Full and original article posted by Blackstone Valley Tribue (PDF)

Local nonprofit South Central Massachusetts Elderbus added a new vehicle to its 21-vehicle fleet, the Mobility Vehicle One (MV-1). The Worcester Regional Transit Authority awarded the vehicle in early June. The MV-1 can carry up to four clients at a time, including capacity for a wheelchair.

The big draw – and what made Executive Director Tim O’Day request the new vehicle – is the MV-1’s increased efficiency. The vehicle gets 50 percent better gas mileage. The vehicle will primarily be used for longer trips to smaller towns, said O’Day, who noted that sometimes there are only two or three people taking round-trips in and out of Holland or Brimfield, which can be up to 35 miles one way.

“We are a private nonprofit, a 501c3, so every dollar counts,” he noted. “We – like other organizations like us around the country – are always looking for ways to operate more efficiently.”

On top of living up to its 50 percent better gas mileage claims, the MV-1 has had very positive feedback. In the past two months they’ve received 75 surveys back, giving their initial reaction to the new vehicle. According to O’Day, 95 percent of the surveys came back positive.

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