DeKalb County Offers New Shuttle for Seniors

DeKalb County Division of Human Services introduced this month a program to help seniors in North Atlanta better navigate the community.

The Golden Shuttle program, scheduled to run for 45 days, is being piloted in the Chamblee-Brookhaven community and if successful, the program could be expanded to include other areas in the county. The program is scheduled to end on June 30 - the last day of the state's fiscal year.

“One of the things that we’re trying to do is be innovative in our senior community,” said Dale Phillips, Director DeKalb County Human Services. “We wanted to offer [seniors] choices of where they want to go and not always where they need to go. They want to go to Walmart and Town Brookhaven, not just their doctors appointments. We also wanted to reduce their dependence on private cars.”

Phillips said the Golden Shuttle program has a price tag of $36,000 -  the county’s share of earmarked federal transportation funds made available through the Older Americans Act.  The money will cover two buses, two drivers, fuel, and administration cost to the agency. The benchmark of success, Phillips said, is to encourage 90 daily shuttle riders.

The bus will make pick-ups every hour, and beginning Monday, May 16, a second shuttle bus will be added and will be operated on the half hour.

Phillips said that the need for the shuttle was to primarily demonstrate that a shuttle can be used to increase center participation while decreasing the need for personal transportation. Phillips said that as more seniors become dependent on senior centers, sufficient parking has decreased. Additionally, the current Coordinated Transportation System limits seniors to trips to the senior centers, medical appointments and dialysis.

The shuttle operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and makes stops at these following locations Chamblee/Brookhaven area:

• DeKalb County Board of Health on Clairmont Road
• DeKalb County Public Library on Clairmont Road
• Senior Connections / Chamblee Marta Station
• Walmart Shopping Center (both entrances)
• Ashford Parkside & Ashford Landing
• Kroger and Public on Ashford Dunwoody Road and
• Ashford Dunwoody YMCA

To participate in the free shuttle service, DeKalb residents (60+) must first register at Senior Connections (www.SeniorConnectionsATL.org), 5238 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA 30341. For more information, call the DeKalb Senior Link Line at (770) 322-2950.