New Sussex County senior transportation discussed at NARFE meeting
Senior citizens in Sussex County can remain independent after they have stopped driving and get out for doctor’s appointments and personal activities by joining a new transportation cooperative, ITN Southern Delaware. Nancy Feichtl, ITN board chair, was the luncheon speaker at the January meeting of Coastal Sussex Chapter 1690 of National Active and Retired Federal Employees held at 1776 Steakhouse, Rehoboth Beach.
The local Coastal Sussex Chapter 1690 is part of NARFE, a national organization that represents federal employees, retirees, and annuitants, promotes their general welfare, and provides advice and advocacy services with respect to their rights and benefits under federal and state retirement laws and regulations. Any federal retirees interested in joining the Coastal Sussex chapter should email Ron or Carol Weber at rjw98@mchsi.com for information.
Feichtl explained that seniors wanting transportation with dignity can join the cooperative by paying a $35 annual membership fee, and send in money to create a personal, prepaid account. Then members can call a dispatcher 24 hours in advance to schedule a ride, and the fees, determined by a rate chart, are deducted from the account. No money, including tips, ever exchanges hands. She said, “Another great feature is that seniors who are still driving can join, undergo special training, and then become ITN drivers, earning 35 credits per mile to their own account.”
She said, “Seniors on average live 10 to 12 years beyond their driving years. Many who still drive have eyesight issues that prevent them from driving at night. Joining ITN enables them to age in place in their homes and be able to do errands and enjoy activities outside their home by using this easy-to-use, low-cost, reliable and safe transportation service,” Feichtl said. She said the ITN is a national organization, and that members who are visiting relatives or vacationing in other parts of the country can use their ride accounts wherever an ITN system has been set up.
Feichtl said they have found that getting to doctors’ appointments has been a major use of the new service. “Doctors love our service,” she said, “because over 50 percent of senior doctor appointments that are canceled are because of lack of transportation. With ITN, our members no longer have to worry about getting to and from their doctor visits.”
Another feature ITN offers is to accept a senior’s donation of their car, and the blue book value of the vehicle goes into the person’s ride account. She said, “In addition to putting a sizable amount of ride credits into their account, the car donors can then save the nearly $8,000 a year it costs to run and maintain a car.”
For more information, go to www.itnsoutherndelaware.org or call 302-448-8486.
