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Sudbury committee reviews Catch Connect funding, beta-tests Uber emergency vouchers and plans Sudbury 250 outreach
Summary
Members reviewed Catch Connect and ARPA funding, noted a MassDOT clarification on operating funds, discussed a ready-to-launch $100 emergency Uber voucher (one per person, 24-hour expiry), and planned voucher outreach for Sudbury 250 and the June 6 farmers’ market.
The Sudbury Transportation Committee on May 15 reviewed the status of Catch Connect operations, GoSudbury ARPA funds, and a new emergency-ride voucher system that town staff say is ready for limited rollout.
Adam Burney briefed members on finances: the quarterly Catch Connect bill has been paid and hospital shuttle grant remainder is being managed through the MWRTA. Committee materials recorded an ARPA balance of about $46,000 for GoSudbury that must be spent by Dec. 30, 2026; an $18,000 Catch Connect invoice has been paid and an additional $18,000 is due. Adam also noted a $20,478.90 remaining balance from Stow’s portion of a 2023 MassDevelopment multi-town grant; the committee concluded Sudbury should refund that remaining amount to MassDevelopment.
The committee reviewed a written communication from Rachel Fichetenbaum of MassDOT, quoted in the meeting materials, clarifying that "for CATCH Connect ... we funded you [Sudbury] using funds that do not require you to demonstrate matching funding when you invoice, but we did not increase the amount of funding we were giving you. So while you do not need to show that you have matching funds to qualify for the funding you got from us, I would assume you would still need it to fund the operations." The committee discussed the operational implications of that distinction for sustaining Catch Connect service.
Dan Carty demonstrated the emergency-ride voucher process for Uber. Committee members said the voucher mechanics worked during beta testing: the voucher is limited to one per person, covers up to $100, requires the requester to have an Uber account, and expires 24 hours after issuance if not used. Jill Dube and Nina Lurie said they would inform their clients about the voucher limits and that Jill will also conduct additional beta tests.
Members also discussed outreach tied to Sudbury 250 and the June 6 farmers’ market: MWRTA provided promotional "swag" for the Sudbury 250 table, Dan and Jill will staff the transportation table, and the committee asked that June vouchers be noted on the town website as usable for transport to/from the market. FlashVote staff recommended retaining some repeat survey questions for longitudinal comparison, and a draft contract with a WAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) provider tied to FedNor funding is under counsel review.
The committee accepted the minutes from Feb. 6 and Apr. 10 and agreed to meet again on June 12.
