Brookline officials say upcoming route and service changes to the MBTA Route 65 bus will improve connections to employment hubs such as the Longwood Medical Area and locations accessible by the Orange Line and the Commuter Rail, though some riders remain uncertain about how the reroute could affect their daily commutes.
At their latest meetings, the Transportation Board and Shared Mobility Advisory Committee expressed support for the changes, which are scheduled to launch Sept. 6. The updated Route 65 – which serves Brighton, the Longwood Medical Area, and Brookline – will terminate at Ruggles Station in Roxbury instead of Kenmore and operate with medium-frequency service from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week, according to the MBTA.
“There’s a lot of duplication, a lot of service that is going to Kenmore,” said Robert Guptill, Brookline’s associate director of transportation and mobility. “Now riders will get that one-seat ride to the Orange Line, and all the bus routes that are out of Ruggles, so it’s providing a lot more of those connections.”
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The changes come as part of the MBTA Bus Network Redesign , a 2019 initiative aimed at modernizing the MBTA bus system to better reflect the travel needs of the region and increasing service hours by 25%. Routing and service changes have been rolled out in packages since December 2024 and will continue over five years, according to the MBTA Bus Network Redesign Final Report .
Guptill, who previously served as MBTA director of service planning, said the Route 65 bus changes are “more about making something better” rather than addressing an urgent problem.
The existing Route 65 runs from Brighton Center along Washington Street into Brookline Village, then continues up Brookline Avenue, where it terminates at Kenmore Station. It connects with the Boston College, Cleveland Circle and Riverside branches of the Green Line and provides transfer opportunities with Routes 8, 60 and 66.
Under the redesign, Route 65 buses will turn right on Longwood Avenue, zigzag across the Longwood Medical Area and end at Ruggles Station.
“What it didn’t do was give a good Orange Line or Commuter Rail connection, and moving it over to Ruggles does that as well as make for some additional bus connections,” said Brian Kane, chair of Brookline’s Transportation Board.
According to MBTA winter 2025 ridership data presented to Brookline , 2,100 riders will benefit from the 65’s changes, while about 450 will have to use alternative paths to reach Kenmore or other destinations no longer served.
Town officials are optimistic that the Longwood Medical Area will be better served by the new route.
Dave Porter, chair of the Brookline Shared Mobility Advisory Committee, said he originally feared the reroute could make commuting to jobs in the Longwood Medical Area more difficult for some riders.
“My initial concerns sort of did a U-turn once I saw the actual route,” Porter said. The new route extends farther into the region with stops along Longwood and Huntington Avenue. “It changes things for a much smaller number of people than I was initially concerned about, and on balance, I think it improves things for a lot more potential employee destinations.”
The Route 65 changes will also expand service frequency and operating hours. Under the new schedule, buses will run seven days a week at consistent medium-frequency service, with buses arriving every 30 minutes throughout the entire day rather than only during peak hours. Service hours will also expand from the current 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. schedule to 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Officials say the MBTA plans to increase public outreach efforts ahead of the fall launch. The rollout will not involve significant construction. New signage with a larger, double-sided design will be the only infrastructure change accompanying the bus modification, Guptill said.
Despite officials’ optimism, some riders remain wary of the upcoming changes.
“Right now I can’t say how much of an impact it will have on my commute,” said Rahaman Ahmed, who works in the Longwood Medical Area and uses the Brookline Ave at Short St stop, which will no longer be served under the new route. “If I could choose between changing the route or maintaining it, I would keep this one.”
Others said the reroute was unlikely to significantly change their routines. Sarah Braun, a Brookline resident, said she opts for the Green Line for many inbound trips over buses that go to similar destinations, citing that buses often take longer.
Kane, who is also the executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board, maintains hope that there will be a positive impact.
“Folks who need to use the 65 to connect to the Green Line still have ample opportunity, while this then provides better connection to the Orange Line and Commuter Rail at Ruggles,” he said. “I think overall it will be a good thing for our residents.”