WORCSTER—Worcester resident Cat Stone greeted the arrival of seven new accessible vans for the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) with mixed emotions, shaped by her complicated history with the city’s public transportation system.
Stone shared her perspective as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced its 2025 Community Transit Grant Program. The initiative provides $14.8 million for 115 accessible vans and minivans across the state by the end of fiscal year 2026, including seven vehicles for the WRTA’s paratransit fleet.
“Eleven years ago, I was still living at home in Holden,” Stone recalled. “But I was an adult, so I had all my appointments in Worcester and my parents expected me to get to them myself. Which is why, as a person with a disability, I used the WRTA paratransit system at that time. The service was essential for my independence.”
WRTA Administrator Joshua Rickman said the new vans will replace aging vehicles currently in use.
“A van reaches the end of its useful life once it has been in operation for eight years, or 100,000 miles,” Rickman said. “It is essential to the WRTA that the fleet remains in a state of good repair.”
While Stone found paratransit services helpful, she said her experience with the WRTA’s fixed-route buses was more complicated.
“As a woman, I have been harassed on Worcester city buses, and I have been labeled as the problem,” she said. “When my attempts to get the guys to leave me alone didn’t work, I tried asking the bus drivers for help.”
According to Stone, drivers often suggested she leave the bus and wait for another or walk, which left her feeling unsupported.
Still, she credited the WRTA with offering meaningful services. “It’s awesome that the WRTA has the travel training, where you can practice routes you’ll often take with someone to show you how to get there,” Stone said. “Also, free fare is awesome, and it provides accessibility to people who really need it. These services make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Fellow Worcester resident and transit user Lumka Msingapantsi also acknowledged recent improvements.
“At the hub, there’s a bus schedule, you could see if it’s running late, but before there was no hub,” she said. “At least now, even if you’re waiting, there is a place that you could take cover, especially when it’s raining.”
On the paratransit system, she added, “Sometimes the buses are really packed, so I feel like that’s a great option to accommodate those people that can’t get around as easily.”
Rickman emphasized the significance of WRTA’s paratransit services, which cover the entire city and a three-quarter-mile area surrounding each fixed route in the region.
“WRTA’s demand response service provides critical transportation services for individuals with disabilities as well as seniors,” he said. “This transportation assists individuals in accessing medical appointments, jobs, grocery shopping, trips to the senior center and more. Without this transportation service, many of these needs would go unmet.”
CMTM, the WRTA’s largest ADA paratransit provider, is projected to see a 13% increase in ridership this fiscal year over last, Rickman said.
The grant program was highly competitive, with 54 organizations submitting requests for 250 vehicles. Rickman noted that regularly replacing aging vehicles helps improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.
The new vans will be operated by Central MA Transit Management and will serve individuals deemed eligible under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. Rickman said the service is for “people whose disabilities prevent them from using the regular accessible WRTA fixed-route buses.”
WRTA’s fare-free service is expected to continue through June 2026. As the new vehicles are integrated into the fleet, riders say they hope the improvements continue to expand accessibility and safety throughout the system.
Matt Olszewski is a freelance content and news writer based in Boston, MA. In his free time, Matt enjoys running, hiking or skiing. Matt just graduated with his MPH from Tufts University. He can be reached at mattoskier@gmail.com
