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Many southwest Missouri seniors may soon be temporarily without OATS Transit [1]
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Date: 2025-03-26
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3)—Many seniors across southwest Missouri who rely on transportation services are finding out that some of those services are pausing for many of the rural communities they live in, as some funding is running out.
The good news is that Oats Transit tells KY3 the pause in services to these rural communities is only temporary. But for those who rely on their buses to get to the grocery store or their doctor’s appointments, it’s going to be a long few months.
The temporary pause will be in effect on April 1. According to Oats’ regional director, the non-profit relies on funding from federal resources such as MoDOT and other sources. However, federally, they have to have a 50 percent match from local or state funding, which is where the issue lies, with an organization called Senior Area Agencies on Aging.
“We have been spending the last several weeks looking at where we can consolidate service, where we can kind of reroute funding, or kind of shift funding a little bit from AAA, to maybe where some of our senior tax boards are,” said Rene Frazier, regional director, Oats Transit. “There are some areas that we serve that do not have any other local cash available that I’m aware of.”
According to Frazier, she has contacted different county commissioners and board of alderperson members for different municipalities to see what options may be available. She said those rural communities are really going to feel the impact. Currently, there are multiple bus options each week. People even get picked up from their homes to take them to various destinations. But come April 1, that will change. According to Frazier, Oats will still be available to take people to larger cities such as Springfield.
“We are still able to provide service for those very rural folks to come into Springfield as an example,” said Frazier. “Because we can connect to them to other transit providers like City Utilities transportation, the airport, or Greyhound.”
However, for those who rely on Oats, being transported to a larger city isn’t a great option either.
“Instead of staying in Douglas County, they’re wanting to transport everyone 54 miles into Springfield to do their shopping and then drive them 54 miles back,” said Danielle Pace, who relies on Oats. “So, if you’re doing that, you’re not saving any money at all.”
Pace told KY3 that Oats typically picks her up from her Smallet home. She doesn’t drive herself anymore, and she doesn’t have any family nearby, either. Oats has been a reliable source for her. The transit service will still be able to take her to Springfield from where she is, but the pickup spot is several miles from her home.
“I would either have to walk there to get picked up or have somebody drop me off there to get picked up,” said Pace. “But that does me no good. So, when I get back, whenever that might be, I’ve got groceries. So I’m supposed to take my groceries several miles back home?”
In the meantime, Oats Transit said it hopes things will get back to normal by July 1, the start of the next fiscal year for Senior Area Agencies on Aging.
“That’s what we’re kind of all holding on for,” said Frazier. “But that’s a long three months for people who maybe don’t have any other way to get to their medical appointment, or they’re, you know, to get groceries that they need to get to continue living independently within their own homes.”
KY3 reached out to Senior Area Agencies on Aging, but as of the time of this publication, it had not received a response.
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[1] Url:
https://www.ky3.com/2025/03/26/many-southwest-missouri-seniors-may-soon-be-temporarily-without-oats-transit/
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