St. Charles Parish residents had no taxicabs, city buses or any other kind of public transportation before Hurricane Katrina.
But now the United Way is helping anyone in the parish to get where they need to go by providing free rides to medical appointments and other essential places.
“If you live in St. Charles Parish and need to go to a doctor, dental or eye appointment as far away as Orleans, Lafourche or Terrebonne parish – but don’t have transportation – Nicholl’s Limousine Service will pick you up and take you-in a van not a limo,” Marie Scantlebury, spokeswoman for United Way of St. Charles, told the Herald-Guide.
Scantlebury said residents have to travel in groups so the trips need to be coordinated to make them cost effective.
“We need at least seven people going to the same destination in the same time frame in order to keep the driver on schedule,” she said.
Scantlebury looks for professional transportation service providers to pick-up clients to ensure everyone is getting the best service.
“We have to know that our clients will get to and from their appointments on time so I screen these companies for their professionalism,” she continued.
Scantlebury received $75,000 in grant money to fund the project, but said she’ll apply for more funding if the program is successful.
“With limited funding and a lack of local taxicab services, we decided this program is necessary and hope to work with the new transit bus system coming to the parish to ensure all areas are covered,” Scantlebury said.
“We also will work with nonprofit organizations in the area to assist with their transportation needs.”
For more information call United Way at 985-331-9063.
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