Rural transit for all residents
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — In rural areas like Martin County, residents can be miles away from essentials like doctors and grocery stores instead of minutes. For those who don’t have a car, it’s hard to get around. However, Sandy Valley Transportation employee Joyce Hinkle says her service can fill the gap and is affordable.
For residents approved for transportation by Medicaid, SVT offers a lifeline to medical care, with Medicaid footing the bill. However, the service is available to all residents and is not limited to medical transport.
Any resident needing a ride to the grocery, Walmart, post office, a job, a job interview or anywhere in SVT’s five-county service area can simply “dial-a-ride” and pay $1 each time they board the bus.
“It’s door-to-door service. We would pick them up at their residence for one dollar,” Hinkle said. “If they go to Walmart or the grocery, they pay another dollar when we pick them back up. It’s a dollar each time they get off and back on the bus. We have several people that we take to work every day.”
Some folks need to travel outside the region. Hinkle says SVT can accommodate them for 30 cents a mile. Seniors 55 and above can get that ride for 25 cents a mile.
“Our buses are in Lexington every day,” said Hinkle. “They go anywhere the need takes them.”
Hinkle, who has worked for SVT for the past 31 years, practically since its establishment in 1990, is one of 65 employees who cover Martin, Johnson, Floyd, Magoffin and Pike counties. While the service stays “extremely busy” in the region, Hinkle estimates that only 10 Martin County residents use it.
“It’s a wonderful service,” said Hinkle, “and more people should take advantage of what we provide.”
For Medicaid transportation, residents need only to call and schedule the trip three days in advance.
“Medicaid is the only provider that pays for transportation, if you’re eligible, meaning you don’t have a vehicle and meet certain criteria,” said Hinkle. “Medicare is out of pocket.”
SVT also has a contract with the UMWA.
“If anyone needs transportation and it’s approved through UMWA, we will take them, and the UMWA will pay for their trip,” said Hinkle.
Anyone needing to schedule a ride can do so by calling 606-886-1936.
