Gov. Patrick creates paratransit-study board

BOSTON – Gov. Deval L. Patrick last week signed an executive order establishing a commission to examine paratransit services, or transportation provided to qualifying senior and disabled residents.
The commission will look at the operations of services provided by the Mass. Bay Transit Authority’s RIDE program, the Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities and Mass. Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
“Residents across the commonwealth rely on these vital transportation services to maintain independent lives, and we are committed to making sure that everyone who needs these services can access them,” Patrick said in a statement.
The commission will include representatives from the Mass. Executive Office of Administration and Finance, the Mass. Department of Transportation and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Members will come from a variety of backgrounds, including veterans’ services, civil rights, paratransit-service delivery and operations and paratransit-services customers.
Commission recommendations are expected in late October. &#8226