ITNBluegrass’ mission is to make the transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat as easy as possible by providing 24/7 automobile transportation to elders 60+ and visually-impaired adults anywhere in the service area (Fayette, Bourbon, Jessamine, Scott and Woodford Counties) for any reason.

Description:
Interested persons 60+ and visually-impaired adults who wish to ride join ITNBluegrass as a rider-member. The ITN is a cashless system, so fares are debited from a prepaid account that is created for each member, which the member pays into monthly or whenever his/her account is getting low. Each month, the member receives a statement detailing rides taken. Riders can call the ITNBluegrass office anytime to schedule rides. The dispatcher contacts available trained volunteer and paid drivers to pick members and take them to their destinations. Service is “door through door, arm through arm,” which means drivers may escort the riders to and from the car helping with steps and packages, and even escort riders to their appointments (e.g., a doctor’s office) to see that they arrive safely.

History:
ITNBluegrass is an affiliate of ITNAmerica®, a national nonprofit based in Portland, Maine. In 2005, ITNAmerica was awarded a five million grant to take its model for sustainable, affordable transportation for elders nationwide. Last year, we raised – with Blue Grass Community Foundation as our fiscal agent – almost $140,000 in private donations and grants to start an affiliate in the Lexington area.

About the time we were approved as an affiliate and attended training in Portland in late summer 2007, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet contacted us to say that we would be unable to operate in the state. (We had believed we were good to go.) Because ITNBluegrass will be charging a fare for its rides, we would be under the same regulations as a vehicle-for-hire (taxis and limos). These regulations suppose that the vehicles being used are owned by the organization and therefore covered by commercial insurance. The ITN model is sustainable because it uses many volunteers with their own automobiles and private insurance; to buy vehicles and commercial insurance for everybody is not feasible. Lexington Representative Susan Westrom sponsored a bill to exempt us from this law (HB204 – see attached), and the bill was signed into law by Governor Beshear on April 24, 2008!

The IRS approved our application for 501(c)(3) status in May 2008.

Contact people:

Gale Reece, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Laura Dake, Assistant Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (859) 381-0133

Address:

436 Georgetown Street Lexington, KY 40508 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.itnbluegrass.org

Directions:

We are located next to the Rally's where Georgetown Street and Newtown Pike intersect. The entrance to our parking lot and building is located off Georgetown.   Nearest Bus Stop: Right in front of building, 0 minute walk