Seniors get a new bus

Last week, the Manchester Area Senior Citizens Council, Inc. (MASCC), took delivery of a new bus. The bus is used to deliver meals to shut-ins provided by the MASCC, to assist local seniors and other people with disabilities with medical transportation, and some entertainment trips for the seniors' group.

The new bus is built on a Ford F550 chassis with a Hoekstra Goshen body. It is very similar to the organization's current bus; seating a total of 14 regular passengers and two in wheelchairs. The bus will replace a 2010 model with nearly 108,000 miles on it, said MASCC Secretary, Betty Cummings, in a press release.

The delivery is the fruition of about two and a half years' efforts on behalf of the MASCC. In the fall of 2016, it was determined that the aging bus would be eligible for replacement in the 2018 Fiscal Year (which started October 1, 2017), so work started on an application that was due in February 2017. The MASCC application was processed on time and approved by the state, but funding ran out for FY 2018 and the bus was delayed another year.

In February 2018, the seniors had to renew their application. In August, they were notified that funding for FY 2019 had been approved for a bus for the MASCC; specifications were established and the wait began for the bus to be built. When delivery actually took place during the week of June 3, it was the fulfillment of a long and sometimes arduous process.

Funding for the bus came from Section 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program). The Federal government contributed 80% of the funds and the state of Michigan through the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) contributed the remaining 20%.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.