Joplin received a $500,000 FTA Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) grant to conduct a Sustainable Structure Transit Study focused on historically disadvantaged communities. The city hired a consultant, and the final plan was presented to City Council in January 2026; Phase II of the work is currently underway and anticipated to be completed in late summer 2026. The study evaluates local transit and recommends feasible options to expand service and improve affordable access to jobs, public services, education, and healthcare. This creates an opportunity for transit planning and operations consultants, microtransit and software vendors, and mobility providers to support implementation of Phase II recommendations, pilot programs, and eventual service expansions, particularly those that intersect with low-income and affordable housing areas.

The project is funded by an FTA AoPP grant and local transportation sales tax; Phase II likely invol...