The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates local buses in the Boston suburbs of Melrose, Stoneham, and Wakefield. All bus routes running through these communities connect at either the Oak Grove or Malden Center Orange Line subway station, and various MBTA Commuter Rail stations.
The 106 Franklin Sq. or Lebanon St. - Wellington Station provides a route between Franklin Square in Melrose and Wellington station in Medford. Major areas and key destinations this line serves include Downtown Melrose, Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Maplewood Square in Malden, and Malden Center. It provides connections to other MBTA lines at Malden Center and Wellington, both connecting to the Orange Line.
The 130 Lebanon St. - Malden Center is a now defunct bus route which ran from Lebanon St. in Melrose to Malden Center. The route was discontinued when the 106 was extended part-time to Franklin Sq. in Melrose. The Lebanon St. to Malden Center portion of 106 was nearly identical to the route of the 130. Minimal service was lost with the removal of this route.
The 131 Melrose Highlands - Oak Grove or Malden Center provides service to the Highlands, Downtown, and East Side areas of Melrose. The northern terminus of the route is at Warren and Franklin Streets in Melrose Highlands. The southern terminus of the route is Malden Center, however, rush hour buses terminate at Oak Grove to provide more frequent service. The route provides connections to the MBTA Commuter Rail at Melrose Highlands Station as well as the Orange line at Oak Grove and Malden Center. There has been a question of whether this route should be extended from its current route to the Square One Mall in Saugus. As of 2008 the MBTA has made no commitment to extend the route mainly due to the inconvenience many rush hour commuters would experience with such an extension and also a lack of resources. As of now, anyone desiring service to Square One Mall from Melrose can take any bus to Malden Station and transfer the route 430. According to the MBTA's trip planner, this trip will take approximately 70 minutes.