CRAWFORDSVILLE — If you do not have a car or cannot drive, some places can feel inaccessible. Crawfordsville hopes to open up its city to everyone with a new way to ride.
Sunshine Vans will become an on-demand ride service for all ages, including Wabash College students. The agency will expand thanks to a grant worth more than $250,000 from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The service is currently for seniors only. Sunshine Vans driver Bryan Kessinger said he has seen the need for his rides firsthand.
"I've seen these vans around town for years and I didn't really realize the impact they had," said Kessinger, who started driving Sunshine Vans last October. "They can't get to the doctor and they can't get places without us, so I guess we could be considered lifesavers."
Agency director Belinda Young said they realized the need for expanded transit after surveys were conducted in Crawfordsville and with Wabash College students
"We had a lot of younger individuals explaining to us how they would much rather use public transportation because they don't have access to their own private transportation and would rather support this than an Uber or a Lyft," Young said.
The revamped Sunshine Vans will launch in January 2026. It will add two minibuses to the fleet and develop an app so riders of all ages can call a ride without making a literal phone call.
"For the demographic we are looking to serve in addition to the seniors, it is truly instrumental," Young said.
Kessinger said he is eager to pick up passengers, whether they want a ride or need a ride.
"I love it," Kessinger said. "Everybody is interesting. Everybody has their own story, and I like listening to them."
-
Category 5 Hurricane Melissa traps Hoosiers in Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Monday as a deadly Category 5 storm. The aftermath of the storm has flooded streets, taken down power lines and created widespread damage.
Indianapolis neighborhood uses tactical urbanism to slow speeding drivers
A neighborhood on Indianapolis' east side is taking traffic safety into its own hands by partnering with the city to install temporary traffic calming measures.
Columbus residents raise $50K to save artistic arch over downtown
Landmark Columbus announced it met its $50,000 fundraising goal for InterOculus, the canopy which first covered 4th and Washington streets for the Exhibit Columbus architectural showcase.
Soybean market brightens as China resumes buying U.S. beans
China has agreed to resume purchases of U.S. soybeans, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday during a visit to a family farm.
