About the Senior Mobility Initiative
The San Mateo County Senior Mobility Initiative is a joint effort by a broad coalition of concerned entities in San Mateo County, with the leadership of the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), to keep older people, including those with disabilities, safe and connected to their communities as problems related to aging make it harder for them to get around. To learn more about the Senior Mobility Initiative, click here.
News
C/CAG Board Approves $125,000 in Measure M funding for Senior Mobility Activities
The San Mateo City/County Assocation of Governments (C/CAG) Board of Directors met on May 10th, 2012 and approved the Measure M Annual Performance Report. The C/CAG sponsored Measure M, approved by the voters of San Mateo County in 2010, imposes an annual fee of ten dollars ($10) on motor vehicles registered in San Mateo County for transportation-related traffic congestion and water pollution mitigation programs. The estimated revenue of $6.7 million annually ($167 million over the next 25 years) helps fund various transportation programs for the 20 cities and the County. Per the Expenditure Plan, $125,000 will be allocated on an annual basis for the Senior Mobility Program.
The Senior Mobility Initiative has a New Website
Welcome to the new and improved Senior Mobility Initiative website. The site now includes a web-based version of the Senior Mobility Guide (see the right sidebar for the link) and information about other Senior Mobility programs that are in various stages of development and implementation. Be sure to bookmark this address and check back for related news, project updates, and other mobility resources.
Mobility Ambassador Program Expands to More Senior Centers Throughout County
The Mobility Ambassador program trains volunteer “Ambassadors” to help older adults and people with disabilities become familiar with their various transportation options. Ambassadors are given a sixteen hour, three-day training and then deployed to “host” senior centers throughout the County. The ambassadors conduct a variety of activities, both at and outside of the senior center, to help older adults and people with disabilities understand, procure, and use their various transportation options, including, but not limited to:
- making educational outreach presentations
- conducting group and one-on-one rider training
- organizing transit field trips to exciting locations
- distributing information and guidance on transit options
The Mobility Ambassador program was launched in January of 2010 at six senior centers with ten Ambassadors as part of the Senior Mobility Initiative led by the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). In the first year, the Ambassadors made nearly 1,800 individual contacts and logged 1,084 hours, nearly three times the number projected. The program recently expanded to nine senior centers and trained seven new ambassadors, bringing the team to a total of twelve Ambassadors.
To learn more about the Mobility Ambassador Program, to schedule an appointment with an Ambassador, or to volunteer, contact Jean Conger at 650-508-6362, or email ambassador@samtrans.com. You can also find out more on the Mobility Ambassador page.
The Mobility Ambassador program is funded with Federal Transportation Administration’s New Freedom funds through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and by the San Mateo County Transit District.