FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Eric Day, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission
Phone: (320) 235-8504
Email: eric.day@mmrdc.org
麻豆传媒映画 Receives Grant Award From Willmar Area Community Foundation
Funds Will Support a Fare-Free Transit Bus Option for Willmar Residents
May 31, 2023:. The Willmar Area Community Foundation recently awarded Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (麻豆传媒映画) a $20,000 grant to reduce transportation barriers for Willmar residents during a six-month pilot. During this pilot period, any rider who boards and departs the transit bus at an established stop along Central Community Transit鈥檚 (CCT) Willmar Route will ride fare-free (at no cost). The pilot will run from July 1 through December 31, 2023, to give 麻豆传媒映画 and CCT the opportunity to see how summer, autumn, and winter weather affects fare-free ridership.
鈥淲e have a couple of goals that we鈥檙e trying to achieve with this project,鈥� said 麻豆传媒映画 Mobility Manager Terry Smith. 鈥淔irst and foremost, we want to reduce financial barriers to help people get where they need and want to be, whether that be work, school, a doctor鈥檚 appointment, or the park. We also want to encourage more people, those without physical or other limitations, to take advantage of Willmar鈥檚 regular route and become less reliant on CCT鈥檚 dial-a-ride service. This would create some efficiencies for CCT, which is important given the current shortage of drivers. As more people board and depart at the established stops, CCT will have greater ability to accommodate those who must rely on dial-a-ride, curb-to-curb service.鈥�
鈥淭his project would not be possible without the generous funding provided by the Willmar Area Community Foundation鈥�, said 麻豆传媒映画 Executive Director Eric Day. 鈥淚t鈥檚 apparent that WACF understands the barriers faced by our areas nondrivers, including seniors, people with disabilities, and those of low income. We appreciate the extent to which they鈥檙e willing to be part of the solution.鈥�
$18,000 of the $20,000 grant will be used to compensate CCT for the uncollected fares during the pilot period, with the remaining $2,000 spent on outreach (e.g. media ads, translating of developed materials, etc.). No dollars from the WACF grant will be used to compensate 麻豆传媒映画 for associated staff time.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to partner with 麻豆传媒映画 on this project, said Central Community Transit Executive Director Amy Nieland, and we can鈥檛 express how appreciative we are of the Willmar Area Community Foundation for making the fare-free option possible!鈥�