Charlotte County Dial-A-Ride's John Castell discussed the importance of Charlotte County Dial-A-Ride as an affordable source of transportation in rural New Brunswick on an episode of CHCO-TV's Southwest Magazine.

Headquartered in St. Stephen, New Brunswick but servicing residents over the Charlotte County, Charlotte Dial-A-Ride began 15 years ago as a charitable effort to offer affordable transportation to people in rural Southwest New Brunswick in need. The alternative transportation organization was the first of its kind in New Brunswick but now there are 19 across the province offering transportation services to people in rural communities who need help getting to everything from job opportunities and appointments to grocery stores.

"There's difficulty for many people in rural areas of New Brunswick to find transportation for things like medical appointments," said John Castell, volunteer and board member at Charlotte County Dial-A-Ride. "Dial-A-Ride fills that void. As of last year, we had 27 volunteer drivers and over 8,000 booked appointments."

Volunteer drivers are compensated 35 cents per kilometre to pay for gas and mileage on their car. Their time, however, is all charitable. That allows Dial-A-Ride to charge users a minimal fee for drives around the county and to as far away as Saint John. Dial-A-Ride works with sister organizers to secure secondary rides for clients looking to travel even further. All clients require a membership and must book rides at least 48 hours in advance.

"Being a volunteer is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done," said Castell. "It gives you the opportunity to help change someone's life, and that has transformed me for the better."

To learn more about Dial-A-Ride, visit www.charlottedial-a-ride.com or call 506-466-4444.