in full transparency, portions of this report are a press release from the Baker-Polito administration
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BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration announced today, December 21, a total of $8.9 million for municipalities, Councils on Aging, nonprofit organizations and other entities to use under the Community Transit Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority received $536,992 for 8 new vehicles in this round of funding, said Director Ed Carr.
The annual competitive grant program awards funds to be used for transit operating costs, mobility management, or new capital investments.
“Community Transit Grants provide critical funding to local organizations to purchase equipment to help people get where they need to go efficiently and safely,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our Administration will continue to make efforts to work with local leaders, community stakeholders, and the private sector to make transit accessible to everyone.”
“We are pleased to provide this key funding to cities and towns, regional transit authorities, and non-profit organizations statewide to help support their transportation needs,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “These grant awards expand upon current transportation services in areas where transit may currently be limited and will ensure that residents have additional options for travel.”
The funding being announced today is for applications made to the program during 2021 for Fiscal Year 2022. Awards include funding to 27 organizations for 115 vans and minibuses and money to 18 entities for 23 operating and mobility management projects.
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Award recipients include some of the state’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), municipalities, Councils on Aging, and eligible nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts.
“The Community Transit Grant Program is essential in allowing transportation providers across the Commonwealth to adapt and improve their services for the public,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler. “In particular, these grants will help projects that will benefit individuals with disabilities or others who need assistance while accessing transportation.”
The Community Transit Grant Program is the Commonwealth’s annual competitive grant program to distribute both Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities funds and State Mobility Assistance Program (MAP) funds. The FTA Section 5310 grant program provides funding to assist with the purchase of capital equipment, mobility management, and operational costs to meet the mobility needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities of any age. State Mobility Assistance Program funds are used to assist in the provision of transportation services to seniors and persons with disabilities exclusively through the purchase of eligible vehicles.
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In total in this grant round, MassDOT plans to distribute $8,912,588 of federal and state funds for vehicles, operating projects, and mobility management projects.
A complete list of successful grantees is below.
| Organization | # of Vehicles Awarded |
| Berkshire Regional Transit Authority | 5 |
| Brockton Area Transit Authority | 4 |
| Brockton Area Arc, Inc. | 1 |
| Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority | 15 |
| City of Revere | 1 |
| Family Service Association | 1 |
| Franklin Regional Transit Authority | 7 |
| GAAMHA, Inc. | 2 |
| Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority | 9 |
| Hull Council on Aging | 2 |
| Lowell Regional Transit Authority | 3 |
| Mental Health Association, Inc. (MHA, Inc.) | 2 |
| MetroWest Regional Transit Authority | 8 |
| Montachusett Regional Transit Authority | 5 |
| People Incorporated | 1 |
| Pioneer Valley Transit Authority | 14 |
| SCM Community Transportation, Inc. | 3 |
| South Shore Community Action Council, Inc. | 6 |
| Southeastern Regional Transit Authority | 3 |
| Town of Arlington | 1 |
| Town of Brookline | 1 |
| Town of Dartmouth | 1 |
| Town of Randolph | 1 |
| Town of Rowley | 1 |
| Town of Ware | 1 |
| Upham’s Corner Health Committee, Inc. | 3 |
| Worcester Regional Transit Authority | 14 |
| Organization | Project Description | Award |
| Berkshire Regional Transit Authority | Funding for salaries and materials to support BRTA’s travel training program | $8,414 |
| Brockton Area Transit Authority | Funding to continue and expand paratransit services to the towns of Avon, Stoughton, and the City of Brockton beyond BAT’s ADA corridor | $30,000 |
| Brockton Area Transit Authority | Funding to continue lifeline service to essential destinations for older adults and people with disabilities in the Town of Rockland | $84,000 |
| Cape Ann Transportation Authority | Funding for van transportation to dialysis and medical appointments in Beverly, Danvers, and Peabody as well as a direct transfer to the MBTA RIDE | $54,925 |
| City of Newton | Funding for NewMo, an on-demand transportation system provided by Via for Newton residents aged 60 and older | $125,000 |
| City of Revere | Funding for Revere Rides to expand its city sponsored transportation programing to meet the growing demands for older adults and people with disabilities | $49,696 |
| Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority | Med Wheels offers long-distance demand-response transportation to medical appointments for people living with disabilities and/or those aged 60 or older | $50,000 |
| Franklin Regional Transit Authority | Funding for FRTA to establish a travel training program with one full-time position as travel trainer/travel ambassador | $50,600 |
| Hilltown Community Development Corporation | Continuation of funding for the Hilltown Driver Pool, which supplements the use of the FRTA 12-passenger Demand Response van for medical rides as needed. The program combines several COA volunteer driver programs and provides a central dispatch, driver vetting and training, and administrative support. Drivers use their personal vehicles and are reimbursed for expenses. The service is designed to address existing gaps in service and create cost savings with use of smaller vehicles | $8,888 |
| Mystic Valley Elder Services, Inc. | The Connect a Ride Alliance Program provides transportation services to 11 communities north of Boston. MVES employs two full time transportation coordinators who are responsible for administering a transportation network and rider program for older adults and individuals living with disabilities | $106,200 |
| Northern Essex Elder Transport | Funding to cover administrative costs associated with operating a volunteer driver program that serves 14 COAs in the Merrimack Valley. | $19,000 |
| Old Colony Planning Council | The OCPC provides mileage reimbursement to volunteer drivers at the federally approved mileage rate | $30,000 |
| Opportunity Works | Funding to expand an existing on-demand response program for older adults and other transportation disadvantaged populations for six towns in Essex County | $60,000 |
| Pioneer Valley Transit Authority | Operating funds to support the continued transition of paratransit service from PVTA to local Councils on Aging | $150,000 |
| Pioneer Valley Transit Authority | Continued funding to maintain and expand PVTA’s mobility management Travel Training (TT) Program across PVTA’s service area | $108,240 |
| South Shore Community Action Council, Inc. | Operating assistance for SSCAC transportation program for older adults and individuals with disabilities | $75,000 |
| South Shore Community Action Council, Inc. | Continued funding to support SSCAC’s short-term assessment and strategic planning to accommodate operational changes and comply with new HST guidelines and MA standards resulting from COVID-19 | $25,000 |
| Springfield Partners for Community Action | Operating funds to support the continued transportation of older Veterans with disabilities across the Springfield area | $75,000 |
| Town of Shrewsbury | Funding for operation of Shrewsbury Council on Aging vehicle | $28,000 |
| Town of Ware | Operating funds to support the Quaboag Connector | $150,000 |
| Worcester Regional Transit Authority | Funding for a demand response service offered to people with disabilities and individuals age of 60 and over traveling from Holden to Worcester and the reverse outside of the Holden Council on Aging vehicle’s hours of operation | $12,000 |
| Worcester Regional Transit Authority | SCM Elderbus provides rides for people living in its 22 member communities focusing on medical trips to Worcester. | $15,000 |
| Worcester Regional Transit Authority | ReadyBus provides a much needed transportation service focusing on people with disabilities and individuals age 60 and over who live and work in the towns of Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge and Webster. | $45,000 |
In addition to the Community Transit Grant Program, MassDOT manages additional Commonwealth of Massachusetts grant programs benefitting municipalities, businesses and the traveling public. The other grant programs include Municipal Small Bridge, Complete Streets, Industrial Rail Access, and two initiatives launched by the Baker-Polito Administration in 2020 to help communities during the pandemic: Shared Streets and Spaces and Shared Winter Streets and Spaces. For information on these programs, please visit: www.mass.gov.
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