January 2015

While Sioux Falls looks to limit bus service, Hartford gears up

l3wis January 2, 2015 5Comments

While the city of Sioux Falls had to put together a task force to figure out our transit system (and ultimately making cuts) a Senior Citizen in Hartford, SD went the other direction;

At first, Sturdevant ran into many road blocks.

“I called Pierre, the social services, and I called different places and I called places that had buses and I was getting no place,” Sturdevant said.

But the persistent Sturdevant didn’t slow down.  With the help of the City of Hartford along with area non-profit agencies and businesses, she helped secure grant money that will pay for a ten seat bus that will begin picking up passengers of all ages next week.

“This way, you can pick up the phone and call and say hey, I’d like to go to Dollar General tomorrow, or I’d like to go to the grocery store tomorrow, and so they’ll come and pick you up right at your door,” Sturdevant said.

Public transportation is an important vehicle that keeps seniors from becoming isolated from others in the community.

“Over and over again, AARP research shows overwhelmingly that people just want to stay in their homes and their communities as they age and transportation is really key to doing so, especially when you get into rural areas where people are maybe having to drive long distances either to get to the grocery store, or to a doctor’s appointment, Cathy McLeer of AARP South Dakota said.

Bravo to Ellie for first off, thinking of her community and being active in it, even at 78 years old. But I will have to also congratulate her on not giving up on her mission. So while Sioux Falls is offering only one solution to Paratransit, a solution that long term helps no one, Hartford figures out their transit needs, and they did it using one concerned citizen instead of a bunch of beureaucrats.