Funding cuts to Martin County’s Community Coach transportation program are leaving some residents with fewer options for getting to work, medical appointments and other essential destinations, prompting United Way of Martin County to expand its Ride United efforts.
Two state-funded grants supporting Community Coach ended June 30 without replacement funding. Before the cuts, eligible riders, including seniors, people with disabilities and some low-income adults without other transportation options, had greater access to the service.
The program was initially reduced to two round trips per month, or four one-way rides. By Aug. 10, eligibility was further restricted to Martin County residents age 70 and older traveling to medical appointments, with those riders limited to one round trip, or two one-way rides, per month.
Carol Houwaart-Diez, CEO of United Way of Martin County, said the organization began working with Martin County Transportation to identify residents who could be helped through Ride United.
"As partners with Martin County Transportation and with Community Coach, they shared a list with us of individuals that were using their services and Martin County Transportation, they took a good portion of the list and we took another portion of the list and we started calling. There's about five on the list of 70 that have already contacted us and I'm sure there will be more once the word gets out that we are trying to help," she said.
Ride United provides transportation primarily for people who do not have another way to reach essential destinations, including grocery stores, medical appointments and jobs. Houwaart-Diez said the program has traditionally been intended as a short-term solution while people work out other transportation arrangements.
The changes to Community Coach, however, have raised questions about whether some riders will need assistance for much longer.
"We've always been able to step in and say, hey, if you need a ride for a short period of time, we can do that. It cannot be a permanent solution. Now we may have to change our tune with what's currently happening because at no point in time will some of these clients ever be able to drive," she said. "They can't use public transportation because either the bus routes aren't where they live or they'd have to walk too far to get to a bus route. There's so many factors that play into it."
Houwaart-Diez encouraged residents who believe they need the service to contact United Way. She said eligibility is based on circumstances rather than a specific income threshold.
"There is no income guidelines. It is really a needs-based program. You will be asked why you need the service. So it can't be just because I don't feel like driving and gas is so expensive. That's not a need because we all would be saying that then. But it could be my car broke down and I just need transportation as my car is getting fixed," she said.
One person who has already received help is Henry, a Home Depot employee who works three days a week and cannot drive. He had relied on Community Coach to get to work, leaving his family to seek other transportation when those rides were no longer available.
Houwaart-Diez said Henry's situation illustrates the broader consequences of transportation barriers for people with disabilities who want to remain employed.
"We have individuals in our community that have disabilities that do not drive and cannot drive and they have jobs and they want to go to work. It gives them dignity and all of those great things and it's being taken away from them if they don't find a way to get to work. So it's really just opened a whole new window of opportunity for United Way to step in with our program," she said. "But it also has been a pretty costly venture at this point. And we are seeking other funding to continue to provide the services to our community."
Houwaart-Diez said transportation problems can also affect family members who have to help arrange rides for relatives.
"That's a problem for our community. And then that means the parents are going to be tardy at work. They're going to be concerned and be less productive as an employee. And so it's like a domino effect. My next step will be trying to talk to some of our state representatives to see what they can do to help in the short term," she said.
United Way said Ride United is intended to help residents reach essential destinations while transportation options remain limited. The organization is seeking additional funding as it works with community partners to address the gap created by the Community Coach reductions.
More information about Ride United is available at UnitedWayMartin.org/RideUnited.