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Many barriers exist that prevent otherwise capable people from accessing or keeping employment opportunities. For example, in Battle Creek, when job openings arise during late shifts, many people struggle to accept or keep the jobs because there are no public transportation options available at night.
Aequitas Mobility Services, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Battle Creek, has stepped in to remove those barriers. Latin for equity, Aequitas offers safe, dependable rides in Sprinter vans to customers when they need them, day or night, for just $7. To utilize the service, riders call a number to schedule rides in advance. Launched in late 2018, Aequitas has offered more than 3,000 rides to date, and demand is growing. In August of this year alone, it offered 916 rides, enabling citizens of the city to access employment opportunities and a chance at upward socioeconomic mobility.
Aequitas would not exist if not for the Battle Creek Small Business Loan Fund, administered by Northern Initiatives. After spending most of 2018 trying to raise capital, owner Scott Cubberly received the $220,836 loan he needed to get Aequitas off the ground.
This is Scott’s story.
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