Grant Enhances Senior Transportation

Feb 01, 2010

A grant from the New Freedom program fund, administered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, will help seniors more easily access transportation services in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago counties. A total of $83,654 from the New Freedom fund will go to support Making the Ride Happen, a program of Lutheran Social Services (LSS) of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and the Thompson Community Center.

The New Freedom grant will support an effort to centralize information on transportation options for older adults and individuals with disabilities in the three-county region and identify gaps in services. At the same time, opportunities for greater coordination and collaboration in order to improve access to transportation will be explored.

"While our area is fortunate to have a variety of transportation options available to older adults, including public bus, paratransit, rural and meal site transportation and volunteer programs, many of these services have varying eligibility requirements. Navigating the program restrictions, especially when trips cross city or county boundaries, can be quite complicated," stated Holly Keenan, the coordinator of Making the Ride Happen. "Our goal is to connect older adults with the best type of transportation available."

Located in the Thompson Community Center in Appleton, Making the Ride Happen has served as a centralized transportation call center for seniors in Outagamie, Calumet and northern Winnebago Counties since 2004. The New Freedom grant will extend these services to all of Winnebago County, including the greater Oshkosh area.

Older non-drivers have a decreased ability to participate in the community and the economy when access to transportation is limited. A study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project showed that compared with older drivers, older non-drivers in the United States make: 15% fewer trips to the doctor; 59% fewer shopping trips and visits to restaurants; 65% fewer trips for social, family and religious activities. The study also showed increased healthcare costs for both physical and mental (usually depression) conditions that result from increased isolation.

A total of $965,185 was distributed from the New Freedom program fund for projects throughout Wisconsin that will enhance local transportation options for citizens with disabilities. The grants will support new public transportation services and alternatives beyond the ADA requirements for individuals with disabilities, and will promote coordination between specialized and public transportation statewide.

For more information on Making the Ride Happen, please contact Holly Keenan at (888) 200-0576 or hkeenan@lsswis.org or click here for more details. 

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