South Shuswap Rides: Success Brings New Challenges
South Shuswap Rides electric vehicles (photo contributed)
By Bryan Lowes
Since its launch in 2020, South Shuswap Rides, a volunteer driven non-profit society, has experienced tremendous growth. In our first year of operation we made 150 trips taking residents who live in the South Shuswap to their critical appointments. There is no charge for this service but donations are gratefully accepted to help defray the operating costs.
This service was made possible by obtaining grants from the CSRD, SASCU and the Shuswap Community Foundation to enable the purchase of an electric Chevrolet Bolt and a charging system. TireCraft in Sorrento provided a home for charging and vehicle storage. However, it wouldn’t have happened without the dispatcher, volunteer drivers and the Board Directors putting in several thousand hours of effort to help residents get where they need to go.
In 2024 the service expanded, thanks to a grant from the federal Rural Transportation Solutions Fund, which enabled the purchase of an additional electric vehicle, the Tesla Model Y. This car has more room for wheelchairs and walkers plus a greater range which allows them to go to Kelowna and Kamloops.
Last year the service made 487 trips! For a service that operates on a Monday-to-Friday basis 50 weeks a year this amounts to just under 10 trips per week, door-to-door. This volume has become a major challenge, particularly for the dispatcher, who is fielding 30-40 phone calls per week on average.
South Shuswap Ride clients can now request a ride online by completing a fillable form on the website: www.southshuswaprides.ca. It is hoped this will reduce the volume of calls the dispatcher must address.
The next biggest challenge is having enough volunteer drivers. They have two intakes of new volunteer driver candidates annually. The next training session starts on March 22nd. If you like to help people and want to join this team of drivers call Bryan Lowes at (778) 389-4636 for further information.
