Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky – February 13, 2015 - ITNGreaterCincinnati (ITNGC) not only offers affordable transportation to seniors and adults with vision impairments, we can also cut transportation costs in half for seniors.
According to AAA’s annual “Your Driving Costs” study, the 2014 average cost of automobile ownership is $8,876 per year, based on an average 15,000 miles driven annually. The average adult between the ages of 55 and 64 years old drives approximately 12,000 miles per year, and those 65 years old and over drive less than 8,000 miles per year.
We tend to hold on to our automobiles thinking that it is less expensive than other transportation options available in our community. That simply is not the case. ITNGreaterCincinnati members are reducing their overall transportation budget through our innovative “pay as you go” transportation solution year over year. Who wouldn’t benefit from saving money?
ITNGC can help older adults slash their transportation budget by more than half! ITNGC’s most frequent riders average 275 trips per year and are paying less than half of the average cost of owing a private automobile. Looking at these costs another way, the average cost of a ride with ITNGC is $13. At that rate $8,876would get you over 680 rides or 340 round trips per year. That is almost one round trip ride every day of the year!
The mission of ITNGC is to provide seniors (60+) and visually impaired adults with a 24/7 transportation resource that is “arm-through-arm, door-through-door, go where you want to go when you want to go.” ITNGC breaks down the isolation that comes when seniors surrender their keys, and gives visually impaired adults freedom to go beyond bus routes at a cost they can afford with no ride restrictions.
Volunteer drivers provide the rides for ITNGC making this service community supported and sustainable. All volunteers are trained and background checked. This is one of the most gratifying volunteer positions you can have because volunteers work directly with clients.
ITNGC has been operating in the Greater Cincinnati area since May, 2010 and was brought to the area by the Vision Coalition of Greater Cincinnati and the Deaconess Associations Foundation, both of which realized there was a significant local need for transportation for older adults and visually impaired adults on both sides of the river. They coordinated their resources and efforts and together formed ITNGreaterCincinnati, a local affiliate of the national ITN organization. Now ITNGC serves residents within the I-275 loop in Kentucky and Ohio.
Beginning with the spring 2015 semester, college students enrolled in select classes at the University of Cincinnati have the opportunity to receive college credit for driving older adults in the community through a pilot project called Driving Community Connections. The Independent Transportation Network (ITN) of Greater Cincinnati has been incorporated into new and existing courses and will provide students with the ability to engage with Ohio’s elders, learn about the aging process and meet a need in their local community.