Berkshire Country RCC at a Glance
Partner Organizations
Adams Council on Aging; Berkshire Rides; Berkshire
Regional Transit Authority; Berkshire County Regional
Planning Commission; Adlib; Pittsfield Boys and Girls
Club; Hillcrest Education Center; MA Rehabilitation
Commission; Department of Developmental Services;
United Cerebral Palsy of Berkshire County;
Berkshire Community College; ADRC/Elder Services;
Berkshire County ARC; MassRIDES; BFAIR;
Riverbrook Residence.
RCC Lead Contact
Information
Erica Girgenti, Exec. Director, Adams COA
Ph: 413-743-8333; egirgenti@town.adams.ma.us
SCCCT Member
Jana Hunkler, Project Manager, Berkshire Rides
Ph: 413-664-0300; jana.berkshirerides@gmail.com
Jana Hunkler, Berkshire Rides
Meeting frequency
Every 3rd Thursday of the month; 333 East St, Pittsfield;
2.30PM – 4PM
Unmet needs assessment
methods
Southern Berkshire Community Transit Study, 2010;
Northern Berkshire Community Transit Study;
RCC member survey – questions developed in
meetings; 2014
Top unmet needs from
member survey
RCC focus areas:
1. Marketing and
public relations
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1. Marketing and public relations;
2. Information dissemination about resources;
3. Promoting carpooling, ride sharing, biking, use
of public transit in the county
4. Responding to hospital closure by ride sharing
and trip coordination
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June, 2014
Lack of night and weekend service
Long-distance medical service
Lack of understanding of available services
Affordability
Introduced the RCC at a legislative breakfast in
March, 2014
Partnering with BCC marketing classes
2. Information
dissemination
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Continuous stakeholder engagement
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Updating the region’s inventory of services (Ride
Guide)
Circulating a letter among social service agencies
about the availability of human service
transportation
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3. Promoting
carpooling, etc.
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4. Medical
transportation
shuttle
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Introducing MassRIDES’ NuRide carpooling
program to RCC member organizations and
Chambers of Commerce
Sharing information about Mass in Motion’s biking
and walking initiatives in Berkshire County with
RCC members
Closure of the North Adams Regional Hospital
brought partners together -3 COAs, BCAC, Elder
Services of BC and Berkshire Rides- to augment
the fixed route service and provide trips to
medical facilities in Pittsfield. BCAC runs a van
shuttle from Pittsfield to a DayHab facility in North
Adams daily and will add 3 stops to
accommodate riders in a reverse direction on a
space available basis. The 3 COAs provide
demand-response feeder service to BCAC shuttle
stops. Berkshire Rides provides mobility
management services to riders. Pilot project
started in April, 2014 and will run for 6 months.
https://www.adamscommunity.com/press-release/04222014adams-community-bank-support-medical-transportationshuttle-service/
June, 2014