1. Two Town Trolley’s history
Prior to 1990
Towns subsidized by PVTA
Hampden 900 older adults
East Longmeadow 3,000+
Wilbraham 3,000+
Longmeadow 3,000+
Example of inefficiency
Creation of Tri Town Trolley
PVTA subsidizedTown of Hampden to coordinate senior rides for H,EL,W
Added Longmeadow in 1994
(didn’t change name – ”Quad Town Trolley?)

2. Fast forward 2013 Community Innovation Challenge grant
start up $30,000.00
Two part time drivers
Hampden took reservation
East Longmeadow hired the drivers and paid Hampden
2014-present
Service Incentive grant
PVTA Pilot Program

3. Regional Senior ride/Dial a ride service
  Benefits
   What makes it work
    Challenges & how to address them

4. Benefits More efficient More affordable to rider
Consistency of drivers
Flexibility
Cost per ride is significantly different

5. What makes regionalization work?
Size matters
Combined rides
Flexibility
Investing in a coordinator
Simply – “Regionalization” is the new “sustainable”

6. Challenges and how to address them
“Transit authorities face a frustrating paradox: if they make the service more convenient, they’ll attract more customers. And if they attract more customers, they'll lose more money. So today, much of the work of the officials working in the field of paratransit is to persuade riders not to use it”(Holeywell,R.)
PVTA Pilot Program
Participate
Persistence
Patience
Holywell, R. (2012, August). Transit Services for Disabled May Feel Weight of Seniors retrieved from