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Welcome to the January 2021 issue of the MassMobility newsletter! This month's issue highlights new microtransit pilots launching in Salem and in the Franklin area, upcoming driver training opportunities, grant awards, and more news related to mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals in Massachusetts.
As this is our 100th newsletter, we'd like to take a moment to thank our readers - those of you who have been reading for years (perhaps since we launched in 2012!), as well as those who have joined more recently. We welcome you to contact us anytime to offer your ideas for article topics, feedback, and suggestions. All past issues are available in our archive, providing a record of how transportation providers, human service agencies, and advocates have diligently and creatively worked to expand mobility over the months and years.
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GATRA launches third microtransit service
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With the launch of GATRA GO United on December 15, the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) now offers three microtransit services. Microtransit is on-demand service offered by a public transit authority. Using microtransit is similar to summoning a ride on Uber or Lyft in that riders do not need to book their trip in advance, but unlike Uber or Lyft, the GATRA vehicles are wheelchair-accessible and the drivers are trained professionals. Riders can use an app or call to summon their ride.
GATRA's first foray into microtransit - now called GATRA GO Connect - launched in August 2019 and serves parts of Mansfield, Foxborough, and Plainville. This past October, GATRA added GATRA GO Coastline, serving South Plymouth. GATRA GO United serves Foxborough, Franklin, Norfolk, and Wrentham. Rides on GATRA GO United are free through the end of January, and will then cost $2. Riders can transfer from GATRA GO Connect to GATRA GO United at Patriot Place.
GATRA GO United serves riders who previously rode two lower-ridership fixed-routes, as well as dial-a-ride customers in the four towns. After a year, GATRA will review the data to determine whether to stick with microtransit for the area, or return to a more traditional fixed-route and dial-a-ride approach. Although launching a new service during a pandemic is challenging, GATRA staff are hopeful: "This fills a lot of niches. It will allow the college students to get to the outlets and the mall, when they come back to campus. Once Senior Centers reopen, it will also be good for the seniors who don't want to book in advance because they don't know how they'll feel the day of. Seniors can also use it to get to the doctor if an appointment opens up last minute," explains Angie Constantino, Mobility Manager at GATRA.
With GATRA GO United, GATRA is also conducting a technology experiment. While its first two microtransit services used the TransLOC app, the new service uses a microtransit app from Spare. The transit authority will compare the two platforms for the year to explore the strengths and challenges of each. However, this experiment is only on the backend; they are working hard to make the customer experience the same for each of the three microtransit services.
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Salem launches citywide microtransit
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Mrs. Claus and an elf joined city officials on December 16 to celebrate the launch of the Salem Skipper, an on-demand, shared-ride microtransit service the City is piloting. Through the Skipper, the City is hoping not only to expand mobility options for residents and visitors, but also to reduce congestion and mitigate parking issues during busy seasons.
The idea originated with the Salem for All Ages initiative, which called for additional age-friendly mobility options in the City. An initial feasibility study in 2018 suggested a fixed-route circulator. In 2019, the City revisited the options and concluded that microtransit would be a better fit. Through a competitive bidding process, Salem selected the microtransit company Via to run the pilot.
Any Salem resident or visitor age 13 or older can book a ride on the Skipper to travel anywhere within city limits Monday-Friday 7am-7pm and Saturday 10am-6pm. To book a ride, riders can use an app, but they can also call in their trip request if they do not have a smartphone. Riders may be directed to walk a short distance to meet their driver, although door-to-door transportation and wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available for riders who need them.
"We wanted to make this as broad as possible," explains David Kucharsky, Salem's Director of Traffic and Parking. "The service is open to everyone - seniors, university students, commuters, middle and high school students - because we want to give people different options than having to own a car." Kucharsky is currently conducting outreach to local businesses to encourage them to promote the Skipper to their employees and customers. Funded in part through a MassDOT Workforce Transportation Grant, the pilot is currently scheduled to run through September.
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MassDOT, MAPC announce grant awards
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Congratulations to the transit authorities, municipalities, and organizations who received vehicles, operating funds, and mobility management grants through MassDOT's FY21 Community Transit Grant Program. This annual funding stream supports projects that expand mobility for older adults and people with disabilities. To learn more about how this grant funding can be used to support creative transportation ideas, join our upcoming webinar on January 26. MassDOT expects the next round of funding will open for applications in spring 2021. In late December, MassDOT awarded Shared Winter Streets and Spaces grants to 17 projects in 15 municipalities. Two more rounds of funding are available, with application deadlines of January 29 and February 26. Cities, towns, and transit authorities are eligible to apply for grants as small as $5,000 and as large as $500,000 to improve plazas, sidewalks, curbs, streets, parking areas, and other public spaces in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce. Bonus points are available for projects that take an age-friendly approach. MAPC and MassDevelopment announced that they have awarded 25 grants to municipalities, transit authorities, and organizations through the Urgent COVID-19 Taxicab, Livery, and Hackney Partnership Grant Program. The grants provide funding for taxi and livery trips to fill urgent delivery or passenger trip needs caused by the pandemic. For example, the Worcester Regional Transit Authority received a grant to provide taxi rides in towns whose Council on Aging vans had suspended service. This was the first round of grants, whose applications were due in June 2020; winners of the second round, with applications due in November, have not yet been announced.
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Blue Hills RCC wins award
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In December, the Massachusetts chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-MA) presented its annual Social Advocacy Award to the Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council (BHRCC) for its comprehensive needs assessment of transportation equity in the Greater Quincy area. The award recognizes a project that has made a significant contribution to creating great communities for all in Massachusetts. "It illustrates how powerful this project is, that the APA recognized it. And that recognition gives a lot of validity to this work, which will help us engage more people and bring in more community participants," shares Melissa Pond, Principal Planner for the City of Quincy and active participant in the BHRCC. Please join us in congratulating the BHRCC!
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Expanding Mobility with the Community Transit Grant Program
Webinar ~ Tuesday, January 26, 10-11:30am
Join MassDOT and MassMobility to talk about creative ways that nonprofits, municipalities, and transit authorities can expand mobility for older adults and people with disabilities through MassDOT's annual Community Transit Grant Program funding stream. The application process opens in the spring, so winter is a great time to start thinking about your vision, goals, needs, and potential partners! Join us from 10-11:30am on Tuesday, January 26 to hear a big picture overview of the types of projects the grant can fund, with examples of recently funded projects that exemplify best practices. This webinar is not the same as MassDOT's annual training on the logistics of applying for the grant, but will instead focus on brainstorming, inspiration, and creative ideas. Register today or contact Jenna Henning if you have questions. **** Dementia-Friendly Transportation - Driver Training Wednesday, March 3 from 2-3:30pm OR Tuesday, March 9 from 10-11:30am (For your convenience, we are offering this session at two different times. Register for whichever better fits your schedule.) MCOA, MassMobility, and the Alzheimer's Association are pleased to announce a special training session for drivers. The Dementia-Friendly Transportation Training program will offer drivers of all types tools to recognize and work with people living with dementia. This free, virtual session will be of interest to volunteer drivers who provide transportation to older adults, Councils on Aging that run van services using paid drivers or volunteers, and transit drivers who drive buses and paratransit. Meghan Lemay, M.S., Regional Manager, Western MA, Alzheimer's Association will provide the training. Meghan also brings to the session her experience as a bus driver for a Senior Center. Please contact Patty Sullivan at patty@mcoaonline.com if reasonable accommodations are needed. Requests for accommodations should be submitted as soon as possible, at least 3 days before the scheduled training.
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MArtap debuts remote Passenger Assistance Training
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Regional Transit Authorities, Councils on Aging, and other transportation providers in rural and small urban areas can now sign drivers up for free Passenger Assistance Training through MArtap. This new class combines MArtap's Accessible Lift Use & Passenger Securement training with its Disability Awareness training and consists of a full-day remote session plus a 45-minute practicum exam offered in-person at a host organization. Drivers must register at least 48 hours in advance.
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COVID-19 and community transportation
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We want to thank all our readers who are on the front lines helping older adults, people with disabilities, and essential workers. We also wish to send a special thank you to all drivers!
For up-to-date information about a particular transportation service, please contact the transportation provider directly.
For general information, visit these websites:
In addition, various organizations have compiled COVID-19 resources related to transportation or mobility management:
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Follow us on Twitter
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Are you on Twitter? If so, follow us @MassMobility for links to community transportation resources relevant to organizations and agencies here in Massachusetts. If you aren't on Twitter, you can still see our posts online at twitter.com/MassMobility/.
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We want to know your stories
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If you have suggestions for news items or topics to cover in future newsletters, please contact us or submit a guest article. Comments, questions, and feedback are also welcome.
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Please share this newsletter
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Please forward this newsletter widely to others who are interested in mobility management, community transportation, or related topics and encourage them to subscribe to receive future newsletters and publications.
You can also read past issues of all MassMobility newsletters.
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