There’s some good news for elderly residents who rely on the services of West Central Mass Transit.
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the transportation service announced that they are offering limited services for the next 12 weeks.
Executive Director Jean Jumper thanked the local politicians and area groups for making this possible.
“West Central Mass Transit is pleased to announce that, starting today, we are putting on limited transportation for folks with disabilities, those over the age of 60, who live in their own homes, and have to get to doctor’s medical appointments, life-saving medical appointments for things like dialysis and chemotherapy. We’re running one bus a day from seven o’clock in the morning until about five-thirty, five forty-five at night, and we are just serving the Morgan and Scott County areas at this time,” Jumper explains.
While the announcement is a step in the right direction, Jumper says there are still many people working hard for a return to full services.
“At this point and time it looks like I have up to twelve weeks if the money is handled carefully. If other donations come in, of course that would help extend this out even further. There’s people out there making phone calls all the time to different offices and there’s folks out there running petitions and talking to the Governor’s office and talking to the comptroller’s office too about what kind of chaos it’s causing not having access. I’m hoping that twelve weeks is more than enough to get us through,” says Jumper. .
Morgan County Commissioner Ginny Fanning was among those in attendance. Fanning feels West Central Mass Transit is one of the most important services offered to the community.
“It’s been such a vital part, it’s amazing the way this operation has grown and the services that they’re providing are exceptional. So now, with limited service, that’s a step in the right direction. I just have every confidence that it will move forward and the people that are needing that service so desperately are going to be getting that. We want those folks to be able to get their healthcare right here in Jacksonville and be taken care of. We applaud all the efforts of Jean Jumper and her team here and kudos to them for the hard work they’re doing,” says Fanning.
Others in attendance included Mayor Andy Ezard, Senator Sam McCann, Representative CD Davidsmeyer and several other community members.
The transportation service received some assistance earlier this week when the Jacksonville City Council decided to expedite the city’s annual $25,000 payment to the company.
West Central Mass Transit is still waiting to receive two payments from the state totaling almost $700,000.