Community Corner
New Dial-a-Ride Service Gets High Marks
First St. Louis Park rider calls PRISM Express "fast and efficient."
With school back in session, Janice Culnane of Fern Hill was in a jam. Janice has multiple sclerosis and had a doctor’s appointment in Golden Valley on Sept. 2.
“My daughter’s a college student and my partner is a teacher, so daytime rides become hard to arrange,” she said.
Janice is 58—too young for one St. Louis Park transport service. Other similar services have limits based on medical conditions or where someone lives.
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“It can be a lot of hassle, rigmarole, and waiting," Culnane said of finding a ride.
Lucky for her, the PRISM Express transport service was expanded to St. Louis Park on Sept. 1, and she was its first rider. The flexible, weekday dial-a-ride service picks riders up at their doors and is run by the Golden Valley-based PRISM, or People Responding in Social Ministry. The program is co-sponsored locally by the City of St. Louis Park and the Park Nicollet Foundation.
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“We ask for vital information on the first call, including an emergency contact,” explained PRISM Express Manager Courtney Whited, “but you can pay on the spot and there is no age limit. Children under 10 ride for free.”
Culnane said catching her first ride was easy.
“I drove my mobility scooter onto the hydraulic lift and they strapped it in. I didn’t even have to get off," she said. "The driver was as nice and courteous as you can imagine.”
Getting to therapy appointments regularly can improve her flexibility, Culnane said, sometimes to the point where she can drive herself.
“I’m so thankful for this service,” she added.
Riders need not be older adults or shut-ins, Whited noted.
“We’ll give high school students rides to and from work, for example," she said.
To arrange a ride, call PRISM at 763-529-1252.
FAST FACTS:
- Areas Served: St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, eastern Plymouth, New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale and Brooklyn Center.
- Times: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., weekdays
- Cost: $3 one-way, $6 round-trip; pre-pay punch cards are available
- Scheduling: Riders should call two days in advance to reserve a ride
- Pick-up: Drivers operate on a one-hour pick-up window but will call when within 10 minutes from your door