Buses come and go from Pittsfield every day…But they can only take riders so far. It’s why a more united transportation network is being developed for Berkshire County.

Ben Lamb, Director of Economic Development, 1Berkshire, said “The big thing we know that wasn’t necessarily being addressed was how to we bring together all the resources that currently exist, and network with those potential ones that might come down the pike.”

Lamb is on the team conducting a feasibility study for the proposed transportation management association. His group is asking for commuter’s input about their transportation habits to better understand the public’s needs.

Lamb said, “When you look at starting to facilitate any network system, you want to make sure that you’re actually capturing people in their own rhythm and the way that they currently move, so that’s what that survey is really about.”

Any new transportation management association would have to rely on public transportation options that are already available, such as the BRTA, or ride share services. The BRTA has 13 fixed routes throughout the county. However, many rural areas are under served. It’s one of the biggest challenges for any new transportation network.

Clete Kus, Transportation Program Manager, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, said, “With the development that occurs, you know, on the fringe or the periphery, that’s where we experience our problems. Getting those people from the more rural areas onto the fixed route is one of the things we’re really struggling with.”

Lamb says he’s optimistic a county-wide transportation association is possible and he anticipates it could be established quickly.

Lamb said, “We actually have a chance here where if this looks like it has a feasible structure that we can implement, the runway’s going to be much shorter. So instead of talking four or five years, we’re talking two or three years or one or two years.”

To take part in 1Berkshire's survey click here.