Shift Towns · Massachusetts

Boston is on the move

#1 of 22 Massachusetts towns by Shift Rate so far in July: share of active transportation trips (walk, micromobility, transit).

1,760
active trips so far in July
5,328.3
active miles
4,746
lbs CO₂ avoided*
103
neighbors active so far in July

Counts cover July 1 through today, based on trips logged by Shift community members that start or end in Boston— a growing sample, meant as an interesting local signal, not an official or census-level count. *CO₂ avoided is estimated from active miles traveled (EPA 404 g/mi baseline).

Where Boston moves

New to Boston? You're joining a town that moves — neighbors logged 5,288 trips on foot, by bike, and on transit in the last 90 days, and Monsignor O'Brien Highway, Massachusetts Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue are where you'll find them. A corridor appears only once three or more different people have traveled it — and it follows Boston residents wherever they go, including into neighboring towns, within about six miles of the town center.

Fewer neighborsMore neighbors

Momentum

Active trips in Boston by week ending, last 5 completed weeks

Jun 28Jul 5Jul 12Jul 19Jul 26

Friendly competition

Massachusetts towns by Shift Rate so far in July — the share of trips taken actively

How Boston moves

Active trips and miles so far in July, by mode

Share of trips

46%
19%
29%

Share of miles

12%
22%
61%
Walking815 trips · 623.7 mi
Biking & scooting333 trips · 1,174.9 mi
Bus101 trips · 301.2 mi
Train511 trips · 3,228.5 mi

What is this?

Shift is a free app from Green Streets Initiative, a nonprofit that has celebrated walking, biking, and transit since 2006. Shift automatically counts your walks, rides, and transit trips — every trip adds to Boston's totals on this page, earns you rewards at local businesses, and enters you into seasonal prize drawings.

Get involved in Boston

Safer streets are made by neighbors who speak up. Start small:

In Boston

Advocacy groups

  • Boston Better Streets CoalitionA grassroots coalition of 800+ Boston residents who organize neighborhood safety walks and speak up for safer streets, better bike lanes, and reliable transit citywide. (bostonbetterstreets@gmail.com)
  • WalkUP RoslindaleA volunteer neighborhood group working to make Roslindale more walkable through community walks, public-comment campaigns, and support for safer crossings and bike share.

Free commuter perks & shuttles

  • A Better City TMAPays downtown Boston commuters to skip the solo drive — up to $50 a year for biking to work, carpool subsidies, and free guided group bike rides, through employer members. (tma@abettercity.org)
  • Allston-Brighton TMACarpool subsidies, up to $50 a year for biking to work, and guided group bike rides for people who work in Allston and Brighton, through employer members. (tma@abettercity.org)
  • Charles River TMARuns the EZRide shuttle — open to the general public — between Boston's North Station and Cambridgeport via Kendall Square, plus Emergency Ride Home and other commuter programs. (info@charlesrivertma.org)
  • Longwood Collective TMAFor people who work or study at Longwood Medical Area institutions — nine shuttle routes, Bluebikes discounts and bike repair sessions, carpool subsidies, and three Emergency Ride Home trips a year. (tma@longwoodcollective.org)
  • Lower Mystic TMAFree commuter services — trip planning, incentives, and the GoMassCommute app — for employees, tenants, and residents of member properties in Everett, Medford, Malden, Chelsea, and Charlestown. (info@lowermystictma.com)
  • Seaport TMACommuteSeaport incentives and Bike Seaport programs for people who live, work, or visit Boston's Seaport District, with some benefits tied to employer membership. (info@seaporttma.org)

Fix your own bike

  • BU Cycle KitchenBoston University's free DIY repair space at 1019 Comm Ave (enter on Babcock Street) — staff teach you to fix your own bike. Open to BU students, faculty, and staff.

Meetings & comment pathways

  • Better Bike Lanes ProgramBoston's hub for bike-lane projects in construction, design, and planning — see what's coming to your neighborhood, sign up for email updates, and share feedback. (better-bike-lanes@boston.gov)

Your transportation department

Regional & statewide groups6 more — research, campaigns, and coalitions you can join

City committees you can join

  • Boston Region MPO Community Advisory CouncilregionalA standing advisory council with a voting seat on the regional transportation board — any Boston-area resident can apply to join and help shape walking, biking, and transit plans. (mgrenier@ctps.org)

Advocacy groups

  • LivableStreets AllianceregionalThe Metro Boston advocacy group for people-centered streets and transit, whose research and comment letters cover projects across the region.
  • TransitMattersstatewideThe transit advocacy group pushing for faster, more reliable buses and trains across Greater Boston, with data-driven campaigns anyone can join.
  • Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA)statewideA statewide coalition of community groups advocating for safe, affordable, and reliable transportation choices in every corner of the state.
  • WalkMassachusettsstatewideThe statewide walking advocacy organization that leads walk audits and pedestrian-safety campaigns, with open network meetings on Zoom the third Wednesday of each month.
  • MassBikestatewideThe statewide bicycling coalition — a way to plug into bike advocacy, group rides, and Bike Month events across Greater Boston and beyond.

Shift Rewards in Boston

Local businesses that reward people for moving actively

Keep a pulse on Boston

New street projects, meetings worth your voice, and how Boston is moving — 1–2 emails a month.

Keep Boston on top

Every walk, ride, and transit trip counts automatically. Download Shift free and put your trips on Boston's board.

Community stats reflect trips by Shift community members that start or end in Boston and refresh hourly. Municipalities and community groups can request aggregate data at info@gogreenstreets.org. A project of Green Streets Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.