What is a Regional Coordinating Council (RCC)?
Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) on community transportation are voluntary coalitions where representatives of human service agencies, state agencies, transit authorities, regional planning agencies, consumers, advocates, and other stakeholders can convene to discuss the transportation needs of area older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income commuters, and to brainstorm ways to collaborate on solutions. Each RCC is different and reflects local priorities. Regional boundaries are not rigid, and towns may choose to participate in more than one RCC.
History of RCCs in Massachusetts
RCCs were a key recommendation of the 2012 Final Report of the Community, Social Service, and Paratransit Transportation Commission. This Commission stemmed from Executive Order 530, which was issued in 2011 and asked state agencies to work together to identify ways to improve the quality and efficiency of paratransit and community transportation services. MassDOT's Rail and Transit Division partnered with the EOHHS MassMobility initiative to collaborate with champions in regions across the state to launch RCCs starting in December 2013. Wherever possible, RCCs were built on previous coordination efforts.
RCC activities and accomplishments
RCCs foster information-sharing and collaboration by offering an opportunity for human service agencies, transportation providers, and advocates to come together to share information and build relationships. In addition, many RCCs have worked together on short-term projects, and a few have undertaken longer-term initiatives. Examples of these projects include:
- Needs Assessment and Transportation Inventories: Many RCCs started off with surveys of local stakeholders to determine priorities. A common finding was that agencies and consumers lacked information about transportation services. As a result, many RCCs worked on developing inventories of local transportation services or adding regional services into Ride Match. For Cape Cod, the results of an RCC needs assessment led the transit authority to partner with the Cape Cod Commission on a bus stop study.
- Promoting Fixed-Route Services: Recognizing the value of public transit, RCCs have partnered with their Regional Transit Authorities to promote use of the fixed-route bus. RCCs have worked on developing travel instruction programs in regions that do not have an established travel trainer. RCCs have also planned public awareness events, such as Ride the Bus with the Mayor in Greenfield.
- Partnering with Healthcare: In order to address the needs of older adults and others to access transportation to their healthcare appointments, RCCs have partnered with healthcare providers to increase awareness of existing options and collaborate to improve connections through forums and trainings.
- Operating Transportation Services: RCCs have also collaborated to plan, fund, and implement additional services or pilot programs including the Hilltown Easy Ride and the Quaboag Connector.
Map of RCCs
Map of RCCs across Massachusetts
Contact your RCC
Contact your local RCC chair or co-chair to get involved in community transportation efforts in your region.
| Region | Contact information |
|---|---|
Berkshire County Berkshire RCC on Transportation (BRRCOT) | Anuja Koirala Berkshire Regional Planning Commission akoirala@berkshireplanning.org Sarah Vallieres Berkshire Regional Transit Authority sarah.vallieres@berkshirerta.com |
Blue Hills RCC (Greater Quincy) | Ashley Stockwell Blue Hills Community Health Alliance (CHNA 20) astockwell@baystatecs.org |
| Boston Core RCC (Boston and Brookline) | David Hoff Maria Foster |
| Boston North RCC | Lauren Reid Director Community Programs/Planner Mystic Valley Elder Services lreid@mves.org (781) 388-2382 |
| Brockton RCC | Michael J. Lambert Brockton Area Transit Authority mlambert@ridebat.com |
| Cape and Islands RCC | Chris Kennedy Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority ckennedy@capecodrta.org 508-775-8504 ext. 208 |
| Central Mass RCC | Connie Mellis Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission cmellis@cmrpc.org 508-459-3328 |
Franklin County RCC (meets as part of the FRTA Transit Advisory Committee) | Michael Perreault Franklin Regional Transit Authority michael@frta.org 413-774-2262 ext. 105 |
| Greater North Shore RCC | Valerie Parker Callahan Greater Lynn Senior Services vparkercallahan@glss.net 781-586-8698 |
Hilltown RCC (rural western Hampden & Hampshire Counties) | Hunt Chase Hiltown Community Development Corporation huntc@hilltowncdc.org |
| Inner West RCC (Greater Lexington area) | Susan Barrett Town of Lexington sbarrett@lexingtonma.gov 781-698-4821 |
| Merrimack Valley RCC | Patrick Reed Transportation Program Manager Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Office: 978.374.0519 x15 |
| MetroWest RCC | Emily VanDewoestine MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Emily.VanDewoestine@mwrta.com |
| MinuteMan RCC (Greater Acton area) | Austin J. Cyganiewicz Town of Acton acyganiewicz@acton-ma.gov Franny Osman Transportation Advocate frannyola@gmail.com |
Neponset Valley RCC (Sharon/Dedham/Norwood area) www.neponsetvalleytma.org/neponset-valley-regional-coordinating-council | Karen Dumaine TransAction Associates, Inc. kdumaine@transactionassoc.com Sheryl Leary HESSCO sleary@hessco.org 781-784-4944 |
| North Central RCC | Scott Rich MART scott.rich@mrta.us |
| Pioneer Valley RCC | TBD |
| Quaboag Valley RCC | Jen Healy Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation jenh@qvcdc.org |
| South East RCC on Transportation (SERCCOT) | Dan Brogan SRPEDD dbrogan@srpedd.org |