Welcome the first cohort of Community Transportation Navigators
Program Overview
To long-time partners of the King County Mobility Coalition, the story of the Community Transportation Navigator pilot will sound familiar. In 2018, Hopelink, on behalf of the King County Mobility Coalition, was awarded an inclusive planning grant to evaluate how people find and secure non-cost barrier transportation.
From this process two major solutions emerged, Community Transportation Navigators and Central Puget Sound One-Call/One-Click. Two innovative and transformative projects which will connect community members to mobility options that work best for them.
In the five years that have passed since the Inclusive Planning grant the Hopelink Mobility team has continued to work with community partners to refine and design this peer-to-peer approach to outreach so that people learn directly from trusted transportation champions in their community.
In August of this year Hopelink and King County Metro launched the Community Transportation Navigator pilot to connect community members to travel options introduced to them by trusted sources. These community leaders have shared experiences, languages, cultures, and geography.
This pilot will primarily serve community members who have lower usage rates of transportation resources. This includes low-to-moderate income community members, people with limited English proficiency, older adults, and immigrant and refugee populations.
Program Goals & Aims
This pilot project aims to reach the "hardest-to-reach" communities and improve communities' mobility, confidence level, and equitable access to opportunity and independence. Individuals benefiting from the program will receive information in a culturally inclusive manner. The program will provide:
- Education, access to navigation tools
- Program Enrollment, support in enrolling in reduced fare options & eligibility-restricted programs
- Training Sessions, creating trust and relationship building with other community avenues
- Incentive Distribution and opportunities for continuous engagement.
Next Steps
We are incredibly excited to share that we have recruited and onboarded our first cohort of Community Transportation Navigators that are part of the Filipino community!
Navigators learn vital information about the transportation layout and resources throughout King County during the onboarding process. With this knowledge, Navigators can perform outreach in culturally appropriate strategies to educate and engage with community members. Navigators will have the experience and skills to provide nuanced support and creative solutions to meet the needs of the communities they represent.
Contact Information
For more information or to serve on the project team, contact:
Sandy Phan
Program Coordinator, South King County Mobility Coalition
425-457-3940
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