CIVIC-PG Track B: Rural Transit Solutions for Enhancing Access & Connectivity for the Blue Oval City Hub (REACH)

This Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) Stage 1 project will perform research that attempts to address transportation challenges faced by residents and workers in rural areas around industrial hubs. Rapid economic growth in these areas demands efficient public transit systems that can serve a geographically dispersed workforce with strict arrival times. However, existing solutions often struggle with these unique requirements, leading to traffic congestion, pollution, and limited access to essential services for residents. This research project will develop and deploy a novel multi-modal transit system for Blue Oval City (BOC), a new rural industrial hub in Stanton, Tennessee. The system will combine fixed-line buses with on-demand micro-transit services, addressing the challenges posed by the geographically dispersed workforce and strict arrival times. Further, the project will design equitable fare structures to ensure that the system is sustainable for all stakeholders. If successful, the research will benefit communities around BOC by enhancing their access to employment opportunities, essential resources, and services, ultimately improving quality of life and community resilience. Furthermore, developing efficient and reliable transit can promote the growth of businesses in the surrounding areas and offer more affordable living options. The research findings and deliverables will be transferable to other rural industrial hubs across the nation, fostering economic development and improving public transportation infrastructure. This project will be led by a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder team of researchers and civic partners to co-create a scalable pilot project for BOC. The research project has two main goals. (i) Develop a system to optimize multi-modal transit networks, including micro-transit services that act as feeders for large, fixed-line buses. Models based on artificial intelligence will be designed to handle high volumes of employee trips and create service zones with optimal pick-up and drop-off locations, guaranteeing on-time arrivals for workers regardless of their shift schedules. (ii) Explore sustainable funding plans through stakeholder engagement, designing a fare structure that incentivizes ridership and ensures social equity. This includes examining how the system can improve access to healthcare, education, and other essential services. This project is in response to the Civic Innovation Challenge program’s Track B. Bridging the gap between essential resources and services & community needs and is a collaboration between NSF, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Energy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.