Metro21 Featured as Top Story in CMU News Headline

Metro21 was recently featured as the top story on the CMU news headline page for the work done on the project, "Machine Learning to Help Families in Need."

“When COVID closed schools in March and disrupted meal programs around the region, we pivoted. Instead of buses carrying students, we developed a program to have drivers bring lunches to families most in need,” said Karen Lightman, Metro21's Executive Director.

Researchers in Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute used machine learning to create optimal, efficient bus routes that allow community nonprofit organizations to deliver meals to senior citizens, as well as K-12 students and families who would otherwise rely on schools for free meals. The CMU tools identified ideal distribution locations to reach as many people as possible, three days a week.

Carnegie Mellon’s Metro21: Smart City Institute leads the project with Allies for Children, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, seeded with funding from Mobility21, CMU’s University Transportation Center.

Read the full story here.

Watch the video of this project in action here.