HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-12-AHTC-minJuly 12th
AHTC meeting brought to order 9.05
Participants present :Sally,Howard,Varda,Susan,Joe,Bridger,Deepika
Sharon was unavailable
Deepika:reported on her daughter and her friend’s trip the previous evening on Lexpress to the
Mall.The trip was ‘Nice,clean bus,very polite driver ’.The bus was empty but for them.The trip
took 25 minutes.The girls were given a ride home by parents,as the last bus ride is at 6.30pm.
They would not ordinarily take the Lexpress as it takes longer if someone can drive them to their
destination.If no one is available to drive them they would rather just go to Lexington center.
Most shopping these days by this generation is on the internet so the reasons to go to teh Mall
are few.It may be more important for the middle schoolers.
Bridger:focus on the budget with Carolyn and on getting the info out.Varda came to the same
conclusion on school bus financing and effectiveness.We need the budget and the details to
unpack the financing.And challenge the group on the actual report itself and outline.Folks are
continuing to read the content on the shared file and start answering the questions before us.
Susan:TAC had a very productive meeting and something to look through the information on
the shared file.The new pass has been selling since July 1st and about 101 have sold at the
new rate.
Howard:sent out an email broadcast at Lexington to home members and shared their thoughts
and needs etc.WIth the same email.Similar email with the contact at brookhaven
Deepika :Update on Sean and zoom link and email account.We have updated the town
website,and have an email now attached to the AHTC where folks can send their feedback.
Sally:All the other transit systems around the countries.Lexington appears to be doing better.
Her work on the spreadsheet is almost over.All fixed routes have to have a paratransit by law
(Lexconnect and one option from MBTA).The only other two groups are demand response or
dial a ride works better on a fixed system.Taking a lot of phone calls and fixed routes do loops
around and back.And fixed routes systems have many times zero riders coming back.
Howard commented that the question of “expense”or “affordability”be deferred when evaluating
whether to recommend the adoption of an “on-demand”or “direct response’’(DR)micro transit
option as a solution to the ‘1st mile/last mile’problem for senior residents who no longer drive.
He observed that those concepts are ‘relative’and are affected by the value parameters of the
“deciders”–in this case,the Select Board.Instead,the committee’s focus should be directed at:
1)whether there is a demonstrable need for the option;2)are there alternative mechanisms to
provide the option;and 3)if so,which alternative should the Town explore.
Deepika :Talked about getting July 26th on folks calendars.Town meeting members calendar
invites to be sent by Bridger for all TMM.This way we can know who has not been responded
and needs to be followed up with.
Meeting MInutes approved
●For May 31st Bridger moved Varda second Sally abstained,passed by all others
present.
●For May June 28th Bridger moved,Howard seconded,Sally abstain as she wasn't there.
passed by all others present.
●For July 5th Bridger moved,Sally seconded,Carolyn abstained as she wasn’t at the
meeting,passed by all others present.
Deepika:Discussion on the July 26th meeting format and materials
●We can put together a quick 3-4 slide context setting presentation initially
●Explain ground rules -listening session
●Will record and get back questions,all questions welcome,however will try not to make
the forum become a Q&A session
●Updates to the website basic information
●Mini survey before and at the end of the forum if possible to gather more feedback
●Reach out to the SEPAC population
Susan:Even after the forum,getting the most vulnerable to come is going to be difficult.
Language and economic vulnerability may not be able to make it.
Varda -can you invite those people directly.
Susan:flyers on the buses and send news blast for the people who they have emails for.
Sally:That in the introduction it will be good to say,it's really helpful that we could have the
things we need.And we can't promise what can be achieved but hearing from them is very very
helpful.
Deepika:during the session then we could have various folks of the committee speak to
different segments of the session.For example Sally can set the expectations with such a
comment.
Bridger:Who can do the various bits translated and move the thing forward,agree that it's
important and have it translated.Can Staff help?
Susan:will do the translation.I’m going to automatically translate
Howard:experience 70 members in brookhaven -initial response is going to be silence,be a
little provocative,throw out some hooks to motivate people.
Cariolyn Sean will put it out and they will do whatever it is to get the message out:Sean will
make sure it gets translated.
Bridger:Susan has offered multiple times,background for the 26th meeting,calling into question
that nobody is riding the bus.Question that provides background.Here is your disruptive
moment on the ridership.
Susan
First run and last run typically have the lowest ridership typically.Here are some charts from teh
data gathered on ridership.
This information is from the drivers,they do not collect information on disability.Ridership has
ticked up since the covid shutdown.
Monthly riders by age and by group October and May tend to be the busiest months
Scale check with Susan for the minutes.
Varda:what is going on with route C -this goes to Arlington heights.Route C was combined
route 1 and route 4 (prior 6 routes).
Susan:it was never one of the highest performing areas.So we get a jolt for the summer where
there is a summer camp group which goes to a specific program in Lexington.We are going to
be changing a small change which will help the route,if you make it less loopy.
Susan:more out and back is
Ridership vs coverage route.So starting out and back
Straight up and down mass ave we would have to compete with the MBTA.Riders may prefer
the straight route as opposed to a loop.However,traffic congestion has required us to
streamline our routes on Mass Ave.
Can't travel those miles and service the new developments
Draft dates for the in person meeting in September
Bridger:Sept 13th for the in person meeting,evening 6.30
Deepika:Oct 2nd and 9th for the select board meeting presentation
Deepika:To do for next wednesday’s meeting
Send out the mass outreach emails to your networks
Staff will send to town
We have to read the emails
Make us shared folder contents
Start work th outline by bridger.
Howard:Get feedback or research into micro transit,via.
Joe:What are the options and what are the costs and services that are
Varda:you are taking a somewhat a limited
Sally:Offer the chinese community translations..And look at the economic affordable units and
reach out to them
Varda -not available for the next meeting.
Susan:offered to lead a Discussion of micro transit -Susan
Adjourn at 10.10 am -Bridger moved the motion,Varda seconded and unanimously passed