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Millis board directs staff to study local public transportation options after residents describe gaps
Summary
After residents and the Council on Aging described gaps in transportation for seniors, people with disabilities and young adults, the Select Board voted to direct staff to research local transit options and return with proposals in December.
The Millis Select Board voted unanimously Sept. 29 to direct the town’s planning/economic development and Council on Aging staff to research and present local public transportation options at a Select Board meeting in December.
The action followed presentations by Bob Weiss, the town’s planning director and economic development director, and Ann Marie Gagnon, director of the Council on Aging, and comments from multiple residents who said Millis lacks consistent public transit. Weiss said a 2021 town survey drew about 240 responses and that 77% of respondents supported improved transportation; he also noted new housing near the town center and an MBTA multifamily overlay district that could add 750–900 households to the center of town.
Ann Marie Gagnon told the board the Council on Aging provides rides for older adults and residents with disabilities and last year served 99 individuals with 1,209 one‑way rides; she said demand is growing and that staffing and schedule limits constrain service, particularly for early morning or late shifts.
Residents who spoke described practical barriers: one parent whose adult daughter with autism will attend MassBay Community College said surrounding towns have transit options but Millis does not; another resident said the cost of for‑hire rides from remote locations can make work and other routine trips prohibitively expensive. A resident who uses the Council on Aging service reported a positive early‑morning arrangement for a job commute but said ad hoc arrangements are not a reliable long‑term solution.
Board action: Select Board members moved and seconded a motion directing the Economic Development and Planning Director and the Council on Aging Director to research local transportation options and present proposals in December. The motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: Board members and residents framed transit as an access and equity issue—inclusion for seniors and residents with disabilities, better access to jobs and health care, and preparation for residential growth in the town center. Board members suggested the town could seek state aid or work with regional transit authorities (for example, MetroWest Regional Transit Authority or GATRA) and that chapter 90 and other state funding sources could be relevant.
Next steps: Town staff will review regional transit agency options, potential state funding streams and operational models and return with concrete options and cost estimates in December.
