If you notice a new van driving around town that has the words CareCab printed on its side, a new program was launched Monday, Aug. 25 by Dent County Health Center. The program seeks to meet the need for transportation around Dent County. The service isn’t restrictive about where residents can go—it’s meant to get them wherever they need to, be it to Walmart for groceries or to the Dent County Courthouse for jury duty.
The service is for residents who need and are without dependable transportation, designed for older adults, students, job seekers, community members in Dent County.
As long as your destination and origination point are within Dent County, you are able to use the service.
“The need that we've seen, or that we've had reported to us multiple, many times over the last several years, is that there's just no good transportation options around Salem,” said Zachary Moser, administrator of DCHC.
SMTS is a good service for those who need to be taken to doctor’s appointments, which can then be billed to insurances. SMTS does have limitations, however, such as requiring a 24-hour notice prior to providing a ride. DCHC wanted to be able to assist those who needed more immediate transportation assistance.
“That's the need that we're trying to fill, is just have a service available to take people around, because transportation is necessary for your health,” said Moser.
It’s to help take down barriers to health that others might not think of—such as transportation to groceries, transportation to job interviews, or even transportation to the Fitness Center.
Unfortunately, riders must be able to get in and out of the vehicle independently or with minimal assistance (such as using a cane or walker.) If you need wheelchair-accessible transportation or assistance with mobility, DCHC encourages you to contact SMTS for specialized services.
Get a free ride during the introductory phase with the coupon code CareCab2025. Even if the cost is zero, the website below will still require a credit card—Moser assures that it will not charge you if the cost is zero.
