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Bis-Man Transit Board (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Public or private transit access
└ Public or private transit access
Many residents lacked knowledge about how to use public transit, creating barriers for older adults and people with disabilities-especially after the local taxi service closed. Bis-Man Transit produced 11 short instructional videos explaining trip planning, timetables, fares and stop requests. Shared online and used in training sessions, these videos provide a lasting resource to help riders feel confident using public transit. Volunteers, including an older adult and a wheelchair user, appeared in the videos to show real-life scenarios, making the system more approachable and accessible.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: At many bus stops, riders must stand for long periods without seating, a challenge that discourages transit use for older adults. Citizens for Modern Transit installed benches with backs and armrests at stops that previously lacked basic amenities. The project paired seating improvements with volunteer-led story collection from riders and nearby residents. At one opening, a rider shared she had spent hundreds of hours standing at that stop, while another had relied on a milk crate to sit. The benches improved daily comfort and helped prompt additional local investment in shelters and stop upgrades.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Lumberton, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Southeastern Life Center focused on a persistent barrier facing many residents: the lack of reliable, affordable transportation to reach everyday needs. For older adults with mobility challenges or fixed incomes, missed rides often meant missed medical appointments, limited access to food and fewer chances to stay socially connected. The project expanded door to door transportation and related support services, helping participants reach health care visits, grocery stores and community activities. Outreach and engagement efforts ensured the services reached people most affected by isolation and limited mobility. As a result, older adults reported improved access to essential resources and stronger social connections, supporting greater independence. By integrating these services into its core programs and strengthening local partnerships, the work is positioned to continue beyond the grant period and to support aging in place over time.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Burlington, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Older adults and riders with mobility challenges often waited on uneven surfaces at Burlington-area bus stops lacking seating and ADA-compliant pads. GMT addressed this by installing five compact benches and four slip-resistant concrete pads at high-ridership stops near local communities. The project also featured a Ride Together event where older residents learned to navigate schedules, apps and fare payment. These upgrades improved safety, comfort and visibility, and Burlington officials are considering expanding the seating model citywide. Early feedback has been positive, with riders and community members praising the benches and noting increased use.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Bismarck, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Engaging residents alongside thought leaders in problem solving
Description: For decades, Bismarck has welcomed migrants from across the world, including recent arrivals fleeing Russian invasion of Ukraine. To strengthen ties between immigrant families and the wider community, Bismarck Global Neighbors hosted a meal. The event was part of the New Immigrant Leadership Program, which seeks to identify and empower rising leaders in the local immigrant community. At the meal, program participants hailing from Mauritania, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Taiwan and Rwanda shared their experiences. Local leaders -- including city and county officials -- were invited to come, listen and use what they learned to make the community more inviting for all.
Bismarck, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Many adults age 50 and over wanted to build digital skills but felt unsure navigating technology and excluded by cost or unfamiliar learning environments. North Dakota's Gateway to Science responded by opening its doors to older adults through a 50 Plus Discount Day and a series of hands on digital literacy workshops offered both at the science center and inside local communities where older adults live. The workshops focused on practical topics such as scam messages, password safety and emerging tools, with small group formats that allowed for questions and individual support. Participants reported leaving with greater confidence and excitement about using what they learned with family and in daily life. Several said they arrived believing they were not digitally literate and left feeling capable and curious.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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