Senior Van

General Information
Did you know that the Town of Essex is the only municipality in the state of Vermont to offer free Senior Van transportation for residents? Any resident of the Essex Town community, over the age of 60, may use the senior van for in-town rides at no cost. Examples of how our seniors use the van: are doctor appointments, trips to the gym, hair and nail appointments, grocery shopping, or visiting friends/family. There are even a few locations across the border into Williston and Colchester where transportation is provided for medical appointments.

The vans are equipped with a wheelchair lift and operate weekly during daytime hours.  

Leave the Driving to Us
As a precautionary measure, we ask that riders experiencing Covid-19 related symptoms, please refrain from scheduling rides until symptom-free. Masking is optional at this time.

How to schedule your ride:
First, please complete and return the Van Service Application: Van Ride Application

Please call the van phone line at 802-878-6940 on Mondays between 9 am-2 pm to schedule your rides for that week. Leave a message with pertinent information (Name, address, phone number, destination, day, and time of appointment), and a staff member will call and confirm your ride later in the day after 2 pm. Mondays will now be the call-in day for any appointment/ transportation need for the whole week.  You will not need to call the day before an appointment going forward.  If you call for a ride AFTER 2 pm, your reservation is not guaranteed.  If this is an urgent appointment, please call 802-876-5087 and leave a message for Nicole.   She will be in contact with you and if accommodations can be made, she will confirm your transportation need at that time. 

The van currently provides rides on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9-2 pm.

*Inclement weather: should the Essex Westford School District cancel school due to inclement weather, the Essex Senior Vans will also cancel service for that day. 

We will communicate updates and/or any changes and encourage everyone to follow updated information provided by the Center of Disease Control and VT Department of Health.   https://www.healthvermont.gov/ and https://www.cdc.gov/

Please remember that information and services are subject to change at any time related to driver availability and/or COVID-19 guidance from the Governor’s office.

BEFORE YOU CALL FOR A RIDE AND ON THE DAY OF YOUR RIDE:

Please review the following questionnaire.  If you answer YES to any of the questions, please cancel your appointment or find alternate transportation.
1.) Do you have any of the following?
-Fever – an oral temperature of 100.4 or greater
-Shortness of breath within the most recent 2 weeks
-Cough
-Chills
-Muscle pain

2.) Are you ill or caring for someone who is ill? (Visitors who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should indicate as much).