Hilltown Easy Ride
Hilltown Easy Ride is a van service for seniors over 60 and veterans in the towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield and Worthington. The primary goal of the service is to provide transportation in a rural area with no other public transportation options. In addition to regularly scheduled shopping trips to Pittsfield and Northampton, riders may also get to medical appointments and attend social trips through the local Councils on Aging (COAs).
Interested riders must be pre-approved for eligibility with this FRTA form. You can print and send directly to FRTA, or our Transportation Coordinator will be happy to help you.
Our dispatcher Ed Pelletier is part-time but checks messages daily. Please leave a detailed message with your name, date, time and purpose of your request and we will check the schedule and get back to you quickly. You can also email ride@hilltowncdc.org
Hilltown Easy Ride is a Demand Response service of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA). For service, riders must call or email our dispatcher at least 48 hours in advance. The dispatcher will then let you know if the van and driver are available at that time. It is not a taxi service and trips are sometimes shared with others as schedules permit.
$1.25 - one way trip within the same town
$1.75 - one way trip to an adjacent towns
$2.25 - one way trip beyond adjacent towns
All trips to Senior Centers are half fare.
Fares are paid in cash and driver is unable to make change. Punch cards in $5 and $10 increments are available to conveniently prepay for multiple trips. For questions please call (413) 296 - 4232
We are pleased to be able to offer the use of the Easy Ride Van to area Councils on Aging for Group Outings. Cost is based on the number of hours for the trip and an 8 person minimum is required.
$3 per person for a three hour trip
$4 per person for a four hour trip
$5 per person for a five hour trip
These low rates are made possible through a grant from Highland Valley Elder Services.
Hilltown CDC also has grant funding to supplement the van for occasional medical rides for appointments outside of the van service area, or when there is a scheduling conflict with the van. The Hilltown Driver Pool is a group of approved drivers in the community who can take riders in their personal vehicles to fill this occasional need. Hilltown CDC coordinates these rides and reimburses the driver. All rides must be booked through dispatch and the number of rides are limited by grant funding availability.
For more information on HCDC's policies and procedures regarding ADA and Title VI compliance, including the procedures to file a complaint based on ADA (disability) or Title VI (race, color, national origin) discrimination and procedures to make reasonable modification requests of HCDC's practices, please click here.
To file an ADA or Title VI complaint, please use this form.
HCDC will make every attempt to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices and procedures to avoid discrimination and ensure programs and services are accessible to all individuals with disabilities. The modification may require advance notice; but when feasible, HCDC will maintain flexibility in handling requests on the spot. To make a reasonable modification request, please contact Ed Pelletier at 413-296-4232.
HCDC's public information and communications are available in alternate accessible formats, such as Braille or large-print, upon request
Not 60+? Join NuRide – it’s free! Sign up to the statewide database for ridesharing and save money and gas. Share a ride with fellow Hilltown residents – make your commute a green commute. Plus- earn incentive points for discounts, coupons and raffle entries.
Rural Transportation Coordinating Council
The Hilltown Transportation Committee acts as the Regional Coordinating Council for transportation issues and services in our area. The highest identified need in our 2016 Transportation Study was for transportation services for non-driving seniors - in particular increasing ease of use and availability of bus service to access shopping, medical appointments and for social/recreational opportunities. In addition, we are working on advocating for fixed route services in Hilltowns and promoting ridesharing programs as ‘green commute’ options for our residents.
Our Transportation Partners
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Highland Valley Elder Services
Hilltown Community Health Center
Tufts Health Plan
Hilltown Council on Aging Consortium and the COAs of each town
Mass Mobility
Franklin Regional Transit Authority
Stavros
