Wichita Transit is trying out a new program it says will help people in food deserts get to grocery stores.
The Point To Point program offers door-to-door transportation to nearby grocery stores using the city’s ParaTransit buses.
“Some people can’t rely on fixed-route service in order to go shopping, either because they can’t walk to a bus stop or maybe because they can't deal with the large number of bags that you get shopping," Transit Director Steve Spade said during a press briefing Thursday.
The rides cost $5 and will run Saturdays through September to a rotation of different grocery stores. Residents should call ahead to reserve a trip by the Friday before. The number is (316) 352-4828.
For now, the pilot project is available only to residents in the area between Oliver and Grove, and between 9th and 21st streets. The neighborhood recently lost its Walmart Neighborhood Market when hundreds of the grocery stores closed worldwide last year.
Spade says after September, the city will look at running the program on an ongoing basis.
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