Town of Acton Receives State Grant to Expand Local Transportation Options

ACTON — The Town of Acton is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $30,000 state grant to assist with transportation needs for community members.

The town will use the grant to contract with Rides by Joanne, LLC, of Westford, and C&L Air Limo, Inc., of Westford, to supplement its existing service by facilitating transportation to destinations within 25 miles of Acton.

Acton residents have identified night and weekend transportation options as a community need. The town’s door-to-door service operates weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

The grant will expand daytime transportation reach and add night and weekend hours.

Acton residents will continue to call the CrossTown Direct dispatch center at 978-844-6809. Under the expanded service, dispatchers will determine whether an existing door-to-door service can meet the resident’s request. If not, dispatchers will schedule transportation with Rides by Joanne or C&L Air Limo.

The expanded service is expected to be in full operation by late spring.

“This program is the result of cooperative planning and engagement with community stakeholders from Transportation, the Commission on Disability, Council on Aging, Community Resources, and others, and will provide an important supplement to the transportation programs already in place,” Town Manager John Mangiaratti said.

MassDevelopment on Thursday announced grants totaling $2.5 million to 47 communities, agencies, regional transit authorities, non-for-profits and human service providers through the Taxi, Livery, and Hackney Transportation Partnerships Grant Program.

Grants will help communities supplement existing transportation options, create new programs to transport individuals to work, grocery stores, non-emergency medical appointments, and other destinations, and facilitate delivery of essential supplies such as food and medicine to residents in need. Grants will be administered by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

“The Baker-Polito Administration commends MassDevelopment and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for utilizing the state’s Transportation Infrastructure Enhancement Trust Fund to help communities augment local transit with taxi and livery services to get residents where they need to go,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “These awards will provide a boost to an industry in need while filling gaps in the state’s transportation network.