As the population of people over the age of 65, and especially those over age 85, continues to grow faster than any other segment of the population, senior service providers are attempting to keep pace with their increasing needs. To supplement town and county transportation programs, EZ Ride Community Cars has expanded its service area to include more towns in Southern Bergen County. Towns served include N. Arlington, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, E. Rutherford, Carlstadt, and Wood-Ridge where the percent of the population over age 65 is higher than the state or national average.
Community Cars, part of CarShare, Inc., will also be moving their offices to 144 Park Ave. East in Wood-Ridge. This is more centrally located in the county and will hopefully be beneficial as the service area expands to towns in need of a very personalized transportation service designed to be "senior friendly", reliable, and dependable.
Most towns do have senior buses; some sort of medical transportation; and county transportation available for seniors. However, as the NJ Foundation on Aging study found, seniors prefer riding in a car and not every senior can easily access these other rides. Restrictions on service area, hours, and scheduling present an additional challenge. Community Cars charges a small fee based on geographic zones, but is designed to be responsive to individual needs. Rides are also provided for any reason.
Volunteer drivers drive program cars and not their own or community vehicles. This allows for a comfortable ride while also providing insurance coverage and gasoline for the volunteers. Volunteers are the key to providing these everyday rides without endless restrictions. They also offer personalized assistance and friendly conversation. With more volunteers, more of these rides can be provided.
To promote safe driving and family discussions on this subject, Suzanne Lyon, Community Cars program manager, is offering a program titled, "Older Driver Safety & Transitions". Content is based on information from the CarFit Program (AARP & AAA national safety program) and the Drive Well Program (American Society on Aging & National Highway Transportation Safety Association older driver safety & mobility program). Awareness and education are valuable tools for promoting independence and safe mobility and can offer an opportunity for family involvement in determining a solution for continued mobility. This is offered for free to any community group.
Community organizations, clubs, churches, etc. can encourage their membership to volunteer to make it a true community effort. Hours and commitments are flexible.
More drivers are needed, especially as the service is offered to more towns.
If you are interested in volunteering, or if you would like to schedule a presentation for your membership, please call Suzanne Lyon at 201-245-2126.
More information can be found at www.ezride.org