NEW SALEM — The wheels are turning for New Salem’s Med-Ride program.
The program on Wednesday began offering free transportation to medical and dental appointments for eligible New Salem residents.
“The Med-Ride program is designed to promote the health and well-being of our community by providing transportation to medical and dental appointments for New Salem residents age 55 and older who are unable to drive or have no means of transportation,” according the New Salem Council on Aging, which facilitates the new program.
Riders must be ambulatory, but may have an assistant, friend or person of their choice ride with them, if they would rather not go alone.
Volunteers, who are reimbursed for mileage by the Council on Aging, are matched with riders, and use their personal vehicles to pick up riders at home, bring them to appointments, wait during the appointment, and drive them home — unless prior arrangements are made.
The program — funded by the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs — is strictly for medical and dental appointments, but drivers may stop at pharmacies to allow riders to purchase prescriptions after their appointments.
Transportation to appointments is provided to Amherst, Athol, Gardner, Greenfield, Northampton, Springfield and Worcester.
New Salem now joins neighboring Shutesbury in providing a municipal Med-Ride program. A countywide Med-Ride program for residents over 60 needing to leave Franklin County for medical appointments also exists through the Franklin Regional Transit Authority.
Those interested in receiving transportation through Med-Ride or becoming volunteer drivers must contact the Council on Aging at 978-544-6437.
To request a ride, residents should leave a message two weeks in advance with their name and phone number, as well as the date, time and place of the appointment. If a driver is assigned, they will contact the rider.
“Every effort will be made to fulfill requests, but matches cannot be guaranteed. The driver will confirm the appointment with the rider the day before the appointment,” according to the Council on Aging.
Interested drivers must be approved by the Council on Aging. The program is covered by New Salem’s liability insurance.