Independent Transportation Network
- H.A.A.
- Sep 16, 2023
- 2 min read
About 3.6 million Americans miss or delay medical appointments every year because they lack a ride to the doctor. Given that America’s population is aging, and about half of us live with at least one chronic condition, getting regular health care is more important than ever. An effective solution to this problem is the Independent Transportation Network (ITN). Residents in areas in which the ITN operates can join the organization and book a ride 24 hours a day. The ITN is especially helpful for seniors who may not be comfortable driving, during night hours or in other similar circumstances. This volunteer-based transportation network has already helped hundreds of thousands of people and will certainly help many more.
When an 84-year-old driver in 2005 on their way to a doctor’s appointment hit Katherine Freund’s three-year-old son, she came to the conclusion that they should not have been driving and that instead, they should have received help. This incident led her to create the ITN which has already expanded to 11 communities across 10 states across the nation.
What makes the ITN particularly unique is how committed it is to helping solve equity problems, such as the need for senior transportation aids, on a deeper level. To elaborate, in the process of developing its transportation programs, the ITN conducts extensive research and examination of transportation policies. Specifically, they focus on the challenges that seniors and their families experience regarding transportation, as well as how communities approach transportation. Transportation networks, such as the ITN, have the potential to transform people’s lives and give them easier access to needed resources, proving how crucial they are in the movement toward healthcare accessibility for all.
If you would like to learn more about ITNs feel free to check out the articles below:
Such crucial information! Thank you!