Wood County Health Department Hopes to Bring a New Transportation Program to Wood County

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis (WFHR, WIRI)

Affordable and Reliable Transportation Needed in Wood County

The Community Development Manager for Waupaca County Catch-a-Ride, Jess Betts-Nelson, gave a presentation in Wood County on Thursday. The WCCAR program provides affordable and reliable transportation for any resident of Waupaca County. The Wood County Health Department is looking to bring this program to the area.

Rides to Work, Appointments, Grocery Store, and School

The goal of WCCAR is to provide employment rides as a top priority for any resident of Waupaca County. They worked closely with employers and organizations they are providing rides for. Rides are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for a cost of $3.00 one way. WCCAR is partnering with volunteers and local taxi services. They belong to what’s known as a mobility ecosystem. This is a network of industry players who collaborate to provide transportation when it is needed. As a customer, you can call a number, send an email, or download the app to book a ride 24 hours in advance. Many of the reasons they see people needing transportation include employment, medical appointments, grocery store visits, and secondary education. Wood County Health is hoping to bring this transportation program here.

To Bring This New Transportation Program to Wood County, It Needs Support

Wood County Health is seeking organizations to write letters of support and/or pledge in-kind or monetary donations. To make the program work in Waupaca, WCCAR has a Mobility Leadership Circle which consists of project partners and collaborators. They work together to set how much rides will cost users. Various chambers of commerce in the Waupaca area, employers, and individuals wrote letters of support for the program. These letters and pledges of support enabled WCCAR to be approved for a grant to get the program launched. Wood County Health is hoping to do the same here.

Links to Find Out More

You can check out the Waupaca Catch-a-Ride website to find out more about the program and how it’s improving transportation in their area.
https://waupacacar.org/

If you’re interested in writing a letter of support or learning more about becoming a partner, contact the Wood County Health Department.
https://www.woodcountywi.gov/departments/health/