A Driving Force For Change

Written by Alex Hall, Vice President of Programs

Regardless of someone’s life circumstances or where they live, transportation is one issue for which all people must find a solution.  Whether visiting family and friends across town or making the daily commute to work, many of us take for granted access to reliable and safe transportation.  Until I met Dorothy and Will on the Lake City Loop, being able to jump in my car and drive where I need (and want) on demand is something I certainly took for granted in the past.

Imagine the challenges that not having transportation can cause.  Missing interviews for a desperately-needed new job that could finally make ends meet, spending countless hours arranging rides to get to and from important medical appointments, and navigating a simple trip to the grocery store for food… These are just a few examples that some of our own families, friends, and neighbors face every single day.  Take a look at some of these facts revealed during a 2023 survey of transportation needs in an 11-county region in northeastern Indiana conducted by Community Transportation Network:

• 5% of Kosciusko households do not have a vehicle available to them.  (Meaning, not only do they not have a car, but they likely also do not have one they could borrow.)
• 22.5% of Kosciusko respondents reported living with someone with a disability that affects their ability to drive.
• Kosciusko ranked 2^nd of the 11 counties, only after Allen County, that had the most respondents report that they have skipped or simply not scheduled necessary medical appointments due to lack of transportation.
• 119 of the 502 (approximately one quarter) Kosciusko residents in the survey indicated that transportation issues limit their ability to shop for food at grocery stores, food banks, farmers markets, etc.

Often, families with limited or no access to transportation are also navigating multiple complex and interrelated situations, such as finding reliable childcare and budgeting for the rising cost of living.

The passionate staff at Kosciusko Area Bus Service (KABS), a Cardinal Services program that has been providing by appointment services for decades (as available), took it upon themselves to provide an additional transportation option in the Warsaw and Winona Lake area.  When the Community Foundation learned of their plans, our board was eager to jump in and support the cause, proactively providing an $80,000 grant.  Through months of planning and meeting with stakeholders, KABS officially launched the Lake City Loop on September 8^th. That same day, WSBT in South Bend featured the announcement on television.  For the first time in 30 years, a fixed bus route is now available in our community.

Seeing the buzz and excitement, Angie Danko, my colleague at the Community Foundation, and I set out to experience it for ourselves, planning a lunch trip from the Buffalo & Market stop conveniently located outside our office front door to the stop at Center & Argonne.  A simple task, right?

Promptly before noon as scheduled on September 10^th, the KABS bus arrived to pick us up, and we joined one other young lady who had already boarded and was listening to music.  At the very next stop at the Warsaw Community Public Library, we met Dorothy and her travel companion for the day, Linda, who were assisted onto the bus by our expert driver, Tony.  Just a few steps behind them, a younger married couple, Will and Sarah, boarded in somewhat of a shock, altogether unaware that Warsaw had this service available for them. 

As we continued, Dorothy, who had ridden the bus every day that week to learn the ins and outs of each stop, dutifully informed us that this creative route provides a low-cost option (just $1 per ride) throughout much of the Warsaw and Winona Lake area.  She added that it boasts 16 stops and the ability to call ahead and schedule deviations once per hour within a quarter mile of the route.  After a pause and some discussion (and the cat being out of the bag as to where Angie and I work), Will, who sat in front of me, delightedly said, “We have been praying for something like this for three years… ever since we moved here from out of town.  Now we have a way to get to work.”

I’ll be transparent – his sentiment caught me off guard.  Of course, I had heard numerous stories from nonprofit organizations’ staff that these situations are common.  However, I certainly didn’t expect it within the first five minutes of the ride, nor perhaps was I expecting it to come up at all that day.  At that moment, I knew we had picked the right bus.

We continued up Detroit Street, on our way to drop off Will and Sarah at Walmart, passing by the stops near Center Lake and Goodwill.  During that time, we helped one another download the app from the KABS website to track the bus in real time so Dorothy and Will could plan their schedules in the future.  While chatting with Angie, I overheard Dorothy compassionately teaching Linda the ways of the route. 

“This is the stop where you can get out and get your box of food from Combined Community Services.”  And a little while later, “Linda, here is where you would go for your doctor’s appointments.”  Two stops later in the Kroger parking lot, Dorothy and Linda disembarked the bus to pick up groceries.

I was simultaneously beaming and proud of KABS for bringing this option to our community for everyone, while also gaining a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the challenges so many face.  During our lunch, Angie and I reflected on what this meant for Kosciusko County, and for our new friends we had just met.

After having a laugh over my misinterpretation of the bus-tracking app (user error!) and thinking we had missed our return bus back to work after lunch at Oak & Alley, Angie and I were greeted at the Center & Argonne stop by Tony, along with Dorothy, Linda, Sarah, Will, and two other individuals, all of whom had already reboarded the bus at their respective stops across town.  Will and Sarah were intently reviewing the Lake City Loop brochure that Tony had given them earlier, and Dorothy and Linda were recounting their shopping trip.  Upon reaching our final destination back at the Buffalo & Market stop, Angie and I got off the bus with some of the others.  Casually, one individual that I hadn’t met mentioned, “I live only a few blocks west of here, and I’m heading home from work now.”

That afternoon, our goal was simple and easily accomplished with Tony’s help: navigate to and from lunch without missing the bus.  However, we could not have guessed that every connection we would make along the way would be more filling than the burgers could ever be.  It became evident to us through these interactions that KABS, as it has been for decades, and its new Lake City loop are driving real, meaningful change in our community. 

If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to grab a couple dollars and a friend and take a ride.

Some names of individuals in this story have been changed to protect their privacy.