On Friday June 2nd, Харчування BАНК and its partners in the Western Massachusetts Transportation Advocacy Network (WMTAN) hosted their second forum discussing issues and potential solutіони поливrding громадськість транспорт in the western half of the Commonwealth. Tвивезення is important to the advocacy team at the Food Bank оскільки years of research and personal testimonials Показувати Що being able to afford food is often only half the battle for families facing food insecurity– they also повинен be able to travel to and from stores with affordable, healthy options.  

Для жителів хто НЕ drive or have access to a veчлениця та  НЕ live within a walkable radius of a grocery store, планування trips around limited public transportation availability може be a основний виклик Є три RTA’s (Regional Transit Authorities) Що працювати in Western Massachusetts, the PVTA serving Hampden and Hampshire Counties, the FRTA serving Franklin County, А BRTA, виступаючої Графство Беркшир. Unfortunately, funding inequities for transportation in Boston versus transportation in the rest of the state are vast. The MBTA receives 93% of state funding and the other fifteen RTA’s must split the remaining 7%, making the public transportation serving the population outside of Metro Boston woefully inadequate. 

Speakers at the forum discussed a wide range of topics, from особисте сторy of Elizabeth Quirk та  her work with the FRTA безкоштовний проїзд prограма, Щоб a deep dive inдо операції мікротранзит організації пропонує в'їжджає very rural areas. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission presented the early version of an innovative new mapping tool (commissioned by the Food Bank and the WMTAN and funded by grants from T4MA and Feeding America) Що забезпечує a birds-eye view of where public transportation is доступний в регіоні and its proximity to grocery stores, places of employment, higher education, та  медична допомога. Команда tool is helpful for advocates who study transportation issues and can be використовуваний by будь relying on local public transportation to plan their trips.  

Other presentations included The Quaboag Connector- перший мікро-транзит pilot in our region Що set the bar high for what success looks like serving a rural population with on-demand publicly subsidized transportation. This concept has continued to evolve in the area with Tate Coleman’s newest мікро-транзит pilot in Great Barrington and stands as великий приклад of how local advocacy and passion can create change and improve access. Craig’s Doors Fare Access Program, the first in the nation to забезпечувати free bus passes to people experiencing homelessness, discussed how the increased freedom of movement is allowing people to apply for jobs, visit family and friends, access food, and much more. For a full list of featured speakers and their topics, as well as a link to a recording of the event both are available at the bottom of this page. 

The WMTAN formed after the first Transportation Forum, organized by the Food Bank in 2019. Led by Public Policy Manager Laura Sylvester, the WMTAN meets monthly via Zoom and is open to anyone with an interest in transportation policy and issues. “The original idea for the group was to bring together RTA employees, planners, advocates, transportation users, and legislators to highlight the innovative work that’s already being done in Western Massachusetts, to share best practices and to leverage our voices in advocating for better funding,” Sylvester says. “This latest Forum was an opportunity to bring that work to a wider audience and spread the word.” 

After lunch, attendees gathered in groups to discuss topics brought up by each speaker, providing space for sharing, networking, and encouraging participants to bring ideas that were presented into their own communities and organizing circles. If you were not able to attend but wish to learn more about the topics discussed, a full recording of the event can be found тут as well as embedded on the page below. If you want to sign up for advocacy alerts from the Food Bank to stay up to date on opportunities to get involved in creating a more equitable Western Massachusetts, you can do so тут. 

A special thank you to our sponsors, Т4МА та  Instacart, for making this event possible. 

Forum Topics and Speakers

• Carrie Lavallee, Deputy Administrator/Chief Engineer, MassDOT, Лейтмотив
• Dave Christopolis, Hilltown Community Development, Hilltown CDC Mobile Market
• Jen Healey and Sheila Cuddy, Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation, Update on QUABOAG CONNECTOR
• Elizabeth Quirk, FRTA, FRTA Fare-free bus program
• Tate Coleman, Great Barrington Microtransit Project
• Eric J. Gonzales, Ph.D., UMass, MassDOT Focus Group on Study of Food Access in Pioneer Valley
• Molly Jackson-Watts, Jacob Dolinger, PVPC, GIS Mapping Project
• Jack Myers, Tim McCarthy, Craig’s Doors Amherst, Fare Access Program for Clients experiencing homelessness
• Alexis Diaz, Holyoke Farmer’s Market, Free van/bus program to Farmer’s Market