Local Motion and Missourians for Responsible Transportation Join RFW Designees

Local Motion and Missourians for Responsible Transportation (MRT), two affiliated nonprofits advocating for safer infrastructure for walking, biking, and transportation for all joined the Recovery Friendly Workplace Designees.

Both businesses completed their trainings and were awarded their designation certificates. Local Motion received theirs on Friday, January 24^th, and MRT on Friday, February 21, 2025. Local Motion, founded in 2000, and formerly known as PedNet, is a Columbia-based nonprofit. MRT was founded in 2018 with the purpose of branching together entities like Local Motion to have statewide connection and reach. Along with Local Motion, MRT also partners with Trailnet in St. Louis, BikeWalkKC in Kansas City, and Ozark Greenways in Springfield. Together, they work with communities statewide to “build streets, roads, and trails, that work for all Missourians.”

Both Local Motion and MRT provide services like leading walk audits. During these audits—which are open to the public—a group of people walk around looking at infrastructure like accessibility of sidewalks, crosswalks, and more for pedestrians of all kinds. One Columbia event planned by Local Motion each May is Bike, Walk, and Wheel Week, in which they encourage folks to find alternative ways to get to and from work and school besides driving.

For Local Motion, getting designated as Recovery Friendly was an easy decision.

“Local Motion is now a Recovery-Friendly Workplace because supporting our community means supporting our team, too. Many of the folks we advocate for and the organizations we work alongside are directly impacted by substance use disorder. Just as we fight for accessible and equitable transportation, we are committed to fostering a workplace where those with lived experience of SUD are welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive.”

Local Motion's 6 staff members receiving RFW Designation — Local Motion personnel receiving RFW Designation in their Columbia office on January 24, 2025 (left to right): McKenzie Ortiz, Advocacy Coordinator; Judy Steinhoff, Operations Coordinator; Rikki Ascani, Community Engagement Director; Gabi Jacobs, Communications and Outreach Director; Becky Reed, Chief Financial Officer; Josh Parshall, Chief Development Officer

MRT 3 staff members receiving RFW designation from MU Extension's ROTA-R Program Coordinator, Allene Gremaud — Missourians for Responsible Transportation (MRT) Designation on Friday, February 21, 2025 (left to right): Taylor March, MRT Executive Director; Jackson Hotaling, MRT Community Engagement Director; Allene Gremaud, ROTA-R Program Coordinator, MU Extension; Cindy DeBlauw, MRT Project Assistant

Missourians for Responsible Transportation is also excited about being designated as Recovery Friendly:

“Missourians for Responsible Transportation is all-in on our Recovery Friendly Workplace Designation. We recognize that many Missourians are impacted by transportation insecurity, and some who face a lack of transportation options also face substance use disorder. Our RFW designation helped us amend our employment policies both to provide a supportive environment for existing employees, as well as to affirm our non-profit’s commitment to building a safer and more accessible state for all people. We are now better prepared to reduce employment barriers, while ensuring that dedication to reducing transportation insecurity is the most important qualifier for employment at MRT.”