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Welcome to the February 2017 issue of MassMobility, covering news about community transportation, human service transportation coordination, and mobility management in Massachusetts. This month's issue highlights two new pilot services in different regions of Massachusetts, each seeking to bridge gaps between transit authorities. We also feature news of two pilot programs whose success has led to formal adoption and expansion.
We hope you will join us at the Massachusetts Community Transportation Coordination Conference this year! Mark your calendars for May 2, and keep an eye out for the registration link, which will be available in March.
This newsletter is compiled by MassMobility, a joint initiative of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and MassDOT.
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Congratulations to Aniko Laszlo
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Congratulations to Aniko Laszlo, who was recently promoted to Director of Coordinated Mobility within the Department of System-Wide Accessibility at the MBTA. In her new role, Aniko will work with the MBTA and THE RIDE to apply some of the best practices and innovative approaches that she worked on with stakeholders around the Commonwealth in her previous role as Statewide Mobility Manager. As Director of Coordinated Mobility, she seeks to work with the MBTA to strengthen the relationship between paratransit and the fixed route, improve communication with riders, and work with stakeholder agencies
in the Greater Boston area
to coordinate services. She will also serve as an information conduit on mobility management issues between MassDOT and T leadership. Please join us in congratulating Aniko!
MassDOT will not be hiring a new Statewide Mobility Manager, but will continue to support mobility management efforts statewide through the Community Transit Grant Program, special projects such as funding for travel training workshops, and a close working relationship with MassMobility. MassMobility will continue providing technical assistance to Regional Coordinating Councils and any organizations looking for help developing or implementing innovative approaches to improving mobility for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, or low-income commuters. For more information on how MassMobility and MassDOT can help you, please contact us.
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Quaboag Valley and South Coast pilot new services to fill gaps between transit authorities
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Recently, two new services launched, each bridging a gap between transit authority service areas. The
Quaboag Connector
serves eight towns between the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) and Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) service areas, while the
Wareham-New Bedford Connection
serves the South Coast, connecting the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) service in New Bedford to the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) service in Wareham.
The Quaboag Connector launched January 30 as a demand-response service for employment and education trips. Residents of
eight partnering towns can call to reserve a ride. Requests for trips related to employment or education receive priority, but shopping and medical trips will be provided if space permits. As demand increases and trip patterns emerge over time, the service may shift into a fixed-route model.
The Connector launched thanks to a
year of hard work from the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation, Town of Ware, regional planners from the Pioneer Valley and Central Massachusetts, and other stakeholders, as well as funding from the Baystate Wing Hospital Corporation and MassDOT. Stakeholders hope the service will help low-income people access jobs and educational opportunities, thereby contributing to the economic development of the region.
Exactly one week later, on February 6, the Wareham-New Bedford Connection launched. The need for a connection along the South Coast - and between GATRA and SRTA service areas in general - has long been recognized. In particular, residents of Wareham were having trouble accessing social service offices in New Bedford
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When the
South East Regional Coordinating Council on Transportation
(SERCCOT) held meetings in Wareham to brainstorm creative approaches to improving local mobility, stakeholders emphasized that the connection to New Bedford was their priority.
In 2016, GATRA applied for and received funding from MassDOT to pilot the service. GATRA and SRTA partnered, with the fixed route service operated by SRTA and demand response shared between the two. As funding was limited, the Regional Planning Agency surveyed agency staff in Wareham, and a rider surveyed Wareham riders, to determine when the need would be greatest. Based on the responses, the bus runs Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in the mornings and afternoons, with a mid-day gap.
The route operates on a flag system along Route 6 in the towns of Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and Marion as it travels between New Bedford and Wareham.
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Maynard adopts commuter shuttle after successful pilot
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In the fall of 2016, CrossTown Connect - a regional Transportation Management Association serving five communities and 12 companies -
piloted a last-mile shuttle
connecting residents and employees in Maynard and Acton to the South Acton train station. Over the course of the 16-week pilot, ridership rose to over 100 trips per week. Based on this success, the Town of Maynard worked with CrossTown Connect
and the Town of Acton to secure funding for the shuttle through June.
Riders rode free during the pilot, but they knew that fares would be charged once the program was formally adopted. On January 30, Maynard began charging a fare of $2 for a one-way trip. Riders can
buy a pass online and then pick it up on the bus. Ridership continued to increase even after fares were implemented. Currently, the majority of riders are Maynard residents who take the shuttle to the train instead of driving themselves. The town is reaching out to local businesses to recruit more employees who commute into Maynard to use the shuttle.
According to Andrew Scribner-MacLean, Assistant Town Administrator of Maynard, the service was designed "on a shoestring." For vehicles, the service uses the Maynard Council on Aging (COA) vans during early morning and evening hours when they are not in use by the COA. The online payment system was already part of town services. Currently, fares cover 20 percent of operating expenses. Maynard is working to identify funding to sustain the shuttle beyond June 30.
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MBTA partners with cities to provide YouthPass
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On February 1, the MBTA formally launched the
YouthPass
reduced fare program for eligible, low-income young people. With a YouthPass, riders can buy a monthly pass for $30, or add stored value to their Charlie Card for half price. The program seeks to improve access and mobility for low-income youth.
The MBTA originally
piloted the YouthPass beginning in July 2015 and collected data on the program's impact on riders, the T, and partnering cities. The success of the pilot led the Fiscal and Management Control Board to approve adopting the pilot as a regular program - and expanding it. Previously only available to young people up to age 22, the program is now open to eligible riders ages 25 and below.
To implement the YouthPass, the MBTA partners with cities. City workers administer the program, including verifying eligibility for local applicants. Current partnering cities include Boston, Chelsea, Malden, and Somerville, with additional cities looking to join. Partnering cities have reported that their participation benefits their outreach since city staff can share information on other city programs while processing YouthPass applications.
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15 communities receive state funding for complete streets improvements
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In January, the Lieutenant Governor joined MassDOT officials and state legislators to announce
$5.5 million in awards to 15 municipalities
to implement
complete streets
improvements to make the community's roadways safer and more accessible for all users. The 15 municipalities, which span the state from the New York border to the Atlantic Ocean, join 11 additional cities and towns that received funding in September 2016.
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Save the date! Massachusetts Community Transportation Coordination Conference is coming up May 2
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Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 2, 2017 for this year's Massachusetts Community Transportation Coordination Conference! The conference will be held in Worcester. Registration will open in March.
This conference is an opportunity for human service agency staff, transportation providers, advocates, planners, consumers, and others to connect with each other and hear about innovative and effective approaches to improving mobility for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income commuters. Check out conference materials from
2016
and
2015
.
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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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