Sudbury Transportation Options – Sudbury, MA

 

Report on Sudbury Transportation Services and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

This report outlines the transportation services available in Sudbury, Massachusetts, as researched and planned by the Sudbury Transportation Committee, established in September 2018. The services are designed to enhance mobility, accessibility, and quality of life for residents, with a strong alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Sudbury Connection Van Service

Service Overview and Contribution to SDG 11

The Sudbury Connection Van Service, operated via the Sudbury Senior Center and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), provides a shared-ride, wheelchair-accessible transportation option. This service directly contributes to SDG 11 by offering a safe, affordable, and accessible transport system, reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles and promoting a more sustainable community infrastructure.

Promoting Health and Reducing Inequalities (SDG 3 & 10)

• Eligibility: To advance SDG 10, the service is available to Sudbury residents aged 60 and older, and residents 18 and older with a disability that limits driving, ensuring vulnerable populations have equitable access to mobility.
• Service Area: The service provides crucial access to healthcare destinations in Sudbury, Wayland, Framingham, Marlborough, Maynard, and Concord, directly supporting SDG 3. It also facilitates access to essential resources like grocery stores.

Operational and Financial Details

• Service Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
• Cost: A nominal fee structure is in place ($1.00 in-town, $2.00 out-of-town), though the service is currently fare-free through June 30, 2025, to alleviate financial barriers.
• Application: An application is required, followed by the creation of a debit account with MWRTA. Rides must be reserved at least 48 business hours in advance.

2. MWRTA Dial-a-Ride: Supplement to Sudbury Connection Van Service

Service Overview and Contribution to SDG 10

This service acts as a supplement to the Sudbury Connection Van, extending service hours to further reduce inequalities in transportation access. By providing service during evening hours, it enhances mobility for eligible residents outside of standard business hours.

Eligibility and Accessibility (SDG 10)

• Eligibility: The program serves the same demographic as the Sudbury Connection Van: residents 60+ and residents 18+ with a disability.
• Service Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Operational Details

• Service Area: Same as the Sudbury Connection Van Service.
• Cost: $1.00 for in-town rides; $2.00 for out-of-town rides.
• Application: Registration for the Sudbury Connection Van automatically qualifies users for this service. Reservations are required 48 business hours in advance.

3. Go Sudbury! Taxi Rides Program

Focused Support for Health and Well-being (SDG 3)

This program is specifically designed to provide transportation to medical and healthcare appointments, making a direct and significant contribution to SDG 3. It serves as a critical link to health services when other public transport options are unavailable.

Eligibility and Equity (SDG 1, 10)

To promote equity and reduce inequalities, eligibility is broad and needs-based:

• Population Served: Sudbury residents, employees in Sudbury, or non-resident parents of children in Sudbury schools.
• Qualifying Criteria (must meet one):
  • Age 60 or older
  • Age 18 or older with a disability limiting driving
  • Active duty military, Reserves, National Guard, or veteran
  • Age 18 or older with financial need
• Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) service is available, ensuring the program is inclusive.

Program Guidelines and Sustainability (SDG 11)

• Service Area: Rides must originate or terminate in Sudbury and can travel up to 25 miles.
• Usage Limit: 4 one-way medical rides per person per month.
• Cost: The service is currently subsidized by Town and grant funding. Cost-sharing measures are anticipated to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program.

4. Go Sudbury! Uber Rides Program

Modernizing Access to Essential Services (SDG 8, 10, 11)

This program utilizes a modern, on-demand platform to provide subsidized transportation for non-urgent healthcare, work, shopping, and access to community resources. This supports economic participation (SDG 8), access to community life (SDG 11), and reduces transportation barriers for eligible individuals (SDG 10).

Accessibility and Inclusivity Measures (SDG 10)

• Eligibility: The same broad, needs-based criteria as the Go Sudbury! Taxi Program applies.
• Accessibility Note: While the Uber platform does not currently offer WAVs, the program ensures inclusivity by providing alternative service through Annex Transit for individuals with physical, sensory, or cognitive limitations.

Financial Structure and User Contribution (SDG 1)

A co-payment system is in place, structured to remain affordable and reduce financial hardship (SDG 1).

1. Rides within Sudbury: $3.00 co-pay.
2. Rides to adjacent towns: $5.00 co-pay.
3. Rides beyond adjacent towns: $15.00 co-pay.

• Usage Limit: 4 one-way rides per person per month.

5. Catch Connect Sudbury

On-Demand Microtransit for a Sustainable Community (SDG 11)

This grant-funded microtransit pilot program, a partnership with MWRTA, represents an innovative approach to sustainable public transportation. The on-demand, wheelchair-accessible shuttle service optimizes routes and reduces vehicle miles traveled, contributing to the goals of SDG 11.

Broadening Access and Reducing Inequality (SDG 10)

• Eligibility: While open to all residents aged 12 and older, the service is targeted to serve adults 60+, individuals 12+ with a disability, and those 12+ with financial need, directly addressing SDG 10.
• Service Hours: Monday through Friday, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
• Service Area: Within Sudbury and to the Target store in Marlborough.

Operational Framework

• Cost: The service is offered fare-free through June 2025, after which a $2.00 fare will apply. There is no cap on the number of rides.
• Booking: Rides are requested via the MWRTA Catch smartphone app or a dedicated phone line for those unable to use the app.

6. Sudbury-Wayland Boston Hospital Shuttle

Critical Link to Specialized Healthcare (SDG 3)

This shuttle provides a vital transportation link to major Boston-area hospitals, ensuring residents can access specialized medical care that may otherwise be unreachable. This service is a cornerstone of the community’s commitment to SDG 3.

Inter-Community Collaboration for Accessibility (SDG 11 & 17)

The partnership between Sudbury, Wayland, and the MWRTA exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This collaboration creates a more efficient and accessible regional transport system, strengthening the infrastructure required for sustainable communities under SDG 11.

Service Details

• Service Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with multiple runs per day.
• Cost: The service is currently fare-free through June 30, 2025, due to state grant funding.
• Reservations: Required at least 24 hours in advance by calling the MWRTA.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article highlights several transportation services specifically designed to ensure residents can access healthcare. Programs like the “Go Sudbury! Taxi Rides Program” are exclusively for “medical and health care appointments,” and the “Sudbury-Wayland Boston Hospital Shuttle” provides direct transit to major medical centers. This focus on facilitating access to health services directly connects to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The transportation initiatives described in the article are explicitly targeted at reducing inequalities by focusing on vulnerable populations. Eligibility for most services is based on criteria such as age (residents 60 and older), disability (residents 18 and older with a disability), and financial need. By providing accessible and affordable transportation, the town of Sudbury is actively working to ensure these groups are not left behind and can participate more fully in community life.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article details a comprehensive effort to create a local, multi-modal transportation system that makes the community more inclusive, safe, and accessible. The establishment of the Sudbury Transportation Committee and the launch of six distinct services—including wheelchair-accessible vans, on-demand shuttles, and subsidized taxi/Uber rides—are direct actions to build a sustainable transport system. The focus is on providing public transit options for those who need them most, which is a core component of making a city or community sustainable.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
  • Explanation: The article describes multiple transportation services aimed at removing barriers to healthcare access. The “Go Sudbury! Taxi Rides Program” is for “medical and health care appointments only,” and the “Sudbury-Wayland Boston Hospital Shuttle” provides direct access to specialized care. These services are often fare-free or subsidized, addressing the financial barriers that can prevent people from receiving essential health services.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
  • Explanation: The eligibility criteria for the transportation programs directly address this target. Services are specifically for “Sudbury residents 60 and older,” “residents who are 18 and older who are living with a disability,” and those with “financial need.” By providing mobility, these programs empower these groups, enabling them to access work, shopping, community resources, and healthcare, thereby promoting their social and economic inclusion.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons.
  • Explanation: This target is central to the entire article. The town has developed a suite of transportation options that are affordable (many are “FARE FREE” or have low copays), accessible (multiple services offer “Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) service”), and sustainable (they are presented as long-term, grant-and-town-funded programs). The special attention to vulnerable populations like seniors and persons with disabilities is a recurring theme across all six services described.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Indicator (Implied): Number and frequency of trips provided for healthcare purposes.
  • Explanation: The article mentions a specific metric for the “Go Sudbury! Taxi Rides Program”: “There is a limit of 4 one-way medical rides per month per person.” Tracking the number of users who utilize this service and the number of medical rides provided would be a direct indicator of how the program is facilitating access to healthcare. Similarly, tracking ridership on the “Sudbury-Wayland Boston Hospital Shuttle” would measure access to specialized medical facilities.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Indicator (Implied): Number of registered users from vulnerable groups.
  • Explanation: Progress towards inclusion can be measured by tracking the number of people who apply for and use these services based on the specific eligibility criteria. The article states that applications are required for most services. The number of approved applicants who are “60 years of age or older,” have “a disability that limits driving,” or have “financial need” would serve as a direct measure of the program’s reach within these target populations. The provision of WAVs is a qualitative indicator of inclusion for people with disabilities.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Indicator (Official): This directly relates to Indicator 11.2.1: “Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities.”
  • Explanation: The article provides all the necessary information to measure this at a local level. The existence of six distinct transportation services, their specific service hours, service areas (within Sudbury and to surrounding towns), and clear eligibility criteria (age, disability) allow for an assessment of how much of the population, particularly vulnerable groups, has convenient access to public transport. The statement that the “Catch Connect” pilot year was a “success” implies that data on ridership and service satisfaction is being collected and used to evaluate and continue the program.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services…	Number of medical/hospital trips provided via the Taxi Program and Hospital Shuttle. Number of residents using transportation services for healthcare appointments.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age…disability…or economic…status.	Number of registered users who are 60+, have a disability, or have a financial need. Availability and use of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs).
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all…with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations…persons with disabilities and older persons.	Proportion of the population (especially seniors and persons with disabilities) covered by the service areas and hours. Ridership numbers for each of the six transportation services. Success metrics of pilot programs like “Catch Connect Sudbury.”

Source: sudbury.ma.us