SADI shuttle to stop transportation service Friday

After more than 26 years serving the heartland, the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence (SADI) is closing its shuttle service, which transports individuals with disabilities and the elderly.

In a Wednesday news release, SADI executive director Donna Thompson said the management team made “the tough decision” to close the shuttle service after rising costs for ticket sales weren’t enough to offset expenses and upkeep for the “aging fleet” and employee wages.

“I’d like to say money is never an issue, but in the non-profit world, funding allocations are always on the legislative chopping block and grant money is not guaranteed,” Thompson wrote. “Therefore, management decided that instead of patching vehicles and putting more money into the service, it was time to close it down.“

Friday is the final day of operation for the shuttle, according to the release.

Over the years, the shuttle service has transported individuals for medical appointments, shopping, errands and recreation across Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott and Mississippi counties, including the municipalities of Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Fruitland, Dutchtown, Scott City and Chaffee, Missouri.

“There has always been a high demand for our shuttle service,” Thompson said. “The wonderful staff at SADI are responsible for keeping the program running smoothly, and each one in the transportation department has done an amazing job. ... We never considered the shuttle service to be a way to make money; it was a much-needed service for people with disabilities and one that we were proud to provide.”

Though the shuttle will no longer be in service, Thompson wrote SADI offers employment services through the Department of Mental Health. In addition to the transportation service, SADI also runs a day program for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, called SADI CARES.

“Our purpose remains the same, we are here to empower and support people with disabilities so they can live where they want to live, go where they want to go and make their own choices,” Thompson said in the release. “If you are affected by the closing of the SADI Shuttle Service and you need help in locating area transportation, give SADI a call, and we will be happy to assist you.”

Despite the gap in services SADI shuttle riders might feel, other transportation options exist for commuters in the Southeast Missouri area.

Tom Mogelnicki, executive director for the Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority, said CTA is well-prepared to handle any additional transportation needs brought about by SADI’s decision to stop its shuttle.

“We’ll be OK. We’ve bought some additional vehicles ... and we hired five more drivers,” Mogelnicki said Wednesday. “So, we’re set up for it.”

The expansion of CTA’s fleet was in progress prior to SADI’s announcement, Mogelnicki said, and “just happened to work out for the better.”

Mogelnicki said some of the new vehicles purchased for CTA are wheelchair-accessible vans.

“We transport people from St. Louis to Memphis, so it’s not going to be any problem,” he said.

On its website, the CTA states “ADA Complimentary Paratransit is available to individuals who cannot use fixed route services due to a disability.” Additional information may be found under the website’s “public notices” tab, which includes downloadable plans and guides, as well as and ADA complaint procedures form.

For more information about the CTA’s ADA paratransit services, visit www.cgcta.com/public-notices.

Thompson said she remembers the “long hours” it took to get the shuttle service running and thanked those who made the service possible.

“I want to thank our community for the support given to us as we launched and provided the shuttle service,” Thompson wrote. “And thank you to all the people who used the service through the years.”

For more information about programs offered by SADI, call (573) 651-6464 or visit www.sadi.org.