Three Michigan organizations receive grants to launch employee transportation programs

$60,000 in funding will help Michigan businesses develop and implement transportation programs

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has awarded $60,000 in grant funding to assist three businesses in developing and implementing transportation programs to help improve employee retention, productivity and access to work.

The Reliable Rides Incentive Grant Pilot Program, built on the recently-released Reliable Rides: Connecting Workers to Jobs playbook, is designed to help Michigan businesses address workforce transportation challenges.

“Getting to work shouldn’t be the hardest part of someone’s job – that’s why we created the Reliable Rides playbook and Incentive Grant program,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, Deputy Director of LEO's Office of Employment and Training. “Transportation has been cited as a significant employment barrier. This innovative grant program funding will help Michiganders overcome transportation challenges, giving them the chance to secure and keep good-paying jobs.”

Selected through a Request for Proposals process, the three grant recipients demonstrated interest in supporting their workers’ transportation needs and committed to implementing a Reliable Rides program based on the models from the playbook. Each of the three selected grantees will receive a $20,000 award to support a custom transportation program for their workforce.

“The Reliable Rides grant recipients will be developing programs that include strong local partnerships with transportation providers and community organizations,” said LEO Community & Worker Economic Transition Office Director Luke Forrest. “This unique investment will provide real-world support to address transportation challenges faced by Michigan workers, supporting employers who will benefit from a more consistent and reliable workforce.”

The grant recipients are Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church of Flint, in partnership with NorthGate; LM Manufacturing of Detroit; and Manthei Wood Products of Petoskey.

Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church will launch the Pathways to Work transportation initiative in partnership with packaging manufacturer NorthGate. This program is designed to reduce employment barriers for Flint residents by providing fixed-route shuttle services connecting key neighborhoods to major employment corridors. The initiative will also coordinate employer-sponsored vanpools, offer an emergency ride guarantee, and deliver job access orientation services, including individualized transportation planning for workforce reentrants.

“At Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, we believe that access to opportunity begins with access to transportation,” said Pastor Dr. Rabon L. Turner, Sr. “We are honored to be part of this vital pilot program – because when people can get to work, families are strengthened, communities are built, and dignity is restored. Recognizing that transportation is not a luxury but a lifeline, we are proud to stand alongside this initiative and walk with our neighbors on the road to economic empowerment.”

LM Manufacturing will implement the Vehicle Repair and Access Assistance Pilot Program, providing one-time financial assistance for essential vehicle repairs to help employees maintain reliable transportation to work. Serving up to 40 employees, with capped support per participant, the program is intended to address transportation-related disruptions, assist individuals facing financial hardship or limited commuting alternatives, and strengthen job stability and retention through improved commuting reliability.

“At LM Manufacturing, we believe that taking care of our people is the foundation of operational excellence,” said Sylvester Hester, CEO of LM Manufacturing. “Reliable transportation is not just a convenience – it’s critical to stability, consistency, and opportunity for our workforce. This grant allows us to live out our 5C’s: showing Care for our employees, Committing to their success, strengthening our ability to Connect, improving Communication through access and reliability, and ultimately giving us more opportunities to Celebrate our people. We are proud to partner with the State of Michigan on an initiative that directly supports our team members and strengthens our community.”

Manthei Wood Products will implement an expanded vanpooling program to enhance transportation capacity and reliability for employees commuting to work. The initiative includes the addition of a leased passenger vehicle to provide consistent daily transportation for at least 10 employees, with the potential to serve additional workers across Manthei Wood Products and Aster Brands. The program aims to improve access to employment, reduce turnover and absenteeism, and support long-term workforce stability through dependable commuting options.

“We are so thankful for this grant,” said Abe Manthei, Director of Missional Initiatives at Manthei Wood Products. “This presents an amazing opportunity for us to provide transportation to work to our employees who don't have vehicles.”

Helping workers overcome transportation barriers has been a priority for the Michigan Workforce Development Board.

"The Michigan Workforce Development Board remains committed to helping Michiganders access the transportation they need to get to work and pursue further education and training to advance in their careers,” said Jessica Brousseau, Executive Director of the Michigan Workforce Development Board and Chief of Staff at LEO. “Recent board efforts include launching the One Step Unlock grant program to support workers, students and apprentices with car repairs and purchases and publishing a resource guide for employers to assist workers facing transportation challenges, including workers with disabilities.  

“Addressing transportation barriers will require folks across the state to work together, and the Board is excited to see employers commit to testing innovative solutions through the Reliable Rides program," Brousseau said.

The Reliable Rides: Connecting Workers to Jobs playbook is a new employer-focused resource designed to help businesses build transportation programs that improve employee reliability, retention and productivity. The free, easy-to-use playbook provides businesses with proven transportation models already working across the state and nation.

Unlike other transportation programs, Reliable Rides is built around the employer and is designed to help businesses launch, implement and measure transportation solutions as part of their workforce strategy.

“Virtually any company in Michigan could benefit from the transportation resources in the Reliable Rides playbook,” said MI Auto Workforce Hub Director Amanda Lawrence. “We encourage all employers to check it out.”

To view the Reliable Rides: Connecting Workers to Jobs playbook and learn more about LEO’s mobility workforce initiatives, visit Michigan.gov/AutoWorkforceHub.

###