Urban/Rural Rides is helping people get to where they need to be while making new friendships
In February 2023, Urban/Rural Rides began helping seniors and low-income families in the Northwest parts of New Brunswick get to their medical appointments or the food bank. As of June this year, the community transportation service has grown to help 480 clients across New Brunswick.
Urban/ Rural Rides is not a taxi service. The registered charity currently depends on 16 community volunteer drivers from Plaster Rock to Lakeland Ridges. Clients can call ride coordinators to inform them about an upcoming appointment, and from there, the coordinator seeks out a volunteer driver who is available to pick up and return the client home.
With medical appointments at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton or the Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville, Urban/Rural Rides is an affordable option for seniors and low-income families who can not afford a taxi and have no other way to their appointments.
“People might not have family or friends to take them to their appointments, or they might be new to the area and not know anyone, that’s where Urban/Rural Rides comes in,” said Wendy Marr, the Community Development Coordinator with the Western Valley Regional Service Commission.
Urban/Rural Rides stands out from other transportation services because of its low prices. A taxi in New Brunswick costs around $2.75 per km. Urban/Rural Rides offers subsidized rates of 25 cents per km for low-income and seniors who have guaranteed low-income supplements and old age security. Their regular rate is 70 cents per km. A taxi round trip from Woodstock to the Upper River Valley Hospital costs $50. An Urban/ Rural Rides client pays between $4.50 and $12.60 a round trip.
Clients can trust their drivers due to the in-depth screening process volunteers must undergo. Each volunteer driver must be at least 21 years old and have a Class 5 license. They must also undergo a police background check and have a valid vehicle inspection to ensure their vehicle meets the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Marr says “friendships have been made” through their system. Because many rides are long, it allows time for drivers and clients to connect.
“It’s really good to connect people. Clients find someone they enjoy over others and enjoy that time in the vehicle with them and talk about whatever they want,” said Marr.
Urban/Rural Rides plans to expand its clientele to include those waiting to get their license and those with moderate disabilities. While the current system gears toward transportation to appointments and food banks, Urban/Rural Rides would like to provide services for non-urgent occasions like concerts or seeing a movie.
This future goal depends on the number of volunteers. Having more volunteers makes it easier for their current dedicated drivers.
“The more we have, the more we can do,” said Marr.
Marr believes Urban/Rural Rides is the perfect place to volunteer because of its flexibility. Local rides allow volunteers to visit family while waiting for their clients, and longer trips will enable them to run errands.
“If they’re a Costco member and they take somebody to Oromocto or Fredericton to see a specialist and they’re in there for a couple of hours, you can run to Costco and get your groceries,” said Marr.
Cathy Gallivan is one of the first Urban/Rural Rides volunteer drivers.
When her uncle got sick, she and her brother would drive him to his medical appointments, which sparked a question in her mind.
“While we were doing this, I found myself wondering how people who didn’t have any family managed. So when I heard that an organization was starting up in Carleton County, I went to an information session and signed up immediately,’ said Gallivan.
Gallivan recently moved to the Fredericton area and transferred to the capital region’s program as a volunteer driver. She said volunteering with Urban/Rural Rides has been very fulfilling, noting that her volunteer work made her realize how fortunate she is to be healthy and how she can use her good health to help others.
Volunteer drivers are reimbursed for their mileage at a rate of 50 cents per km. Volunteers must have two million liability on their vehicle insurance, and Urban/ Rural Rides will reimburse up to $80 of that cost.
For anyone interested in becoming a client or a volunteer driver, information is available on the Urban/Rural Rides website, urbanruralrides.ca.
“It’s completely worth it,” said Marr.
