MANSFIELD — Everyone who currently works or is seeking work in Richland County is encouraged to complete a 3- to 5-minute survey about transportation needs at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RCTMATI
“Rides to work for second- and third-shifts were identified as unmet needs when we asked the community for input during RCT’s 10-year transit development planning process in 2023,” said Jean Taddie, Transit Development Manager.
RCT primarily operates weekdays between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. People who work outside those hours have limited transportation options.
So, RCT, NECIC and partners are working on a pilot plan for service during late evening and early morning hours when transit service is not currently available.
At a recent advisory team meeting, transit planning consultant Christy Campoll explained that running all nine RCT routes after hours would not be cost effective.
“So, we are recommending shuttle service in vans or small buses,” Campoll said. “Passengers would make reservations ahead of time, or possibly use an app to request a ride.
“The pilot service would cover one or more zones, rather than all of Richland County.”
The focus of the current survey is to identify where and when the service would be most impactful.
Workers and job seekers are encouraged to take the survey by Dec. 31 and share the link with others who need a ride to work.
This planning project is supported by a Mobility, Access and Transportation Insecurity (MATI) planning grant that was sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Federal Transit Administration.
Mansfield is one of eight urban areas in the country that was awarded a planning grant.
These eight communities will compete for four implementation grants in year two.