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Welcome to the June 2020 issue of the MassMobility newsletter.  This month, we highlight two transit authorities expanding on-demand microtransit service, efforts in Boston and the Berkshires to put available transportation capacity to good use,  and more  news related to transportation for  older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals in Massachusetts .

Recognizing that race and racism have affected and continue to affect transportation planning and implementation, MassMobility is taking steps to learn, reflect, and identify ways we can do more to integrate anti-racism into our work. We invite you to share your thoughts with us on this important topic. Some of the many resources we are learning from include Keith Benjamin's  AARP keynote on equity and livable communities and The Untokening.

The newsletter is compiled by  MassMobility , an initiative of the  Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services .
Apply for a grant
Check out our funding webpage for opportunities, such as MassDOT's annual Community Transit Grant Program (due June 26), a national  Community Mobility Design Challenge  (due July 6), a national Mobility On Demand grant (due July 31), and more.

Starting June 22, municipalities can apply for the new Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program  for quick-build/quick-launch projects to improve sidewalks, curbs, streets, and parking in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce - including projects promoting walkability, bus reliability and safety, and safe routes to school. Online resources and technical assistance from the Barr Foundation are available.

Looking for matching funds? A recent report from the federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility lists federal funding sources and whether or not they can be used as a match to other federal funding opportunities.

Putting together an application? Check out our resources on data for making the case, best practices to implement, and strategies for partnering with others.
MWRTA wins national grant
On June 5, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the winners of the Mobility for All Pilot Program Grants, including a $300,000 grant to the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA). MWRTA was one of only 17 grantees across the country.  MWRTA will add microtransit to their new CATCH app and then manage a pilot service with a focus on helping older adults  and individuals with disabilities access same-day trips to medical appointments and other health-related destinations.

"We see microtransit as an emerging mode and want to make sure that it's available to our clientele," explains Emily Van Dewoestine, MWRTA Fixed Route Operations Manager. "If you go to the doctor and are prescribed a medication, the demand-response system is set up to take you directly back home, but with microtransit, you could go to the pharmacy on the way home to pick up your prescription."
 
MWRTA expects that development of the app will take about six months and that the pilot service will begin operating early in 2021. Grant funding runs through September 2022.
GATRA GO microtransit adds Saturday service
Starting May 30, the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) added Saturday service to GATRA GO, the microtransit serving parts of Foxborough, Mansfield, and Plainville. Microtransit is an on-demand public transit service, similar to Uber or Lyft but operated through a transit authority with dedicated accessible vehicles and trained drivers. On GATRA GO, riders can request same-day on-demand service, or can book a trip one day in advance.
 
GATRA GO originally launched in August. When the pandemic hit, ridership fell across the system. GATRA stopped running local dial-a-ride and a commuter shuttle and referred riders to GATRA GO instead. "It's been well received," shares GATRA's Director of Customer Relations Joanne LaFerrara. "The same company runs our local dial-a-ride and the microtransit, so the transition was seamless for local seniors calling in to get a ride. They are just told to expect the GATRA GO vehicle instead of the dial-a-ride van." In addition to calling in, riders can also use an app to summon a ride on GATRA GO.

Riders have been using GATRA GO for essential trips such as going to the grocery store, and a few essential workers also use it to commute to work. In response for requests for grocery shopping on Saturdays, GATRA expanded hours to include Saturdays from 10 to 4.
RIDE uses extra capacity to address food insecurity
With pandemic-related declines in ridership resulting in extra capacity on the MBTA's RIDE, RIDE staff have been actively looking for ways to use this capacity to address community needs. In April, they reached out to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) about opportunities to assist with food delivery. GBFB connected them with the City of Boston, and in late April, THE RIDE began partnering with the City and the YMCA of Greater Boston to deliver food to families whose youth were receiving meals at school, as well as other households identified by the City.
 
Drivers who opt into the program arrive at a YMCA site in the morning, where they pick up grocery bags and school meals.  In the partnership's first month, RIDE drivers completed over 3,000 deliveries comprised of over 5,000 bags of groceries and 24,000 school meals.
 
"This partnership is a testament to the impact we can make in the lives of our families and those in need when we work together," said City of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "I thank the MBTA, and our partners at the YMCA, and the Greater Boston Food Bank for helping us strengthen the City of Boston's food access work that has already provided over one million meals to our residents most in need and negatively impacted by COVID-19."
Berkshire towns explore transportation options and opportunities
Recognizing that access to transportation is part of what makes a community livable for older adults, Age Friendly Berkshires (AFB) launched the "Every Ride Counts" initiative in January with funding from the Central Berkshire Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Through Every Ride Counts, AFB is exploring opportunities to expand mobility in six towns in the eastern part of Central Berkshire County: Becket, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington, and Windsor.
 
AFB began by meeting with each town's Council on Aging to talk about transportation needs and opportunities, and then met with the six Select Boards. Although plans for in-person discussions with town residents had to be delayed, AFB is currently partnering with participating towns on a survey of older adults. The survey seeks not only to find out what trip needs are going unmet, but also to educate residents about existing options available through the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and other providers. AFB is committed to helping residents avail themselves of existing options: "People don't realize what transportation options are out there," shares Age Friendly Berkshires Regional Coordinator Peg McDonough.
 
The initiative also seeks to expand local mobility beyond what is currently available - by building on past learning. In 2017, with funding from a national grant, Age-Friendly Berkshires piloted a county-wide initiative where Councils on Aging that had their own vans could sign up to be paid to provide rides to older adults in towns that had no transportation, if capacity allowed. "From this first grant, we saw that it was feasible to share transportation resources across town lines," explains McDonough. The Town of Dalton, which offered rides to neighboring Hinsdale in the 2017 initiative, has been advising McDonough on how to overcome obstacles and make cross-town service a reality. To date, AFB has identified some potential opportunities for further exploration, including a town-owned vehicle that could be used during non-school hours, and a driver pool that already serves one participating town and is open to discussion about expansion.
Advocates offer bikeshare discounts to low-income riders
In May, the Boston Cyclists Union (BCU) launched a new BLUEbikes pass program, which offers lower-income individuals a steeply discounted annual pass for the local bikeshare system serving
Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Everett, and Somerville . With funding from the Wagner Foundation, BCU is able to offer eligible applicants an annual pass for only $5 - down from the regular price of $99. The program expands BlueBikes'  Income-Eligible Program  by offering a steeper discount ($5 annually instead of $50).
 
"Surveys show that safety concerns are the top reason why people don't bike, but lack of access to a bike is the number two reason - especially for lower-income populations," shares Jon Terbush, BCU Director of Communications. "BCU has long been concerned with equity, and we had already been talking about doing this when COVID-19 hit. Now it's even more relevant since we're seeing an increasing interest in biking, as well as an increasing need for affordable options given the economic impact."
 
Initial interest has been strong, and BCU expects the program to be increasingly popular as their outreach picks up over the summer and as people resume travel. Initial funding will cover 150 passes. Interested individuals should apply online.
MassMobility partners with Moving Maine on webinar series
Save the date! On July 23 from 1-2:30pm, join MassMobility and the Moving Maine Network for a peer learning webinar on inclusive transportation planning. Hear from three initiatives - two in Massachusetts and one in Maine - that are working to increase the role that older adults and people with disabilities play in planning and implementing community transportation services. Register today!

The Moving Maine Network is a  multi-sector, statewide collaborative in Maine working to improve access to transportation for all, with a special focus on people who experience barriers. MassMobility and Moving Maine plan to offer bi-monthly webinars featuring initiatives from Maine and Massachusetts, as well as mobility management best practices from around the country. All webinars will include Q&A and discussion time, so attendees can learn from each other as well as from the presenters.
Message from the Registry of Motor Vehicles
If you were planning to apply for a REAL ID this summer, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) asks you instead to renew your existing license online. The federal government has pushed back the REAL ID compliance deadline to October 2021. Learn more about this and other changes to RMV policies due to COVID-19.
New resource helps older adults plan mobility
Plan for the Road Ahead includes tools and videos to help older adults plan for mobility after retiring from driving.  For additional resources and Massachusetts-specific information, check out the RMV's webpage on older drivers .
Marketing community transportation services
Looking to publicize a transportation service? Check out our new webpage on outreach and marketing community transportation services, highlighting resources from national organizations.

In addition, check out the sample communications plans that accompany MCOA's guidelines for reopening Councils on Aging - including one focused on restarting transportation services.
Driver training moves online
MassDOT has moved two MArtap driver training classes online. Drivers can register to attend Disability Awareness and Defensive Driving as online webinars. Each is scheduled to occur twice a month, once on a Thursday and once on a Saturday, through August.

For the most up-to-date information about MArtap classes, visit the  MArtap website  or subscribe to the   MArtap newsletter .
COVID-19 and community transportation
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  who continue to transport riders. If you are looking to honor a driver or other transportation stakeholder, consider submitting a photo to the national Rural Transit Heroes contest.

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:
Coming up in July
All are welcome to join MassMobility and the Moving Maine Network on July 23 for a webinar on including riders in planning community transportation services. Register for the webinar.

Anyone who offers travel training or wishes to start a travel training program is welcome to join the Massachusetts Travel Instruction Network on July 30 for a virtual meeting on travel instruction and mental health. The meeting will feature a presentation from Earl Miller, Director of Recovery for Western Mass at the Department of Mental Health. Contact us to register.
Follow us on Twitter 

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/.

We want to know your stories

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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You can also read past issues of all MassMobility newsletters.