Porter County Aging and Community Services Transportation Director Flo Snuffer understands the importance of the agency’s service. She hears directly from clients how the rides are impacting their lives.
“They call me all the time crying that if it wasn’t for the service, they don’t know what they would do,” Snuffer said. “They need to get from Point A to Point B: which includes from the door to the bus. Without our transportation service, you would be talking about thousands of people without a ride.”
PCACS has been providing door-to-door demand response transportation service for more than 50 years for residents of Porter County, including seniors and people with disabilities. Appointment-based rides are $1 one-way and financial assistance is available.
“We constantly see the deep roots that our service, drivers and staff have established in our community,” said PCACS Executive Director Bruce Lindner. “Despite financial challenges, we always strive to offer a consistent transportation program for those residents who are so in need of our service.”
Snuffer said dialysis patients are especially reliant on the rides to their treatments.
“For some, there is no surviving out there without the rides,” Snuffer said. “We have a wonderful service.”
Snuffer began her career with PCACS 32 years ago behind the wheel as a back-up driver.
“This is my first and only job. My neighbor, Wanda Wilson - who is now retired - told me they needed back-up drivers,” Snuffer said. “I was hired and started the next day.”
She was on the road for 17 years before taking over the transportation department’s lead 15 years ago. Her duties include creating the daily manifest of the drivers’ routes, taking calls for appointments, coordinating maintenance of the vehicles, and managing the mailing and banking services for the office.
“The difference in the office is I don’t have the face-to-face with people that I had when I was out there as a driver. I loved that part,” Snuffer said. “I love people. I am a people person. I enjoy knowing that I am doing something useful and helping people – that makes me feel good.
“People come and go (at PCACS), but here I am. Now, I feel like I am a fixture here.”
PCACS’ mission is to extend a helping hand to seniors, those with disabilities and low-income residents by providing services to improve their quality of life, including transportation, nutrition programs, energy assistance and activity centers.
For more information, visit www.portercountyacs.org