Modus

Transportation shouldn’t be a barrier for needed appointments for social services, especially for teens that need support. Since its launch in 2017, Modus has increased teen transit ridership by 29%, provided over 3,000 rides for teens to access social services, and partnered with 13 social service organizations to be their transportation provider in Tulsa.

The idea for Modus began in the Mine, a social innovation and leadership development program of the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (I-CCEW) at the University of Oklahoma.

“The Mine was instrumental in the launch of Modus. As an entrepreneur, I have a deep appreciation for the way The Mine applied an innovative approach to an age-old problem that has existed in our community for decades. Our city is fortunate to have a program like The Mine that emphasizes the importance that innovation plays in large-scale social impact.” Leslie Neal, Modus Executive Director.

Using a human-centered design approach, The Mine team interviewed & surveyed over 150 teens and 25 service providers to create the pilot, framework, and business plan for a pooled volunteer driver program focused on relevant Tulsa non-profits, and transit training for teens in Tulsa Public Schools. 

Armed with the plan, Leslie Neal has done an incredible job to rapidly launch and scale Modus into its own non-profit social enterprise. Currently, Modus is fielding requests to launch in cities outside of Oklahoma, and is examining the strategy to enter these new markets to improve the lives of teens across the country. 

“The Modus experience demonstrates the potential of The Mine and I-CCEW programs. Our team dug in to understand the problem faced by the different stakeholders, and developed an innovative solution that fits their needs, and that can scale to have widespread impact,” says Jeff Moore, I-CCEW Executive Director.

About Modus:  Modus envisions a community in which the barrier of transportation is removed and all youth can access the services necessary to reach their full potential.  Modus accomplishes this through two complimentary approaches: Modus and ModusEd. Modus is a curb-to-curb transportation services that partners with social service agencies and health facilities, who then refer youth who need help getting to important appointments, support groups, counseling, job training, and more. Modus matches the youth with compassionate volunteer and staff drivers to provide a ride at no cost to the youth. ModusEd is an educational program that teaches over 8,000 teens each year to use Tulsa’s exisiting transit options and ensures young people have the knowledge they need to get to school, part-time jobs, and higher education opportunities. www.modustulsa.org

About I-CCEW:  As Oklahoma's largest innovation consultant, I-CCEW accelerates growth of early stage ideas of inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses through innovation consulting, training, and leadership development. www.ou.edu/iccew

About The Mine: The Mine is a catalyst for social innovation. We're equipping Oklahoma's entrepreneurs, creatives, non-profits, and developers to create a better world.  Through our prestigious 9-month fellowship, young professionals in Tulsa and Oklahoma City have the opportunity to work on social impact projects to improve their city, while developing the leadership and problem-solving skills to accelerate their careers. www.themineok.com