| Transportation Program |
| Ruth Carriveau, Executive Director |
| The state of Wisconsin under state statue 85.21 provides specialized transportation assistance programs to counties. The purpose of this program is to promote the general public health and welfare by providing transportation programs. Priority is given to the elderly and disabled. Under the 1985 state budget act amended the authorizing state for the state’s specialized transportation assistance program for counties under SS 85.21 (4)(c): The county shall either require a co-payment by the user of the specialized transportation service or provide the user with an opportunity to make a voluntary contribution to the cost of the service. The paragraphs under SS85.21 (4)(c), give the counties greater flexibility in its passenger revenue policy. Counties have the option of establishing a policy of required co-payments, a policy of providing an opportunity for voluntary contribution or a combination of both of the above. The Commission currently uses voluntary contributions. The method by which program funding is distributed to the counties is set by state statute. Each county is allocated a share of the annual funding available, based on its share of the elderly and disabled population around the state. Oconto County has 6,013 elderly and disabled, receiving $54,939 for the 2002 grant. Each county, at a minimum, must provide a local cash match equal to 20% of its state aid allocation. Counties cannot double count the local match. The county contributed $10,988 to the 85.21 transportation program this year. The priorities for the 85.21 transportation are: 1) Medical 2) Nutrition and 3) Work related. The vehicles can be used for other purposes but on a non-interference basis with the three priority areas. The Commission on Aging uses funding received in four different areas for the county. Reservations are required for each program. The first program covers the rural routes in the county. On Mondays, the bus runs through the Suring, Spruce and Lena areas to bring people in to the Senior Center in Oconto Falls for meals and shopping. On Tuesdays, the bus travels through Crooked Lake, Mountain, and Lakewood to bring people in to the Lakewood Wellness Center for the noonday meal and shopping afterward. There is no scheduled Wednesday route at this time. |
| On Thursday, the bus travels to the Sampson, Abrams and Little Suamico areas to do shopping in Oconto and bring people to the Little Suamico Wellness Center. On Fridays, the bus travels through the Sampson, Abrams and Little Suamico area to go to the Senior Center in Oconto Falls and shopping in the Oconto Falls area. The expenses in this program amounted to $40,097 with $2,500 in passenger revenue. The second program is the Oconto route. This programs stays within the Oconto city limits. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the service operates between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to go anywhere in the city. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the service is available to bring people in to the Oconto Wellness Center from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Last year’s expenses for the program were $10,645 with $1,500 in passenger revenues. The third program is the Volunteer Escort Service. The service is for older people that have no other means of transportation for vital needs, like medical appointments. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to provide rides and are reimbursed 33 cents per mile, to help pay for operating expenses of their vehicle. To be eligible for this service, you must meet all of the following criteria: 1) Be a resident of Oconto County 2) Be at least 60 years old 3) neither spouse have a valid drivers license nor reliable vehicle 4) Be unable to arrange your trip to coincide with other scheduled transportation 5) Have no friends or family available to provide a ride and 6) Trip must be for a vital need, such as medical appointment, food or medicine. Last year’s expenses for this service was $11,000 with $5,000 in passenger revenue. The final transportation program is disabled transportation for New View Industries. This is a contract service with New View Industries to provide transportation to and from work for their disabled clients. The route is Monday through Thursday and is generally a fixed route with enough flexibility to allow for new clients. Last year’s expenses for this program amounted to $34,685 with $27,988 coming from the county. There is greater importance on having a transportation program that is available in rural communities where alternatives to driving your own vehicle are severely limited because of the distances involved and the sparse population. I feel that more emphasis needs to be made in the rural areas of the state to ensure everyone has access to transportation as they age and their driving skills deteriorate. |
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| New Oconto Falls
Bus Service |
| Beginning April 5th, 2006 and every Wednesday thereafter, the Commission on Aging, Inc. will have a bus route in Oconto Falls. This will be in addition to the existing bus route on Mondays and Fridays. To ride the bus, please call us by Tuesday for a ride on Wednesday. If you have any questions, please call Robyn at 920-834-7707 or 1-800-649-6568. |