LeeTran, Beacon look to expand program
Lee Tran has serviced Pine Island with one Thursday bus route for a number of years. According to LeeTran Director Robert Codie, the time has come to provide much more.
The county transportation agency is hoping to partner with the Pine Island Beacon of Hope to take some of the burden from the island organization, he said.
“We are excited to offer more services to Pine Island than we have in the past 20 years,” Codie said.
Due to a decrease in passengers, especially in the past three years, LeeTran decided to cancel route 160 and step up what they’ve offered to this particular community, through the seven-day-a-week Transportation Disadvantaged Program; a $3-per-trip service currently available to anyone on Pine Island who is unable to transport themselves, or purchase needed transportation due to a mental or physical disability, income status, or is a senior citizen.
According to Codie, a number of individuals from Pine Island who reached out to LeeTran over the past three years helped to initiate the program they are now offering. They are hoping to expand the program further with ongoing communication between LeeTran and Pine Island. Someone with dialysis appointments, for example, would qualify for Passport Services, a door-to-door service provided for passengers with disabilities who meet certain criteria. Services now provided by LeeTran, within Lee County, are not limited to a particular destination, such as a medical appointment, opening passage to leisure, employment, or entertainment activities.
“We will not limit where anyone is going. The Transportation Disadvantage Program was designed to offer access to transportation availability of services so we can insure that all of our stakeholders in Lee County have access to the things that they need, and most importantly, to those life-sustaining needs. LeeTran wants to provide access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation,” Codie said.
To schedule a door-to-door trip a reservation must be made at least 48 hours and up to seven days in advance. Riders wanting to become eligible for the Transportation Disadvantaged service should call LeeTran 239-533-0300 Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit leegov.com/leetran.