Grant awarded toward Sunday bus service for Southeastern Regional Transit Authority

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Friday announced $3.5 million in grant awards for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) across the Commonwealth to implement best practices and innovative services to benefit customers.

The RTA funding recipients have been selected based upon factors such as whether projects will increase ridership, demonstrate innovation, serve a priority population, be financially sustainable, and provide cost savings or operational efficiencies. Applicants were also requested to have complete business plans and present measurable milestones.

“This grant program helps support Regional Transit Authorities to launch projects to enhance their existing services and implement best practices,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This funding will also help RTAs develop innovative plans to provide more reliable service to riders across the Commonwealth.”

“We are helping to ensure that people throughout Massachusetts have the best options for reaching jobs and economic opportunities,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Each of these projects will help improve Regional Transit Authorities’ services and we look forward to seeing their completion.”

“We look forward to the funding recipients carrying out these projects,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “The 3.5 million dollars in funding will help provide benefits such as more frequent service on some routes, pilot programs, and improved customer experience and outreach.”

The Baker-Polito Administration has filed an $18 billion Transportation Bond Bill which authorizes $330 million in capital support for the 15 RTAs to invest in fleets and facilities. The bill also includes a new $50 million Transit Infrastructure Partnership Program which would provide grants to enable transit authorities and municipalities to work together to provide bus lanes, transit signal priority and other infrastructure to keep buses moving.

Today’s awards mark the second round of grants provided by the Baker-Polito Administration for the RTAs to develop innovative services. Previously, $5.1 million in RTA grant awards were provided, including $4 million in operating funding allocated in the Fiscal Year 2019 state budget signed by Governor Baker, as well as an additional $1.1 million in capital funding from MassDOT.

For the grants announced today, all project proposals were selected on a competitive basis and grant recipients will now be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with MassDOT to address the project goals.

The full list of award winners is as follows:

Brockton Area Transit Authority
Expanded Automated Fare Options: Modernization and Standardization of Fare Collection
$ 116,081.00

Berkshire Regional Transit Authority
Evening Service Pilot Extension
$ 361,128.00

Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
Transit Oriented Development Solutions: Enhanced Buzzards Bay Transit Service
$ 345,600.00

Franklin Regional Transit Authority
FRTA Access Microtransit Pilot Extension
$ 171,050.00

Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority
GATRA Go Mansfield/Foxborough Microtransit Pilot Extension
$ 217,200.00

Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority
GATRA Go South Plymouth Microtransit Pilot Expansion
$ 150,000.00

Lowell Regional Transit Authority
Sunday Service Pilot Extension
$ 335,328.00

Montachusett Regional Transit Authority
Design/Delivery of Centralized Dispatch for Affiliate COAs
$ 165,000.00

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority
Enhanced Frequency and Sunday Service Feasibility Study
$ 375,000.00

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority
Route Equity Project
$ 220,830.00

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
Mobile Pass & Integrated Itinerary Planning Technology Program for Western Massachusetts
$ 265,172.00

Southeastern Regional Transit Authority
Sunday Service Pilot
$ 318,181.00

Worcester Regional Transit Authority
Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) Westborough Shuttle Pilot
$ 459,430.00