Local agency launches Trip Assistant for public transit users

Transportation for residents of rural areas can be considerably difficult for those living without their own reliable vehicle, those without a driver's license, or those whose health inhibits their ability to drive. Being able to get wherever and whenever necessary is a critical part of many Americans’ identities, but many still struggle to navigate public transportation or find a ride. Wahkiakum-Cowlitz Council of Governments has launched a resource for the community called Trip Assistant, a tool which shows how to use public transportation in the three counties of Southwest Washington and beyond. Trip Assistant uses the Provider Directory of over 50 transportation resources across Southwest Washington and parts of Oregon.

Residents needing to get to medical appointments can utilize the Trip Assistant to get connected with services such as American Cancer Society, Catholic Community Services, Community in Motion, and Pacific Transit, all of which come to Wahkiakum County and allow seniors to ride for free. Pacific Transit has a Veteran's Connect transportation service as well. The Trip Assistant is not only for medical appointments; it's there for anyone and everyone. To use it, one simply goes to the Wahkiakum on the Move website (www.co.wahkiakum.wa.us) and inputs an origin (pick up) and destination address. From there, the site will provide different options to choose from: public transit, which will pick up travelers on their fixed route, or call-ahead. For the latter option, those needing to be picked up from their home must call and schedule a pick-up time with the respective transport service.

Riding public transit can seem a daunting task. Trying to figure out where the bus stops are, when to get off, and when to be back in time to get picked up is overwhelming for anyone who hasn’t ridden regularly. Many transit agencies offer a travel-training service for anyone wanting to become a public transportation pro. Megan Wirtz of the Wahkiakum-Cowlitz Council of Governments said, “They do one-on-one ride-alongs to make sure people feel comfortable and know where they're going… We can come to that person’s door, hop on public transit with them and go for a ride along so that they feel comfortable using a wheelchair or whatever they need.” This service isn’t only for bus riders; it extends to those utilizing call-ahead rides. To schedule your ride along/travel training, contact Megan Wirtz at (360) 577-3041 ext. 105.

To plan your trip, utilize the Trip Assistant at http://www.mobility.cwcog.org and check out the provider directory at http://www.mobility.cwcog.org/provider-directory for a complete list of transit available in Wahkiakum County. Wahkiakum on the Move’s full schedule can be found at http://www.co.wahkiakum.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/2139. For information on travel training with River Cities Transit, visit http://www.rctransit.org/training. To find out what other resources the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments has available, such as instructional videos, a mobility management tool kit, and more, go to http://www.cwcog.org/mobility-management.