Rural Project Examples Addressing Transportation

Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly Winnemucca
Updated/reviewed August 2023

Need: To educate rural community members about Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and to support older adults in need.
Intervention: A community group formed in Winnemucca, Nevada, to discuss topics like health, housing, social events, community improvement, education, and transportation for older adults. The group also provides outreach to older adults, caregiver support, and a variety of of educational activities and events.
Results: The group's efforts have led to many changes for community welfare and safety as well as opportunities for education and activities.

Angel Flight West
Updated/reviewed March 2023

Need: Free, non-emergency air travel for people of all ages ages who need to access medical care and other essential services far from home.
Intervention: A network of more than 1,600 pilots donate their time, skills, aircraft, and all costs associated with flying to help families and individuals in need in 12 western states.
Results: Families are able to receive vital medical treatment and have other needs met that might not otherwise be possible because of financial, medical, or geographic limitations.

Kid One Transport
Updated/reviewed March 2023

Need: Transportation to medical appointments for children and expectant mothers living in rural Alabama.
Intervention: Kid One Transport provides rides to medical appointments for clients who otherwise have no other means of transportation.
Results: The program has transported 442,439 children and expectant mothers to and from medical appointments. Children have recovered from life-threatening illnesses and are experiencing a higher quality of life.

Paris Metro Transportation
Updated/reviewed January 2023

Need: Reliable transportation options for employment and medical access needs for residents of Paris, Texas.
Intervention: A regional government coalition, already operating a rural regional transportation system, partnered with a rural community's medical, education and business entities to expand and improve the community's transportation system.
Results: Paris Metro now provides a low cost/no cost transportation option for local residents, including those with special transportation needs. After implementation, decreased emergency room visits were noted, likely due to reliable transportation for scheduled medical appointments.

Angel Flight East's Rural & Rare Reach Program
Updated/reviewed October 2022

Need: Free, non-emergency air travel for children and adults in need of medical treatment far from home who live in rural areas of the Northeast.
Intervention: Angel Flight East, a free medical flight service, has expanded their focus to include more patients from rural areas, as well as those with rare medical conditions.
Results: Since adding the Rural & Rare Reach program, Angel Flight East has made contact with over 100 Critical Access Hospitals and more than 300 FQHCs for referrals. Ongoing promotional efforts with rural health organizations are helping to increase the awareness of flight services to rural locations.

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council Rural Transportation
Updated/reviewed October 2022

Need: Public transportation options in a rural 8-county area in northwest Minnesota.
Intervention: A coordinated public transportation and volunteer driver system which serves northwest Minnesota.
Results: Increased ridership and affordable access to transportation for residents of 8 counties in rural, northwest Minnesota.

Isanti County SafeCab Program
Updated/reviewed August 2022

Need: To reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by drunk driving in Isanti County.
Intervention: The SafeCab program provides alternative transportation home for bar patrons who would otherwise drive impaired.
Results: The program is credited with a significant decrease in DUI (Driving Under the Influence) arrests and the lower average corresponding BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) levels in Isanti County.

SMiles Senior Transportation
Updated/reviewed August 2022

Need: To provide transportation to rural seniors who are no longer able to drive.
Intervention: SMiles, a rural senior transportation program, was implemented in Blount County, Tennessee.
Results: Since 2013, SMiles has provided over 41,500 rides and errands to its rural seniors.

Staggered Sentencing for Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders
Updated/reviewed August 2022

Need: To reduce the incidences of repeat drunk driving.
Intervention: Repeat DWI (driving while intoxicated) offenders were given a staggered sentence, allowing them to serve their sentence in segments of time, typically separated by several months to a year. The offender was able to file a motion to request a waiver for the remaining sentence period(s), if able to show that he/she maintained sobriety.
Results: The incidence of recidivism, or crime relapse, has been reduced among offenders given staggered sentences, by comparison to offenders given traditional DWI sentences. The program has also reduced the average cost of jail time that otherwise would have been served from a full sentence.

Garrett County Regional Cancer Patient Navigator Program
Updated/reviewed March 2020

Need: Comprehensive cancer services for residents of an 8-county, 3-state area in Appalachia.
Intervention: Using a Cancer Patient Navigation Tool Kit, a Maryland acute care facility led a multidisciplinary collaboration that provided the area's patients with expanded cancer treatment services.
Results: In addition to several new cancer-related programs, expanded services are now available for cancer patients, families, and cancer survivors.

Rural Project Examples: Transportation