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This July 2016 issue of MassMobility covers news about community transportation, human service transportation coordination, and mobility management in Massachusetts. Read on to learn about changes coming to the MassMobility team, closure of two programs that helped low-income individuals access mobility, debut of MV-1 accessible vehicles, and more news from around Massachusetts.

This newsletter is compiled by the MassMobility team, a joint initiative of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and MassDOT. Above, we have added the MassDOT Rail & Transit logo to the newsletter to emphasize the joint nature of the mobility management work between EOHHS and MassDOT and the close working relationship between MassMobility and our colleagues at MassDOT Rail & Transit.
Thank you to Theadora Fisher
Theadora Fisher, MassMobility's Mobility Outreach Coordinator, is leaving MassMobility at the end of July to move to England for her next set of adventures.
 
Since starting at MassMobility in 2012, Theadora has helped foster coordination in the Hilltowns, the Merrimack Valley, North Central Massachusetts, and other regions. As a member of the Older Driver Committee of the Massachusetts Strategic Highway Safety Plan, she pushed to ensure that seniors transitioning away from driving had alternate transportation options available and were aware of those services, and she helped plan and facilitate the mobility options track at the successful Older Driver Safety Summit of June 2015. She also became an expert in volunteer driver programs and shared her expertise in program structure, insurance and liability products, and scheduling software options with new and established programs across Massachusetts.
 
Theadora has played an integral role in all of MassMobility's initiatives, and her hard work and creative ideas have improved mobility and access in Massachusetts over the last four years. Please join us in thanking Theadora and wishing her well.
BerkshireRides closes operations
BerkshireRides , an employment transportation service for low-income people in Northern Berkshire County, closed on June 30. Although the program had a sustainable funding stream for nearly 10 years through a Congressional earmark, Congress ended all earmarks in 2011 - including the one funding BerkshireRides. For the last four years, the program used a variety of creative means to stay afloat, including merging with the Berkshire Community Action Council. Ultimately, it was unable to find another long-term funding solution, especially given the end of the federal Job Access and Reverse Commute funding program for low-income commuters.
 
Originally founded in 2002 by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, BerkshireRides provided 691,000 rides, helping nearly 6,000 people get to work at over 500 businesses. BerkshireRides also played an important role many innovative transportation coordination initiatives, such as the Northern Berkshire Vehicle Share and Meditransport.
 
Please join us in thanking BerkshireRides for their contributions to Massachusetts.
Transportation providers debut MV-1s
You may have seen a new vehicle on the streets of Massachusetts - and you can expect to see more. Transit authorities have begun to put MV-1s into operation. The MV-1 is an American-made vehicle that is constructed to be wheelchair-accessible. In contrast, wheelchair-accessible minivans are initially constructed without wheelchair access and then overhauled. The MV-1 is one of the accessible vehicles that MassDOT offers to recipients of vehicles through the Community Transit Grant Program.
 
The Carlisle Council on Aging (COA) received an MV-1 from the Lowell Regional Transit Authority and began operating it in November 2015 as the Carlisle Transportation Services (CTS). The COA developed CTS because they wanted to expand their services to provide rides to residents with disabilities who did not qualify as seniors, as well as provide trips outside of regular COA hours. Since  Carlisle has no access to public fixed route or paratransit services, this new service is helping fulfill an unmet need.  The town contracts with a private livery service to operate CTS.
 
While waiting for the MV-1 to arrive, the Carlisle COA received funds from an anonymous donor to buy an additional vehicle. COA Director David Klein analyzed trip data and found that most trips were for no more than four passengers, so he proposed that they get a smaller vehicle to improve fuel efficiency compared to a 12-passenger van. With the MV-1 already on its way, they opted for a Nissan Rogue. The Rogue is not wheelchair-accessible, but with all-wheel drive it is well-equipped to traverse Carlisle's narrow, windy roads and driveways during icy, snowy winters. Klein praises the flexibility that having different vehicle types available offers to Carlisle and notes that having the Rogue frees up the MV-1 for riders who use a wheelchair.
 
In June, SCM Elderbus, located in Charlton, received an MV-1 from the Worcester Regional Transit Authority and added it to its fleet of 21 eight-passenger vans. Elderbus provides transportation services primarily to seniors and people with disabilities throughout Central Massachusetts. As a significant number of these trips are long-distance (35 miles or more) for three or fewer passengers, the company was excited about the potential to get better fuel efficiency by using an MV-1 instead of a larger van.
 
Tim O'Day, Executive Director of Elderbus, conducted a preliminary review of the first month of operation and found that the MV-1 achieved 50 percent greater fuel efficiency as compared to the existing fleet. In addition, Elderbus asked riders to rate the new vehicle in a brief survey. Nearly 50 surveys were completed, and the reviews were overwhelming positive.  Specific comments included "very comfortable and beautiful," "I love the new vehicle," "most enjoyable ride, I look forward to future trips," and "please get more of these vehicles." Elderbus will continue to evaluate the MV-1 over the next 12 months to better understand its impact on the overall operation and may seek to acquire additional MV-1's in the future if findings continue to be positive.
 
In addition, the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) received eight MV-1s in April 2016. MWRTA is using the MV-1s to replace non-accessible paratransit sedans that were past their useful life. The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority has also received MV-1s, which they use in their accessible livery program.
Lieutenant Governor recognizes champions for helping students walk and bike to school
On June 29, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito joined MassDOT and the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) staff to bestow 13 awards for excellence in promoting safe biking and walking to school. An initiative of MassDOT, SRTS educates students, parents, and teachers about the value of healthy commutes and implements initiatives to facilitate walking and biking. SRTS partners with over 740 elementary and middle schools in nearly 200 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
 
Seven awards went to schools, five to individuals, and one to a transportation committee for a range of creative, effective approaches. For example, the Lincoln Elementary School of Winchester received an award for increasing the number of students who walk to school by seven percent since partnering with SRTS, while the Rebecca Johnson Elementary School in Springfield was recognized for a 1.5 mile walking school bus with over 100 students participating. An entire district - the New Bedford Public Schools - was recognized for using survey data to identify walking routes and incorporating pedestrian safety into the second grade curriculum. The Milton Transportation and Traffic Sub-Committee received an award for working closely with SRTS and schools on transportation initiatives in Milton. In addition, individuals from each region of Massachusetts - North, South, Central, and West - received awards for championing healthy transportation to school in their communities.
 
SRTS welcomes additional schools and communities to get involved.
Mobility Managers in the news
Congratulations to Franny Osman, Acton Selectman and long-time transportation champion, for receiving the Unsung Heroine Award on June 22. Osman was recognized for her hard work to increase transportation options in Acton, leading to the development of Cross-Town Connect and Cross-Acton Transit, among other projects. Congratulations, Franny!
 
Congratulations as well to Erica Girgenti, Director of the Adams Council on Aging and Co-Chair of the Berkshire County Regional Coordinating Council, who was recently profiled as a millennial disrupting aging. Starting this month, Girgenti is taking on an additional endeavor, becoming Program Manager of the Age Friendly Berkshires initiative in addition to her COA Director role.
City departments partner with transit to benefit youth in Worcester
Recreation Worcester is a free summer program for youth ages 7 through 13. Participants receive lunch and dinner as well as supervised activities in Worcester's parks - and this year, a pilot initiative offers participants a free bus pass as well.
 
This new transportation component comes in response to findings from a recent study that showed lack of transportation to be a barrier to youth accessing opportunities in the summertime.  In response, Worcester's Health and Human Services Department, Department of Public Health, and Youth Opportunities Office partnered with the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) to offer participating youth free bus passes that they can use on any WRTA bus during program hours. WRTA donated 1,000 bus passes to the program.
 
Participants ages 9 and up are eligible for the passes, and approximately 200 youth - nearly a quarter of all participants - signed up for them in the first two weeks of the program. Recreation Worcester is tracking demographic data of the participants who sign up, and WRTA is tracking usage data to identify how often the passes are used, and on which routes.
More Than Wheels dissolves
More Than Wheels, a financial education and car ownership program that helped people repair their credit, secure low-interest car loans, and purchase reliable and fuel-efficient vehicles, announced in June that they would be ceasing operations and dissolving their organization. After 14 years of operations, the Board determined that donations and grants were providing insufficient revenue to sustain programming.
Accessible livery service meets a need on Cape CodCape2
MassMobility thanks Tom Cahir, Administrator of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority,  for submitting this guest article. If  you would like to submit an article or have an idea for a topic,  please contact us.

In 2012, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) decided to explore options to improve accessibility for seniors and individuals with disabilities during periods and in places where public transit was unavailable.  We listened to customers in the region and heard that full price private fares were a barrier for people who needed transportation during hours that the CCRTA did not operate. To address this issue, CCRTA developed an accessible door to door transportation program and applied for a federal New Freedom grant resulting in the acquisition of seven accessible minivans. CCRTA selected Habilitation Assistance Corporation, a CCRTA human service transportation provider, to manage and operate the service. 
 
The accessible livery program is successful as it provides an affordable alternative to chair car service which can charge customers hundreds of dollars per trip. With CCRTA oversight, the agency has been able to drive down costs and expand access to activities for people with disabilities who use public transportation. Due to the popularity of the service, CCRTA has already replaced five of the original seven vans due to high mileage. It is important to note that this service is not only for individuals with wheeled mobility devices but also anyone in need of assistance to and from their destination. 
 
CCRTA will continue to seek additional opportunities to serve seniors and individuals with disabilities as we seek to meet the needs of current and future Cape Cod residents and visitors.
Volunteer driver program forum July 19
Join MassMobility on Tuesday, July 19 from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the Natick Council on Aging for the next Volunteer Driver Forum!  The agenda will include a discussion about using software to schedule rides, as well as discussions about liability and insurance options. The forum is open to anyone who either runs or staffs a volunteer driver program and anyone who is thinking about starting one. Please RSVP.
Coming up in August
Volunteer driver programs have until August 1 to nominate themselves for this year's STAR Awards.

This year's Association of Travel Instruction Conference is coming up August 3-5 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Travel trainers from rural areas can apply to MArtap for scholarships to attend professional development opportunities, including conferences.

For more upcoming events, check out our online calendar .
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