The state Department of Transportation on Friday released a pair of new maps showing all of New England’s privately operated rail, bus and ferry services. Developed by the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division in collaboration with fellow Northeast transportation departments, the new maps are the first multi-state, multi-modal public transit maps available in the United States.
“We are pleased to work with our partners across New England and New York to deliver customer-focused maps that assist commuters and visitors in making smart and convenient travel choices across our region,” MassDOT chief Stephanie Pollack said in a statement.
The new maps are currently on display in Boston, at the South Station bus terminal. The maps are expected to be rolled out in transportation centers across New England in the coming weeks, according to a MassDOT press release.
Each map includes Spanish, Portuguese, traditional Chinese, and French translations.
MassDOT spokesperson Mike Verseckes told BostInno in an email:
With public documents, you are required to make multiple versions in the most widely used languages for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (this is a Federal requirement). For New England as a whole, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and French are the most widely spoken languages for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Instead of making five different versions of the map, we put all the languages on a single version, in order to increase usability by the public and eliminate a large portion of the requirement to request specific additional translated versions.
Fold-out versions of the maps will be distributed by each state’s transportation and tourism offices. MassDOT plans in the future to release a web-based version of each map, to allow browsers to search for specific route information by each stop location.
“These maps are the only place where the public can view all intercity and interstate transportation services in a single document,” said MBTA interim general manager Frank DePaola.
Maps via MassDOT
