United Way and Bay County work together to remove transportation barriers for seniors

This article is part of an ongoing #UnitedForGood series highlighting people, agencies, and programs the United Way of Bay County supports.

The United Way of Bay County and the Bay County Department on Aging is offering a new pilot program to provide local seniors with rides to non-emergency appointments.

United Way President and CEO Nicole Luczak says the pilot program, called Ride Forward, provides people 60 and over with more flexible alternatives to public transportation.

Ride Forward provides non-emergency rides to medical appointments, or even the grocery store, for residents who are either already served by the Bay County Department on Aging or who fall within guidelines.

“If we have transportation and don’t have barriers, we take that for granted,” says Luczak, but for many older adults, transportation can be difficult.

The Bay County Department on Aging will administer the program, but Director Beth Eurich says her department will work closely with the United Way to make sure everyone is served.

“If they’re already a client of ours, they will call us,” she says.

People who already have a county caseworker should call the Department on Aging to ask about the program. People who aren’t receiving services through the Department on Aging should contact the United Way to sign up for the program.

Eurich says organizers estimate that more than half the people who qualify are already signed up for services through the Department on Aging.

The Ride Forward Program is the brainchild of a recent graduate of Saginaw Valley State University who was working on her final project.

“She saw this woman, who was in her 80s, trying to go from Bay County to Saginaw on the bus system, and she was blind.”

Watching the woman’s struggles triggered her to realize improvements were needed. Luczak says the United Way heard about the project and wanted to bring it to fruition in order to help people who don’t have other choices.

“It’s not the fault of our transit system,” Luczak says, “Because it is very good.”

But the bus system has limits.

One, Bay Metro Transportation Authority only travels within Bay County, so it won’t take people to a doctor’s appointment in Saginaw or Midland. Shopping outside the county also isn’t possible for those relying solely on Bay Metro.

“It’s not a regional system,” she says.

Luczak says in order to get to Saginaw, for example, people need to take Bay Metro Transit to Saginaw Valley State University. From there, riders can transfer to Saginaw Transit Authority and Regional Services (STARS).

A second obstacle to public transit is limits on how much passengers can carry. Bay Metro allows only two bags per person. Drivers also cannot help passengers unload their bags.

With Ride Forward, patrons can carry up to 10 bags, and the driver will help with the bags.

And third, Bay Metro only operates from about 6:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from about 9:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Saturdays. “They don’t run 24/7, and that makes it hard for people when they need transportation and the bus isn’t running,” Luczak says.

Griffin Transit will be providing rides, Luczak says, and funding is provided by the United Way. Griffin Transit is a taxi service based in Bay City, but without boundary restrictions.

Who qualifies for services?

She says the program is for people who don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.  

People who need the ride service are those who qualify under ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed), says Luczak. Because participants must be at least 60 years old, the definition of employed is different than you might think.

“Employed in this case may be someone who is retired and receiving a pension or Social Security but isn’t necessarily employed. There are a lot of seniors who are working part-time just to make ends meet,” she says.

To learn if you qualify, call the Bay County Department on Aging.

If you do not already receive Department on Aging services, call the United Way to register or learn more.