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Happy New Year!
Welcome to the January 2020 issue of the MassMobility newsletter. This month's issue highlights news about transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals in Massachusetts. We also look ahead to the coming year and ask for your input shaping this year's conference, as well as topics for discussion at our volunteer driver program and travel instruction peer networks.
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Pilot offers Lyft trips to 211 callers
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United Way Worldwide selected two Massachusetts cities - Boston and Springfield - to participate in a national pilot offering Lyft rides to people who call 211 in need of transportation. Across Massachusetts, individuals can call
211 to get referrals to social services. Through the
Ride United pilot, callers from Greater Boston and Greater Springfield in need of a ride to a non-emergency, health-related destination can get a free one-time Lyft ride, provided they are unable to find any other transportation option. Eligible destinations include food pantries, financial assistance, or social service appointments, as well as medical appointments. Lyft is funding the pilot, which launched in September and will continue into the spring.
"We get a lot of calls from people looking for transportation, so it's been wonderful to have this option to offer callers," shares Eileen Davis, Vice President of Mass211. To learn more or request a ride, call 211.
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MassDOT announces grant awards to Regional Transit Authorities
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Early this month, MassDOT
announced grant awards totaling $3.5 million to 11 Regional Transit Authorities for pilot projects to improve the customer experience. Projects include extensions of the
FRTA and
GATRA microtransit pilots as well as a number of new projects and studies.
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Propose a session for the 2020 conference
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And mark your calendar! The conference is scheduled for April 7-8 in Worcester.
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Help us plan our 2020 meetings
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Do you help people learn to ride fixed-route public transit? Our Travel Instruction Network offers professional development and connections to other
travel trainers. Fill out our
Travel Instruction Network survey to help shape this year's agenda.
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New reports highlight rural mobility
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New webinar series highlights federal programs that fund transportation
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The Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) is launching a
monthly webinar series in February in which federal agencies will take turns highlighting their funding streams that can be used to cover transportation costs.
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Looking for a New Year's Resolution for 2020? Become a volunteer driver
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Still looking for a new year's resolution? Volunteering to drive a community member to a medical appointment, critical errand, or a social outing can be highly rewarding. Individuals who no longer drive often struggle to find transportation to the places they want to go, and face isolation, loneliness, and poor health if they cannot find rides. Volunteer drivers know they are making a difference in people's lives - and often build meaningful relationships and friendships with their passengers.
Want to help, but feeling crunched for time? Some companies allow employees to volunteer during work hours. For example, through the
SERV program, state employees in Massachusetts can spend up to one workday per month volunteering for municipal agencies and non-profits serving the community. Many organizations that offer
volunteer driver programs are already approved for SERV - such as the
American Cancer Society and
LifePath (formerly the Franklin County Home Care Corporation). Many
Councils on Aging - which are also approved sites for SERV - offer volunteer driver programs. State employees interested in driving for another program can fill out a
form to ask HR to review the organization and add it to the list.
Do you have a New Year's resolution related to community transportation or mobility management?
Let us know so we can share it on Twitter to inspire others.
And if you already operate a volunteer driver program but aren't yet part of our volunteer driver program network,
let us know
so we can invite you to upcoming networking and professional development opportunities.
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The communities of Acton, Bolton, Carlisle, Stow, and Sudbury are seeking Program Manager consultant services for a microtransit pilot that will explore improving transportation services for seniors, people with disabilities, financially vulnerable residents, and veterans. This position is open until filled.
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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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