Senior ride programs in Saco, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach in need of volunteers

If there’s a medical complex within 20 miles of Saco, chances are Linda Verville, medical transportation coordinator for Age Friendly Saco, knows where it is. And if she doesn’t, surely one of the dedicated volunteer drivers does.

Verville coordinates a program through which volunteers provide free rides to Saco residents 60 or older to medical appointments. Last year alone, Age Friendly Saco volunteers provided 1400 medical rides using their own cars, and their own gas. They drove 13,989 miles and dedicated 1,278 hours of time, according to data compiled by Age Friendly Saco.

The Saco ride program started in February 2022.

“It was only supposed to be a year-long pilot program,” said Verville. “But here we are. There’s such a need, we decided to continue it. It’s just been growing and growing.”

After establishing a ride program in its home city, Age Friendly Saco received grant money to help Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach Age Friendly groups establish similar ride programs, providing residents 60 and older in their respective communities free rides to medical appointments.

The Old Orchard Beach ride program launched in early 2024. OOB-CFC Volunteer Transportation Service Rides Coordinator David Guay said volunteers in 2025 drove 4,000 miles, and as of mid-March, the number of miles was already at 2,000 for 2026.

“That just goes to show you, that yes, there is a need,” said Guay.

The Biddeford Age Friendly transportation program gave its first ride in December 2023.

Mona Grandbois, transportation director and coordinator for Age Friendly Biddeford, said that first month, there were five riders. Now, she gets 60-70 requests a month.

She said in March that since its inception, the Biddeford ride program had provided 945 rides to medical appointments. She said there were 1,326 requests for rides, and 136 rides did not happen because there wasn’t a driver.

Grandbois said every time she sees in the data system an incident when no rider was available, “it breaks my heart…because it’s just horrible.”

“The thing we need most is drivers,” she said.

The Biddeford program has eight volunteer drivers, and Grandbois also fills some of the gaps and drives people, but it isn’t enough to keep up with the demand.

“The thing we need most is volunteers,” she said.

Guay said in Old Orchard Beach, there are seven volunteer drivers and nearly 100 clients.

“What hurts so much is when a client calls and asks for a ride and I put the word out and unfortunately no one’s available, and I have to tell the client, ‘so sorry,” he said.

Guay said he sees the need increasing, as the aging population grows and more people learn about the medical ride program.

Verville, the coordinator in Saco, has 15 volunteers. She said when the program first started, riders need only give a few days notice. Now, because of the demand, it’s seven days.

“We can always use more volunteers. Always, always, always,” said Verville. “It would nice not to have so much pressure.”

It can get challenging trying to coordinate all the ride requests, and occasionally she can’t make it work. She said sometimes she will refer those needing a ride to BSOOB ride program, which provides transportation within the municipalities of Saco, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach.

Volunteers for the local medical ride programs are interviewed and vetted. Coordinators in all three communities stress that all volunteers help at their own availability. Some may be able to do multiple rides a week, others once a month. Some are snowbirds and are only available for part of the year, and some may need to take a few weeks or a month off for personal reasons. All help is appreciated.

Drivers log into the system at their respective program and sign up for slots on the calendar that they wish to fill.

“They can determine when they’re going to be available,” said Guay. “I don’t assign rides.”

The programs provide rides to medical appointments Monday through Friday, during business hours. Riders must be able to get into a car with no more than arm assistance.

One aspect that sets the three local ride programs apart from other programs is that volunteers don’t just drop off the person at the appointment and take off. They wait while the client is seeing their care provider and then drive them home, so the client doesn’t have to find another ride.

“That is so comforting to people,” said Grandbois.

Many of the drivers for the medical ride programs find they enjoy it.

“They’ve got stories. They talk about their past, and their family, and their struggles – the aches and pains of getting old. And they can be very funny,” said Verville. “It’s like a friendship. You look forward to seeing how they’re doing.”

Pat Boston, a volunteer driver in Biddeford, said she’s met some very interesting people and had some enjoyable conversations.

“It’s like checking in with a neighbor or friend,” she said. “They like to share stories about their past, their family, and what’s going on in their lives.”

Boston said as a retired nurse, she wanted to help older community members age in place by helping them get to their medical appointments.

“They’re extremely grateful. They’re really so appreciative because many don’t have any alternative,” she said. “Some are lonely and don’t have a lot of family in the area.”

Joan Fox, a volunteer driver in Saco, said she looks forward to her scheduled trips.

“I love meeting all the people. Every single person that I’ve met in the past year and a half is a unique person, and they have different personalities and different philosophies of life,” said Fox.

But Fox said there is one way where all the riders are the same.

“They’re in need,” she said. “Every single one of them loves the program. They get in the car and say, ‘this is such a great program. If you didn’t have this I don’t know what I would do.”

Some of the riders live alone, and they need someone to talk to, said Fox.

“When you get in a car with somebody, and it’s a volunteer thing, and there’s no pressure to pay somebody, and you know that the volunteer is probably going to be friendly, you feel comfortable with them,” said Fox.

Verville said there have been times when a driver has heard or seen something from a driver that is concerning, and a referral is made to the police department social worker.

“From my perspective, the volunteers bring in more of a value than just taking people where they need to go. It’s the insight that they gather,” she said.

Guay, the coordinator in Old Orchard Beach, said that many riders don’t know what to expect when they sign up for service, but once they take the first ride, they realize what a great service it is.

“I cannot tell you how many clients have told that they are so happy with the driver they got,” he said.

Biddeford Volunteer Driver Anne Daly said she likes that she can volunteer on her on schedule and the program is providing an important service.

“If you can’t get to the doctor, you’re not going to get better, are you,” she said.

Without this program, many seniors might have to rely on getting an Uber, and might skip appointments if they couldn’t afford a traditional ride service, she said.

Daly said she doesn’t mind waiting for riders during an appointment, she just brings a book with her and reads until they are ready for her to take them home.

Grandbois, the coordinator in Biddeford, said the riders appreciate the friendly drivers who know them by name.

“Our drivers are amazing. They develop relationships with riders. They’re doing something wonderful. They’re providing a service that’s so needed, and they’re providing companionship,” she said. “It’s more than just a transportation program. It’s a social connection.”

She said there was one case where a rider and a driver formed a friendship. The rider moved from Biddeford to the Veterans’ Home in Scarborough, where his former driver now makes regular visits.

Saco residents interested in volunteering can fill out an online contact form. Biddeford residents interested in volunteering can email transportation.afb@gmail.com. Old Orchard Beach residents can go to the Libby Memorial Library at 27 Staples St. and ask for a driver’s package.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.

This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, The Journalists Network on Generations and The Silver Century Foundation.