Nick McWilliams reporting – Celebrating 10 years of operations, Access Tusc officially held a ribbon cutting to round out the week.
Along with the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce, the service provider opened the doors to their new home at 1458 5th Street in New Philadelphia, just west of the Boulevard.
Executive Director Jess Kinsey says that in the 10 years of operations, they’ve grown to 25 employees, serving eight counties by connecting residents with health providers, and providing rides for those needing transportation, with more visions of future expansion.
“From [Access Tusc] Transit’s perspective, we want to grow. We’re full most days, so it’s time to get more vans and more drivers. We want to meet that need, and the state is looking at some creative rural transportation pilots and programs that they want us to try here in Tuscarawas County, as well as our neighboring, three other counties.”
As for the Bridges to Wellness Program through Access Tusc, eight counties are served, including Carroll, Coshocton, and Guernsey.
Funding for transportation comes mostly from the Ohio Department of Transportation, while the Bridges program receives most of its dollars from grants and billing Medicaid plans for certain services.
Residents wanting to know more, including what services are provided and how to schedule a ride, can visit www.accesstusc.org.
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