Less than two weeks after CRIS Rural Transportation Services ceased operations, the City of Danville continues to aim for the goal of taking over to provide para-transportation services to those all over Vermilion County that need special rides to important appointments.
An update was provided during Tuesday (Jan 13th) evening’s Danville City Council Public Works Committee meeting, with Director of Mass Transit Steven White saying that they are already providing rides to dialysis appointments for those throughout the county, sometimes by coordinating appointments so those from Northern or Southern Vermilion County can ride at the same time. White says rides to other medical appointments county wide will hopefully be coming soon.
AUDIO: We go from Hoopeston clear to Georgetown going dialysis. I hope by the first of February we’ll be back to taking people to regular appointments, throughout.
Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr continues to say this is a great team effort.
(1st Picture) Danville Director of Mass Transit Steven White. (2nd Picture) Danville Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr.
AUDIO: The state has been a great help in that, as well as our local dialysis partners DaVita and Danville Dialysis. Again, it just is a reminder to me; no matter what obstacles we face, if we come together, we’ll overcome them.
With help from the state, raising the funding level from 65% to 80%; the city will be taking over seven CRIS vehicles to provide the transportation services; two vans and five medium duty buses. In addition, the city will acquire six other vehicles that they can sell for scrap. White says, that will be a big boost.
AUDIO: And then that money we can turn around and put into our fleet; any maintenance we need, anything we want to buy to better our fleet; we can use that for that.
IDOT Bureau Chief Dave Schafer is scheduled to attend next week’s Danville City Council meeting to offer more information from the state’s point of view.
