Will County Committee Explores Enhanced Transportation Program for Elderly and Disabled Residents

The Will County Ad Hoc Access Committee discussed Thursday a proposed resolution to enhance the county’s Will Ride program by potentially adding ride-share services like Uber and Lyft as backup transportation options when regular service isn’t available.

The proposal, presented by Committee Chair Jim Butler, aims to address a critical issue facing elderly and disabled residents: long wait times after medical appointments when regular transportation services are unavailable or unable to provide timely pickup.

“The main concerns were elderly people that had to schedule a doctor’s appointment and then they go to the doctor and then the doctor’s office was crowded and it took two hours instead of one hour,” Butler explained. “Then they had to wait three hours [for pickup].”

Key elements of the proposed enhancement include:

• Using ride-share services as backup when Will Ride cannot provide pickup within 30 minutes
• Township cost-sharing of $5 per ride
• Focusing on medical appointments and essential services
• Maintaining traditional phone-based scheduling rather than apps, recognizing many seniors’ technology limitations

Kelly Hooky, a Wheatland Township Trustee, provided public comment suggesting the committee consider expanding eligibility criteria to include residents with developmental disabilities. “Independent transportation is transformative,” Hooky said. “It really does change lives.”

Committee members agreed to revise and simplify the resolution before bringing it back for consideration at a future meeting. The changes will include broadening disability criteria while maintaining focus on gradual, responsible program expansion.

“As many people as possible as quickly as possible, but I think it has to be done gradually because that’s just the unfortunate nature of things,” noted one committee member.

The committee will review a revised version of the resolution at its next meeting.