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RS2026-2189: WeGo and Music City Construction Careers

This discussion topic was requested by Council Member Mike Cortese, relative to Resolution No. RS2026-2189.

Colleagues,

I will not be able to attend the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee meeting on Monday. I only have one resolution (RS2026-2189) up for review, and I am comfortable with it running on consent. I did, however, want to provide some context in the event the Chair or any committee members have questions.

I recently attended a graduation for high school students entering our MC3 pre-apprenticeship program and came away with a concern that I believe deserves our attention.

As my colleagues know, MC3 creates a strong pathway into well-paying careers in the skilled trades. But many of these young graduates are expected to provide their own transportation to job sites, which can change from day to day and are often difficult to reach without a vehicle. For students coming from families with limited resources, that can become a barrier to opportunity before their careers even begin.

I approached WeGo to see what options might be available to help close that gap. Their team suggested adding MC3 participants to the Journey Pass Program and has been incredibly receptive to the idea. They are also open to exploring adjustments to the first-mile/last-mile service provided through Uber so it can better align with job sites throughout Davidson County. The WeGo team shares our goal of making sure transportation is never the reason one of these young people misses out on a life-changing opportunity.

We have also begun discussions with the Choose How You Move team in the Mayor’s Office, and they have been very receptive as well.

This resolution is intended to put the Council’s support for MC3, and for expanding the Journey Pass Program to help these students get to work, clearly on the record. We have invested in creating a pathway to good-paying careers. We should do everything reasonably within our power to make sure transportation is not the barrier that keeps a young person from walking through that door.