The Town of Arlington Council on Aging (COA) will soon be transporting older adults on a fully accessible electric transit van. The electric van enhances the Town’s ability to provide safe, accessible, and environmentally friendly rides for Arlington’s older residents. The commissioning of the electric van coincides with the installation of electric fleet vehicle chargers, in support of the Town’s pollution reduction and fleet electrification goals.   

Replacing one of the COA’s older vehicles, the electric van will provide thousands of rides for age 60+ Arlington residents. The new van will seat six people and also accommodate one wheelchair. Access to transportation continues to be a top issue that residents tackle as they age and in the past year alone, the COA has provided over 12,000 rides. Residents schedule rides on COA vans to programs offered at the Community Center and other in-town locations such as medical appointments, grocery stores, community events, Arlington EATS, and other essential destinations. This purchase aligns with the Town’s commitment to both sustainability and accessibility by reducing greenhouse gas pollution while expanding mobility for older residents. 

“This investment not only helps older adults stay connected and independent, it also advances Arlington’s climate goals,” said Arlington Town Manager, Jim Feeney. “The electric van is a win for our community—improving quality of life while reducing our environmental impact. We’re thankful to MassDOT and MassDEP for substantially funding these programs and expanding our EV capacity.”  

Arlington COA was awarded funding to offset 80% of the cost of the van through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Community Transit Grant Program. The Town was also awarded funding to offset 60% of the cost of six electric vehicle (EV) charging ports through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (EVIP). Two charging ports at the Arlington Community Center will support the new COA van and future electric vans in the COA fleet. Four charging ports at the Town's Department of Public Works (DPW) complex will support new electric vehicles in the DPW and Department of Inspectional Services fleets. These purchases align with the Town’s plans to replace gas fleet vehicles with electric alternatives, in pursuit of net zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050.  

The COA’s Transportation Program continues to see tremendous growth in ride requests each year. Thanks to the new van purchase, the COA can fulfill these requests while aligning with the Town’s climate goals. The new van is expected to begin service this fall. 

For more information about the Council on Aging Transportation Program, call 781-316-3400. Learn more information about Arlington’s climate change mitigation and resiliency planning efforts at arlingtonma.gov/climate.  

 
Community members pose in front of the new accessible Council on Aging EV transit van. 

New fleet EV charger at DPW complex charges Inspectional Services Department vehicle.