Transportation Services

Nutrition Site

Older adults may take a bus to the McFarland noon meal site Monday through Friday. Cost is $1 round trip. Contact the Senior Outreach Services Department to arrange a ride.

Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) - Medical Rides

RSVP of Dane County has volunteers who provide rides in their personal cars for older adults. Medical appointments are the primary uses for these rides. Destinations for these rides are Stoughton and Madison. Cost is on a donation basis.

Reservations should be made 2 to 3 business days in advance. Call Jackie Burger between 10 am and 6 pm at 608-838-8443 to reach the coordinator of the rides. Sorry, we are unable to accommodate wheelchairs.

Shopping Trips

A bus is available for McFarland older adults who need transportation for area shopping trips. Check out the following bus services:

• Groceries at Pick 'n Save (McFarland) - Second and fourth Tuesday of the month
• McFarland Local businesses - Second Thursday of the month
• Shopping at Madison stores - First Monday of the month and third Tuesday of the month

Round-trip cost is $2 for in-town and $3 for out-of-town shopping. Contact the Senior Outreach Services Department at 608-838-7117 for details.

RSVP Drivers

New, responsible drivers are needed to take older adults to medical appointments in Stoughton and Madison. Schedules for driving are flexible, so volunteers can designate which days and times they are willing to drive. Mileage is reimbursed for this program. Many seniors rely solely on this form of transportation to get to vital appointments. Call 838-7117 if interested.

RSVP Ride Policy

The RSVP Driver Escort Program is a Dane County service which is coordinated by many local volunteers throughout the county. The County screens potential drivers for driver safety records, and funds the mileage for those authorized to drive seniors to medical appointments. RSVP's policy for all rides is that they are a last resort. Family, friends, and public transportation are expected to be the first means of getting a ride.

Because of a shortage of resources (a tight budget and a low number of drivers), riders are limited to a maximum average of one ride per week for their medical appointments. Although this may be a hardship for some riders, RSVP is providing a valuable service under challenging circumstances. In 2010, RSVP provided over 6,600 rides for the county, which covered 338,000 miles of driving. This cost $169,000 for mileage reimbursement.

We are grateful that this program exists for seniors. For any transportation concerns, please call Senior Outreach at 608-838-7117.