Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, AugusT 23, 2024 MBTA | FROM PAGE 6 need it the most,” said ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. “This is the type of public and private collaboration that represents how equity is created for those who find themselves struggling in the economic environment where the cost of living is at an all-time high.” “The Income-Eligible Reduced Fare program resonates with the anti-poverty mission of Community Action and meets a fundamental need of vulnerable people living with low incomes; its implementation will go miles in terms of supporting increased access to job training and employment,” said MASSCAP Executive Director Joe Diamond. “Along with ABCD as the lead agency, Community Action Agencies in the MBTA service area very much appreciate the partnership with the MBTA and are looking forward to connecting the people we serve with reduced fare cards via a streamlined and innovative approach to conferred eligibility.” JOB ESTIMATES | FROM PAGE 14 dents unemployed. The labor force participation rate, the share of the working age population employed and unemployed, increased by 0.3 percentage points to 66.0 percent. The labor force was up 79,700 from the July 2023 estimate of 3,748,900 following the annual revision, with 67,500 more employed residents, and 12,200 more unemployed residents. The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different monthly trends. NOTES: The labor force is the sum of the numbers of employed As part of the program launch on September 4, RIDE customers enrolled in the Senior or income-eligible reduced fare programs will also be able to use an online form to link their reduced fare eligibility to their RIDE accounts and receive a discounted rate on Standard or Premium RIDE trips. Additionally, young people with low income already enrolled in the Youth Pass will be guided to enroll in the new program beginning on September 4 with the Youth Pass program discontinued on October 31. According to prior research, riders with low income are expected to take 30% more trips with a reduced fare, signifi cantly increasing mobility while saving on transportation costs. More than 60,000 riders are expected to qualify for and enroll in the program, which is expected to result in up to 8 million more trips per year. The initiative is thanks to the collaboration of multiple partners across the Commonwealth with the MBTA, including the Commonwealth’s Exresidents and those unemployed, that is, residents not working but actively seeking work in the last four weeks. Estimates may not add up to the total labor force due to rounding. For further information on seasonal adjustment methodology, please refer to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website https://www.bls. gov. The preliminary August 2024 and revised July 2024 unemployment rate, labor force, and job estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Friday, September 20, 2024. See the 2024 Media Advisory annual schedule for a complete list of release dates. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/economicresearch. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers 617-387-2200 ecutive Offi ce of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) in allowing riders to demonstrate eligibility through existing EOHHS programs; the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in allowing riders to off er proof of identity through an RMV ID; ABCD and the MASSCAP Network in providing in-person support; and Omicron Technology Solutions in providing additional application reviews. “By simplifying the process for demonstrating eligibility and enrolling in this reduced fare program, we are making it easier for those who need it most to save time and money to get where they need to go,” said Executive Offi ce of Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “I’d like to thank our partners in the Legislature and across the Healey-Driscoll Administration for coming together to help make transportation more aff ordable for so many Massachusetts residents.” “We are honored to be part of this collaboration with the MBTA to promote fare equity and make sure everyone TIP | FROM PAGE 9 er and understand privacy settings. Parents can have their children read the privacy policies and terms of use of any apps they want. While there might be a little grumbling that the policies “are too long” or that “it takes too much time,” remind them of the importance of knowing what they are signing up for and insist that they are read. Then, learn and understand the privacy settings on each app and game. Don’t share your location. Nearly every app automatically tracks a user’s location. From placing an online order for groceries or fast food to playing an online game, review the apps on all your devices to see which ones are tracking your location. Then, if it’s not needed, look in the settings to see how to disable this feature. Advise a friend or family member to avoid geo-tagging their posts with their location. Why? For example, you don’t want to announce the fact your family is vacationing out of state while the house sits empty. A simple review of the geo-tagged post will reveal where you are. Use parental controls if necessary. Although the best way to keep a child’s online privacy safe is to teach them to manage it themselves, it doesn’t hurt to have their backs by using parental controls. Today, Android, iOS and most web knows about the low-income fares program,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. “Transportation is so essential to quality of life, and by educating the public about the existence of such programs, we can help connect more people to job opportunities, medical appointments, or to their families.” “Omicron is honored to partner with the MBTA to enhance ridership through the Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program,” said Omicron Technologies Vice President of Operations Audra Chadwell. “We take pride in expanding initiatives vital to meeting the national demand for aff ordable fares. Our commitment involves accelerating CharlieCard applications, ensuring quick access for customers and assisting in boosting rider numbers. We are excited to be an integral part in supporting this community.” “For years, the City of Boston has seen firsthand the life-changing impact that reduced fare programs have on young adults through the fabrowsers off er built-in features that allow parents to monitor their children’s online activities, but third-party apps are also available. Research the option that works best. Follow through with the child to explain why you’re monitoring their activities. Share with care, and remember, personal information is like money. What is posted online can last a lifetime: Parents can teach children that any information they share online can easily be copied and is almost impossible to take back. Talk to them about who might see a post and how it might be perceived, and show them how anything they do online can positively or negatively impact other people. Sharing personal information can also give online thieves an idea of what login information or passwords might be used for banking or other online accounts. Teach your kids the language of online privacy. Discover together the meaning of the most common terms found in privacy policies and terms of agreement: personal information, cookies, third party, license, user content, location information, log fi le information, monetization. Do a Goocilitation of the MBTA Youth Pass program,” said City of Boston Offi ce of Youth Engagement and Advancement Executive Director Pedro Cruz. “We are thrilled to see access to this resource expanded to Boston residents of all ages, creating a more mobile and equitable city for all. The Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement (OYEA) looks forward to continuing to support young residents and their families by connecting them to this new and improved service.” The MBTA is committed to providing reliable, accessible transportation to all and is implementing this new, expanded reduced-fare eligibility that will make all MBTA transportation modes available and affordable to income-eligible individuals. For more information, visit mbta.com/income-eligible or connect with the T on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA and @MBTA_CR, Facebook /TheMBTA, Instagram @ theMBTA, Threads @thembta, or TikTok @thembta. gle search if you don’t know what they mean. Teachers and administrators: tips for students Videoconferencing tools: Just like businesses, ensure the online software used to deliver lectures, classroom work and other online interactions is secure. The days of Zoom bombing, phishing and other forms of cybercriminal activity aren’t over. Evaluate and update cybersecurity plans: The sudden shutdown of in-person activities left many scrambling to change course in creating and delivering a curriculum. Now is the time for educators to develop a plan to notify students, faculty and staff should there be a data breach or security problem once classes are back in session. Keep a clean machine and update devices that connect to the internet: Backing up critical lesson plans, personal information and assignments is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. The only way to do this is to stay current on the most current software to protect against them. For more info: Read more on keeping children safe online https://www.bbb. org/article/news-releases/20671-better-business-bureau-sharestips-on-how-to-manage-childrens-online-privacy Visit the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Back to School HQ: https://www.bbb.org/all/back-to-school
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