Handi-Bus travels between the Battlefords and Saskatoon (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Keaton Brown

A handi way to travel

Battlefords Handi-Bus Saskatoon medical transit helps patients reach appointments

Aug 13, 2019 | 5:00 PM

Getting to Saskatoon for a medical appointment has never been easier.

The Battlefords Handi-Bus Saskatoon Medical Transit program has run since 2018. It is a Handi-Bus that runs from the Battlefords to Saskatoon for medical appointments and then back home again.

The Saskatoon Medical Transit is reasonably priced at $380, which can be split between all the riders on the bus. Similar trips would cost around $1000 for a cab ride or $1,200 to be transported by ambulance. Handi-Bus encourages people to find additional people to share the bus with to help bring down their own personal cost.

“In 2018 we had so many calls from disabled people or other people that needed help to go to Saskatoon for medical trips. We knew there was a need in our community so we started doing medical runs to Saskatoon whenever they need,” Office Manager Colleen Young said.

The medical transit Handi-Bus runs by appointment only. They accommodate whatever schedule people need to follow for their appointments. They normally depart from the Battlefords at 7:30 a.m. and leave Saskatoon at 3 p.m. but they are flexible with times to help people reach their appointments.

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“People were finding that they could not get to their appointments with specialists in Saskatoon and if they canceled them they could not get in again for sometimes up to another year,” Young added.

The medical transit will take riders directly to their appointments, whether they are at one of the cities hospitals or at a private practice in the city. They will also provide aid to people who do not have someone that can travel with them.

“Our drivers are wonderful, they take them in. There was no aid to go with this gentleman today and they couldn’t find anybody so we said ‘We cannot just do that’ so we sent our manager to assist the driver to take him to his appointment and make sure he is there,” Young said.

The Saskatoon Medical Transit has already chartered three trips this month with two more booked before the end of August.

Anyone interested in booking a charter on the medical transit should call Colleen at 306-445-7797.

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Keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow