Dover, NH - The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) is excited to announce that it is launching its volunteer recruitment drive on July 10th at the Portsmouth Public Library. On behalf of the City, COAST will be managing a volunteer driver program as a part of the Portsmouth Senior Transportation services that it will begin operating in October.
COAST's new volunteer driver program will provide medical transportation for Portsmouth residents who are at least 62 years old, or have a disability, at no charge to the riders. Volunteers will use their own vehicles to bring riders to appointments within Portsmouth and up to 5 miles beyond the city limits. This will be a new service for Portsmouth but is already being offered successfully in other towns on the Seacoast by the nonprofit organizations Ready Rides and Transportation Assistance for Seacoast Citizens (TASC).
COAST will perform background checks on all drivers and make sure that they have adequate insurance to ensure that riders can feel confident about the service. Drivers must also complete defensive driving and customer service training. They will be reimbursed $0.35 per mile to cover the cost of their gas.
Area residents with a good driving record, a clean car, and a little bit of free time are invited to attend the kickoff celebration and learn more about the program. Join COAST and the City in the Portsmouth Public Library's Levenson Room on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 from 4 - 5:30 PM for refreshments and a presentation.
The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) has provided public transportation service to the Seacoast New Hampshire region since 1982. COAST is a public, nonprofit transit system that relies primarily on federal and local government support to operate. COAST is governed by a board of directors representing the communities served, two regional planning commissions, and many local and state agencies.
For more information on the transition of Portsmouth Senior Transportation services, please reach out to TripLink at 603.834.6010 or triplink [at] communityrides.org (triplink[at]communityrides[dot]org), or the Portsmouth Senior Activity Center at 603.610.4433 or bsullivan [at] cityofportsmouth.com (bsullivan[at]cityofportsmouth[dot]com).