Monroe staff report regional interest in micro-transit; Council to continue outreach

Lisa Staiwinder, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Monroe, told the City Council on Dec. 9 that staff have continued outreach on a proposed on-demand micro-transit program and are pursuing regional partners and funding opportunities. Staiwinder said an August educational presentation and a September planning retreat set the stage for follow-up work and that Council previously directed staff to pause applying for planning grant funds while exploring partner contributions.

Staiwinder said staff held a kickoff meeting with Union County Transportation, the towns of Stallings and Indian Trail, and representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division. Union County plans to take the micro-transit concept to its transportation advisory board in January and to the county board of commissioners in February; Indian Trail expressed interest but postponed its presentations until newly elected officials are seated.

Staff described continuing steps to build relationships and seek partners beyond neighboring governments, including outreach to South Piedmont Community College, local industries and university partners. Staiwinder said the city manager plans to convene a Highway 74 corridor meeting of administrators to coordinate work on multiple projects, including but not limited to micro-transit.

Council members asked logistical questions about industry events and about which neighboring municipalities had responded; Staiwinder said she had not yet heard back from one contact (identified in the transcript as “Marshall”) and reiterated that staff would continue outreach. No formal action or funding decision was taken during the meeting.

The Council did not decide to proceed with grant applications at this meeting; staff said they will continue education, partner-building, and feasibility discussions and return with more developed proposals and potential funding requests as they are developed.