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Disability advocates back H.2403 to create Human Services Transportation consumer advisory board
Summary
Disability advocates urged creation of an HST Consumer Advisory Board to institutionalize rider input, address ongoing rural service gaps, and preserve recent safety gains.
Advocates for people with disabilities asked the Joint Committee on Public Health to report favorably on H.2403 / S.1560, a bill to establish a Human Services Transportation (HST) Consumer Advisory Board.
"HST mostly serves people with disabilities, older adults and low‑income residents," said Kaye (Boston Center for Independent Living). She summarized safety gains since a 2022 task force but told the committee that no‑shows, late pickups and unreliable program‑based trips still persist in rural and remote areas.
Speakers said a formal advisory board would institutionalize rider feedback, guarantee public listening sessions across regions and produce yearly recommendations for service improvements. "The proposed board would ensure rider feedback is built into how HST operates," Kaye said.
Panelists described concrete past problems — driver behavior, seat‑securement issues and long waits — and several testified that improvements followed a year‑long task force and contract changes with brokers. Advocates argued an ongoing board would preserve gains, increase transparency and help the state respond to future challenges such as Medicaid policy changes.
The committee accepted testimony from statewide advocates, several riders and program providers and asked witnesses to submit written follow‑up materials. There was no vote at the hearing.
