Community Transportation News

May 2025

If you have comments or questions about community transportation in Massachusetts, please reach out to us anytime at massmobility@dot.state.ma.us. Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce.

Happy Spring! I am thrilled to be starting as the new Statewide Mobility Lead at MassDOT. Mobility management is a customer-focused approach to connecting riders with transportation services so that older adults, people with disabilities, low-income workers, and youth can access the trips they need to get to jobs, services, and community life. Going forward, I will be working on publishing this newsletter on a monthly basis, re-establishing a statewide resources-sharing network of travel training/instruction practitioners, and (separately) one for volunteer driver programs.

We will also be highlighting special and interesting mobility projects across the Commonwealth and promoting Ride Match, a project of GATRA, as a useful resource to find and connect with transportation services.

As we work to establish a system of Regional Mobility Managers, we continue to partner with Regional Transit Authorities, transportation providers, planning agencies, nonprofits, and individual riders – please reach out with interesting transportation and mobility news/meetings in your area. We welcome your feedback! - Maria Foster, Statewide Mobility Lead 

Massachusetts Statewide Ebike Voucher Program

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is administering the Massachusetts Statewide Ebike Voucher Program as part of the state’s strategy to reduce growth in vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions in the Commonwealth. The Program assists low-and-moderate income residents across the state by providing a voucher that reduces the cost of an e-bike. Vouchers of $800 to $1200 (depending on eligibility) will be awarded via random selection. All participants must be residents of Massachusetts. The next open period for applications is May 12-27th. Voucher amounts will never exceed the total cost of an EBike.

From NADTC: The Road to Independence: Travel Instruction for People with Down Syndrome  

NADTC guest blogger Jeffrey Dennis, Senior Travel Instructor for New Jersey Travel Independence Program at Rutgers University, highlights the importance of travel instruction and provides 10 easy steps to assist and train people with Down Syndrome for independent travel.

Volunteer Driver Program Survey

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), in partnership with Easterseals and West Virginia University, is conducting a national research study on Volunteer Driver Programs (VDPs) in rural and low-density areas, as part of the Transportation Research Board’s NCHRP Project 08-183.

The goal of this study is to develop a practical, user-friendly resource to help State Departments Of Transportation and other agencies plan, implement, and sustain VDPs. This resource will include a toolkit for State DOTs, nonprofits, and community partners.

TTI and Easterseals are asking for volunteer driver program administrators to fill out a short Request for Information (RFI) survey.

Upcoming Events 

Walk Audits via WalkMassachusetts

Walk Massachusetts is promoting two upcoming walk audits. On May 15th, the Andover Planning and Land Use Division in partnership with the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission are hosting a walk audit in Andover. For more information visit the Town of Andover events calendar.

On May 21st WalkMA and the Old Colony Planning Council are hosting a walk audit in Brockton. For more information visit the WalkMA Facebook page.

Lexington Transportation Services presents author Anna Zivarts

On Thursday, May 29th 7PM-9PM, Lexington Transportation Services presents author Anna Zivarts for a Q&A on her book, When Driving is Not an Option. As a working parent with a disability that prevents her from driving, Anna has to access all the places and services any working parent does, but do so without a car. Her experience growing up as someone who cannot drive, coupled with her professional research focused on non-drivers makes her a powerful voice to help center non-drivers in planning so we can make communities work better for them, and in the process, for all. Registration is via Zoom.

Funding Opportunity: Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program

The fiscal year (FY) 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program is open.

Eligible applicants for SS4A grants include Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), political subdivisions of a State or territory (e.g., counties, cities, towns, special districts, certain transit agencies, and similar units of local government), federally recognized Tribal governments.

The SS4A program provides funding for two main types of grants: Planning and Demonstration Grants for Action Plans, including supplemental safety planning and/or safety demonstration activities, and Implementation Grants.

The deadline for applications is June 26, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

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You can read past issues of the MassMobility newsletter in our archive