Feminine Perspectives II: Transportation Solutions for Aging Women in Greater Minnesota

Photo credit: Minnesota Reformer

Below is the insightful and profound testimonial by Myrna Peterson to the Minnesota Legislative Task Force on Aging. I was honored to meet Myrna during a few goMARTI events in Grand Rapids, MN, and hear her story and personal experience with autonomous vehicles.

Spotlight: Myrna Peterson

My name is Myrna Peterson, a 74-year-old retired educator and quadriplegic because of an auto accident when I was 45 years old on June 21, 1995. I moved to Grand Rapids, MN, 10 years after my accident in 2005. I had been medicated with very strong narcotics because of misdiagnosis causing severe nerve pain. My condition was not healthy, and I was encouraged to go to a treatment center to flush all the narcotics out of my system. After three weeks of rehab with able bodied teenagers and young people in their 20s, I was determined to use my limited mobility to advocate for the rights of differently abled people. I endured 25 surgeries within the first 20 years but then was part of setting a Guinness Book of World Records on May 15, 2015. We had 351 wheelchairs rolling in succession for 3 minutes. Overwhelmed at seeing that many people in wheelchairs at that event, we decided to host meetings in 4 different cities within Itasca County to learn why. We learned that, the 4 top barriers preventing differently abled people from participating in events outside of their home were:

• Lack of accessible transportation

• Poor entrances getting into and within buildings.

• Poor sidewalks, curbs, and trails

• Lack of general public awareness of accessibility needs

I helped to establish a 501(c)3 called Mobility Mania - Accessibility for All to make some positive changes.

Our mission is: To increase accessibility awareness to make Itasca County the showcase of accessibility in Minnesota and to raise finances for local accessibility needs. Mobility Mania is fortunate to have the support of the City of Grand Rapids in our mission. The City Council unanimously supports that all new commercial construction or renovation consider having an accessibility collaboration with Mobility Mania to ensure their project is not only ADA code compliant but is as accessible as it can be. We have collaborated with many local and state agencies to meet the needs of our aging an differently abled citizens.

I am serving my second four-year term on the MN Governor’s Advisory Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles, exploring driverless vehicles and buses. Grand Rapids is a pilot city for this new technology. Three of our five self-driving vans are ADA compliant and are part of goMARTI, Minnesota’s Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative, an 18-month pilot project. We resently received an ATTAIN federal grant for $9.2 million to expand the goMARTI project using electric vehicle4s that are ADA compliant for an additional three years. Aging and differently abled friends use this service for better quality of life activities.

I am also currently serving my second three-year term on the Minnesota Council on Disability. I represent people within DEEDS Region 3 by providing resources available at the state level and share their concerns as they fit into our legislative efforts.This is a great way to stay connected with people who have a variety of abilities and ages.

Locally, I am honored to be the Chair of the Reif Performing Arts Council, serve on the MacRostie Art Center Board and the Grand Rapids Arts and Culture Commission. I have a passion for getting differently abled people involved in visual and performing arts in our community. I feel strongly that everyone deserves a quality of life, regardless of their age or ability. Art expression can be a creative way of building confidence and self-worth. It also is great at bringing community awareness and appreciation for these unique artists.

Mobility Mania started a monthly Support Group for differently abled people and their caregivers. We have dinner together and then meet separately to share common concerns and resources with each other. We are all better together, and the diversity of abilities and age increases the quality of life and acceptance of others in our community. My personal mission is that ‘Yesterday is gone and none of us are promised tomorrow. We all need to make the most of today!’

Myrna Peterson describes her involvement with the goMARTI pilot project in Grand Rapids, MN. Highlighting the profound impact it has made on her and her communities well-being.

A Case for Autonomous Vehicles

The goMARTI pilot program is located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and has been recognized nationally, with an awarded 9.3M federal ATTAIN grant, for its innovative approach to meeting rural transportation needs. The program currently has 5 self-driving shuttle vehicles, 3 which are wheelchair accessible. During this several year pilot phase, the service will continue to be offered free to the public. As ridership climbs, there are plans to expand the fleet to meet the growing needs of the community and offer expanded rider pick-up and drop-off zones. An added bonus is that although the vehicles are self-driving, this program employs 20 individuals to monitor and take over driving when needed. Overall, this is adding jobs and bettering the local economy. The shuttles currently service a 17 square mile area with over 70 pickup and drop off sites. With expanding coverage zones and the availability of free and ADA accessible transportation, it's clear to see this is a promising approach to the current transportation problems.

Even though this model showcases an innovative and thriving solution to rural needs, it presents logistical challenges for broader implementation. The investment in time needed to create the partnerships to launch a program like this as well as those initial monetary investments, are reasonable hurdles that could deter other towns from choosing this path. Despite these challenges, the successes warrant serious consideration when weighing future rural transportation options.