In the heart of Bemidji, nestled within the Conifer Campus, a quiet transportation revolution is taking root.
The Headwaters Regional Development Commission (HRDC), with $7,500 in grant support from the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, has launched a pilot project that’s doing more than just getting people from point A to point B – it’s providing a pathway to stability, independence, and opportunity.
For too long, residents at Conifer — students, elders, low-income families, and individuals who have experienced homelessness — have struggled with limited access to transportation. This lack of mobility often means missing work, skipping medical appointments, or not being able to get to the grocery store. Worse yet, it reinforces the cycle of housing instability, where planning for the future is overshadowed by the urgent demands of the present.
HRDC’s solution? An on-demand transit system serving Conifer Campus, operating 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, at no cost to riders. In the first 75 days of the pilot, more than 1,465 rides were provided, serving more than 2,000 residents with dignity and reliability.
This isn’t just a transportation service. It’s a collaborative solution:
- Paul Bunyan Transit has been an active partner with full support, ensuring high-quality transit delivery and is still available, providing wheelchair accessibility transportation as needed.
- Red Lake Nation’s Oshkiimaajitahdah Workforce Employment Program connects Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients with driver positions, offering not only employment but pathways to further licensure, such as CDL certification.
- A month-to-month Enterprise car rental contract offers flexibility and quick adaptations during the early pilot phase, allowing HRDC to gather data, make improvements, and fine-tune the service for long-term success.
This is only the beginning. HRDC continues to build a model that lifts entire neighborhoods, with a vision to expand services to Ridgeway Apartments, Northwoods Battered Women’s Shelter, and into surrounding communities, so transportation will become a resource rather than a barrier.
Why should you care? Because the need for reliable transportation doesn’t discriminate. Today, it might be your neighbor. Tomorrow, it could be you. When we invest in mobility, we invest in equity, access, and a stronger, more connected community.
Want to learn more or get involved?
Contact Tammi at 218.333.6536 or email her at thagen@hrdc.org.
