Champaign, IL
Jitney+: Redesign of a Legacy Mobility Service for Lower-income Communities in the Post-COVID Digital Age
Organization: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Primary Investigator: Hadi Meidani
Research Track: Resource and Service Equity
This project intends to increase the upward mobility of low-income and marginalized communities by addressing individual transportation needs associated with employment opportunities and access to social services. Working with civic partners from the local Housing Authority and a youth development program, we will introduce a community-driven email/SMS-accessible networking system and examine how it can (1) provide safe access to shared transportation resources, (2) connect neighbors within a trusted community, and (3) leverage non-monetary incentives and diverse forms of social capital to collectively fill gaps of existing transportation infrastructure and enhance community accessibility, safety and trust. Link to abstract on nsf.gov