Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Mo Rides – Meramec is a transportation referral service offered to residents of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and is administered by the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). Created as part of a mobility management strategy, Mo Rides attempts to fill gaps in service, coordination issues and a lack of knowledge by the general public of available transportation options.

Mobility management is a strategic approach to service coordination and customer service that when applied to transportation focuses on:

• Moving people, not vehicles;
• The discreet needs of the individual consumer;
• Service that extends through the entire trip;
• Making improvements to the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of services; and
• Improving information about these services.

“We strive to create a scalable, replicable and sustainable coordinated transportation system based on community partnership, which provides reliable, flexible and affordable transportation for all residents of the eight county Meramec Region,” Samantha Maddison, MRPC senior mobility coordinator/community development specialist, said. “Increasing transportation opportunities for all residents will require better use of existing services. Not all residents are aware of the different transportation services available to them.”

The referral service is at no cost to the rider, however, rides are not free. Riders pay the transportation provider. Mo Rides works to find the most affordable option by checking prices from multiple transportation providers. With the development of a voucher program by Mo Rides – Meramec, riders who demonstrate a need for financial assistance can receive a $10 voucher, twice for the life of the program, to help alleviate some of the financial cost of the ride.

Recently, the Mo Rides website, www.morides.org, was redesigned for increased user friendliness by providing a database of transportation providers in all Missouri counties.

“Educating the public on the existence and use of the website to easily find the transportation options available to them across the region will increase ridership, increasing mobility, and ultimately increase available services,” Maddison said.

Funding for the referral service comes from the United States Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, administered by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council (MoDDC).

For more information on Mo Rides – Meramec, contact Samantha Maddison at 573-265-2993 Ext. 113 or email her at smaddison@meramecregion.org.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 25, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.