Dial For A Local Ride

Getting around in Acton just got easier.

Many people are unaware of the fairly cheap and convenient shuttle service recently launched by the town of Acton. For $2.00, the MinuteVan will pick you up wherever you are in Acton and drop you off anywhere in the town.

For $4.00, the MinuteVan will take you to these specific out-of-town locations:

• (Boxborough)
• Nashoba Skating Rink (Boxborough)
• Emerson Hospital (Concord)
• (Concord)
• (Concord)
• West Concord Center
• Maynard Center

Most people in Acton get around by car. But there are a lot of young Actonians who don’t have a driver’s license yet and continually nag their parents or older siblings for a ride to their friend’s house across the town. And there are older residents who may not own a car or may be unable to drive because of a disability and have a hard time getting to the grocery store. 

With the new “Dial-A-Ride” program, people can call or register online for the shuttle service ahead of time and schedule a ride. The MinuteVan’s hours of operation are from 8:00am to 11:00am and 3:15pm to 8:15pm, Monday through Friday.

“We are hoping people will use it as a part of their daily life,” said Franny Osman, Chair of the Transportation Advisory Committee. “We are hoping that the people that might be carpooling their kids to the same after-school programs will take advantage of the shuttle.”

Children 12 and older must have proper ID and a signed parental consent form to ride the MinuteVan. Click here for the online registration.

“Some Acton-Boxborough students have started using the Dial-A-Ride program and we hope more learn about it and start using it,” said Osman.

In an effort to increase awareness of the MinuteVan services to the younger population, the Transportation Committee will soon create a “Tagline” contest for students to come up with a creative tagline phrase for the MinuteVan service.

According to Osman, there has been a steady increase of passenger trips made on the MinuteVan. In the month of December, 130 trips were made and 120 trips were scheduled through the Dial-A-Ride program.

MinuteVan Program Bullets:

• The Van is handicap accessible – equipped with a wheelchair lift.
• Staff must be notified in advance if you are bringing along a service animal.
• The Dial-A-Ride service does not operate on the following holidays: Patriot’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4^th, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving (and the following day) and Christmas.
• Cancellations are to be made with a 24-hour notice and customers are to be expected to pay a fee if a trip is not canceled within 24 hours.

“This van is for everybody – seniors, people with disabilities, youth and everyday people and the idea is that by helping everybody in the community the quality of life is improving for the town,” said Osman.