Residents in East Gainesville can call the city’s Regional Transit System (RTS) Mobility on Demand (MOD) service for free transportation to health screenings, clinic visits and other essential community resources.
According to a city of Gainesville release, the MOD shuttles go door-to-door for residents who are unable to walk to an RTS bus stop or need additional assistance to reach their destinations reliably and affordably.
Limited transportation options impact families in need of healthcare throughout the United States, according to research. A 2023 study conducted by the Urban Institute found that 20% of adults were without access to public transit or a vehicle and missed receiving needed health care. The city of Gainesville’s MOD service is expected to help bridge that gap.
“This initiative is about making sure everyone in our community has access to the services they need to stay healthy and thrive,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward in the release. “By offering free, on-demand transportation, we are removing barriers and making vital resources more accessible to our neighbors in East Gainesville.”
The MOD service has vehicles that run from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 8 p.m. on weekdays. They will transport passengers to any destination within the East Gainesville MOD zone. The service, which is a refresh of the First Mile/Last Mile program, supports the transit needs of neighbors with limited incomes, young families or anyone without reliable transportation for daily activities, including medical appointments.
Residents will be able to schedule a ride seven days in advance by using the RTS Connect app, available for download on Android and iOS devices. Once the ride request is received, an RTS vehicle will come to the passenger’s home and take them directly to their destination at no cost.
People without a smartphone can schedule rides by calling RTS Connect at 352-393-7433.
Important locations on the MOD route include:
- UF Health Urgent Care Center – Eastside at 457 SE 20th St.
- Florida Department of Health in Alachua County at 224 SE 24th St.
- Partnership for Strong Families Family Resource Center at 1734 SE 2nd Ave.
- Cone Park Branch of the Alachua County Library at 2801 E. University Ave.
The service is funded through the Local Option Gas Tax.
For more additional information on MOD, including service hours and eligibility, visit www.go-rts.com or call RTS customer service at 352-334-2600.
Please don’t make a statement that says we care about everyone in our community if it only includes Eastside of the city. I am sure there are many outside of those boundaries that could also use that service.
What the mayor said was, “This initiative is about making sure everyone in our community has access to the services they need to stay healthy and thrive . . .” One could safely assume that the greatest number of people who cannot access the services they need are, indeed, on the east side of the city. So the logical area in which to launch this Mobility on Demand service would be the east side. There probably would really be very little call for such a service from, say, Haile Plantation, University Park, Suburban Heights, Raintree, etc.