MOVE Roundtable
Central Indiana
Topics: Communications, Capacity Building, Transit
Tags: AARP - Indiana, Indianapolis MPO, IndyGo
Why should people who never (have to) think about transit care about transit? Three AARP Central Indiana MOVE Roundtable hosts engaged with 15 local leaders and elected officials in a learning and discussion series focused on the importance of a well-functioning transit system for the state of Indiana.
The Roundtable members were encouraged to “leave their hats at the door” and approach the conversation as a group of caring individuals discussing a shared priority.
During six sessions in Fall 2022, the Roundtable addressed the big picture of transit, methods to engage the business community, keys to effective transit advocacy and messaging, and the power of activating a new narrative about transit. During the final session, Roundtable members worked in small groups to begin building out two focus areas: messaging and communications; and a broader, more regional approach.
At the conclusion of the Roundtable, participants walked away with a shared sense about the necessity of ongoing, coordinated, collective, and consistent transit advocacy and awareness efforts. The Roundtable also acknowledged that the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) can’t and shouldn’t do this alone: this needs to become more about the larger regional picture and involve additional stakeholders, including leadership in the “donut” counties. Roundtable members were interested in taking action by participating in an ongoing collective transit communications and awareness campaign.
