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Parole Project reports ebike pilot helped seven participants log nearly 5,000 miles and maintain employment
Summary
The council received a six-month report on the Ride to Work pilot: seven participants used e-bikes, logged nearly 5,000 miles, and used rideshare credits during inclement weather. Officials said the program supports reentry and transitional housing efforts.
The Metropolitan Council received a six-month report on the Ride to Work pilot, a partnership between the Department of Human Development and Services (DHDS) and the Louisiana Parole Project. Project managers said seven participants have used electric bicycles (e-bikes) to travel to work, together logging nearly 5,000 miles in six months. The program provides rideshare credits for use during bad weather.
Why it matters: Council members and administrators framed the program as a targeted, low-cost intervention that addresses a common reentry barrier—lack of transportation—and as a pathway to employment stability and housing. Officials described the program as temporary transportation assistance intended to help participants progress to longer-term solutions, such as vehicle ownership.
Report details: Tim Wilkerson, project manager with Louisiana Parole Project, said participants have used the e-bikes for work commutes and that the organization provides case management from issuance through the pilot's duration. Wilkerson said the project has provided support aimed at helping participants move from bikes to vehicle ownership when feasible. Video testimony included participant remarks about cost savings compared with bus fares and the reliability e-bikes provided for getting to shifts. ProLogistix (the Parole Project's housing partner) reported 40 transitional houses available to support participants who need housing solutions while they reenter the workforce.
Council response: Council members praised the pilot and urged expansion and coordination with workforce and housing programs. Councilman Hudson suggested exploring second-chance hiring programs that could be administered through the Parole Project. Councilman Mote and others thanked the Parole Project for reducing barriers to employment and recommended continued investment and scaling where outcomes justify it.
Action: The item was presented as an informational report; council members asked for follow-up on housing and potential funding coordination. No formal vote was recorded on program expansion during the meeting.
