CARIBOU, Maine — A volunteer driver program has passed a major milestone in providing rides to older adults in the greater Caribou area. The County Area Ride Service is a project of The Center for the Advancement of Rural Living. By the end of January the program had provided more than 12,000 miles in transportation services and nearly 700 trips to medical appointments, shopping, food banks and other critical transportation needs.
Sharon Berz, manager of CARS, said that the program has expanded beyond Caribou and now serves several communities.
“We had originally intended to serve the greater Caribou area,” said Berz. “But we found the need to be so great that we asked our volunteers to extend the service to Presque Isle, Van Buren, Limestone, Stockholm, New Sweden and beyond. We now are in need of more volunteer drivers to meet the growing demand for transportation services.”
Volunteer drivers are provided with mileage reimbursement and donations are accepted from riders. CARS has received grant funding from the John T Gorham Foundation to expand the service. Berz said she was particularly looking for drivers in Fort Fairfield.
“We are getting requests from several communities,” she said. “We try to have drivers in each community so that rides are more efficient. Our funding is limited so we do our best to use our volunteer drivers in the most economical way. We have had a number of calls from the town of Fort Fairfield and that will be our next priority community.”
Drivers must go through an orientation program, submit for a background check and provide other information including, copies of driver’s licenses, up to date registration and inspection as well as proof of auto insurance. The program provides an additional insurance ‘rider’ to cover drivers who participate in the program.
Jan Jackson, president of the board of directors for CARL, said that the CARS program represents the mission of CARL.
“Our primary goal is to fill in gaps in services or resources where they exist here in the County,” said Jackson. “Transportation has been a historical gap here for decades. Thanks to our generous volunteer drivers we are helping to address this issue for older adults.”
CARS works with other transportation programs available in the County. Berz said that she often makes referrals to the Aroostook Regional Transportation System and other resources. “We are just one part of the transportation need in the County,” she said. “ARTS is a critical service to many area residents but it cannot meet the entire need. We work together to identify the best way to meet the needs of older adults and we continue to build relationships with various transportation programs here.”
A lack of transportation can lead to isolation for older adults, many who live alone. Isolation can lead to depression or other health issues. Nearly 50 percent of the rides provided by CARS are for medical appointments, including doctor’s visits, hospital services or to fill medication prescriptions.
Individuals interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer driver or who may be in need of transportation services should contact Berz at 207-551-5672 or berzsharon@gmail.com.
