A program on the Treasure Coast is helping people with developmental disabilities get around — offering door-to-door transportation at no cost.
The Treasure Coast Developmental Advantage Ride Program provides free trips for residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities anywhere across the Treasure Coast. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Since launching in 2020, the program has provided more than 200,000 rides across Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties.
In St. Lucie County, 92% of trips take riders to jobs — giving them a way to contribute to the community while also giving caregivers a break.
Adolfo Covelli, transportation director for St. Lucie County, said the program helps riders access everyday needs many people take for granted.
"Things I take for granted, going to the bank, going to the lawyer, to the supermarket," he said.
Covelli said the program also provides relief for families.
"These parents can take a break for a few hours. It's very near and dear to my heart and it's an amazing program," he said.
Chris Stevenson, director of transportation at the Senior Resource Association, said the program is reaching a significant share of those who need it most.
"We're reaching about 88% of the Treasure Coast developmental disabled population and so we're just really happy that we're reaching such a high percentage of them and that they're so happy with the service," he said.
Stevenson said ridership data shows most trips are short in distance and time.
"The average trip right now is only about 14 minutes," he said. "Most trips are less than seven miles long. We do have some really long trips when we go out to Fellsmere, going to Indiantown, things like that. But we keep track of all of our ridership data and right now the average trip length is less than 20 minutes and less than seven miles."
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