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Transportation for Massachusetts awards $500,000 to advance transportation equity statewide
Funds will support community-led advocacy on critical transportation and social justice issues, improve access and safety of all street users, expand language justice, and rural and urban transit services
BOSTON – Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), a statewide coalition tackling transportation justice, equity and affordability issues across the Commonwealth, awarded $500,000 in grants to 21 local organizations today, 70% of which are community-based organizations, and 50% are doing work outside of Boston.
T4MA’s Grants support community-driven initiatives that promote transportation access and social justice. Impact Grants uplift the work member-organizations are already doing that directly addresses transportation challenges and ensures that underserved communities are at the center of solutions at the community and statewide level. Movement Grants seek to amplify movement voices and advance organizing around issues collectively determined by the coalition as urgent and timely.
“We are living in very precarious times. It is impossible to pursue our work in transportation without considering what’s going on in other spheres. Now more than ever, we are called to coalesce around common values, and build alliances across sectors. This year’s grants lift up our members’ work across the Commonwealth, celebrating how they each reflect a unified desire for a better quality of life, a better future”, said Reggie Ramos, Executive Director of T4MA.
There are almost double the number of grantees this year compared to last year consistent with the deep commitment to support transportation justice work more widely across the state.
“We’re committed to partnering with communities and leaders, finding solutions that are truly inclusive, and building a truly equitable system that works for all,” said Roseann Bongiovanni, Executive Director, GreenRoots and T4MA Board Member. “As a coalition, we believe that the work our members are doing in areas of environmental justice, housing, public health, food security, climate, community-building, youth and immigrant services, are underpinned and impacted by transportation.”
These are this year’s Impact Grantees and the work the grant will be supporting:
- ACT Lawrence: Expanding organizational work that addresses interconnected issues of health, housing, and transportation factors that collectively shape the well-being of Lawrence residents.
- Action for Equity + Fairmount Indigo CDC: Improving wayfinding and connectivity for on-road bicycle and pedestrian routes that connect community-managed greenspaces close to the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line.
- Allston Brighton Health Collaborative: Supporting a neighborhood e-bike lending library to increase access to sustainable urban mobility.
- Boston Cyclists Union: Relaunching the Boston Neighborhood Bike Forum, a BIPOC mobility justice convening addressing transportation inequities that have historically excluded communities of color from decision-making.
- GreenRoots: Expanding and deepening transit justice base-building work in Chelsea and East Boston communities.
- Helping Our Women: Building organizational capacity through the Latina Outreach Project to address key issues for Latinas/Latinos living in the rural towns of the Outer Cape: Isolation; Accessibility to Resources; and Systemic Racism.
- Hilltown Community Development: Supporting under-resourced rural communities in Western MA in accessing the Complete Streets Program, improving road safety, promoting public health, and strengthening community engagement.
- LivableStreets Alliance: Supporting advocacy for bus priority, reliable train service, and improved bike connections by uplifting the voices of riders, particularly older adults, people with disabilities, and those without cars.
- MassBike: Continue developing their Council of Advocates, who are local champions across the state, improving access to mobility, including bicycling infrastructure.
- Quaboag Valley CDC/Quaboag Connector: Supporting transportation service and advocacy efforts for their micro-transit service which fills a gap in transportation that would otherwise leave many residents without means to get around.
- TransitMatters: Supporting “Ride With Dignity,” a community-centered campaign focusing on bus riders in historically disinvested neighborhoods, working with local groups to demand faster, safer, and more accessible bus operations.
- WalkMassachusetts: Increasing participation in walk audits and Road Safety Audits (RSAs) across Massachusetts ensuring that the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders are fully considered in the design of our streets.
This year’s Movement Grantees will hold community/regional convenings, champion policies and lead working groups that sustain tables of power. They are:
- Alternatives for Community & Environment
- Coalition for Social Justice Education Fund
- Center for Living & Working
- Groundwork Lawrence
- New England Community Project
- Public Health Institute of Western MA
- Riders Transportation Access Group/Boston Center for Living and Working
- Western Massachusetts Transportation Advocacy Network
Grantees share how these investments are vital to their work:
“Streets should be safe for everyone, no matter how you get around,” stated Brendan Kearney, Executive Director, WalkMassachusetts. “With this funding, WalkMass will be able to attend more Road Safety Audits (RSA) statewide, weighing in to help make streets safer and expand community involvement in these planning efforts.”
Gwynne Guzzeau, Executive Director, Helping Our Women, said, “Connecting Latina women, living in the rural towns of Barnstable County with resources they need to survive and thrive, in their language, will be beneficial to advancing transportation access, racial justice and health equity on the Cape.”
“This grant will revitalize the Boston Neighborhood Bike Forum in 2026, making it possible for the Boston Cyclists Union to bring together community leaders, advocates, and residents to advance equitable mobility access across Boston’s neighborhoods,” said Tiffany Cogell, Interim Executive Director, Boston Cyclists Union.
“Funding from T4MA will help expand our crucial community organizing efforts in New Bedford, Fall River and Brockton.” April Jennison, Executive Director, Community for Social Justice, stated. “This opportunity gives us the ability to work regionally, strengthening our efforts with others in the region to collaborate against issues affecting everyone in our neighborhoods like a lack of transportation options and rising housing costs.”
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Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) works towards a Commonwealth with transportation systems that connect people with their choice of housing, economic opportunities, healthcare, and accessible and reliable public transportation that benefits residents in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
T4MA is a statewide coalition focused on improving Massachusetts’ transportation systems. T4MA is committed to addressing the decades of inequitable transportation policies adversely impacting low-income, working class and Black, Indigenous and communities of color. Our coalition advocates at the state, federal, and local levels for transportation policies that are just, equitable, and sustainable.
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Transportation for Massachusetts Responds to Healey-Driscoll Transportation Announcement
Media contact:
Taylor Hallabuk
thallabuk@denterlein.com
January 14, 2025 – Transportation for Massachusetts Executive Director Reggie Ramos released the following statement in response to the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s transportation funding announcement.
“By making transportation a priority this session, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is responding to one of the most urgent needs in the Commonwealth. Investing in a statewide transportation network will help solve multiple problems at once – creating more options for convenient and affordable housing, new job centers, cleaner air, and less traffic.
We look forward to reviewing the Governor’s funding plan in detail. In doing so, we will first look to ensure it meets the scale of the problem, which is massive and must not be solved by an overreliance on bonding. We also must ensure equity, both in the plan’s reach and funding mechanisms.
Devoting meaningfully more Fair Share revenues to transportation is a good first step toward these criteria. Swift action is needed to pull the MBTA out of a deficit that otherwise will lead to devastating consequences for riders and communities.
However, the Governor and Legislature must also accelerate the Transportation Task Force’s other recommendations around user fees and new revenue. Fair Share funding is necessary for stabilizing our system, but to bring to life the system residents across the state deserve, we must also do more.”
Additional background:
- The MBTA faces an $800 million budget deficit in FY26
- A T4MA poll found that 53% of people who find both housing and transportation “very high” financial burdens see themselves moving, with 38% of them leaving the state altogether.
- Last month, T4MA worked together with 40 groups on a report calling for action on transportation funding this legislative session through new, long-term revenues.
Advocates Join the Healey-Driscoll Administration in Fare Free Grant Program Announcement
Release Date: October 24, 2024
Contact: Pete Wilson, 617-877-0436
Alexis Walls, 410-935-9819
Greenfield, MA—The Regional Transit Authorities Advocates Coalition (RTAAC) joined the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s event announcing the newest round of Fare Free Pilot Program grants open to the Commonwealth’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs). These grants direct $30 million from the FY25 budget to support fare free RTA programs for the rest of the fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2025.
Today’s announcement of awardees for this year’s RTA Fare Free Pilot Program recognizes the need for affordable transportation in the over 250 communities that fall within an RTA service area in Massachusetts. When fares are eliminated in RTA service areas, ridership increases significantly, providing residents an affordable option to get to jobs, healthcare appointments, school, economic opportunities, and social engagements.
In addition to the Fare Free Grant Program, the Administration and Legislature have significantly increased operating funding for RTAs over the past two budget cycles. This has resulted in expanded bus routes, more frequent service, and night and weekend service. The increase in RTA funding is a real investment in public transportation across the Commonwealth. Taken together, this is a starting point of a strong commitment from state leaders to fund RTAs at a level where they can continue to expand service to meet the needs of communities statewide.
“Affordable public transportation is critical to help Massachusetts residents access resources and opportunities that help them lead healthy and thriving lives. By prioritizing free fares for RTA riders, and expanding service through significant investments over the last two budget cycles, the Administration and the Legislature have provided a lifeline to residents outside of the MBTA service area,” said Alexis Walls of The Massachusetts Public Health Alliance and one of the co-chairs of RTAAC.
“These investments dispel the myth of a binary choice between increased service and affordability. As a result of these grants, we have seen increased RTA ridership statewide to provide the residents of the Commonwealth more options in how they get around in their daily lives,” said Pete Wilson of Transportation for Massachusetts. Wilson and Walls serve as the co-chairs of a coalition that advocates on behalf of communities served by RTAs.
“We look forward to partnering with the Healey Administration and the Legislature to ensure these pilot programs, which we know increase access to affordable transit for residents, are sustainably funded for the future and made a permanent part of RTA funding.”
Funding for RTAs has increased from $96.5 million in FY2023 to over $200 million in the current FY2025 budget. This additional funding, through the Education and Transportation Fund, has provided additional funding to the RTAs for operating, free fare grants, and other grant programs to increase connectivity and invest in rural communities.
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About RTAAC
The Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition (RTAAC) is a coalition of over 80 community groups, human services providers, transportation advocates, and local leaders who provide a strong, unified voice for transit users in RTA service areas across Massachusetts. The RTAAC advocates for funding and policies that aim to strengthen regional transit services to better meet the needs of communities. The RTAAC is co-led by T4MA and the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance (MPHA).
Transportation for Massachusetts awards $500,000 in grants to boost transportation equity across 13 communities
Funds will support the expansion of rural and urban transit services, improve rider access, and support local advocacy on critical housing, transit and development issues
BOSTON – A statewide coalition tackling transportation justice, equity and affordability issues across the Commonwealth awarded $500,000 in grants to 13 groundbreaking projects today, with a special focus on Western Mass communities.
Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) Impact Grants support community-driven initiatives that promote transportation access and social justice. By partnering with organizations and leaders from Western Massachusetts to Greater Boston, these grants prioritize equitable transportation solutions. More than 60% of funding is dedicated to projects outside Greater Boston, underscoring T4MA’s commitment to improving access and equity in Central and Western Massachusetts.
“We’re focused on supporting and uplifting work that addresses decades of inequitable transportation policies that are adversely impacting low-income, working class, Black, Indigenous, and communities of color,” said Reggie Ramos, Executive Director of T4MA. “Together, through these grants, we know our collective efforts can lead us to just and equitable transportation systems.”
“It’s wonderful that all regions of the Commonwealth will reap the benefits of these resources,” said Andrea Freeman, Public Health Institute of Western MA, T4MA Board Member. “The need is truly great, perhaps nowhere more so than in Western Massachusetts.”
Grantees are leading essential work to strengthen and improve the state’s transportation systems, and ensure that underserved communities are at the center of proposing and driving solutions on both the community and statewide level.
Awardees include:
- ACT Lawrence will enhance financial education and counseling for youth and adults, promoting financial independence.
- Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) will support the youth-led T Riders Union in advocating for improved MBTA service in Greater Boston.
- Coalition for Social Justice will organize riders around transit justice and affordable housing, focusing on initiatives like Bus Riders United and the Zero Fare Coalition.
- Western MA Transportation Advocacy Network will invest in an annual transportation forum to secure funding and develop innovative solutions for rural transportation challenges.
- GreenRoots will hire new staff for multilingual outreach and lead the Chelsea Public Transit Task Force, addressing transit needs in car-limited communities such as Chelsea and East Boston.
- Groundwork Lawrence will support the Pa’lante task force in climate change education and the development of a city-wide pedestrian plan in Lawrence.
- Hilltown Community Development Corporation will expand flexible micro-transit in 10 rural towns by purchasing a van, recruiting drivers, and enhancing service marketing.
- MassBike will expand its coalition to address transportation needs in Environmental Justice communities and under-resourced areas.
- Neighbor to Neighbor MA will integrate transportation justice into its strategic plan, broadening advocacy from Lynn to Worcester and Springfield.
- New England United for Justice will launch the Squares and Streets planning process, advocating for improvements at the intersection of housing, development, and transit in Dorchester and Mattapan.
- Public Health Institute of Western MA will support the Healthy Air Network’s advocacy for clean air and transportation initiatives across Springfield, Holyoke, and regional partners.
- RTAG/Boston Center for Independent Living will establish a working group of bike, disability, and pedestrian advocates to collaborate on bike lane issues in Boston.
- WalkMassachusetts will lead advocacy efforts for walk and road safety audits, ensuring pedestrian and cyclist considerations in roadway design.
“Rural areas have been left out of transportation planning and investment and the Hilltowns are not immune from this national phenomenon,” said Joan Griswold, Hilltown Community Development Corporation Director of Community Programs. “There are no alternatives to transportation in our rural communities and funding from T4MA will expand the service area of the two microtransit programs we have built to provide vital transportation services for our Hilltown residents.”
New England United for Justice is using their grant to power the Squares and Streets planning process in Boston “to build awareness and create space for the community to advocate for local changes at the intersection of housing, development, and transit,” said New England United for Justice Executive Director Noemi “Mimi” Ramos. “We are also focused on rebuilding transit systems and development changes to Columbia Road in Dorchester.
“This grant will support advancing the work of our community engagement group focusing on community education around climate change,” said Eddie Rosa, Groundwork Lawrence, which received a $46,000 Impact Grant. “It’s part of our ongoing efforts to increase accessibility in the city, which includes the development of a city-wide pedestrian plan.”
T4MA works towards a Commonwealth with transportation systems that connect people with their choice of housing, economic opportunities, healthcare, and accessible and reliable public transportation that benefits residents in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
T4MA Statement on the Governor’s Budget Proposal and EO 626
For Immediate Release
Reggie Ramos
Executive Director
Transportation for Massachusetts
rramos@t4ma.org
Yesterday, Governor Healey submitted her budget proposal to the Legislature. The budget features significant transportation appropriations. We appreciate the increase in the MBTA’s operating funds from $187 million to $314 million particularly as the MBTA has been warning of a financial cliff with an estimated gap anywhere from $567 million to $652 million.
We support the Governor’s inclusion of $45 million for low-income fares for the MBTA. We are finally seeing years of work and collaboration in providing reduced fares on the fixed routes and The Ride for low-income riders come to fruition. Low-income fares are a cornerstone of equitable transportation. We hope this signals a sustained commitment to low-income fares in the future.
While we see an increase for the MBTA, funding transfers for the Regional Transit Authorities remain the same at $94 million with a decrease of $15 million in Fair Share funding from $90 million to $75 million for FY25 that would eliminate grants for transportation innovation ultimately impacting communities. We appreciate the Governor’s continuing grants for fare-free programs on the RTAs and hope that future increases in investments will continue. To this day, some RTAs are not able to deliver service late nights and weekends due to a shortage of resources.
The Governor yesterday also issued Executive Order 626, creating the Governor’s Transportation Funding Task Force, charged with recommending a sustainable transportation finance plan for Massachusetts. Finding sustainable and reliable funding sources for transportation is critical as this assures the commonwealth of a steady flow of much needed dollars to address the needed statewide investments in transportation.
To fulfill the task premised on equity, T4MA believes that it is essential for the task force to reflect the diversity of Massachusetts for it to arrive at a holistic transportation funding structure. Identifying funding sources and creating revenue that is equitable and not regressive can only truly happen in inclusive conversations that center the lived experiences of those most impacted by transportation policies. We will continue to advocate that the voices of people with disabilities, environmental justice communities, labor advocates, and transportation advocates, among others, are heard and that they are engaged meaningfully in this process. We hope the composition of the task force will include all of these perspectives.
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About T4MA:
Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), established in 2010, is a statewide coalition focused on improving Massachusetts’ transportation systems. T4MA is committed to addressing the decades of inequitable transportation policies adversely impacting low-income, working class and Black, Indigenous and communities of color. We strive to eradicate the long lasting impacts of inequitable transportation policies that have resulted in Massachusetts with some of the highest childhood asthma rates in the nation, transit deserts in rural and urban communities, socially isolated residents who lack transportation options, and a lack of opportunity and access to jobs, healthcare, and education for people.
We envision and work towards a Commonwealth with transportation systems that connect people with their choice of housing, economic opportunities, healthcare, and accessible and reliable public transportation that benefits residents in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Our coalition advocates at the state, federal, and local levels for transportation policies that are just, equitable, and sustainable.
T4MA Statement on MBTA Track Improvement Program 2023-2024
November 9, 2023 – “Today, the MBTA announced its plan for a Track Improvement Program set to be implemented throughout 2024. Considering the safety challenges and the slow zones that have beset the system of late, a plan of this breadth has been anticipated. The communication of a comprehensive, systemwide, year-long plan to address track issues is crucial and appreciated. We hope this signals a new level of transparency with the public for the MBTA especially as the work progresses. This allows impacted communities to plan their trips and activities ahead, and for municipalities to prepare for these shutdowns, ensuring riders’ lives are not disrupted greatly.
T4MA and our members will continue to hold the MBTA to their obligation to provide accessible mitigation measures and abide by their service delivery policy. The MBTA needs to increase and improve safety to restore the confidence of their riders. Track improvement of this scale will need funding, and we are aware that the MBTA is facing a financial cliff. Information on how this will be funded, and how this can be folded into existing projects or potentially impact other MBTA projects are both valuable and crucial.
In providing mitigation service, we expect that the MBTA will keep its commitment to accessibility, span, availability and reliability of service. Affected riders, particularly those who have limited transit options, would have to contend with substituting their usual rapid transit commute to shuttle buses that would have to go through already congested roadways. The goal would be to provide service during these shutdowns that would not further discourage core riders to use public transit. Likewise, we expect the MBTA to work closely with municipalities at the soonest opportunity to ensure that appropriate preparations are made for instance, around bus lanes, bus stops and road traffic management.
We look forward to seeing a robust, accessible and transparent communication plan that would inform the public of the progress of the track work, provide detailed and plain language directions, and alert them in real time of changes to the diversion plan as and when they happen. Consistent, accessible, and reassuring wayfinding signs should also be in place to help riders navigate through the modifications of their transit experience.”
Reggie Ramos, T4MA Executive Director
T4MA Congratulates Governor-elect Maura Healey
Statement from Transportation for Massachusetts regarding Governor-elect Maura Healey, the approval of the Fair Share Amendment, and the Work and Family Mobility Act.
November 10, 2022 – “Transportation for Massachusetts congratulates Governor-elect Maura Healey for her historic victory as the next governor of Massachusetts. Governor-elect Healey’s campaign led on creating a safer, more accessible and equitable transportation system in Massachusetts, and we look forward to working with her administration to advance this work as she begins her tenure as governor.
With the passing of Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, it is clear the voters of Massachusetts want an improved transportation system. This new revenue will support the Commonwealth in making a down payment on the decades of underinvestment in our statewide transportation network infrastructure. We look forward to working with the legislature and advocating for thoughtful spending on upgrades to our public transit systems, understanding public transit is a lifeline for numerous residents to access services, jobs, healthcare, and economic opportunities – all the things that make Massachusetts a welcoming place to live and work. The new revenue will also allow us to create safer streets for residents to reduce and hopefully eliminate traffic fatalities and repair our roads and structurally deficient bridges – all of which is long overdue.
Massachusetts voters also want safer roads for some of our most vulnerable road users by the passing of Question 4, keeping the Work and Family Mobility Act in place. Keeping the right for immigrants to obtain drivers licenses by testing and carrying insurance not only means that immigrants can legally drive to places they need to go, it also means more folks on the road know the rules and both people inside and out of the car are kept safe on our streets.”
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Transportation for Massachusetts is a diverse statewide coalition of more than 100 member and partner organizations that advocates at the state, federal, and local levels for transportation policies that are just, innovative, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.