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Tribune/Debra Reid - RTC Acess improved her health and eliminated depression for rider Mary Kelso. "I wouldn't be able to get to my physical therapy, doctor or shopping," said Kelso. "They (the drivers) are like family to me."
"It's not recognized as 'Freedom Day'; it's Independence Day," said LaVonne Brooks, chief executive officer of HSI, a Reno manufacturing company that has more passengers using Access than any other business in the region. "It's engrained in us that independence is precious to us. It's a very important part of our world."
Just three days before the July 4 independence celebration, RTC Access, formerly known as Citilift, celebrated 20 years of transit service to the senior and disabled communities in Washoe County.
Local leaders and RTC commissioners reflected on the program's assistance to these groups that face physical challenges in their lives and need help going to work, school, running errands and attending special events.
"It's not so much a job (for drivers) as it is a labor of love," said Washoe County Commissioner David Humke, who is also chairman of the RTC Board of Commissioners. "People need independence ... and people have special challenges. What comes of a program like this is a better community."
Access originally began as Citilift in 1988 as the paratransit service for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1992. The RTC commissioners at the time approved the program funded by a quarter-cent sales tax and operated on limited hours. In 1992, Citilift began running 24 hours a day to comply with ADA. In May 2006, RTC rebranded the program as Access.
To support evening travel needs, Access partners with Whittlesea Taxi for night-time service between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Riders must apply for eligibility. Seniors must be age 60 or older or must have disabilities that prevent them from independently getting to and from a bus stop, from independently boarding, riding and exiting an RTC bus or independently recognizing the correct bus stops and key landmarks. Riders who do not meet the age or disability requirements must use the regular bus system.
Access now serves about 3,400 customers annually and has provided more than 4.1 million rides since its inception.
Lea Rogers, RTC's paratransit administrator, said a wide variety of needs exists among the population it services. She referred to one man at the ceremony in a wheelchair who has studied for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, an accomplishment he was able to work toward through the Access shuttles to get from home to school.
"It goes from being dependent on others, or being a detriment to others, to being contributing members in a community," Rogers said.
RTC personnel also talked about the drivers, who were described as dedicated individuals who build relationships with the passengers.
"Where the rubber meets the road – or as we say, where the butt meets the seat – (the operators) spend a lot of time with the individuals," she said. "They go above and beyond to help the population we serve."
One example of a driver who loves her job is Yolanda Cobbs, a Reno resident, who has driven for Access during its entire 20 years. She said working with the people gets her excited every time she's behind the wheel in the shuttle.
"There's never a dull moment," she said. "It's a rewarding experience because I've learned to care for people, and the caring for people has prepared me for caring for my parents. I've developed a lot of patience."
Cobbs, 56, grew up in northern Nevada, but left for Ridgecrest, Calif. for a short time where she worked as a housekeeper at a hotel before she eventually got a job in transit. In 1988, when she heard about the county's new Citilift program, she returned to Reno, applied and has been with the company ever since.
She's only found one challenge, she said: "Staying on schedule with the road conditions as the city grows."
Last year, Cobbs received an award for having no accidents on her driving record and it's still clean, she said. She plans to stay on the job for another 10 years.
Until then?
"I'm waiting for my turn to be a passenger," she said chuckling.
RTC's commissioners and dignitaries wished RTC 20 more years of continued support and success.
"All of us have a disability; it's a matter of degree," Rogers said. "All of us might need Access some day."
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