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The Blue Bus provides 30,000th ride

The Souhegan Valley Rides bus service, locally known as “The Blue Bus,” reached another milestone towards the end of 2018 by providing its 30,000th ride. To commemorate this event, Steven V. of Amherst was honored for taking the 30,000th ride. To his surprise, he was presented with a special gift basket of treats and gift cards donated by Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen, Jambard Farm, Orde Farm Store, Averill House Vineyard, Black Forest Café, Shaw’s Supermarket, Walmart, and the Toadstool Bookstore.

Steven shared his gratitude for the transportation assistance and stated “It is a great service! I don’t know what I would do without it right now.” Unable to drive due to recent health problems, Steven uses this wheelchair accessible transit service on a regular basis to further his recovery. Speaking on behalf of the SVTC Board of Directors, Carolyn Mitchell, of Amherst, noted “Being able to help neighbors like Steven is why we volunteer and work to keep The Blue Bus rolling throughout our six Souhegan Valley communities.”

Implemented in 2008, Souhegan Valley Rides is the regional dial-a-ride transportation service available to residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Milford, Mont Vernon and Wilton. Vehicle and call center operations are subcontracted from the Nashua Transit System. Currently, the bus service is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm including travel time to and from the Nashua Transit System garage. The focus for the service is on providing curb-to-curb transportation to non-emergency healthcare related appointments and assisting those in greatest need – senior citizens and residents living with a disability. Other residents may use the service on a space available basis. In addition to healthcare related transportation, rides are available within the six towns and to and from Nashua for access to social service appointments, local senior activity centers, town facilities and libraries, shopping, and much more.

This regional transportation resource is available thanks to collaboration among the six participating communities, the Nashua Transit System and the Nashua Regional Planning Commission. The service is funded by grants from the Federal Transportation Administration and each participating Town, by donations from area residents, and by grants from local foundations including the Kaley Foundation, Keyes Trust, Milford Hospital Association, Milford Rotary Club, and the Lions Clubs of Amherst, Milford, Wilton and Brookline. For more information about the Souhegan Valley Rides bus service, please visit www.SouheganValleyRides.org; pick-up a brochure at your local town hall or library; or contact us at Info@SouheganValleyRides.org or (603) 860-1202.