A Ride Is a Way to Be There for Someone

Linda Kincaid knows what it means when someone has no other way to get where they need to go.

For years, Linda was the person her sister counted on for rides to the doctor. Her sister was in poor health and did not have another transportation option. Linda planned trips and other commitments around those appointments because, as she remembers it, if she could not take her, there was no one else.

Her sister passed away two years ago, but the experience stayed with Linda.

“I know there are a lot of people that are like her,” Linda said. “If I can help somebody, I need to, because I’m able to do it.”

Today, Linda is a volunteer driver with New Growth Transit, giving rides to people across the region who need transportation to medical appointments and other essential destinations.

Something She had Thought About for Years

Linda grew up in Raytown, Missouri, became a physical education teacher and later spent many years working in accounting before retiring.

The idea of volunteering as a driver had been in the back of her mind for a long time. She credits some of that to her mother.

“My mother was just a sweetheart,”Linda said. “She didn’t have a lot, but she was always helping somebody.”

Linda also had a friend whose mother and aunts had volunteered to give rides in the Boston area. When Linda heard about their experiences, she remembers thinking, “That’s something maybe I’d like to do sometime.”

Then she saw information about New Growth Transit and decided it was time.

“I thought, I need to do something for somebody other than myself.”

More Than Getting From One Place to Another

Linda quickly discovered that driving is as much about people as it is about miles.

She asks riders what kind of music they like and puts on a station for them. She visits with those who want totalk and gives quiet to those who do not. She tells riders they are welcome tosit in the front seat and encourages them to sit wherever they feel most comfortable.

Over time, some riders become familiar faces.

One woman Linda drove several times to physical therapy in Kansas City was recovering from a stroke and facing additional brain surgery. She had limited use of one arm and weakness in one leg.

Linda remembers doing what she could to make each trip comfortable. The woman would hug her and tell Linda how much she appreciated her.

On one of those occasions, Linda remembers the woman simply falling into her hug.

For Linda, moments like that are what make driving worthwhile.

“I guess just getting to know people, visiting with them, seeing their smile or hearing them say how appreciative they are,” she said. “It’s just the feeling that they give me,make me feel like I’ve done something that’s worthwhile.”

One of These Days I may need that Help Too

Linda understands that the roles we occupy can change.

Today, she has a vehicle. She can drive.She has the time and ability to give someone else a ride.

“One of these days I may need that help,” she said.

That simple recognition is at the heart of New Growth Transit’s volunteer driver network: neighbors using what they have today to make sure someone else can get where they need to go.

For Linda, the reward comes in the conversations, the smiles, the hugs and the knowledge that a person did not have to face a transportation barrier alone.

Asked what she would tell someone considering becoming a volunteer driver, Linda’s answer was simple:

“Go for it.”

She describes it as “a very rewarding experience.”

You Can be Part of the Connection

New Growth Transit connects rural residents with volunteer drivers for essential trips across west-central Missouri. Volunteer drivers choose the rides that fit their schedules and receive mileage reimbursement to cover the cost of using their personal vehicles.

If you have a reliable vehicle and some time to share, consider becoming a volunteer driver. A few hours and a few miles can mean someone gets to an appointment, reaches an essential service, or simply has someone there when they need a ride.

If driving is not right for you, a donation to New Growth Transit supports the network that makes these connections possible!

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