FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Terry Smith, MMDC Transportation Resource Coordinator
(320) 235-8504 / Terry.Smith@mmrdc.org
Mid-Minnesota Development Commission Receives a 2026 Excellence in Regional Transportation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations
Washington, DC, [June 22, 2026] – Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (MMDC), the regional development commission serving Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville Counties, has been awarded a 2026 Excellence in Regional Transportation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for their MMDC Rideshare Support Project. This project, supported by a $20,000 grant from the Willmar Area Community Foundation, established a meaningful level of rideshare service in Kandiyohi County.
MMDC’s rideshare project involved the recruitment of two rideshare drivers. Each earned a tapered start-up subsidy for 26 weeks in exchange for providing at least 30 hours of local rideshare service. To improve transportation access during times when public transit was less available, only the hours occurring after 2:00 p.m. on weekdays were counted, along with any hours of operation during weekends and holidays.
“Our region has been home to a handful of Uber and Lyft drivers for a while but, until our MMDC Rideshare Support Project, these drivers would typically travel to St. Cloud or the Twin Cities Metro Area to provide their services,” said MMDC Transportation Resource Coordinator Terry Smith. The fact of the matter is, without a critical mass of regular customers, they couldn’t make a go of rideshare service locally. “MMDC’s goal was to help these drivers develop a sustaining customer base.”
Prior to project onset, MMDC’s busiest participating driver reported he normally averaged eight local rideshare fares per month. Through this project, since late July 2025, over 1,700 local rides have been tallied, and this number continues to grow. MMDC hopes to support the replication of this project in other more rural areas of the country and is happy to share their process and findings with other communities and organizations.
NADO is a Washington, DC-based association that promotes programs and policies to strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The Excellence in Regional Transportation Awards showcase organizations for noteworthy projects and practices in rural and small metropolitan transportation planning, program delivery, and special initiatives. Award winners will receive national recognition during the 2026 National Regional Transportation Conference in Atlanta, GA this July 20-22.
“The Excellence in Regional Transportation Awards program showcases effective and creative transportation initiatives that improve accessibility, mobility, safety, and quality of life in regions around the United States,” shared current NADO President and Executive Director of Piedmont Triad Regional Council Matthew Dolge. “Programs and projects like MMDC’s Rideshare Support Project foster community and economic connections and promote effective transportation networks.”
For more information about the award-winning project, contact MMDC Transportation Resource Coordinator Terry Smith at (320) 235-8504 or Terry.Smith@mmrdc.org
Founded in 1967, the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) provides advocacy, education, networking, and research for a national network of over 500 regional development organizations. NADO members provide professional, programmatic, and technical assistance to over 2,300 counties and 15,000 municipalities.