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Welcome to the October 2019 issue of the MassMobility newsletter.  This issue highlights two examples of increasing mobility through making use of existing capacity. Read on to learn about how the Franklin Regional Transit Authority is piloting on-demand "microtransit" service using empty seats on paratransit vehicles; how economic development officials in Marlborough are sharing transportation resources with the local Senior Center during mid-day, off-peak hours;  and more  news about  transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals in Massachusetts.

This month marks ten years since Work Without Limits and the Human Service Transportation Office brought CTAA to Massachusetts to run a Transportation Coordination Institute. The institute recruited and fostered cross-sector regional teams, which became the predecessors to today's Regional Coordinating Councils. To those readers who participated in the 2009 institute - as well as those who have become involved more recently - thank you for your work to coordinate and enhance mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals in communities across Massachusetts.

The newsletter is compiled by  MassMobility , an initiative of the  Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services .
FRTA pilots microtransit to fill available seats on demand-response vehicles
On October 1, the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) officially launched FRTA Access, a microtransit pilot offering same-day and next-day shared demand-response trips to the general public in two zones. The first zone serves Deerfield, Gill, Greenfield, Leyden, Montague, and Whately, and operates Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm. The second zone serves New Salem, Orange, Warwick, and Wendell, and operates Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.
 
FRTA is offering the service using available seats on their existing paratransit and demand-response vehicles. When FRTA Access riders request trips, the app checks capacity, given the paratransit and demand-response trips already scheduled. If FRTA's existing fleet can fit in the trip, the ride is booked. FRTA Access riders ride alongside paratransit and demand-response riders.  The pilot is funded through MassDOT's Discretionary Grant Program.

This new service offers general public service in areas that previously did not have any public transit, such as Gill, Leyden, New Salem, Warwick, Wendell, and parts of Whately. In addition, riders who already qualified for FRTA's demand response or paratransit services due to their age, disability, or veteran status can now access same-day and next-day options.
 
To request an FRTA Access trip, download the FRTA Access app by searching for "FRTA" at the Apple Store or Google Play. When a trip is requested, the app will tell you whether the ride is available or not. A one-way trip costs $5; additional riders can join for $2.50 each.
 
FRTA Access is the third microtransit pilot to launch in Massachusetts, following NewMo in Newton and GO GATRA in the Mansfield area.
Marlborough pilots shuttle to serve commuters and seniors
With funding from the Marlborough City Council and the state budget, Marlborough launched a new municipal shuttle on September 16. During the morning and evening commute hours, the shuttle meets inbound and outbound trains at the Southborough commuter rail stop and connects to a park-and-ride lot and a major employment center in Marlborough, in order to serve commuters commuting into and out of Marlborough.
 
From 9:30am to 3:30pm, when not in use for commuters, the vehicle is available to the Council on Aging and Marlborough veterans. "We are very excited to have the opportunity to expand our transportation program. The shuttle will be used to enhance some of the programing we have at the Center, such as outings for the men's group and camera club, shopping trips, or better serving our veterans by helping them get to their appointments at the VA," explains Trish Pope, Executive Director of the Marlborough Council on Aging and Senior Center.
 
The idea for the shuttle emerged in 2015, when the Route 128 Business Council conducted a transportation study at the City's request. The City had been hearing from local employers that "last mile" challenges were a barrier to recruiting and retaining talented workers. The study found that employees were coming not only from Boston but also from Worcester, and that a shuttle between key employment areas and the Southborough train station could reduce mobility barriers.
 
For the shuttle's first year, rides are free of charge. Marlborough is asking people interested in riding to register in advance.
Boston installs age-friendly benches
On September 20, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh joined older residents, staff of the Boston Age Strong Commission, and representatives of other city departments and community partners for a ribbon cutting celebrating the first of nearly 90 age-friendly benches the city is installing this fall. In Boston's needs assessment for becoming an age-friendly city, older residents said that lack of benches kept them from walking around their city because they would not have a place to rest. In response, the city included benches as part of its age-friendly action plan.

" Benches are helpful places for rest for people, and encourage older residents to spend more time outside, shopping, and contributing to our neighborhoods," says Age Strong Commissioner Emily Shea.  The benches are specifically designed to meet the needs of older adults, with supportive backs, arm rests at the ends and middle to make it easier to sit down and get back up, and temperature-resistant material so they can be used in all seasons. The City partnered with WalkBoston to engage older residents in identifying the best locations for the benches.
 
Funding for the benches comes from the city's budget, as well as AARP and the Boston College Neighborhood Improvement Fund.
Aging service providers present their travel training programs
On September 24, the Massachusetts Travel Instruction Network held a forum with presentations from three aging service providers that offer travel training as part of their programming for older adults. Greater Lynn Senior Services presented on how they incorporate falls prevention exercises into their travel training, to help older adults practice the balance and strength they need to travel safely. The Boston Age Strong Commission discussed their Bus Buddies program, where older residents of Boston can sign up to volunteer to help others ride the MBTA. TRIPPS, an initiative of the Brookline Council on Aging, talked about how they support older adults in using public transit as well as other travel modes, such as Uber or Lyft.
 
Anyone who offers or is interested in offering travel instruction is welcome to join the Massachusetts Travel Instruction Network. Please contact us if you would like to get on the email list. If you are interested in learning how to offer travel training, check out this upcoming introductory workshop or join the mailing list to hear about future opportunities.
National conferences highlight Age Friendly Berkshires
Peg McDonough, Regional Coordinator of Age Friendly Berkshires, has been traveling far and wide to share how the Berkshires have been addressing age-friendly mobility challenges. In July, she presented at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference in New Orleans, and in September, she presented at the National Rural Technical Assistance Program Conference in Portland, Oregon.

At both conferences, she highlighted Age Friendly Berkshire's Berkshire Rides to Wellness  pilot in 2017, where Councils on Aging with vans could receive funding to provide trips to residents living in towns without vans.  "Although the pilot did not provide as many trips as we initially expected, it showed us potential for lasting partnerships that are still making a difference today," explains McDonough. "It was great to get to share our story with others from around the country, and learn from what they've tried in other states."
Two Massachusetts students recognized for posters on rural transportation
Congratulations to Jessica Archer, graduate student in Library Science at Simmons University, and Cristopher Patvakanian, undergraduate student at Harvard College, for winning second and third place respectively in the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP) student poster contest. The posters were displayed during National RTAP's conference in September.
 
Archer worked as a transportation planner and has spent over seven years in healthcare. She started her library science degree with the goal of becoming a medical or health sciences librarian. She plans to research access to Boston hospitals for patients coming from rural areas.  Check out her poster.
 
Patvakanian is majoring in Economics and minoring in Political Science at Harvard. He enjoyed learning about rural transportation, a new area for him, using frameworks from economics and political science. "Something I learned from this project and also from speaking with other conference attendees is that in reality there really is no one perfect answer or solution, theory or policy-wise, but a variety of options which all have their own tradeoffs," he shares. View his poster.
Local transit service turns 40
Congratulations to the Town of Lexington, whose transportation service Lexpress turned 40 in September. The Town celebrated this milestone with special Saturday service offered free of charge, remarks from elected officials, cake, and a Transportation Options Open House with information about the Lexpress and other transportation options serving Lexington.
New publications
Check out these recent publications on transportation for older adults and people with disabilities in Massachusetts:

Rural Policy Plan
The Rural Policy Advisory Commission has released their proposed policy plan for Massachusetts. It includes a section on rural transportation.

Risk Factors for Older Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities in MA
In partnership with MassDOT, researchers from the UMass Boston  Gerontology Institute published a report analyzing  older pedestrian crashes in Massachusetts. The report identifies cities and towns with high numbers of crashes and high rates of crashes per older adult resident, includes a case study of New Bedford, and offers recommendations for improving the safety of older pedestrians.

Promoting Healthy Aging through Mobility and Transportation
The Mass Healthy Aging Collaborative and MassMobility partnered on a report with examples of age-friendly transportation from all regions of Massachusetts. 

Community Transportation for Transition-Aged Youth with Disabilities
MassMobility also partnered with the Massachusetts Partnership for Transition to Employment on a one-pager with information on  transportation for transition-aged youth with disabilities.
Share your thoughts on low-carbon transportation policy
In partnership with other states, Massachusetts is working to develop a regional low carbon transportation policy proposal. Towards this end, the multi-state Transportation and Climate Initiative released a framework for a draft policy proposal this month. Members of the public may provide comment on this draft in writing though November 5, or in person at a public meeting scheduled from October 23 through November 4 around the state.
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