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MBTA survey aims to clarify demand for late night bus service

BOSTON — Should the MBTA run overnight bus service in Boston and its surrounding communities?

That’s a question the transit agency wants answered.

A new survey began Monday morning, asking residents in the area for input on whether the MBTA should provide overnight bus service.

Boston-based non-profit TransitMatters proposed a seven-day a week bus service between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. last April.

You can find the survey at www.mbta.com/nightbus in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

It will also be available soon in Chinese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole and Cape Verdean Creole.

MBTA also received a bid from local company Bridj, a private bus service, for providing late night service in the area.

Bridge designed an on-demand late night service that will match users who request rides with a generated pick-up point in conjunction with other riders heading to the same area. It would cost the MBTA $85 per vehicle hour, which is about 35 percent less than the MBTA’s internal cost of $132 per hour.

Fares have not yet been proposed.

The survey will be available online through December 16. For more information visit www.mbta.com/nightbus.