[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 491--RECOGNIZING THE INDEPENDENT TRANSPORTATION 
  NETWORK OF AMERICA ON THE OCCASION OF PROVIDING 1,000,000 RIDES TO 
       OLDER AND VISUALLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. King) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 491

       Whereas the number of people of the United States aged 65 
     and older is projected to more than double from 46,000,000 
     today to almost 100,000,000 by the year 2060, when people of 
     the United States aged 65 or older will represent nearly a 
     quarter of the total population of the United States;
       Whereas transportation is necessary for access to the basic 
     necessities of life and most people of the United States 
     outlive their decision to stop driving by more than a decade;
       Whereas 3 out of 4 older people in the United States live 
     in rural and suburban communities that lack the density for 
     traditional transportation solutions;
       Whereas the scarcity of transportation for older people of 
     the United States leads to social isolation, diminishing 
     quality of life, limited access to health care services, and 
     a strain on families and caregivers;
       Whereas the Independent Transportation Network of America 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``ITNAmerica'') is a 
     nonprofit transportation network company that integrates 
     social capital through volunteerism and local community 
     support with traditional capital to increase the resources 
     available to meet the mobility needs of older people, 
     visually challenged people, and the families of older and 
     visually challenged people;
       Whereas the average age of ITNAmerica riders is 84, and 58 
     percent of riders are 85 years and older;
       Whereas ITNAmerica has built Rides in Sight, a searchable, 
     online database of all senior transportation services in the 
     United States, with 15,000 services catalogued, and offers it 
     to the public as a free service; and
       Whereas ITNAmerica has provided 1,000,000 rides to older 
     and visually challenged people of the United States and, of 
     those rides--
       (1) 40 percent were for the purpose of obtaining health 
     care services;
       (2) 21 percent were for people who are visually challenged; 
     and
       (3) 44 percent have been provided by volunteer drivers: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the volunteers and staff of the 
     Independent Transportation Network of America in communities 
     across the United States for the 1,000,000 rides they have 
     provided to older and visually challenged people, their 
     families, and their communities;
       (2) recognizes the Independent Transportation Network of 
     America as a nonprofit transportation network company that 
     serves the common good and has helped people remain in their 
     own homes and communities after they can no longer drive 
     safely; and
       (3) anticipates many more millions of rides in the future 
     as the Independent Transportation Network of America helps to 
     meet the mobility needs of older and visually challenged 
     people and the needs of small and rural communities across 
     the United States.

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