The Service

SVTC's Mission 

Our mission is to provide affordable, wheelchair-accessible transportation for     non-emergency healthcare appointments and other essential activities to individuals residing in participating Souhegan Valley communities. 

Sometimes there are scheduling conflicts when trying to help as many residents as possible. We greatly appreciate your flexibility and understanding when these situations arise! When scheduling conflicts do occur, priority is given to rides requested by Senior citizens or residents living with a disability, and for healthcare related appointments

Due to resource limitations, we are unable to provide service to individuals permanently residing in licensed assisted living or long-term care facilities. 

The NTS vehicles

Passengers ride on handicapped accessible vehicles that seat 8 to 14 passengers. The Nashua Transit System  buses have a small ramp and no stairs to climb for ease of passenger use, increased safety and more efficient service.

Service Area: Rides are available for destinations within Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Milford, Mont Vernon, Wilton and Nashua.

Eligibility: Must be a resident of one of the six participating communities: Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Milford, Mont Vernon or Wilton.

Operating Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM including travel time to and from the Nashua Transit System (NTS) garage in Nashua. Rides to/from Nashua – Arrive in Nashua no earlier than 10 AM and last pick-ups to return home will depart Nashua by 4 PM. Please schedule your appointments around these times.

Cost: Fares are $2 for each one-way trip per passenger. Exact fare only as the bus drivers cannot make change. Medically necessary Personal Care Attendants (PCA) and children under age 5 years ride free. When scheduling your ride, please let the dispatcher know if a PCA or child will be traveling with you.  Free bus fare passes are available for those in greatest need. Click here for more information 

Guests: A passenger may bring one guest if the guest pays their own fare. NTS must be notified about the guest when the ride is scheduled.

Service animals: We welcome service animals. When scheduling your ride, please notify us if the service animal will be riding with you. 

Types of Rides Provided & Scheduling Priorities

Priorities: When scheduling conflicts occur, priority will be given to healthcare related rides and rides requested by Senior citizens or residents living with a disability.

As of February 2018, rides to most locations in Nashua and the six Souhegan Valley towns are available.  Given the priorities listed above, rides to other destinations in Nashua and the Six Towns may or may not be available on any given day due to availability in the daily schedule. Please continue to call at least two business days in advance to request a ride and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.   


Here are some of the types of rides we have provided:  

All types of healthcare appointments including doctor/APRN visits, outpatient services, counseling, laboratory visits, pharmacies, dialysis, chemotherapy and more

Social service appointments including SHARE, DHHS and SSA

Municipal offices including Town Halls and local libraries in the participating towns

Local courts in any participating town or Nashua

Local senior activity locations including the Milford Area, Hollis and Brookline Seniors, the Parkhurst Place Community Room, and the Nashua Senior Activity Center and Nashua YMCA

Local community dining locations sponsored by Meals On Wheels of Hillsborough County

Shopping at Lorden Plaza/Shaw’s, Market Basket, Ocean State Job Lot, Granite Town Plaza and 222 Elm St Plaza in Milford, Walmart in Amherst, Market Basket at Westside Plaza in Nashua and the Hannaford Supermarket on Coliseum Ave in Nashua.

“30-minute” Pick-up Window

The vehicle may arrive anytime within a thirty (30) minute “window”, up to fifteen (15) minutes before and fifteen (15) minutes after your scheduled pick-up time.

For example, if your pick-up time is scheduled for 9:00am, the vehicle will arrive between 8:45am and 9:15am.

5 Minute Stops

When the bus arrives at the location you have designated for pick-up, the driver can only wait 5 minutes. Please be on time and at the designated pick-up site during the "30 Minute Pick-up Window".

Shopping Rules

Each passenger may have only 2 shopping bags. For safety and space reasons, no wheeled shopping carts are allowed on the bus. The bus driver cannot assist with your shopping bags. A minimum of 1 hour is scheduled to complete shopping tasks.

Folding Shopping Carts

Folding shopping carts are now allowed on the Nashua Transit paratransit vans on a space available basis. The shopping cart baskets cannot exceed 18” in width; 14” in depth; and 20” in height. These size limitations do not include the handle. Passengers must inform dispatch of their intent to bring a cart when scheduling a ride. If your cart cannot be accommodated you will be notified in advance. All items must be contained within the cart, properly controlled by the passenger, and safely secured in the designated storage area. 

Policy update July 2019 - During the past 12 months, The Blue Bus has experienced a very large increase in ride requests to the point where demand for the service is exceeding our financial and operational resources. Effective August 12, 2019 and due to funding limitations, in periods when ride requests are extremely high, NTS will temporarily limit passengers to 3 (three) non-healthcare related rides per week.