LIFT bus donation strengthens partnership between TriMet

When TriMet Interim General Manager, Sam Desue, Jr. handed over the keys of a retired LIFT paratransit bus to Volunteer of America's Crystal Ross at the LIFT operating facility in Northwest Portland, her face lit up, and you could imagine the smile that was beaming behind her blue mask.Get more news about bus lift exporter,you can vist our website!

"It's been a very difficult and uncertain year and finding consistent transportation and stable transportation for our clients for this new program that we're about to open was incredibly stressful," she said. "This came at a time where we needed it the most, where our clients needed it the most."
The 2009 Ford E450 cutaway bus will fill a critical transportation need for Volunteers of America Oregon's Family Relief Nursery and Drop-In Services program. It will help transport children, ranging from newborns to age five, to and from the child abuse prevention program. The ADA-accessible bus, which can hold about 15 people, will be retrofitted to ensure the kids can be safely secured in their car seats before it goes into service later this month.

"Transportation is a social determinant of health," said Ross, who runs the program. "With transportation being one of the biggest challenges among all of our clients in our programs, this is going to serve a huge need."
At 12 years old, the bus had reached the end of its functional life for TriMet's paratransit services, but with a new engine, it can help fill a transportation need for Volunteers of America for years to come.The bus is the latest in a series of donations TriMet has made to support local non-profits, an effort spear-headed by Desue, both under his leadership as General Manager and, prior to that, as TriMet's Chief Operating Officer. Black Futures Farm and Urban League of Portland received retired LIFT buses during the past six months. TriMet also donated a full-size bus to Bybee Lakes Hope Center, an organization that provides transition services to people experiencing homelessness.

"Part of TriMet's mission is to help make our community a better place to live," said Desue. "We are thrilled to be able to offer this LIFT bus to meet children where they are and connect them with services that can help improve outcomes for years to come."