Ride With Me

Ride With Me Event 2024 promotional flyer (for decision-makers)

GPCOG and PACTS are hosting the Ride With Me event to educate decision-makers about transportation barriers experienced by older adults, people with disabilities, people of color, and individuals with lower incomes. The Ride With Me event will be hosted in January and February 2024. 

Background

GPCOG and PACTS have been working to advance the inclusion of underrepresented communities in shaping the region's transportation system. In 2019, GPCOG developed and piloted the Community Transportation Leaders (CTL) Program. The program supports participants to gain the knowledge and tools needed for meaningful participation in transportation planning and the decision-making process.  

The concept behind the Ride With Me event was born out of a CTL presentation to the PACTS Executive Committee in 2020, which included their concerns about the regional transportation system and opportunities for creative solutions. When the members of the PACTS Executive Committee asked how they can help, one respondent suggested it might be helpful for decision-makers to ride with CTL members from a specific point (origin) to a specific end point (destination) to experience the challenges and barriers that people who depend on public transportation face.

Event Goals

  • Empower people with lived experience of transportation barriers to share their experience, perspectives, and ideas with decision-makers.
  • Enable decision-makers to get first-hand insight into the challenges experienced by community members with transportation barriers.
  • Raise awareness in the region about transportation challenges and solutions.

The event will take place in January and February 2024. The timeline is flexible to accommodate rider and decision-maker schedules.

Rider

Who We're Looking For:

Community members with transportation barriers. Transportation barriers may include:

  • Inaccessible walks to bus stops or train stations for people with disabilities 
  • Language barrier 
  • Long, unsafe and/or confusing commute or trip 
  • Other difficulties that make your transit trip difficult     

What It Entails:

Riders will have the opportunity to speak directly to the people who make decisions about the transportation system. The event will take approximately 3h total:

  • 30 minute for a conversation with GPCOG staff to plan their trip
  • 2 hours for the ride with the decision-maker 
  • 30 minute for post-trip conversation with GPCOG staff

How to Sign Up:

To sign up to ride with a decision-maker or to learn more, contact Marcel Ntagora at mntagora@gpcog.org, or call 207-774-9891.

Decision-Maker

Who We're Looking For:

Decision-makers hoping to learn more about how our current transportation system serves people with transportation barriers.     

What It Entails:

Get a first-hand insight into how our transportation system works for the most vulnerable users. The event will be approximately 2.5 hours total:

  • 2 hours for the ride with a transit user

  • 30 minutes for trip planning before the ride and the post-trip survey

How to Sign Up:

To sign up to ride with a decision-maker or to learn more, contact Marcel Ntagora at mntagora@gpcog.org, or call 207-774-9891.