BRTA's Fare Free Month Well Received by Community

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — During a time of inflationary costs of living, the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority boosted its December ridership by 20,000 with a free fare event.

Funded by a state grant, bus and paratransit services were of no cost from Nov. 25 to Dec. 31. This led to nearly 54,000 riders throughout the month, compared to last year's December ridership of around 34,000.

This was just below BRTA's goal of 55,000 riders but Administrator Robert Malnati is still happy with the result, as it allowed more people to use the transit authority’s services or discover them for the first time.

"Hopefully it helped the community at a time where it was needed with the inflationary pressures from everyday life," he said.

"And if this could be one way to remove some of that from some of our riders and also introduce the opportunity to people that maybe didn't know where we went and how the bus could fit their needs."

Malnati believes that the BRTA would have reached its 55,000 rider goal if not for a couple of snow storms that caused service shutdowns.  

"We had been trending the first quarter and even through October about 22 percent ahead of the previous year," he said.

"So we were trending in that positive direction as it was."

After being awarded, it was divvied between RTAs.

Last year, the BRTA offered free rides for one week but this was the first time it was able to offer them for an extended period of time.

The promotion was well received by the community, with some offering thanks to the transit authority.

For more information on the Berkshire Regional Transit authority visit berkshirerta.com.

Pittsfield Recognizes Firefighters of the Year, Outgoing Councilors

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Pittsfield firefighters Matthew Mazzeo and Clarence Gunn with Gov. Maura Healey and state Fire Marshal Jon Davine at the annual Firefighter of the Year Awards in Worcester last month. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two members of the Pittsfield Fire Department were recognized as Firefighters of the Year for rescuing a man from the ice in early 2025. 

At the end of November, Matthew Mazzeo and Clarence Gunn traveled to Worcester for the 36th annual Firefighter of the Year Awards held by the state Department of Fire Services. The two were honored for their Jan. 21 response to a fisherman who had fallen into the icy waters of Onota Lake. 

The Fire Department responded to the report of a fisherman falling through the ice about 7:45 a.m.  The person had gotten out of the water but had fallen back in, and the ice broke again while Mazzeo and Gunn were making the rescue. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti presented the two with certificates of recognition at the beginning of Tuesday's City Council meeting. 

Fire Chief Thomas Sammons explained that the two firefighters had to be tethered in cold water suits, and Gunn's suit failed, filling with freezing water. He and the fisherman were transported to Berkshire Medical Center for hypothermia and made a full recovery. 

"They were 300 feet offshore, so it was really hard to have communications, and everything happened all at once. They did a great job," he said. 

"We started pulling them in, and there was a layer of slush on top. It was really slow. Pittsfield Police responded. They donned life preservers and jumped right in. Everybody worked together for a very positive outcome." 

Sammons explained that the ice sled used for rescues also plunged into the water, and the two firefighters had to untangle the tethers to get the man and themselves to safety.