Road Runner Transit, a division of Southern Colorado Community Action Agency, has received a $100,000 grant from Centura Health’s Equity and Advancement Fund, which will be used to expand dial-a-ride services in rural La Plata County.
Road Runner’s dial-a-ride will be able to expand to cover areas in Forest Lakes, Florida Mesa, Tecolote (but not Florida Road), the area around Elmore’s Corner, eastern rural La Plata County to the county line, Allison, Sunnyside, Bondad, La Posta Road (County Road 213), Durango West, Hesperus and Red Mesa.
The new service is “reservation only” and should not be confused with the “on-demand” dial-a-ride service operating in the Ignacio area and town of Bayfield, funded by Southern Ute Indian Tribe. The new by-reservation service is funded by the Centura Health Equity and Advancement Fund and has a significantly larger service area.
“We have applied for additional funding to increase the level of service within the new service expansion area,” said Jay Rhodes, RRT’s division director, “and we have been doing a soft opening, allowing reservations on the website and by phone and providing rides since Sept. 6.”
Reservations are available daily from 5:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Rides may be reserved online at Road Runner’s website (https//roadrunnertransit.org) by clicking on the button “Reserve a Door-to-Door Ride” or by calling 563-4545. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Road Runner Transit may also further expand its service area if it is determined there is a need or public demand for such an expansion.
“We acknowledge that county residents outside the service area might ask, ‘Why not the whole county?’” Rhodes said. “But the resources are limited. We want to assess the level of demand in the service area we have defined first, which is adjacent to the current dial-a-ride area.”
Dependent on whether there is enough funding in the future, Road Runner Transit is collecting information about dial-a-ride potentially expanding its service area. Interested riders living outside the current service areas are encouraged to contact Road Runner at 563-4545 to be added to its wait list should funding become available.
Riders can check the service area map on the Road Runner Transit’s website to see if it includes their residence.
molsen@durangoherald.com
