Still in a neck brace, but back on the job after spinal cord decompression surgery in August, Princeton Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman has some difficulty getting around, and on this autumn day in October, she was getting some help from her Princeton Township counterpart, Mayor Phyllis Marchand.
Dare we say that this is a move toward consolidation?
Perhaps not, but it does represent the launch of the countywide ITNGreaterMercer, an around-the-clock, volunteer-based, transportation service for seniors and the visually impaired serving the 10-mile radius around Quakerbridge Mall.
The mayors' participation was part of the ITN, or Independent Transportation Network, First Ride Day, sponsored by the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, which also manages the program. First Ride Day did not just focus on Princeton: mayors, elected officials, and municipal officials representing all 13 county municipalities came out to head up an addition to the county's portfolio of transportation services.
What is different about the program, however, is that all drivers are volunteers and are rewarded for driving ITN members by receiving reimbursements for mileage and banking credits whenever they themselves need transportation. Those credits can also be redirected to a relative or friend, or given back to ITN to finance rides for low-income residents, as well as receiving partial reimbursement for gas.
A not-for-profit organization, ITN requires a $35 individual annual fee, and $50 for families, with members setting up debit accounts with the service, "so they never have to worry about carrying enough cash," said Samirah Abdul-Fattah, project director of the Mercer County ITN chapter. Rides begin with a $3 pickup charge with an additional $1 cost for rides given after 6 p.m. if booked the day before. Same-day bookings include an additional $2 cost for rides after 6 p.m. Pickup charges for rides between midnight and 5 a.m. cost $7, though there is an incentive to carpool, as charges are only incurred per ride, not per rider.
According to Susan Hoskins, executive director or the Princeton Senior Resource Center, there are effective services like Access Link and Mercer County T.R.A.D.E. that provide transportation to Mercer County senior citizens, persons with disabilities, or those who are economically disadvantaged, but volunteer-based services like ITNGreaterMercer are largely viewed by transportation officials as lifting the burden off other such programs, while providing a flexible service.
ITN's first program was launched 10 years ago in Portland, Maine, but has only recently begun to branch out. ITNGreaterMercer is the first expansion, with three other communities, Charleston, S.C., Orlando, Fla., and Santa Monica, Calif., slated to launch similar programs this fall, all teaming up with local transportation management companies in their areas.
ITNGreaterMercer is currently recruiting volunteers. For more information, or to volunteer or become a member, call (609) 452-1491.