Neighbor Ride meets a need in our county
Photo courtesy of Neighbor Ride
Anna Rowland, 90, of Laurel, Maryland, never thought she would stop driving. That is, until the day she couldn’t negotiate a traffic circle because of neuropathy in her feet.
“I thought I was accelerating, but the car was going slower and slower. My foot was actually on the floor … and that just scared me to death,” Rowland remembered.
After that experience, Rowland, a retired nurse, decided to give up driving at the age of 89 and rely on Neighbor Ride for her transportation needs.
If you are a Howard County resident who is 60 or older and need help with transportation, Neighbor Ride may be the answer. The nonprofit ride service was created in 2004 to provide supplemental transportation for older residents in Howard County.
Neighbor Ride isn’t free, but it’s about 40% less than the cost of an Uber or Lyft. Round-trip rides cost between $10 and $36 for trips within a 35-mile radius of home.
All of the drivers are volunteers who use their personal vehicles to drive older adults whenever they can fit them into heir schedules.
How the program started
Neighbor Ride launched several years after a survey by the Office on Aging found transportation was one of the main concerns of older residents in the county. In 2001, Howard County formed a committee to study supplemental transportation options for older residents.
After two years of research, “We got to the point where we were convinced it was worth a try,” said Judy Pittman of Ellicott City, one of the co-founders of the nonprofit.
Neighbor Ride celebrated its 20th anniversary two years ago. Executive Director Bruce Fulton, of Woodbine, says the organization adheres to its original mission.
“It’s just that simple story of ‘neighbor helping neighbor’ — older adults that, for whatever reason, may not be able to drive. We’re … there to fill that gap,” Fulton explained.
How it works
It’s easy for Howard County residents to connect with Neighbor Ride.
“You fill out some paperwork, sign up for service and … you’re put into our system,” Fulton said. “When you need a ride, most folks still call. We have an online platform, or portal, where clients can log in and request rides,” he added.
Neighbor Ride provides rides 365 days a year. But it’s not an on-demand service, and it’s not guaranteed. Clients must notify them three days before they need a ride.
“We ask for three days so if we can’t find a driver, we want to give you 24 hours’ notice as a heads up,” Fulton said.
To confirm the appointment, volunteer drivers contact the passengers the night before pickup, either by phone or text.
To be a volunteer, people must attend an orientation session and undergo a criminal background check before they can pick up passengers in their own vehicles.
In March alone, Neighbor Ride provided more than 850 rides to 260 people. But the statistics don’t matter as much as the sense of community the program creates for older individuals.
Fred Landy, 63, of Laurel, is one of 300 volunteer drivers for Neighbor Ride. Although he ferries many passengers, he and Rowland, who he calls Miss Anna, have become friends.
“Meeting Miss Anna has been just fabulous. I do seek her out, but I don’t drive exclusively for her; there are other people that I drive for,” said Landy, a retired certified public accountant. “It’s just very fulfilling to be able to do this.”
Creates independence
Fulton describes Neighbor Ride as “a logistics nonprofit where technology is very critical,” adding that his group is developing an app for its volunteers. The app has a target launch date of January 2027.
Despite the technology behind the scenes, personal connections have powered the nonprofit for the past two decades, co-founder Pittman said.
“I’m eternally grateful that it’s there now, not only for me, but for my peers and family as well,” Pittman said.
Rowland, who has family in the area, said Neighbor Ride gives her a sense of freedom.
“It makes me feel independent because I don’t have to ask a friend to take me somewhere. I don’t have to ask my kids to take me. I can do this on my own and get on my computer and sign up,” she said.
For more information, visit neighborride.org or call (410) 884-RIDE (7433).
