Building Community

Helping Seniors

The answer to the senior transportation issue in America is not a difficult one: older people need a ride, especially after they make the decision to limit or stop driving. The challenge is to provide seniors transportation with all the dignity and independence that they deserve.

Beyond the Driving Years

People outlive their ability to drive by many years. Studies have shown that, on average, men outlive driving by six years, women by ten. Many seniors feel uncomfortable relying on favors from families and friends for this long.

ITN creates a safety net

True mobility comes from a reliable alternative to the private automobile, and while it is possible for an entirely voluntary transportation system to provide that reliability, it is difficult. That is why ITNBluegrass uses a combination of paid and volunteer drivers to guarantee that member riders have a ride 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This system makes it possible for ITNBluegrass to provide the kind of dependable service people need to be truly independent and safe.

Some seniors need extra help. That is why ITN volunteers and drivers provide door-through-door and arm-though-arm assistance. They carry packages, buckle seat belts, and open doors. All ITN volunteers and drivers are carefully screened and trained.

The Road Scholarship Program is available for low-income seniors. A simple application is available by calling the local ITN affiliate.

Independence

Americans prize independence. It's part of what makes us American, and it doesn't change with age. ITNAmerica understands that any alternative to the independence of the private automobile must come as close to this feeling of freedom as possible.

That is why ITN:

Is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day;
Uses automobiles, rather than vans or buses;
Relies on private, rather than public resources;
Does not restrict trip purpose, frequency or destination in the service area;
Uses consumer choice to determine price;
Permits riders to travel alone or with others; and
Creates a sense of ownership through membership and voluntary participation.

The Independent Transportation Network® is dignified. Older adults who join ITN become dues-paying members of a non-profit organization committed to their independence and mobility. When they pick up the telephone to schedule a ride, they are not asking a favor.

The transition from the driver's seat to the passenger seat is never easy – for the drivers or for their families – but it is infinitely less challenging when there is a viable transportation alternative that allows seniors to maintain their independence.