United Way Helps Expand MATBUS Service to Industrial Park

The new route will start in August

FARGO, N.D. — A new United Way initiative will benefit workers, companies and the city of Fargo.

There are over 19,000 jobs in Industrial Park, the area north of Main Avenue and west of I–29. It houses over 40 businesses, but because of the location, it’s causing a workforce shortage.

“It’s not just us either, it’s all different areas of the community. For us the main part is because we can’t get people here,” Kelsey Kasten, HR Manager for Cardinal IG, said.

The Fargo City Commission approved the United Way Workforce Transportation Project, which expands MATBUS service to Industrial Park.

“We want to increase access and reduce barriers to individuals who are in poverty looking to get and maintain a living wage job,” Thomas Hill, VP of community impact at United Way, said.

“In order for us to sustain, we need to have more candidates, and this will allow us to connect with those people who don’t have the ability to get to work,” Kasten said.

There will be an on–demand TapRide service, where the times are flexible, and you can use an app to get picked up anywhere with Industrial Park.

There will also be a kiosk at West Acres where you can hop on a bus from an existing route.

The fare $1.50 per ride, which is the same as the current MATBUS system.

“We have a very diverse workforce and a lot of these people are new to America so for them to come in and get multiple cars for both people in the household to get to work it’s very difficult,” Kasten said.

United Way says the initiative is designed to help lift people out of poverty by giving them better access to jobs, calling it  a win for workers, employers, and the city.

“It’s a partnership, it’s a cost-effective, innovative way in which we can provide these services,” Hill said.

The cost of the project is  about $95,000. United Way is covering around  $70,000 of that, and the city will cover the rest.