Transit Planning

Transportation

Transit Planning

Public transit is essential for many residents of the Monadnock Region, including many older adults, young people, people with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged families. It also holds potential environmental benefits by offering an alternative to owning a personal vehicle. In southwest New Hampshire, transit services include:

“Fixed-route” bus that operates on a set schedule. Services in operation include the City Express in Keene and northern Swanzey, as well as the Rockingham Moover, a Vermont-based service with routes that provide services to destinations in Hinsdale and Walpole.

“Deviated-route” bus service, which offers door-to-door service within a certain distance of a particular route. The Para Express in Keene is an example.

Volunteer driver programs (VDPs), which match volunteer drivers with eligible riders. The Community Volunteer Transportation Company (CVTC) is an example that operates across the Monadnock Region.

Shuttle services for medical trips or other essential needs. For example, Home Healthcare Hospice & Community Services offers medical shuttles to White River Junction, Vermont and Lebanon, NH. Monadnock Family Services runs a shuttle from locations in Peterborough and Jaffrey to the Market Basket in Rindge.

Commercial taxis and other livery services, which in some cases also provide non-emergency medical transportation.

SWRPC supports regional transit planning in a number of ways, including:

Providing staff support to the Monadnock Region Coordinating Council for Community Transportation (MRCC).The MRCC is a group of transit service providers and other transportation stakeholders with a goal of fostering collaboration and coordination in order to expand transportation access, especially to individuals who face special challenges.

Providing route analysis, mapping technical assistance and assistance in meeting federal regulations. SWRPC provides support to City Express by updating route maps and data for online trip planners as well as demographic analyses of disadvantaged populations in agency service areas.

Conducting feasibility studies on transit services and infrastructure. For example, SWRPC has studied the feasibility of expanding transit service along NH 119 resulting in the deployment of new transit services in Hinsdale. Other studies have assessed the feasibility of transit services on NH 9, 10, 12, and 101. We also spearheaded an initiative that examined the need and feasibility of developing an intermodal transportation center in the Greater Keene area.

Facilitating community discussion on transit challenges and needs. In 2020, we organized a forum that focused on youth transportation challenges, which feature transit-related topics.