BRTA Extending Free Rides to Non-ADA Communities

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is extending fare-free rides to non-ADA communities.

BRTA Advisory Board on Thursday voted to let non-ADA communities participate in fare-free rides through June.

"The advantage of fare-free is to introduce more citizens to the services," said member Douglas McNally.

The request was brought up earlier this month to the finance committee, which recommended the extension.

Last year, BRTA was awarded $699,733 from the state for fare-free service from Jan 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2025. The funding was provided in the fiscal year 2025 budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey in July and builds off two years of successful pilot programs.

The fare-free initiative was for fixed routes and ADA paratransit services.

Transit to Pittsfield for non-ADA communities would cost as much as $25 for a trip, which could be hard for some riders.

"There could be a pent-up demand that we realize financially it could cause you to not go to your doctor's appointment because you couldn't afford to take a $25 trip one way to go to the doctor's and then go home," Administrator Robert Malnati said.

The BRTA had about $7,000 in the budget to put toward this initiative.

"This way here it opens the door to know what we're about, how can we help them, in utilizing funds that are still there and just expanding the other service so it made sense," said Malnati.

Residents in 17 communities will now have the opportunity. The communities being Alford, Becket, Clarksburg, Egremont, Florida, Hancock, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Peru, Richmond, Savoy, Sheffield, West Stockbridge, Washington and Windsor.

Malnati believes this was a good step to get people to know what the BRTA does.

"I think it's a step in the right direction… We are the whole Berkshire region so why are we only limiting it to 13 communities? Why can't we open it to everybody, so we will," he said.

Dalton Resident Ranks Third in National Snocross Race

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:18PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

Sal LeBeau on his machine with his sister, Kenna, in the black hat, and friend Brandon and his sister Alea.

DALTON, Mass. — At just 16 years old, Salvatore LaBeau is already making avalanches in the national snocross racing scene.

 

Last weekend, LaBeau raced in the Mount Zion Snocross National race in Ironwood, Mich., the first of eight races in the national circuit series. 

 

Competitions take place across national circuits, attracting racers from various regions and even internationally. 

 

Labeau rides for CT Motorsports, a team based in Upstate New York, on a 2025 Polaris 600R. 

 

This is LaBeau's first time competing on the CT Motorsports team. Years prior, he raced for a team owned by Bruce Gaspardi, owner of South Side Sales and Service in North Adams.  

 

Despite a bad first day on Friday when he fell off his snowmobile and didn't make the final, LaBeau carried on with confidence and on Saturday obtained his first national podium, placing in third for the Sport Lite class. 

 

"I'm feeling good. I'm gonna start training more when I come home, and go to the gym more. And I am really excited, because I'm in 11th right now," the Wahconah High student said.