Ford, Indianapolis launch crowdsource program to improve mobility

Ford and the City of Indianapolis are launching the Indianapolis City:One Challenge, a co-creation and crowdsourcing program for residents, businesses, and community groups to propose and pilot solutions that improve mobility.

As cities like Indianapolis evolve and new technologies take shape, the way people move around is changing. Locally, city leaders are looking to encourage more people to use public transit by making it more accessible, efficient, and affordable. With IndyGo, the city aims to direct economic growth by building an inclusive and optimal mobility system through investments that improve transit service hours, update fare systems, and introduce rapid transit this year.

The City:One Challenge is designed to complement the city’s efforts by facilitating a collaborative process with the community, offering residents the opportunity to share their experiences and suggest ideas for how to solve their most pressing mobility problems. The goal is to help improve the quality of life for Indianapolis residents and visitors through dynamic mobility options that complement the existing transportation system.

“A thriving city needs public transit that is reliable, affordable, and accessible to all, and we come much closer to these goals when we successfully engage the community and stakeholders in the conversation,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.

Throughout the eight-month City:One Challenge program, those who live, work, and play in Indianapolis are invited to explore dynamic mobility options focused around their top needs. Ford and Challenge partners also will assist with the community collaboration process and help support the challenge prize of up to $100,000 to fund pilots that test the top solutions.

Indianapolis is the first city to launch the City:One Challenge in 2019. Each challenge is tailored to the specific city or county and is focused on addressing its unique needs.

Ford launched its city challenge platform in 2018 with Pittsburgh, Miami-Dade County, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The three challenges resulted in ongoing pilots addressing issues ranging from long, inefficient student pickup lines at schools to safer transportation methods for night shift workers who must travel during non-traditional hours.