Care Transit Medical Rides has been a game changer in helping many of Hope’s residents reach their medical appointments.
However, their services may become limited if they can’t find more volunteer drivers.
The door-to-door transportation service, which is available to those living in the District of Hope and throughout the Fraser Canyon and Boston Bar area, is currently in need of volunteer drivers to help them provide “confidential and personalized medical rides” to and from appointments. This includes driving patients to specialist offices in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area.
“We’re struggling to find enough drivers,” says Ed Thomas, the president of Care Transit. “COVID took a toll on us and on our drivers as well. We’re trying to build back up from that.”
Many of Care Transit’s drivers are also unable to continue volunteering due to their own medical concerns. While Thomas doesn’t want to turn away clients, he says if more volunteers can’t be found they will unfortunately be forced to do that. Operating in Hope since the summer of 2006, Care Transit originally started as a “by donation” service, with two volunteer drivers, for only a handful of clients unable to get to their medical appointments.
Today, Care Transit serves 800 Hope residents and they expect that number will grow as they continue to receive requests from new clients. They are supported by various service clubs and local businesses in Hope, as well as the District of Hope council and the general public.
In the first six months of 2022, volunteer drivers drove 96,253 km, donated 2,358 volunteer hours, and provided 784 rides to clients that had no way of reaching their medical appointments.
According to Thomas, Care Transit drivers also worked tirelessly last year during the floods. He also says that “the glue that holds the programs together” is credited to two women, Wanada Prest, who is the Care Transit coordinator, and Judy Arrowsmith, who is the Better at Home coordinator. Through them acting as the “face” of Care Transit, the program has still been able to function despite the difficulties they’ve encountered, says Thomas.
“The volunteers we have are absolutely phenomenal,” says Thomas. “They bend over backwards and go out of their way to try and get the client to their appointment. And [Care Transit] wouldn’t exist without them and the work of our amazing coordinators.”
People interested in using their service, or wanting to volunteer with Care Transit, can find out more information on their website, caretransit.ca.
READ MORE: Hope retiree thrives in role as Care Transit volunteer driver
@KemoneMoodley
kemone.moodley@hopestandard.com
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