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ITN Monterey County seeks volunteers to expand ‘Valley Line’ rides to Greenfield
Summary
ITN Monterey County presented its volunteer-driven Valley Line program to the Greenfield City Council and said it needs roughly 30 committed volunteers before it can guarantee service in Greenfield; councilmembers asked about low‑income subsidies and timelines.
Jessica McKillip, executive director of ITN Monterey County, told the Greenfield City Council on March 1 that the nonprofit is readying an expansion of its Valley Line rural service and hopes to add Greenfield once it secures local volunteers and community partners.
“If we get 30 committed volunteers, we can begin serving Greenfield,” McKillip said, describing ITN’s model of volunteer drivers, a prepaid member-transportation account and discounted fares for low‑income riders. She said Valley Line currently runs Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for life‑essential trips such as grocery, pharmacy and medical appointments.
The presentation explained ITN’s history in Monterey County, the organization’s partnership with Aspire Health Plan to provide rides for Medicare Advantage members, and a goal to expand Valley Line through Soledad and into King City by summer. McKillip said ITN has delivered more than 105,000 rides in its affiliate service area and that volunteer recruitment is central to making the rural service sustainable: “We are sending paid drivers from Salinas currently to fulfill about 70% of the ride volume in Valley Line, and that is extremely expensive for us.”
Councilmembers asked how soon Greenfield would have service, about scholarship or subsidy programs for low‑income residents, and about volunteer eligibility. McKillip responded that volunteers must be at least 21, have five years of good driving history, pass a background check and generally enroll in DMV notification programs; she said the organization would consult its board to size a local scholarship program and welcomed conversations with the city about prefunding transportation credits for vulnerable riders.
McKillip outlined approximate fares: local in‑town segment rides can be as low as $8, trips to Salinas about $30 one‑way (roughly $60 round trip) and said the system treats a doctor visit as two rides (outbound and return). She said the Rose Scholar program in ITN’s Peninsula service area currently subsidizes $7.50 of each ride but that no analogous local subsidy currently exists for the Valley Line in South County.
Mayor Robert White and other councilmembers thanked McKillip and indicated interest in promoting volunteer recruitment and exploring local funding to reduce up‑front costs for seniors who are hesitant to prepay for a transportation account. McKillip offered to return with more details and to work with city staff on outreach.
If volunteers and community partners materialize as McKillip described, ITN plans to begin regular Greenfield service; no firm start date was set at the meeting and council gave no formal directive beyond expressing support for further engagement.
