Inside INdiana Business is reporting with industry growth in Whitestown, the town wants to make sure it can get enough workers to fill the jobs. Many employers, like the distribution centers, rely on employees commuting from Indianapolis.
To help with transportation costs, the Whitestown Town Council this week passed an ordinance to create an Economic Improvement District to help fund commuter transportation service.
Property owners within a 2,000-acre area along Interstate 65 in Whitestown will pay into a fund to cover the cost of the Whitestown Connector, a shuttle service that runs from Trader’s Point shopping center on Indy’s northwest side to Whitestown.
The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority began operating the shuttle service in 2015, paid for by a three-year, nonrenewable federal grant and a local match. CIRTA says the grant expired in 2018. Since then, several businesses within the district and the Town of Whitestown provided funding to continue the service.
“This is a great example of how transit supports job growth,” said Bill Ehret, CIRTA board chair and principal/managing director of Avison Young. “Without reliable transportation, businesses can’t hire enough workers and people have tremendous obstacles in getting to job opportunities.”
CIRTA says approximately 650 people rode the Whitestown Connector from Indianapolis to get to jobs in Whitestown in November.
The cost to ride the Workforce Connector is $1 each way.