Missouri launches ‘Get a Ride’ page to increase access to vaccines
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri launched a new resource guide aimed at increasing access to free and low-cost transportation resources across Missouri’s rural, suburban and urban communities to administer the coronavirus vaccine.
Get a Ride's website connects residents with several free and low-cost transportation, both statewide and by region.
The Department of Health and Senior Services was assisted by the Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in launching the statewide transportation guide.
“In Missouri, we recognize there is a significant amount of older adults, people with disabilities and low-income individuals who are at higher risk of contracting the virus and don’t have cars, don’t drive, don’t live near public transit and live in rural areas far from vaccination sites,” said the advisory committee's co-chair, Sara Hart Weir. “Throughout our Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution meetings and discussions, access to affordable transportation kept coming up as a barrier to achieve equitable vaccine access. The goal of “Get a Ride” is to provide a comprehensive resource for Missourians to access free transportations in your local community to receive your COVID-19 vaccine.”
Statewide services include MO-Rides, a free service that allows residents to select their county to be connected with available providers in their area.
Missouri’s Area Agencies on Aging is also providing access to transportation for anyone 60 or older.
Locally, OATS is providing transportation to 87 counties, offering free transportation to residents in rural communities.
The provider, which normally deals with the older population in Missouri, is now offering vaccination transportation to anyone in its service area.
Dorothy Yeager, the executive director of OATS Transit, said the organization has already given 480 people rides to vaccinations since March 1 and demand is growing.
“OATS looks forward to everyone getting fully vaccinated so that we can get back to normal," Yeager said. "OATS will continue to provide this service in the rural communities where they have available vehicles and drivers.”
Neither Lyft nor Uber offers discounted fares in Missouri.
