Cooperative Agreement ME2020038

APPLICATION PURPOSE: THE TWO YEAR 9 MONTH PROJECT WILL EXPAND ACCESSIBILITY TO TRANSPORTATION FOR OLDER ADULTS AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS SUCH AS PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AMONG OTHERS AND IT WILL ADDRESS PAYMENT EQUITY THROUGH USE OF PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS. BY QUANTIFYING AND STORING SOCIAL CAPITAL THROUGH THE USE OF VOLUNTEER DRIVER CREDITS IT WILL INCREASE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR RURAL TRANSPORTATION. FINALLY BY DEPLOYING ITNRIDES SOFTWARE ON THE SALESFORCE PLATFORM WITH EFFECTIVE ROUTING AND SCHEDULING ALGORITHMS FROM ESRI IT WILL HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES INCREASE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION THROUGH EFFICIENT USE OF VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. AT THE SAME TIME USING THE SALESFORCE MARKETING CLOUD IT WILL POSITION ITNCOUNTRY FOR COST EFFECTIVE NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: THE PROJECT WILL TEST THE MARKET SENSITIVE CONSUMER-ORIENTED MOBILITY ON DEMAND ITN MODEL CURRENTLY OPERATING SUCCESSFULLY IN URBANIZED AREAS IN TWELVE STATES IN LOWER DENSITY RURAL COMMUNITIES.YEAR ONE OF THE PROJECT WILL COMPRISE THREE MAJOR ACTIVITIES: 1) ITN WILL CONTRACT WITH ITNAMERICA FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT. WORKING WITH PRESENCE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND WITH SUPPORT FROM SALESFORCE ESRI AND PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY ITNAMERICA WILL REBUILD ITS ITNRIDES SOFTWARE APPLICATION ON SALESFORCEYEAR TWO OF THE PROJECT WILL LAUNCH THE NEW ITNRIDES SOFTWARE ON SALESFORCE THE NEW ITNCOUNTRY COMMUNITIES AND THE NEW MARKETING PROGRAM. COMMUNITY FORUMS INTERVIEWS WITH TRANSIT PROVIDERS AND SURVEYS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS (RIDERS VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZATIONS) AT THE START AND END OF THE PROJECT WILL SERVE AS PRE-POST MEASURES OF THE INTERVENTION; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS DEPLOYMENT WILL EXPAND ACCESSIBILITY TO TRANSPORTATION FOR OLDER ADULTS AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS SUCH AS PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AMONG OTHERS AND IT WILL ADDRESS PAYMENT EQUITY THROUGH USE OF PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS. BY QUANTIFYING AND STORING SOCIAL CAPITAL THROUGH THE USE OF VOLUNTEER DRIVER CREDITS IT WILL INCREASE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR RURAL TRANSPORTATION. FINALLY BY DEPLOYING ITNRIDES SOFTWARE ON THE SALESFORCE PLATFORM WITH EFFECTIVE ROUTING AND SCHEDULING ALGORITHMS FROM ESRI IT WILL HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES INCREASE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION THROUGH EFFICIENT USE OF VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. AT THE SAME TIME USING THE SALESFORCE MARKETING CLOUD IT WILL POSITION ITNCOUNTRY FOR COST EFFECTIVE NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THIS SERVICE WILL PROVIDE A TRANSPORTATION MODEL TO PEOPLE IN IN EIGHT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. IT WILL PROVIDE A MODEL THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE EASILY INCORPORATED INTO ALREADY EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES AS AN ADDITIONAL SERVICE OR A UNIQUE SERVICE THAT IS A STAND ALONE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THIS MODEL WILL THEN BE EXPANDED INTO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN FUTURE YEARS.