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Concord TAC urges business surveys, outreach to Crosstown Connect as transit partners weigh funding
Summary
Committee members told the Concord Transportation Advisory Committee to survey employers, explore Crosstown Connect options, and invite Transaction Associates to brief the town; staff noted past funding shortfalls and recommended data and cross-committee collaboration before pursuing new commitments.
Members of the Concord Transportation Advisory Committee used their Oct. 10 meeting to press for targeted outreach to employers and regional partners as the town weighs transit options and possible re-engagement with the Crosstown Connect program.
A committee member described recent outreach to the economic vitality committee and recommended asking business owners when shifts start and end to identify transit-service gaps. "Questions like: when do your employees start in the morning, and when do they leave at night, and things would be helpful," the member said, urging that survey results inform any service design.
Staff recounted Crosstown Connect’s history: it began as a regional intermunicipal effort but stalled because larger employers did not commit funding and the project faced staff turnover and COVID-related delays. Committee members suggested inviting Transaction Associates, which manages the program, to present current routes, ridership and financial obligations to TAC and the economic vitality committee.
Members emphasized connections to large local employers such as Emerson Hospital, which may require 24-hour or off-shift options for staff. The committee discussed several potential funding pathways, including employer contributions and the possibility of short-term ARPA funding noted by a liaison at the meeting; Terry Ackerman, a liaison, said "there might be still some funding from ARPA if you could get organized in a hurry," but cautioned ARPA is not a permanent source.
The committee did not approve new funding or adopt a service plan at the meeting. Instead, members agreed on next steps: coordinate with the economic vitality committee on a business survey, invite Transaction Associates for a briefing, and task staff with identifying existing data sources and possible short-term funding options. No formal motions or votes were taken on a transit contract or budget during this session.
The committee’s next procedural action will be to compile survey questions, review any existing MassDOT or Transaction Associates data, and report back with recommended next steps to the economic vitality committee.
