Plugging Rural Transport Gaps With an E-Transit Van

A Ford E-Transit™ van driving down a rural roadway

Ford HQ

13.06.24

Plugging Rural Transport Gaps With an E-Transit Van

Local initiatives are key to closing rural transportation gaps.Ionia Dial-A-Ride is working to do just that.

Ionia, Michigan, is the largest city and county seat of Ionia County, but at a population of approximately 13,000 people,¹ it still has a small-town feel. “We’re considered a rural community, but we have a condensed city base,” Ionia Dial-A-Ride Director Heidi Wenzel said.

Dial-A-Ride is a department of the City of Ionia that provides low-fare rides to passengers within city limits and surrounding townships. Dial-A-Ride transportation is exclusively demand response, which means there are no fixed routes or stops; rather, riders call to schedule a curb-to-curb trip in one of Ionia Dial-A-Ride’s 11 vehicles. Because Ionia Dial-A-Ride is one of the few transportation services in the area, demand extends beyond the city proper.

To help meet this growing demand, Dial-A-Ride recently went electric. Wenzel and her team purchased two Ford E-Transit^™ vans and two Ford Pro^™ AC Charging Stations 48A through PowerMIFleet^™, a grant program offered by Michigan utility provider Consumers Energy. “We applied for the grant to provide Dial-A-Ride transportation for our community at a greater level while reducing our carbon footprint,” Wenzel said.

“Some people walk to the edge of our service area to get transport. Others move into our community specifically to have this service available to them.”

Heidi Wenzel

All of Ionia Dial-A-Ride’s vehicles, including the new Ford E-Transitvans, have been upfitted to be ADA accessible. “So many individuals utilize our service because they or a loved one need ADA accommodations,” Wenzel said. “Having a Dial-A-Ride transportation option gives disabled riders and their caretakers important socialization opportunities.”

Adding the Ford electric vans to the fleet also helped ease hiring challenges. The organization’s other nine vehicles are cutaway commercial buses mounted to F-550® Super Duty® chassis cabs.

In Michigan, drivers must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a passenger endorsement to operate the current bus size in Dial-A-Ride’s fleet.² Finding qualified drivers can prove difficult. In contrast, operating the all-electric van only requires a chauffeur’s license.³

“Drivers still undergo ADA compliance and safety training, plus our drug and alcohol program,” Wenzel said.

Ford Pro™ AC Charging Station 48A mounted on a wall.

Ionia Dial-A-Ride uses two Ford Pro AC Charging Stations 48A to charge its E-Transit vans.

“The E-Transit gives us a hiring advantage as we look to expand our service.”

Heidi Wenzel

The drivers themselves have adjusted well to operating an electric van, according to Wenzel. Passengers have also enjoyed the smooth, peaceful rides. “When bigger buses get older, the lifts start to rattle around,” Wenzel said. “The E-Transit is a nice, quiet ride in comparison.”

As for charging, Ionia Dial-A-Ride has found a good rhythm. Like many organizations, Wenzel and her team mainly use depot charging. The Level 2 chargers are mounted on a wall in the Ionia Dial-A-Ride facility so drivers can plug in when they return from their routes.

To manage the EV charging, Wenzel uses Ford Pro Charging Software to understand daily energy usage, see real-time charging status on the E-Transit vans, and schedule charging during off-peak hours.

“Right now, we have our E-Transit vans on a split schedule, so we’re able to charge them between trips,” Wenzel said. “We’ve been successful in finding routes that fit.”

Wenzel looks forward to further building Ionia’s electric fleet. “Like everyone else, we’re working toward a no-emission fleet,” Wenzel said. As Ionia Dial-A-Ride looks to expand its services to those in the broader community, Ford Pro is happy to help give people a lift.

Ford Pro is helping to build a world with fewer transport obstacles and limits. We’re proud to facilitate the building of human-centered, accessible E-Transit van conversions with our network of 300 Qualified upfitters across the U.S.