Thursday, December 17, 2020

City of Salem Launches the Salem Skipper

 

City of Salem Launches the Salem Skipper: On-Demand Transportation Option for Residents, Commuters

New service provides fast, easy, and affordable rides around Salem

 

SALEM, MA – The City of Salem takes another step toward being a car-light community on December 16th with the launch of the Salem Skipper: a fast, easy, and affordable shared ride service available for all. The Salem Skipper, powered by technology from Via, the leader in TransitTech solutions, will provide transportation within Salem for $2 per ride or less. 

The Salem Skipper works like a minibus that comes when you want, where you want. Riders can hail a ride on their mobile device with the Salem Skipper app, available for iPhone and Android, or by calling (844) 983-1842. Riders will enter a desired pickup and drop-off address to book a ride and will receive vehicle information and an estimated pickup time and location. Via’s advanced algorithms will enable multiple riders to seamlessly and safely share the same vehicle, directing passengers to a nearby virtual bus stop within a short walking distance for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours.

New riders will get their first 10 trips free until February 16. After that, rides are $2 for the general public and $1 for senior citizens, students, and people with disabilities. The service will be available 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday. There will be four Salem Skipper vehicles in service, two Chrysler Pacificas and two Dodge Caravans. The Dodge Caravans are wheelchair accessible.

 “This is as an opportunity for Salem residents, commuters, and visitors to get around Salem easily and affordably,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, “The Salem Skipper will get you from your home to a doctor’s appointment, from the office to the MBTA Commuter Rail station, from campus to downtown, or anywhere you need to go in Salem without having to worry about parking or driving yourself.” 

“We are proud to work with the City of Salem and Mayor Driscoll to introduce an innovative transit solution that provides valuable access to jobs, education, health, and leisure for the community,” said Via CEO and co-founder Daniel Ramot. “Via’s platform has been deployed across the globe to transform and complement existing public transportation networks, and Salem is setting an example for technology-enabled transit in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

 Rider and driver health and safety are a priority, and all vehicles are equipped with plexiglass partitions, capped at three passengers to ensure distancing, and frequently sanitized by the drivers. Masks or face coverings worn over the nose and mouth are required by passengers and drivers.

 The Salem Skipper is supported by a Workforce Transit Grant from Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The Salem Skipper is also made possible through the efforts of the Salem for All Ages initiative (salemforallages.org).

 For more information, visit salemskipper.com and download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.


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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Salem Resident-Only COVID-19 Testing Appointments Available for Coming Week




CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

Kimberley Driscoll

Mayor

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dominick Pangallo

Chief of Staff

Office of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll

City of Salem
(978) 619-5600

dpangallo@salem.com

 

Salem Resident-Only COVID-19 Testing Appointments Available for Coming Week

Salem Coronavirus Awareness Network (SCAN) at new location, appointments required

 

Salem, Massachusetts – The City of Salem is now accepting appointments for December 13-19 for free COVID-19 testing for Salem residents only through the Salem Coronavirus Awareness Network, or SCAN. Testing is conducted via walk-up at the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center (CLC) at 401 Bridge Street. Appointments are required in order to receive SCAN testing and this testing is available for Salem residents only.

 

To book an appointment time block, visit www.salem.com/scan. Residents should only book one appointment at a time. If there is more than one person in your family or household group, each one must book an individual appointment. Time blocks are available in increments of 30 minutes and you may come to the site at any point in your scheduled 30-minute window.

 

You must bring a copy of your appointment confirmation and proof of residency to your appointment. Please do not come to your appointment more than 30 minutes before your appointment window starts. The testing site entrance is on the side of the CLC. You must wear a mask at all times while you are in the testing site. Even with the appointment system, residents should anticipate some wait when they arrive at the site.

 

Please note that SCAN testing on Friday, December 18th takes place from 9:00 a.m. to noon, not in the evening has had been listed previously. Information below is now correct, as are the booking options on www.salem.com/scan.


Dates and times are subject to change. Visit www.salem.com/scan for the most up to date schedule.

 

When you book your appointment, you will be asked to complete a form for test registration. This is a required form by the testing processor, the Broad Institute, and all fields must be completed with each appointment, even if you have done so in the past for previous appointments.

 

No proof of U.S. citizenship or of insurance are necessary for these tests. Tests are administered by trained EMTs from Cataldo Ambulance via anterior nasal swab and processed at the Broad Institute via RT-PCR. Test results, whether positive or negative, are returned to you within 24-48 hours. If you do not receive a result in 48 hours, please call 844-422-8253.

 

Salem residents can continue to also receive testing at the state’s Stop the Spread testing sites. There are two Stop the Spread sites in Salem – at Old Town Hall and at Salem High School. To find out more about Salem’s Stop the Spread testing sites, please visit www.salem.com/stopthespread. To find other Stop the Spread testing sites throughout Massachusetts, please visit www.mass.gov/stopthespread. There is no appointment required for Stop the Spread testing.

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Friday, December 4, 2020

City of Salem Announces Salem Resident Only COVID-19 Testing for December


CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

Kimberley Driscoll

Mayor

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dominick Pangallo

Chief of Staff

Office of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll

City of Salem
(978) 619-5600

dpangallo@salem.com

 

City of Salem Announces Salem Resident Only COVID-19 Testing for December

Salem Coronavirus Awareness Network (SCAN) at new location, appointments required

Salem, Massachusetts – The City of Salem will be providing free COVID-19 testing for Salem residents only on dates throughout the month of December through the Salem Coronavirus Awareness Network, or SCAN. Testing will be conducted via walk-up at the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center (CLC) at 401 Bridge Street. Appointments are required in order to receive SCAN testing and this testing is available for Salem residents only.

To book an appointment time block, visit www.salem.com/scan. Appointments can currently only be booked for the first week of testing; future booking times will be opened in the coming days. You may only book one appointment at a time. If there is more than one person in your family or household group, each person must book an individual appointment, including any children. Time blocks are available in increments of 30 minutes and you may come to the site at any point in your scheduled 30-minute window.

You must bring a copy of your appointment confirmation and proof of residency to your appointment. Please do not come to your appointment more than 30 minutes before your appointment time block starts. Entrance is on the side of the CLC. You must wear a mask at all times while you are in the testing site. Even with the appointment system, residents should anticipate some wait when they arrive at the site.

*Current open for appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Salem residents only.

Dates and times are subject to change. Visit www.salem.com/scan for the most up to date schedule.

When you book your appointment online, you will be asked to complete a form for test registration. This is a required form from the testing processor, the Broad Institute, and all fields must be completed with each appointment, even if you have had a test in the past.

No proof of U.S. citizenship or of insurance are necessary for these tests. Tests are administered by trained EMTs from Cataldo Ambulance via anterior nasal swab and processed at the Broad Institute via RT-PCR. Test results, whether positive or negative, are returned to you within 24-48 hours. If you do not receive a result in 48 hours, please call 844-422-8253.

Salem residents can continue to also receive testing at the state’s Stop the Spread testing sites. There are two Stop the Spread sites in Salem – at Old Town Hall and at Salem High School. To find out more about Salem’s Stop the Spread testing sites, please visit www.salem.com/stopthespread. To find other Stop the Spread testing sites throughout Massachusetts, please visit www.mass.gov/stopthespread. There is no appointment required for Stop the Spread

 


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