Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

RSVP’s Transportation Program Volunteers provide escorted door-to-door transportation for frail, homebound, and low-income seniors (60 and older), persons living with a disability (18-59), and veterans, who are no longer able to drive themselves.

Services include free critical care trips to medical, dental, and vision appointments; essential shopping and socialization opportunities; and other necessary trips in/outside their respective county. Drivers also serve as companions and share conversations with clients to help reduce their isolation and provide the reassurance that there is someone who cares for them, they are not alone, and they can remain self-sufficient.

VOLUNTEER

Volunteer drivers assist clients at the door to and from their homes, and accompany clients in picking up their prescriptions, out to lunch or the senior center, and to share conversation. Often, volunteers wait, if necessary, in the doctor’s office or other destination points.

RSVP’s on-call, on-demand transit service requires a call-in advance notice to schedule rides, M-F, between the hours of 8am to 3pm. The process begins when the client telephones the RSVP Transportation Coordinator or rural counties’ Volunteer Field Representatives to schedule rides with one of RSVP’s volunteer drivers.

Volunteers provide rides that would otherwise not be available in their area, using their personal vehicles. Volunteer drivers receive on-going training, mileage reimbursements at $.60 per mile, and are honored each year during RSVP’s Annual Volunteer Recognition Event.

RSVP partners with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) to offer volunteers specialized drivers’ training to ensure they are capable of providing transportation services for our clients.

Program History

Rural RSVP has a strong background in volunteer transportation program services which has been a continuous thread of our independent living programs to improve the quality of life and independence of seniors living in Nevada’s rural communities.

In the early 1980’s, RSVP received its first vehicle for the Volunteer Transportation Program through a vehicle donation from the Carson City Rotary Club to help area seniors with rides to the doctor. Since this time, in addition to RSVP designated vehicles, volunteers have continued to utilize their own vehicles for the Program.
RSVP received Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) vehicles in 1999, 2001, 2007 and in 2010 to enhance its capability to serve elders in Carson City and the region. Storey County dedicated a van for RSVP’s use in the River District in 2006.
In 2015 RSVP was awarded a grant from NDOT to acquire a handicapped-accessible van for the County of Elko. Additional NDOT grants followed for the acquisition of new vans: in 2016 for Winnemucca and Pahrump; in 2018 for the communities of White Pine, Ely, Lincoln and Caliente.
In 2017 the organization received a vehicle donation from Carson City Toyota under its Dealer Match Program; and a GMC van from the Humboldt Family Resource Center. Over the years, RSVP has been supported by the Nevada Aging & Disability Services Division (ADSD) with grant funding for match, fuel, maintenance and mileage reimbursement for volunteers. Since 2016, RSVP has secured additional match for vehicles through Foundation resources. RSVP currently has a fleet of 17 vehicles.
FY 2019 RSVP received three NDOT vans for the communities of Fernley, Hawthorne and Winnemucca.
FY 2020 RSVP received a Carson City Grant for a
FY 2021 RSVP received two NDOT vans for the communities of Douglas and Carson City and a Carson City grant for
FY 2022 RSVP received two NDOT vans for the communities of Churchill and Esmeralda.

“My driver, Becca, is an angel and a God send. She has gone from not only driving me to my appointments, but also picks up my prescriptions when I am unable to do so. I would be lost if not for RSVP and I am 100% housebound.”

– RSVP Transportation Client

See our other programs.