This project will provide the opportunity for the university partners to undertake a joint project aimed at improving transportation services to the disabled or other special needs populations. The collaboration will result in a better understanding of the unique challenges in providing accessible transit services in small urban and rural areas, and will showcase innovations that can be implemented to address them. The comparative differences in national regulatory and funding environments are expected to highlight creative solutions.

In the first phase of this project, partners conducted preliminary discussions and identified shared research priorities.  This project is the second phase, which will include a joint research project, a series of webinars, and collection and dissemination of resources to transportation providers and educators via online resource centers at each partner institution. Special needs populations in small urban or rural areas with restricted mobility are the ultimate beneficiaries.