In 2015, the Coalition for the Future of Detroit School Children identified transportation as a critical barrier to education in Detroit, where students lacked reliable and safe transit options. The impact of this issue was deeply felt by students, who shared how transportation challenges not only affected their attendance but also caused stress throughout their school day.

In response, students from Cody High School used design thinking to create a student-centered bus experience, leading to the development of the "Success Express"—a bus loop ensuring safe, efficient transportation for all K-12 students. Despite promising findings, the project was not advanced to the next phase due to a lack of support from the United Way, though a similar initiative, GOAL Line, was launched in Detroit in 2018.