stop 20 minutes beforehand if you want to be sure to catch one.
The only way to take these buses is to use the online tracking system that’s available, and run out to the stop when the bus is coming your way. This tracking system has been out of commission for over a week now, with no guarantee of when it will be fixed.
You can’t use your monthly MBTA pass on any of these buses. You need to have cash or a stored value CharlieCard.
The bus drivers listen to incredibly offensive radio sometimes — once I had to sit through a talk show on how stupid women are.

I took the #10 bus to a job interview. I hope to never need to again. First, it was about 20 minutes late. I was a bit dismayed to learn that the «bus» was essentially a T «The Ride» van used for transporting the elderly and disabled. Talk about awkward as I started to board unsure if I was even allowed to enter the van. I tried using my Charlie Card pass but it wasn’t working correctly because I was out of my zone. Fortunately, I brought some cash with me. The driver kept giving different instructions on how to load more money onto my card so I ended up overpaying. Great.
A few stops down the road, another passenger wanted to get on. She asked the driver if he was going to a particular location and the driver gave a convoluted response which left the passenger thinking she had to wait for the next bus. After sitting there for another 5 minutes, the driver asked if the passenger was going to get on the bus or not. Geesh!
If you ride the #10 «bus», expect to stop at every retirement home and shopping center in the area. Most of the stops took us off of the main roads to retirement communities where no one got on. This created about 8 extra stops than my directions had mapped out.
Fortunately, I arrived at my destination but about 40 minutes later than anticipated. The driver on the return trip at least seemed a bit more competent.
I’m not sure whether to say avoid at all costs or to use regularly so the MWRTA can improve their service with the influx of riders.

I have to note that I am speaking for reverse commuters.
This service gave me great flexibility to my commute from Boston to Framingham. MBTA Framingham line is OK ONLY if it runs on time which they often fail to do so. Although it has to go through morning suck-​fest on Rt 9, the shuttle arrived on time 99%.
And it’s only $ 2 from Woodland of D train on Green Line to Wellesley and Beyond. If you were a reverse commuter like me, this service is it.