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Council on Aging Transportation

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Ashburnham

  • Vans are doing regular runs to medical appointments and shopping with easy scheduling to the Gardner and other local towns. Please call ahead to schedule a pickup.
  • Medical trips to hospital and medical centers in Worcester can also be arranged. Thursdays are special shopping trips to Athol: Market Basket, Hobby Lobby.
  • Call 978-827-5000 between the hours of 9AM-2PM to schedule a trip

Ashby

  • MART Shuttle Service is available to Ashby residents aged 60 years or older, or ADA qualified
  • Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for medical appointments, social day care, and shopping.
  • Rides must be scheduled by 2:30 p.m. the day before trip.
  • To APPLY and schedule use please call: Jen Collins: Monday – Thursday: 386-2501, ext. 11

Ayer

  • Call 978-772-8261 for all Pickups.
  • The MART van is available five days a week, by appointment only during business hours.
  • The van need at least 24 hours in advance for an appointment
  • Charges are $1.00 in Ayer; each stop and $2.00 each stop out of Ayer

Berlin

Bolton

  • The Bolton COA provides senior and handicapped transportation through the MART Van Service:
    • To request a ride, call 779-3313 at least 2 business days in advance
    • Please call 978-779-3313 for details on fees or to book a ride

Clinton

  • The van hours of operation are 8:15 AM to 2:30 PM Monday-Friday
  • Van Services for seniors aged 60+ and individuals with disabilities. This service is curb to curb.
  • Where does the van go? In Town- Monday-Friday
    • Out of Town
      • Monday- Lancaster / Sterling, ($3.50 fee) & Leominster ($4.00 fee)
      • Tuesday-Bolton Primary Care Physicians only ($3.50 fee)/ Highland Commons in Berlin ($4.00). Wednesday and Friday- Worcester ($4.50 fee)
      • When scheduling medical, dental, eye, etc. appointments, please do so between 9 am and 12 pm.
    • ALL VAN SERVICE REQUIRES A 48 HOUR ADVANCE NOTICE *Excluding weekends & holidays*
    • Someone can call to book their ride up to 6 weeks in advance.
    • As soon as they know that they have an appointment, they can call David at 978-733-4747 ext. 309 to book their ride. All van requests are first come, first served.
    • More information can be found at https://www.clintonma.gov/240/VAN-SERVICES

Fitchburg

  • New Van Riders must enroll with the Senior Center. Call them at 978-829-1790 to register
  • The rider must be outside at their pickup location 15 minutes before their scheduled ride. If they are not visible when the van arrives, they will be considered a “No Show.”
  • The Club Return Van comes to the Senior Center every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. for pick up

Gardner

  • The Gardner Community Action center provides rides for seniors aged 60+ for medical rides
  • Services are available to Gardner seniors Tuesday-Friday, typically from 8am until 4:30pm.
  • Appointments for transportation to medical appointments must be made well in advance. A contribution based on the location of the ride is requested.
  • This service reaches as far as Worcester and Concord but does not serve the Boston Area.
  • Please call the CAC at 978-632-8700 for more information to schedule your ride.

Groton

  • Serving outlying medical services
    • Boston, Concord, Burlington, and the VA This service is also open to residents in surrounding towns, however the van will leave from the Groton Senior Center for non-residents.
    • Tuesdays: Serving Boston area hospitals: Mass General, Dana Farber, Brigham & Women’s, Boston VA. Appointments should be made between 11am and 1pm.
    • Thursdays: Serving Emerson, Lahey and Bedford VA
      • Please make your appointments between the hours of 10am and 2pm.
    • Round Trip Fees: Boston $15, Emerson $5, others $10 No charge for the VA
      • This is a new service with policies subject to change. Please call if you absolutely cannot get an appointment within the requested hours and we will do our best to accommodate you.
    • Local Trips within Groton, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend, Westford, Ayer, Harvard, and Littleton
      • Reservations for all COA Van rides must be made using the COA Van line, 978-448-1141. Reservations will not be accepted on the general phone line. Please leave a message with name, phone number, time of appointment and location. Staff will return your call by the end of the workday. Reservations are filled on a first come, first serve basis. Please let staff know if you are transported by a wheelchair.
      • Medical Social Shopping Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays: Appointments begin 9am and must be completed by 2:30pm.
      • Wednesdays: Visit to Loaves and Fishes (no charge for this) and appointments beginning 10:30am and must be completed by 2:30pm.
      • Friday Special Shopping: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
        • 1st Friday: Shopping on DW Highway, Nashua
        • 2nd Friday: Shopping in Lunenburg: Wal-Mart
        • 3rd Friday: Westford Market Basket Plaza
        • 4th Friday: Trips around Christmas Tree Shop, Nashua
      • Round Trip Fees:
        • Trips to Senior Center no charge. In-Town $3.00. Out-of-Town $4.00.

Hubbardston

  • Transportation through the Hubbardston MART van is available for medical appointments, legal appointments, banking, shopping, and social outings. Call to book your ride at 207-710-1777.

Lancaster

  • Call and reserve 2 days in advance: Monday – Thursday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
  • A consumer can call 978-733-4076 to leave message on answering machine 24/7; their call will be returned. Van Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Leominster

  • All van rides are by reservation only. To book any ride, they must call (978) 534-7511 before 1:00 pm the previous day. All rides must be scheduled a minimum of 45 minutes before the time of appointments. There must be a minimum of 1 hour & 15 minutes from pick- up to pick-up for rides in Leominster, 1 hour & 30 minutes for out-of-town rides. Mart vans serve the Leominster area- Monday to Friday 6:00 am to 5:00 pm. Rides in Leominster are $.50 and surrounding communities are $.75. Riders must have exact change. Vans may run late.

Lunenburg

  • The elder van operates five days a week & is handicapped accessible. Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Destinations include medical visits to physicians or hospitals in Lunenburg, Fitchburg, Leominster, and Nashoba Hospital in Ayer: shopping at Lunenburg Crossing, John Fitch Highway, Orchard Hills Plaza and Whitney Fields on designated days; trips to the Eagle House, area hairdressers/barbers, banks, and nursing homes.
  • Rides must be scheduled at least 2 days in advance but can be booked one month ahead. Clients are encouraged to make medical appointments on Monday or Wednesday, so as not to interfere with shopping days, which are Tuesday and Thursday mornings. To make a reservation call 8AM – 5PM. Cost is .50 cents each way, per destination, with $1.00 each way for Nashoba Hospital

Pepperell

  • 2 vehicles, one that is handicap accessible. Rides are available Monday-Friday 9AM- 2PM
  • To schedule a ride with the COA call 978-433-0326
  • In town service for $2.50. Out of town service, $3.50. Further out, like Lowell, is $10.00
  • Anyone can bring a free Personal Care Attendant, or they can provide volunteer companions.

Princeton

  • Call 800-321-0243 and reserve 48 hours in advance. In-town $1.50 per trip, out of town $2.50
  • Available for all Seniors. In town Senior activities and out of town shopping and appointments.
  • Grocery shopping every Friday – alternating Big Y and Price Chopper each week.

Shirley

  • Runs a MART van from the Shirley Senior Center. To schedule a ride call (978) 425-1390
  • Open to all residents of Shirley, people who live in Shirley Meadow and Devens

Sterling

  • They transport from Worcester to Fitchburg and all points in between.  They are prioritizing van rides for essential needs such as medical appointments, pharmacy pickups and grocery shopping.  Call them for non-essential needs as well and they will do their best to accommodate.
  • There is a charge of $1.00 for any trip within Sterling’s town limits to be paid to the driver at the time of the trip.  It will be $2.00 for any trip outside of Sterling to be paid to the driver at the time of the trip. There is no charge to come to the Senior Center.
  • To schedule a trip on the Sterling van, please call the Senior Center at 978-422-3032 between 8 am and 11 am Mon – Fri and ask for the dispatcher, Pam Dell. With only 2 vans, they suggest that a client book your appointment early, as the van may already be in use.

Templeton

  • To schedule a ride with the COA Call 978-894-2780
  • Local Shopping Trips: Call by 12:30 pm. at least 1 business day prior to your trip to make your reservation. All our trips are shared rides. Monday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30 am. to 2:30 pm.
  • Medical Trips Out of Town: Tuesday and Thursday: by Appointment. First come, first served

Townsend

  • Available for errands and medical appointments in: Townsend, Pepperell, Leominster, Lunenburg, Ayer, Groton, and Fitchburg
  • All trips may be arranged by calling 978-597-1730 at least two days in advance and up to a month in advance. The bus goes to the Senior Center Monday through Friday.
  • Please schedule medical appointments between 9:30am and 12:30pm
  • $1.25 one way locally within Townsend; Bus Card $22.50 – 9 round trips (get 1 round trip free). $.50 Round trip to the Senior Center from Atwood Acres/Townsend Woods. $1.75 one way outside Townsend; Bus Card $ 31.50 – 9 round trips (get 1 round trip free)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
AM Pepperell

(Medical)

Leominster

(Medical)

Townsend

(Medical & Errands)

Groton & Ayer

(Medical)

 Fitchburg & Lunenburg

(Medical)
PM Townsend

(Errands)

 Leominster

(Errands)

 Townsend

(Medical & Errands)

 Townsend

(Errands)

Fitchburg & Lunenburg

(Errands)

Westminster

  • Transportation/Mart Bus Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 8:00 – 4:00
  • Call 24 hours in advance to schedule the van.
  • Van fare is: $2.00 round trip in town. $3.00 round trip out of town

Winchendon

  • The Winchendon in-town bus route will start in the Spring (or when the weather turns nice) and will runs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The bus will run at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 and will stop at the designated locations below only and cannot wait if someone is not at the designated stops.
    • Ipswich Drive Community Building, Hyde Park Drive Community Building, Family Dollar Parking Lot, CVS/Rite Aid
  • Please call the Center Office at 978-297-3155 with any questions. Donations are greatly appreciated!   This service is for people aged 60 and over.

Disclaimer: This resource comes as a courtesy from ASNCM.  You are hereby notified that Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts does not recommend, guarantee, or assume liability for the performance or lack thereof, for any of the resources listed.

Compiled by the Information & Referral at Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts. (Updated annually 7/2021; revised 7/2021)

Updated on August 11, 2021

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