getting around town

Toyota and AARP power up new mobile ride-hailing program in Dallas

The service can be booked for trips to the grocery store.

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AARP and Toyota are joining with Dallas-area organizations for a new transportation initiative. The AARP Ride@50+ Program allows residents to book rides on multiple modes of transportation and pay for them all in one place.

This includes essential rides such as COVID-19 vaccination appointments, trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, or medical appointments.

"Every day people miss crucial medical appointments because of a lack of access or awareness in using local transportation options," said Kyle Rakow, vice president and national director of AARP Driver Safety, in a statement. "By arming older adults with knowledge and an accessible platform, we hope to make it easier for those in Dallas to get around, especially if it helps them stay safe and healthy."

Those who wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccinations through Parkland Hospital and Dallas County are eligible for free rides to their appointment. The rides are made possible because of a grant from Toyota.

The AARP Ride@50+ was created as a single point of access to "review, compare, book, and pay for local transportation alternatives through a mobile application, online booking platform, or by phone."

According to program materials, the cost of each ride depends on the length and transportation option chosen. The cost is made clear ahead of booking. Payment is made using any major credit card. Prior to booking a ride, passengers and transportation providers must agree to follow all applicable future and current COVID-19 safety recommendations, including CDC and state guidelines.

The program is available to people of all ages but focuses its efforts on individuals 50 and older and other vulnerable individuals. AARP membership is not required.

In addition to Dallas County, the program is currently serving residents in Richland and Lexington County, South Carolina; and Washtenaw County, Michigan.

"The AARP Ride@50+ Program offers a simple, affordable, and efficient solution to finding local transportation for people of all ages," said Sean Suggs, group vice president, Toyota Social Innovation. "This program makes it easier to access critical services and help people get to where they want to go, and that is what mobility for all is about."

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/ridedallas or call 1-800-466-1461.

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Innovation Station

Texas maintains its place among 15 most innovative states in the U.S.

Austin Texas State Capitol and Skyline Aerial Drone Image

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During a SXSW reception March 12 at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott hailed Texas as the No. 1 state for innovation. Personal finance website WalletHub sees it a little differently though.

In a new study from WalletHub, the Most & Least Innovative States (2026), Texas is assigned the No. 13 ranking for innovation among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

D.C. comes out on top, followed by Massachusetts, California, Colorado, and Washington. Mississippi appears at the bottom of the list.

Texas earns a total innovation score of 49.56, compared with 69.13 for top-ranked D.C. In two broad categories, Texas ranks 12th for human capital and 13th for innovation environment.

To identify the top places for innovation, WalletHub evaluated the 50 states and D.C. by reviewing 25 key indicators of innovation friendliness. The indicators include:

Share of STEM professionals
Forecast for Share of STEM professionals
Forecast for STEM jobs
Eighth-grade math and science performance
Concentration of tech companies
R&D spending per capita
Share of science and engineering graduates age 25 and over
Average internet speed
Venture capital funding per capita

“The most innovative states are especially attractive to people who have majored in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, as they offer abundant career opportunities and investment dollars, both for jobs at existing companies and for startups,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

“These states also instill young students with the skills they need to succeed in the current workforce, skills which are useful whether or not they pursue a STEM career,” he added.

Texas held steady in the 2026 report, receiving the same ranking as in 2025 (at No. 13), but improving its overall score slightly, up from 48.96. In 2024, Texas was ranked No. 14 in the U.S., marking its first appearance within the top 15 most innovative states. In recent years, Texas has consistently moved up the ladder among most innovative states.

Texas zeroes in on semiconductor industry
On the innovation front, Abbott and other state leaders have focused intently on growing the state’s semiconductor industry, which generates roughly $30 to $60 billion in economic activity per year. Texas ranks among the top states for semiconductor manufacturing, with major operations in North Texas and Central Texas.

To bolster the industry, Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law in 2023. The law established the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, which issues grants for semiconductor research, design and manufacturing, and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, which advises the governor and state legislators on matters related to the semiconductor sector.

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This article originally appeared on our sister site, InnovationMap.com.

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