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County report: GCC steps in to run transit service for older and disadvantaged riders; 880 trips in first month
Summary
Monroe County staff and the Guidance Care Center (GCC) reported on the first month of the county’s transportation disadvantaged program transition, saying GCC enrolled riders, doubled full‑time drivers and completed 880 trips in October, and outlined funding from county, FDOT 5310 grants and fares.
The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners heard a report on the county’s newly transitioned transportation disadvantaged program, which county staff contracted to the Guidance Care Center (GCC) to serve seniors, people with disabilities and low‑income residents.
At the meeting Maureen Dum Levy, GCC’s regional senior vice president, said GCC began coordinating county trips October 1 and “we enrolled 85 riders” in the first month. She told commissioners GCC expanded staffing — increasing full‑time drivers from two to four, two of whom transferred from Monroe County Transportation — and completed 880 trips in October with an average trip length of 5.19 miles.
The county’s director of community services, Kathy Crane, introduced the update and said the program prioritizes medical and employment trips. Dum Levy gave a breakdown the program recorded: 283 trips in the Upper Keys, 112 in the Middle Keys and 485 in the Lower Keys; 805 ambulatory trips and 75 non‑ambulatory trips; 166 trips for employment and 86 for nutrition/shopping, with 134 described as other purposes.
Dum Levy described operational changes intended to reduce call volume and improve reliability: identifying routine riders (about half of users) and creating a subscription scheduling system for repeated weekly trips such as dialysis. She said GCC added two 5310‑funded vehicles and is in the process of adopting three county vehicles subject to FDOT paperwork.
Funding for the service, officials said, combines county SSTP funds for Middle Keys service, FDOT 5310 vehicle and equipment grants, client fares (with a stated policy that no one is turned away for inability to pay the small co‑pay) and donations. Dum Levy also outlined the use of the FDOT Innovative Service Delivery grant for out‑of‑county trips to specialty medical appointments in Miami and elsewhere.
Commissioners praised the transition. One commissioner noted positive feedback from senior centers; another emphasized that routine dedicated routes reduce hurdles for seniors and people with disabilities. County staff said they will continue outreach and coordination with Gulf Coast and local social‑service partners to ensure eligible residents find the service.
The report concluded with staff committing to additional community meetings and continued collaboration with the county to refine schedules, boundaries and eligibility processes.
