Roosevelt senior laments
lack of public transportation
ROOSEVELT — A local senior citizen maintains that older adults are having trouble getting around the region due to a lack of available transportation. The latest complaint echoes those that have been raised over the past five years.
Tamara Galimidi, 83, of the borough, is sounding an alarm on the lack of affordable transportation for seniors.
"It’s becoming a real crisis," she said. "It is absolutely horrible."
Galimidi went so far as to try and speak with Gov. Christie Whitman when the governor came to Roosevelt on Dec. 19 to sign farmland preservation legislation. An aide spoke with Galimidi regarding the problem and noted her concerns.
"There is no affordable transportation in central New Jersey," said Galimidi, who is advocating the implementation of a statewide program to provide access for seniors to affordable transportation.
Galimidi said she is suffering from lymphedema, which makes it difficult for her to walk. Recently, she said, she had to travel to New Brunswick, Middlesex County, for medical treatment.
For 15 days, Galimidi said, she commuted to New Brunswick by using a taxi service. She said the cost reached $1,438, averaging nearly $100 per day. The operator of the taxi service would not allow her to pay by check, going so far as to take her to a bank en route to her treatment and forcing her to withdraw cash for payment of services, she said.
Monmouth County provides transportation to senior citizens to locations within Monmouth County. The Special Citizens Area Transportation (SCAT) service takes seniors and disabled citizens to medical appointments and to food stores.
According to Candi Smock, of the county Division of Transportation, individuals may call in advance and make arrangements for transportation. The cost for services is $2 per ride. There is also a shared ride program with taxi service that costs $2 per ride. A 24-hour advance notice is required for this service that is available in some municipalities.
Galimidi said she would like to see a statewide program that would help people travel outside their county of residence affordably. She expressed her need to see a specialist in New York to help her with her affliction.
"We need affordable transportation for seniors across the state, and for lower income people across the state," she said.
Galimidi said Florida had a statewide program called the Get-Me system, where seniors in all counties have access to affordable transportation.
"They pay what they can afford," she said of the Florida program.
The Division of Transportation may be reached Monday and Thursday (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and Friday (noon to 4 p.m.) at (732) 780-1121.