Press Release: 6/25/2026
MassDOT Receives AARP Grant to Support Bikeshare Education for Older Adults
Programs will be launched in Everett, Worcester, and Springfield to help older adults build confidence using bikeshare and trail infrastructure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
6/24/2026
MEDIA CONTACT
Marshall Hook, Director of Communications
Phone
Call Marshall Hook, Director of Communications at (857) 368-8500
Online
Email Marshall Hook, Director of Communications at marshall.p.hook@dot.state.ma.us
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) today announced it has been awarded an AARP Community Challenge Flagship Grant to launch a bikeshare education and activation program for Massachusetts adults ages 50 and older. The programs will be launched in Everett, Worcester, and Springfield with participants from surrounding communities welcome.
The program will focus on older adults who may be interested in biking or bikeshare but would benefit from instruction, encouragement, and peer support before trying it on their own. The grant supports implementation of a practical, hands-on program designed to help older adults build confidence using bikeshare systems and trail infrastructure. The program will include classroom learning, hands-on riding instruction, a guided group ride, peer conversations, accessible educational materials, and follow-up community discussions.
Up to 20 participants in each community will take part in a two-day “confidence clinic” that includes basic riding instruction, safety information, access to basic riding equipment, and bikeshare passes. The clinics will be followed by community “fireside chats” featuring older adult riders who can share their experiences, answer questions, and help normalize bikeshare as an affordable and accessible local transportation and recreation option.
AARP Community Challenge grants support quick-action projects that help communities become more livable for people of all ages. The Flagship Grant program focuses on improving public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and other community features that support age-friendly communities.
The older adult education and activation grant builds on MassDOT’s broader work to support safe, accessible, and connected transportation options. This includes Complete Streets, Shared Streets and Spaces, MassTrails, bikeshare expansion, and ongoing micromobility safety and policy work including the Ride Safe Act. The Ride Safe Act, proposed by Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll, seeks to make bike lanes and trails safer for all residents including older adults by establishing a consistent set of rules to be implemented across the Commonwealth.
“This grant is exciting because it gives MassDOT an opportunity to help older adults become more comfortable with bikeshare and other active transportation options in their community,” said Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration has made important investments in trails, Complete Streets, Shared Streets and Spaces, bikeshare, and safer infrastructure across Massachusetts. This program helps connect residents directly with those investments by giving them the tools, confidence, and support to try micromobility options for themselves. We are grateful to AARP for recognizing the importance of this work and for partnering with us to help build a more equitable and accessible multimodal transportation network across the state.”
“MassDOT is honored to receive this AARP grant, which will help to advance our ongoing efforts to create a multimodal transportation network that is safe, accessible and reliable for all residents. This investment reinforces our commitment to supporting older adults and other vulnerable populations by improving mobility, connectivity and access to essential services. This also is an extension to our work and efforts to support the Ride Safe Act, which was recently filed by Governor Healey,” said Undersecretary of Transportation Policy Samantha Silverberg.
“This program is intentionally practical,” said Kristopher Carter, MassDOT Chief Innovation Officer. “It is about meeting people where they are, answering questions, providing hands-on support, and helping older adults feel comfortable and confident using available transportation options that may be less familiar to them. Bikeshare can be a convenient and affordable way to connect to trails, transit, local destinations, and community life, and we want more people to feel empowered to use it.”
"Creating transportation options is only part of the equation. We also need programs that help people feel confident taking advantage of them,” said Mayor Robert J. Van Campen. “This initiative gives older adults the support and encouragement they need to try bikeshare, stay active, and remain connected to their community. We're proud that Everett was selected for this program and grateful for the opportunity to bring these resources directly to our residents."
“Communities across Massachusetts want practical solutions that help people stay active and connected,” said Jen Benson, AARP Massachusetts State Director. “This program will give older adults the confidence and support to try bikeshare and make the most of transportation options in their community.”
As bikeshare services become available in more communities across Massachusetts, the grant is intended to help older adults take advantage of growing local micromobility resources. The program will develop a practical, replicable model that can be adopted by communities across the state to encourage safe and confident use of bikeshare and other local micromobility options. To support this, the work will include a public resource page, AARP-branded outreach materials, event documentation, and participant surveys.
More information about the program, including clinic dates, registration details, and community resources, will be made available on the MassDOT website.
Statements of Support
"One of the goals of Governor Healey's Executive Order 642 is to make Massachusetts a place where people can thrive at every age, and that means creating communities that are easier to get around, stay active in, and remain connected to,” said Aging & Independence Secretary Robin Lipson. “This partnership between MassDOT and AARP is a wonderful example of that work in action. As older adults build their knowledge and skills to use bikeshare and other active transportation options, they open a door to new opportunities for exercise, social connection, and further independence. It's a simple idea that can have a meaningful impact on people's lives for years to come."
“As we all hope to live longer and healthier lives, we should all have access to opportunities to remain active,” said James Fuccione, Executive Director, Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative. “Older adults already bike more often than other age groups, but bikeshare programs can help open the door to those who may not otherwise have that opportunity. We’re thrilled that MassDOT was awarded this AARP grant to engage older adults and grow the bikeshare community for people of all ages. The program helps further our goals as an age-friendly state as part of the ReiMAgine Aging 2030 Plan and can be something we replicate across Massachusetts.”
“Through our Mystic Greenways program, we seek to enable safe, accessible, and car-free opportunities to get outdoors and make day-to-day trips around the Mystic River,” said Karl Alexander, Greenways Program Senior Manager for the Mystic River Watershed Association and Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Member. “We are thrilled by this grant’s intent: to get seniors engaged in micromobility and, in doing so, enjoy a high quality of living regardless of age, ability, and background.”
"Transportation is about more than getting from one place to another—it's about independence, connection, and quality of life. We're excited to partner with MassDOT to help older adults feel comfortable and confident using bikeshare while exploring their communities and connecting with others. We're especially looking forward to working with residents in Everett, Springfield, and Worcester as they discover new ways to stay active and connected,” said Alex Salcedo, Worcester Program Manager, MassBike
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