IN HER RECENT State of the Commonwealth address, Gov. Healey noted, “Transportation affects everyone’s quality of life, every single day,” and she pledged to “double our support for MBTA operations, and tackle deferred maintenance, to build a system worthy of our economy.” 

The MBTA’s ongoing service and safety challenges and its mounting fiscal deficit rightly call for a response that addresses both the near-term and long-term transportation needs of the region, while also providing the Commonwealth with an opportunity to examine its transportation investments to ensure equity and opportunity across the state.

A new Transportation Funding Task Force was recently announced with the objective of “making recommendations for a long-term, sustainable transportation finance plan that addresses the need for a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system.” Equity must be a key consideration, and the task force should examine whether the state’s current transportation investments are distributed equitably to address differing transportation needs across Massachusetts. 

For example, 20 percent of the state’s sales tax revenue is funneled to the MBTA as a primary source of its revenue, yet other transit providers do not benefit from such a dedicated revenue source and instead face chronic underfunding and uncertainty.

The task force’s recommendations at the end of the year will provide the state with a blueprint for how to move forward. In the interim, the state must continue to make smart and equitable investments in transportation, without delay, knowing that residents in all regions need to access jobs, health care, social services, education, and more.

There is no question that the MBTA contributes to the connectivity and vibrancy of the greater Boston area, and ensuring its long-term sustainability is of critical importance to the Commonwealth. At the same time, there are also transportation needs and opportunities in other parts of the state. 

Beyond the core MBTA service area, regional transit agencies (RTAs) and smaller transit providers play a critical role in the health of the communities they serve. As the state wrestles with how to meet its housing, economic development, health, and climate goals, all communities – including small, rural communities – will need to play a role, and their potential to contribute to these goals will not be fully realized without adequate investments in transportation. 

Across the state, residents in over 250 communities rely on RTAs. The legislature recently held a hearing on the RTA Advancement Bill (H.3272/S.2277), which would increase state funding for RTAs and help advance transportation equity across the state. 

Despite the important role that RTAs play, service hours and routes are often limited, and even modest fares can pose a barrier to access. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) has been fare-free for nearly four years.  Ridership on the WRTA recovered faster than on other RTAs and the MBTA post-pandemic, demonstrating the impact of free fares in an era of rising costs of living and the importance of maintaining this public good.  

At the same time, there are many communities that receive minimal or no RTA service and that could benefit from flexible “microtransit,” flexible-route, on-demand transportation service that is especially well-suited for areas with little or no fix-route public transportation. There is proof of concept that rural microtransit can succeed through the Quaboag Connector which serves the town of Ware and the surrounding Quaboag Hills region, a region historically underserved by transportation (including RTAs) and other essential services. 

Part of downtown Ware was designated a slum and blight area several years ago, and the region is distant from many essential services. Access to health care has become even more challenging following the closure of Mary Lane Hospital in Ware. 

In this context, in this rural pocket of the state that is often overlooked, the Quaboag Connector has emerged as a source of innovation and collaboration, and many riders refer to it as a lifeline. Over the past several years, the Quaboag Connector has provided over 65,000 rides, enabling job shifts, medical appointments, pharmacy and grocery trips, and social connections which may not otherwise have occurred. 

As the service has grown, it has developed public and private partnerships including collaborating with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) on a fixed‐route intercity service between the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst and Union Station in Worcester, providing a much‐needed connection between western and central Massachusetts and the PVTA and WRTA service areas.   

Rides for older adults, people with disabilities, low‐income individuals, and veterans are prioritized; roughly half of the rides are work-related and one-fifth are for health care. In the future, the Quaboag Connector could play an important role in providing last-mile transportation when the West-East Rail comes to fruition, as there will be a train stop in Palmer within the Quaboag Connector’s service area.

The Quaboag Connector began as a small-scale initiative of the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation and the Town of Ware. The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts began its multi-year support of the initiative – totaling nearly $2 million – in 2020, not because of the ridership, which was very modest at the time, but because of the need in the community and the potential to address an upstream social determinant of health and to unlock opportunities in the region.

Philanthropic dollars are always limited, however. State government should sustain proven transportation strategies like the Quaboag Connector, especially when they are public goods and when they complement so many other state priorities. 

For example, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services recently announced its Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM) initiative, which will focus on maternal health and social determinants of cardiometabolic diseases. Ware is among the priority communities for focused improvements and investments due to large health disparities across a broad range of measures.  However, without state investments to help support the Quaboag Connector long-term, the initiative is unlikely to reach its full potential without this trusted and proven rural microtransit service.

Prospects for the Quaboag Connector’s sustainability brightened with the state’s current FY24 budget, which allocated $15 million of the $1 billion in Fair Share revenues for a new MassDOT Regional Transit Innovation Grant program. Among the grant program’s aims is the support of initiatives that improve connectivity in rural areas and across RTA regions. It is one of the few funding opportunities that is available to small transit providers beyond the RTAs and that does not require a local match.

As state policymakers consider future state investments, including the FY25 budget currently under development, it is imperative that they include transportation funding targeted specifically for rural communities historically underserved by transportation. Doing so will encourage innovation and ongoing enhancements due to reduced uncertainty about future funding, as inconsistent and inadequate funding makes it difficult for transit providers to invest in vehicles, infrastructure, and workforce. It would also signal to rural communities the state’s commitment to their future and to regional equity. 

Just as some may consider the MBTA too big to fail, innovative rural microtransit like the Quaboag Connector is too important to lose. As the state looks to revitalize the MBTA with a significant infusion of funds, it should not forget the transportation needs of the rest of the state. Yes, the MBTA has suffered from deferred maintenance, but our small, rural communities continue to carry the burden of opportunities and dreams deferred. 

Amie Shei is the president and chief executive officer of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, a health conversion foundation that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.