Ever since Joanie Corey, 76, moved into a retirement dwelling 4 months in the past, operating errands has been difficult.
“I have no transportation. I live alone at the Tower,” she stated, referring to the 16-story constructing on F Street in Chula Vista that provides sponsored housing to seniors. “I pay a taxicab and that takes all my money and the Tower provides a day to go to Trader Joe’s or Walmart, but it’s just once a month.”
Last week, she obtained a firsthand take a look at a new and extra handy possibility: a free, on-demand shuttle service solely for adults 55 and older.
“This is going to be so exciting for me to be able to go somewhere and get things done,” Corey stated as she inspected an electrical transit van with a label that learn, “Chula Vista Community Shuttle.”
The van and 5 different electrical sedans at the moment are accessible to take seniors anyplace inside District 2, or the northwest space of the town, as a part of the new shuttle program that launched final week.
District 2 Councilmember Jill Galvez spearheaded the venture after figuring out a lack of reasonably priced transportation choices for older adults.
“Chula Vista suffers from a lack of parking near the Norman Park Senior Center, at many medical offices, in our historic downtown and throughout northwest Chula Vista,” she stated. “We have homebound, isolated seniors who have grown increasingly dependent on expensive door-to-door transportation or on the kindness of neighbors to help them get places to meet their basic needs.”
Galvez thought of bringing a idea like San Diego’s Free Ride Everywhere Downtown program, also referred to as FRED, to her district.
The concept was pitched to the state, and by June of final yr, Chula Vista obtained a $1 million grant for the shuttle venture as a part of the California Air Resource Board’s Clean Mobility Options program, which funds zero-emission mobility initiatives that straight help deprived communities. The Community Congregational Development Corporation, which presents monetary help and sources for older adults in South County, matched the state’s $1 million for the venture, significantly to increase the shuttle’s protection space three-fold, stated Laurie Orange, a director with the company.
“We all know a silver tsunami is coming,” she stated. “Seventy-six percent of the growth in future years in Chula Vista is estimated to be seniors. We think this program is going to make a difference for Chula Vista seniors in the coming years.”
The pilot venture is run by the town and operated by Circuit Transit Inc., which runs FRED and National City’s comparable free rideshare program known as FRANC. With its launch, the shuttle service has created 15-20 native, full-time driving jobs, in response to Circuit officers.
Riders can request service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday by way of Friday by way of the Ride Circuit cellular app or by calling or texting 646-504-733. The protection space consists of locations north of L Street as much as parts of 30th Street and west of Interstate 805 to the waterfront.
The funds will cowl operations for the following three years. In its second yr, the service will turn into accessible to folks of all ages inside District 2 for an unspecified, nominal charge, in response to the town. Revenue from promoting and charges from non-seniors may quantity to $80,000 by the third yr. More funding can be sought to proceed this system because the fourth yr approaches, stated Daniel Kramer, director of operations with Circuit.
Mayor Mary Casillas Salas stated that whereas funding for the pilot program covers solely District 2, “we’re collecting as much data as we can and hopefully we can implement it as a permanent program in the future that will serve a broader range of the community.”