It may be difficult to find a job or keep a job if a person doesn’t have transportation to get there, said Dr. Karen Barber, Bridges out of Poverty administrator. During the August Bridges out of Poverty Steering Committee meeting, Shawn Ward, the Santa Rosa County Transportation Planner presented current transportation assistance programs in the county. Those programs are the RideOn Program, Vets to Va Clinics, Paratransit Service, and the Park and Ride Lots.
The RideOn Program is a provision of the West Florida Regional Planning Council and the Florida Department of Transportation. The program has a carpool database for individuals and employers. Commuters can see who else is going to the same areas for employment and work together to carpool. Ward said FDOT kicks in funds for the program. Take a look at www.wfrpc.org/rideon for more information.
Vets to VA Clinics is an entirely free service to the veterans who need transportation to the VA clinics. Ward said, “There are 23,000 veterans in the county and they are getting old.” Many lack transportation or family to help take them for medical services at the Pensacola VA Care Center (JACC). The program runs twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, a door to door service according to Ward. Online, go to www.srcvmf.org for more information or call 9811-2653.
Paratransit Service is available to Santa Rosa County residents who qualify. Pensacola Bay Transportation (PBT) is the local Community Transportation Coordinator in Santa Rosa County coordinating the service. PBT has wheelchair available vehicles and the staff are trained professionals in providing transportation service to those in need, according to Ward. There are costs associated with this program. Ambulatory passengers pay $2.46 per mile while passengers in wheelchairs are $3.50 per mile with an additional loading fee of $3.25 ambulatory and $3.35 wheelchair. Note also the no-show fee is $10.00. Hours are 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Reach Paratransit Service at 476-8130.
Finally, the Park and Ride Lots are at Avalon BLVD and I-10, Hwy 87 and Hwy 90, and Woodbine Road and Hwy 90. These are the SRC meeting points for those interested in carpooling.
Long term, Ward said, the West Florida Regional Planning Council is working on a feasibility study of the establishment of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in Northwest Florida. This authority, he said, would coordinate and/or provide transit services in an area including potentially multiple counties or urbanized areas. “It’s an idea that’s been tossed around for many years,” he said. While transportation planning organizations exist in the states, the transit authority would focus on public transportation specifically and not stop, Ward said, at county lines.
While state authorities consider an RTA, Ward said the county will look into working with Escambia County’s ECAT service. Pensacola’s urbanized area includes parts of Santa Rosa County, from Pace to East Milton, he said. Ward said to expect this matter to come up before the board once the SRC courthouse issue has settled.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Current transportation options in Santa Rosa County