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Case Study : Ford 's Market Development

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Ever thought of a faster, flexible, more affordable bus? If you have experienced the public transportation in Los Angeles, you probably have. Ford is teaming up with a Boston based tech startup called Bridj to launch an on demand bus service. Ford and Bridj are partnering up with Kansas City Area Transportation Authority; the first public-private collaboration in the nation to start project Ride KC. Bridj mobile app enables Kansas City residents to request on demand Ford transit shuttle that can be found in various shuttles. The shuttle holds 14 passengers, and people can reserve a seat on the app. Ford’s market development is shifting away from its traditional target market as the company aims to improve accessibility of jobs to Kansas City employees. A city where a staggering 18% jobs are accessible within 90 minutes using existing mass transit, according to Bridj CEO, Matt George. Would Ride KC be a consideration set for consumers? Or would consumers stick to a safe alternative? Is Ride KC an opportunity for Ford and its partners? Based on my research, here is what I discovered. According to a 2011 Brookings Institute Study, the average American city dweller can only reach about 30 percent of the jobs in their region via public transit in less than 90 minutes. That is a clear indicator that the current US public transit system is inefficient. A lot of people can’t afford cars, or prefer not to have one. In cities like London, and Tokyo that wouldn’t be an issue as they

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