Public Transport and Independence: How Sunshine Rides Helps Seniors Stay Connected

(0:00:00) Hello and welcome to Comfort Conversations. My name is Erin Youngblood. I am the owner of Comfort Keepers. Based in Durango, however, we are serving Montezuma County, La Plata County, and also…

(0:00:13) San Juan County, New Mexico. So we are doing comfort conversations because as a team and myself, we have always wanted to help educate seniors and loved ones about aging, the process of aging, resources that are available, good topics that people would like more information on. So if you would like to see any of our past episodes, you can go to ckdurango.com. We’re working on putting more up all the time.

(0:00:42) And we also are working on doing more podcasts and having more space places that these podcasts are available. So thank you for joining us. And today I am excited to have our guests from Sunshine Rides. I have Corey Lunn and Maria Sage. Welcome. It’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you. Thank you. So Maria was telling me before that she had taken.

(0:01:09) Marie, I’m sorry. I said Maria. Sorry, Marie, that you had taken a broadcasting class. And so here you are, your debut on the radio. Yes, I did. Thank you. In high school. Okay. So it’s just a couple years ago. That’s right. Just a couple years. So you’re good, Marie. And if I say Maria, I should probably change that on my notes. And Corey, what about you? Did you want to be a broadcaster? No, that was never my goal.

(0:01:36) I wanted to be a ship captain and actually worked as one for 15 years before I moved to Durango and joined Sunshine Rides. Wow. You seem to have quite the history. You also mentioned you were on a show once, a reality show. I was. I was on Make Me a Millionaire Inventor on MSNBC. And I asked you, well, did you win? But I think probably if you won, you probably would be on a boat somewhere if you wanted to be a captain, right? I might have had a very different career path.

(0:02:04) Yes, I imagine so. But it sounds like you like to do a lot of different things. So tell me a little bit about Sunshine Rides and how you both got to be a part of Sunshine Rides and what your role is with Sunshine Rides. So I actually started out in transportation when it was Cortez and Durango Cab with the previous local owner.

(0:02:34) Kelly Milan, who owns Sunshine Rides. So I just transferred as a manager for Ed Gilbert to Sunshine Rides to Kelly Milan. Okay, great. And so you’ve been in transportation for quite some time then? Eight years. Eight years, so you’re a pro. That’s great. And you said you were a CNA before, so you do understand. How long were you a CNA? I was a CNA and home health aide for…

(0:02:58) About 20 years. Wow. I said I was going to try and recruit you, but Corey said, no, you can’t do that. So I’m not going to do that. But home care is tough, you know, working with individuals that need the support and the CNAs and the caregivers are the crucial part of our business. I know we have, I think, 55 employees that are out in the field.

(0:03:21) doing home care. So you understand it’s not always easy. And those people, you included, just have the biggest hearts of anyone I know. So I’m grateful to be on those teams and grateful to be talking to you guys today. And so, Corey, how about you? I joined the Sunshine Rides team just a couple years ago, right when they were making the transition to being owned by Kelly and Sunshine Rides.

(0:03:50) The company’s been really great for me. I’ve really enjoyed working with them and quickly moved up to being the Durango manager. Very nice. Very nice. And I met you guys at the beer fest a while back, right? That’s right. And I said, oh, my gosh, I’ve been wanting to get you guys on the show. I remember when I first started seeing Sunshine Ride vehicles around town, and now it seems like I see them all the time.

(0:04:18) Yeah, we have a pretty good-sized fleet now and a lot of drivers working for us. And so how many? Right now we just got up to 23 drivers, and I believe we have five office staff that do dispatching and bookings. Okay. Well, I spoke to several individuals. I haven’t talked to Kelly, but I’ve heard great things, and I’ve talked to Alan and your marketer as well.

(0:04:44) Liz, okay. And everyone just seems so friendly and so proud of what you guys are doing. That has come across to me. So that’s fantastic and obviously a great resource, a great need for our communities. So tell me more about the areas that you serve. So we serve as Montezuma County, Dolores County, up into Dove Creek. And that’s just, Corey and myself, we do.

(0:05:12) Southwest, basically. So Durango, La Plata County, up into Hermosa and stuff like that. How about Bayfield area? Bayfield, yes. Viaceto, Forest Lakes. All of it. All of it. Okay. Okay, great. I’ve got these guys too. Up into like Pagosa Springs. Okay, I was going to ask Archuleta County a little bit. We have to work with, you know, the cab company that’s there in Pagosa.

(0:05:35) We will take over if they can’t do theirs. Okay. Corey’s having to steal the microphone. We don’t have two. So that’s the region that Marie and I take care of. But Sunshine Rides itself is based out of Grand Junction. Okay. They have a huge operation up there with at least 80 cabs. And we’ve also moved out to the Front Range. We’re in Denver and Colorado Springs. And we’re moving into a lot of the mountain towns in central Colorado, too.

(0:06:02) Oh, that’s fantastic. So for any listeners that are not based here, you can look up Sunshine Rides. And is it just Colorado? For right now. For right now. For right now. Okay. So you have, I know I’ve talked to Alan a little bit about potentially expanding into New Mexico as well. Other states maybe? I think we are looking at that in the future. We are looking at that in the future from what I have heard. Okay. Well, that’s great. Well, you guys are obviously, again, there’s a big need, especially in rural communities.

(0:06:31) I see all the time people that aren’t able to drive anymore, and they need transportation, and it doesn’t come easy, and especially in rural areas. So thank you for what you do. Thank you. And so how do people pay for – let’s get all the stuff out of the way. How do people pay for Sunshine Rides? So you can do – we do on-demand, which is cash or credit card pickups, drop-offs, and we also do Medicaid.

(0:07:01) So if you qualify for Medicaid, there’s a potential that you qualify for rides through Medicaid. Okay. Okay. And so how does someone get started with you guys? So you just call our office.

(0:07:14) It’s all sevens, 970. The rest is 777-7777. You can’t forget that. 970-777-7777. Give us a call. We take down your information, name, phone number, your Medicaid ID, and we get you set up in the system. And from there, you can start taking rides. Okay. Well, that sounds easy enough. And veterans, is there a veteran benefit? I know I was talking to Alan about that, but I don’t think we’ve gotten anywhere on that.

(0:07:42) There is not right now because we have a veteran DAV place in Cortez. And I believe there is one in Durango also. Okay. Well, we talked earlier, you know, you guys are a great resource for the community. So if someone has any questions, they can reach out, I presume. Yes. Okay. One of the things I know have noticed in our communities is I feel like I’m talking really loud. One of the things I’ve noticed is we get a lot of calls at Comfort Keepers.

(0:08:11) People asking for a ride from a surgery. Have you heard that? And have you overcome the obstacle of the person needing to have a family member or a caretaker pick them up? It’s a really interesting timing on this question. This is something that we’re working on internally right now as we speak, especially with some of the local facilities. And different places have different requirements.

(0:08:40) Um, for right now, uh, we, we can pick people up who’ve been under anesthesia as long as they don’t require medical care during the transportation. Okay. Well, Corey, that’s where we come in. You know, I have, I have nurses too. We’re a, we’re a class A license agency, which means we provide medical and non-medical. So I actually have RNs on staff that can do medical. They can, um, you know, help with medications, all of those things.

(0:09:10) I would love for us to help solve this problem together if we can. If you ever need a caregiver to come with, you can maybe pick them up first, pick up the person, something like that. Yeah, absolutely. As long as there’s a caregiver riding along, then we can do that. But our company essentially does NEMT work, which is non-emergency medical transportation. Okay.

(0:09:32) So but you’re working on working with those entities that have the requirements saying you can’t just send someone home who’s been under anesthesia. But you’re trying to help solve that problem. Absolutely. Yes. That’s so fantastic. So we need to continue these conversations outside because it breaks my heart all the time. We want to help people and we do as much as we can. But it’s not always easy to have a caregiver, you know, just available at the drop of a hat for.

(0:10:00) a ride pickup. Sure. Not everyone has that easily available. Exactly. It’s, it’s tough sometimes, but we, and we’ve done a lot of it where, you know, people will say, I have a hip surgery. I, this is the day. Can you pick me up? We also help people when they transition home with meal prep, get their meds in order, run to the grocery store, make sure they’re all settled in. So again, some really great opportunity for some collaboration. That sounds like for sure. That sounds like really great work you guys are doing.

(0:10:27) Well, thanks. I appreciate it. And you too. So again, that’s just been a big problem I’ve known people experience. And I imagine in other areas they experience that as well. So I like that you guys are starting with the facilities and going from there. And again, I think we could partner. So we’ll keep talking about that. That’s why I love doing this show for one. I learned so much about what other people are doing and they learn what we’re doing. And it’s like, hey, wait a second. Why don’t we work together? Absolutely. Yeah, we would love to.

(0:10:55) Can I add that there is also another option if you have Medicaid, if you can speak with community connections in your area. Okay, perfect. You may qualify. They can evaluate somebody for non-medical transportation, which is essentially like recreation. Like if you need to go to the store, if you need to go, if you want to go,

(0:11:20) to the park to go for a walk. So that is also available if you work with community connections then they can get that to us and we can do all of your transportation needs. That’s great. And that’s all through Medicaid. So Comfort Keepers is private pay and unfortunately so we don’t accept Medicaid. Medicare does not cover non-medical care in the home which a lot of people don’t know that so I’m going to throw that out there as well. But

(0:11:50) So we just have like one rate when we do transportation. But again, there’s this whole package, this whole ability to have more support when you’re going through what can be a difficult time. So Medicaid is a great option to know for you guys. I’m watching the clock, but I have glasses on and I can see close, but I can’t see far. So I have to take the glasses off.

(0:12:11) And they’re kind of dirty. So, okay, Medicaid and people call you, 970-777, all the sevens. Do you have a website? We do have a website, sunshinerides.com. Okay, so a lot of great information. People can get that. And if you live anywhere in Colorado, it sounds like Sunshine Rides is pretty well across the state. Yeah.

(0:12:34) Yes, we are. Okay. And then if someone lives in another state, they can reach out to their local senior center, local area agency on aging, and find out who takes Medicaid in your community if you or a loved one needs transportation.

(0:12:49) Right? Corey, you’re wanting to say something. Steal the microphone. No, yeah, absolutely. In other states, there’s plenty of other companies like ours. Okay, we’ll be right back. I went over time. Hey, Durango, this is Jack Llewellyn inviting you to tune in every Saturday from 4 to 5 for Durango Digs on KDGO 98.3 FM and 1240 AM.

(0:13:10) We’re talking with business owners, nonprofits, and community leaders to bring you the stories that make our town thrive. Want to know what’s happening in Durango? Who’s making a difference? What’s coming next? Durango Digs has you covered. Join the conversation Saturdays at 4 o’clock on KDGO.

(0:13:28) Welcome back to Comfort Conversations. This is Erin Youngblood with Comfort Keepers. We are providing medical and non-medical care in individual homes who want to stay at home and who maybe need a little extra support from companionship, meal prep, light housekeeping, all the way to 24-7 care. If someone wants to be at their home and can’t do a lot, we’re there to help and support families as well as the clients.

(0:13:57) If you have questions for me, Erin Youngblood, you can send me an email at ck964 at comfortkeepers.com and or you can give us a call at 970-515-7055. I’d love to hear from our listeners if you have an idea for the show or you want to be a guest on the show, even better.

(0:14:19) I’m starting to run out of ideas, I feel like, so I’m having to get really creative. But I started this show with my team because it was really important to me to help educate individuals on aging. I think it’s a topic that we do not talk about enough, and people all of a sudden get into a crisis or aging or a loved one, and they’re like, well…

(0:14:40) Who pays for what? How does how does this work? There’s so many different dynamics. And so I’m proud of of what we’re doing. And you can check out past episodes at CK Durango dot com. Last week we had beyond the care, which was a great conversation with one of my teammates, Emma and Dana. And so you can check that out.

(0:15:03) And also today we’re talking about keeping your independence with public transportation. It’s a really important topic and a piece that can help. Transportation can help individuals stay independent longer and still have the autonomy without risking maybe their lives or other lives if they are not able to drive, whether it’s an aging or a medical issue, something like that. Right. So I have Sunshine Rides today. Corey Lunn and Marie Sage.

(0:15:32) Both representing Sunshine Rides. Over the break, you guys said that you both started out as drivers. That’s interesting. Yes, I started out as a driver eight years ago when I started for Cortez and Durango Cab before it was Sunshine Rides. Do you have like the one story that sticks out? Um…

(0:15:50) I’m putting you on the spot. Yeah, because I do have one, but it’s not really one I could say on the air. It’s not appropriate. But we just work with so much of the community, not just there, but, you know…

(0:16:05) all cultures. And it’s just, I just enjoy being in the car. I kind of miss it being in the car, being able to talk to people. So I don’t have a specific one. There’s, there’s a lot. Okay. Corey was jumping at the bit. Do you have one? He does probably.

(0:16:24) Yeah, I started as a driver also. And when I first started, it immediately became clear how rewarding the job was building relationships with our customers in the cars with us. One that I remember was an elderly woman who went to the theater every Tuesday and she would meet with a friend there. And it was something she would not have been able to do if we weren’t providing the service. Yeah.

(0:16:51) Flori, that’s a great story. That totally makes me feel good. Thank you for sharing that. And that’s exactly what we’re talking about, is that freedom and that independence. Because I lost my dad a couple years ago, and he had a situation where he wasn’t able to drive. And he loved to go to the gym. He worked out. He was very active. And it was crushing for him.

(0:17:16) to not be able to drive and they were very rural him and his my stepmom and so it was really tough for him to get transportation to those activities yeah sure we we uh when when we are drivers we get to talk to a lot of the people about that they tell us their stories and and how they got to where they are and the difficulties that they’re facing and uh it’s really interesting to hear all that

(0:17:41) I bet they probably get their favorite drivers and vice versa, right? Oh, they sure do. Yeah. And yeah, it’s just so much fun to build those bonds with them. That’s nice. So you said you’re non-medical transportation.

(0:17:57) That’s correct. So non-emergency. So two doctor’s appointments. What are some other you mentioned going to the park or different things? What are common rides that you’re picking up for people, for our seniors especially?

(0:18:13) Yeah, the things you just listed are really common. We take people to appointments at the doctor’s office and hospitals. We take them to pick up prescriptions. Marie’s whispering sweet nothing. What do you say? Oh, I was saying that we do take some of them to church. Oh, yeah. A lot of their…

(0:18:31) you know, groups that they may have where they play cards or get with the elder to the senior center. Oh, great. And for lunches. Oh, that’s fantastic. It’s socially socialization is so huge for people and isolation is one of the biggest, um,

(0:18:48) you know, factors in someone’s overall health. If they’re isolating, you know, and not getting out there, they’re declining in a much quicker rate. And I don’t have the percentages of that, but we’ve talked about that on this show too. We have, um, we sometimes are the only people they get to talk to with a real conversation. Yeah. So that’s, I think what gets my heart is when I was driving was just being able to listen to them so that they could get out there, you know, vent or,

(0:19:18) just have somebody to talk to right cory what are you going to say um yeah and and more than that along with their health uh like we will often take people to manna where they can get food that’s great resources like that okay great so a lot of different opportunities and so uh what are your business hours like what are the operation hours oh marie’s laughing yeah i’ll let marie answer that it’s a little complicated

(0:19:44) Yes, it is. So for our Montezuma-Cortez area in the southwest, we do 6 o’clock in the morning to 10 at night, Sunday through Thursday. And on Friday and Saturday, we do 6 in the morning and 10.

(0:20:00) midnight in durango in la plata area we do she doesn’t have this written down so this is really a test we do monday tuesday wednesday or monday and tuesday sorry sunday monday and tuesday are six in the morning until

(0:20:21) 10 and then Wednesday, Thursday till midnight, Friday, Saturday until 2 in the morning. We do have a 4 a.m. shift.

(0:20:34) Every day except for Sunday. Oh, so if someone needs a ride to the airport, you do that. I mean, we’re focusing on seniors care, but you also take people. Yeah, we do on-demand transportation, which is, you know, you call, we come and get you and take you to the airport to anywhere else. Okay, okay. Well, we have about a minute and a half before we end this segment, and so I don’t want to get too deep into something, but…

(0:20:59) Is it a good time to talk about rates, or do we want to defer to the next segment when we have a little more time? Oh, we can sum it up pretty quickly. There’s a $6 pickup fee, and then it’s $4 per mile after that. Oh, it’s just standard that way? That’s it. Wow, I didn’t know that. And it’s the same rate whether it’s a person calling for taxi service or on Medicaid.

(0:21:22) Okay, okay. And so, okay, say that one more time. I need to digest. $6 pickup. That’s right. It’s a $6 pickup fee, and then we charge $4 per mile after that. Okay, well, great. I’m going to remember that when I need a ride to the airport. Oh, yeah. Go ahead, Marie. We also have wheelchair transportation available. Great. Okay. We could do that for Medicaid. We do that for cash and credit card also. Their pickup rate is a little bit different due to the training and the vehicle.

(0:21:52) Okay. So someone who needs wheelchair accessibility, you have that, which is fantastic. Yes. Okay. So tell us your phone number and your website, and we’ll end there. Phone number for Sunshine Rides is 970-777-7777. I’m glad they’re not sixes. The…

(0:22:15) The website is sunshinerides.com. All right. And this is Erin Youngblood with Comfort Keepers. You can go to ckdurango.com to hear past episodes and reach out. And we’ll be right back. Hey, Durango, this is Jack Llewellyn inviting you to tune in every Saturday from 4 to 5 for Durango Digs on KDGO 98.3 FM and 1240 AM.

(0:22:39) We’re talking with business owners, nonprofits, and community leaders to bring you the stories that make our town thrive. Want to know what’s happening in Durango? Who’s making a difference? What’s coming next? Durango Digs has you covered. Join the conversation Saturdays at 4 o’clock on KDGO.

(0:22:57) Welcome back to Comfort Conversations. My name is Erin Youngblood, owner of Comfort Keepers. Today I’m here with Sunshine Rides. They have great shirts, so when I get stuck, I look at your shirt. Sunshine Rides, our topic is keeping your independence with public transportation. And I want to just say if you have ideas for a future show or have questions, you can reach out to ck964 at comfortkeepers.com.

(0:23:24) Or call me, Aaron, at 970-515-7055. And Marie was asking me on a break about our services in Cortez. And I forgot to mention before that we provide care for veterans at no charge to them. And that just comes from a referral.

(0:23:44) I have to breathe. I’m not breathing. A referral from the veterans doctor physician. And they approve anywhere from a lot of 11 hours a week up to, you know, higher amounts if that person needs care. But that’s been amazing and a great part of our business and a great joy for us and honor to be able to provide care to veterans.

(0:24:09) And then we also have what’s called a guide program. And we are partnering with a company out of, they’re up in the front range. And it’s for anyone who has a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. And they get approved through this company. And then they get, I think it’s like $2,500 a year for care. And we’re one of the agencies that provide that care.

(0:24:35) So we then get the referral and then we set up services and it really helps for those individuals who are caregivers for someone with dementia, Alzheimer’s and give them some respite. So that’s been really a fantastic program locally. It’s fairly new and we’re happy to be a part of that too. So I’ll give you more information about that and

(0:24:57) You guys can know all these things about, too, what we do. So if you ever have someone that has a need, you know, and even if we can’t care for them, my team is amazing in helping people just connect them with resources.

(0:25:12) It’d be great to have that information yet to pass on to our clients. Absolutely. And it’s really important for people to have a place that they could go and ask questions. You know, we have individuals, for example, on long term care insurance, and those policies can be daunting to read. So we help them read through that and explain or we help connect them where to go to get Medicaid or, you know, just a lot of different things.

(0:25:37) You know, so a lot of great, great services out in our communities. And then there’s some areas that are lacking, which one is transportation. So you’re feeling a need and sounds like you’re doing it with such joy and honor. And that’s great. And so winter is here. You guys are providing services. You mentioned, you know, Monday, seven days a week, hours, usually 6 a.m. goes to 10, sometimes 7.

(0:26:03) Later into the night for individuals maybe who are out late and need a ride home. Airport rides, medical appointments, movie theaters. And so your hours are very broad, which is fantastic. And come snow or rain or sleet, you’re there. Yep, we’re running no matter what the weather is. And our drivers are all very experienced in dealing with winter weather.

(0:26:24) OK, well, tell us about that. I know you want to talk about your staffing and which is really important because people that are utilizing your service, just like ours, they want to know what are you doing for your staff? How do you screen them? How do you train them? Right. And so tell us about that. It is a really big deal, especially since we do Medicaid transportation. There’s a higher standard our drivers have to meet, but we really go above and beyond that also.

(0:26:49) When we bring drivers on board, they undergo state and federal background checks, motor vehicle record checks. We do drug test our drivers. They undergo DOT physicals and sex offender checks. And then on top of that, they’re all trained in CPR and first aid.

(0:27:08) They take defensive driving courses. They take courses on wheelchair securement. And then also a course that’s called Certified Transportation Specialist that really focuses on dealing with elderly people and people with disabilities and working with them with compassion. That’s fantastic.

(0:27:27) So it takes a lot to be a driver. It does. Yeah. Okay. And so a great commitment for your drivers. Do they take tips? Our drivers do take tips. Yep. Absolutely. Is that mandatory? No, no, no one’s required to tip. That’s always up to the individual, but we really love it when they do. Okay. Okay. Good to know. And you know, for those on Medicaid too, I’m sure that makes it a little more challenging. And if you’re utilizing that insurance, there’s, you know, may or may not be tipping and

(0:27:56) Yeah, it’s okay if someone can’t, don’t feel pressured to have to tip, I would assume. Absolutely, especially the Medicaid passengers. There is no pressure to tip. Okay, okay. So, we were talking about independence and freedom. What else do you want to say about that? I’m going to put you on the spot again. Well, we touched on it a little bit earlier, but…

(0:28:23) Getting to the doctor’s appointments and prescriptions is a certain type of freedom. But then also, like we touched on, those non-medical transportation rides that are provided through Medicaid or if they want to pay cash or credit card for rides, it does give them the freedom to go shopping on their own or…

(0:28:43) Go pick up gifts for the for the family for the holidays or or visit other relatives. That’s great. Sure. With Christmas right around the corner for those that celebrate, you know, yeah, being able to get a ride to someone’s home or I love that idea of.

(0:29:00) Being able to shop. So if if I had a client, a senior client who wanted to go to, you know, Walmart to go shopping, would you drop them off or do you wait for them? How does that work? Marie keeps giving this little chuckle. I love it.

(0:29:19) So yes, we do. When it comes to cash paying or credit card paying customers, we can wait for them. It is an extra charge to wait. It’s $2 a minute to wait for those particular clients.

(0:29:34) Now, when it comes to Medicaid or the non-medical, we do take them to their appointment, drop them off, and then they call when they’re completely done with their appointment and call us back. Same with the non-medical because we cannot charge the wait time for that. And in general, we don’t have a lot of, unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of time to wait as busy as we can get during the

(0:30:00) week okay so someone they need to go to their doctor’s appointments at nine in the morning they’re there till 10 do they what’s the wait time usually like for them to get the ride back home um it’s kind of hard to say it depends on what is going on that day since we are on demand also it’s a pretty much we go in in order of the call that’s taken so it can sometimes be up to an hour

(0:30:28) We are trying to, of course, hire more drivers so that that is not the case. We would like to keep it under 15. Okay. So give a shout out to hiring. Go for it. We would love to have some more drivers come and join us. It’s hourly pay. We have the cabs. The company provides a gas card. We do the maintenance on the vehicles in-house. You’re driving people around. It’s honestly.

(0:30:57) The easiest and most rewarding job I’ve had in my 53 years. Okay, great. So if someone wants to apply, what do they do? Indeed.com. Look for professional driver of passengers. Okay.

(0:31:13) Corey, you’re just shaking your head. No one can see you doing that. Just a reminder. Yeah, no, Marie’s hitting it all on the head. We also do have benefits for our drivers when they’ve been with us for a while. They get paid time off. They get sick time off.

(0:31:29) When there’s a problem with the vehicle, they just report it. We take care of it. It’s not like an Uber where they have to pay for all that stuff out of their own pocket. So are they using their own cars? Nope. All of our vehicles are Sunshine Rides-owned vehicles. They have Sunshine Rides branding on the vehicles. Drivers provide tablets with all the electronics they need to operate all the apps and work with dispatch and communicate and everything they need. Do they take the car home or do they drop it to somewhere and then…

(0:31:58) you know, come back and pick it up in the morning. We have facilities in each city where they drop off the vehicle. Okay. So they’re not taking them home. And so obviously they need to have a clean background check. They need to be willing to be trained and specific training, like you said, for individuals with disability, any type of modifications that someone might have.

(0:32:21) Absolutely. And the company pays for all that training. Okay, great. So paid time for training. You do the background checks, which we do all of those same background checks. So that’s very extensive. I can speak from experience, right? We also pay our training too. So those are really nice perks for people. And are you hiring in all the counties that we serve here in Southwest Colorado?

(0:32:45) Right now at the moment, we’re really mostly looking for Durango. Okay. So if anyone’s interested, go to Indeed.com, look for Sunshine Rides, drivers, and can they call if they have a question specifically? Absolutely, yeah. Okay. So that 970-777-777-777. Or your website is Sunshine… SunshineRides.com. SunshineRides.com. Okay. So I love that we spoke about…

(0:33:14) you know, not only are you getting someone from point A to B, but you’re also for some people providing stimulation, conversation, you know, support through conversation and resources too, because if your drivers know that maybe that person’s struggling, you know, how, how does, how do you train your, your drivers to say, no, that, you know, maybe this person might benefit from meals on wheels. Maybe they complete, they state that they’re not getting enough to eat.

(0:33:43) Well, we train our drivers to look for ways to connect with the passengers. And then from there, they can take the conversation in those directions. I do have some very compassionate drivers, I will say. If there’s an issue with a client where they are needing something.

(0:34:05) We try to do our best, even though that’s kind of not in our line of work, but we do try our best to get them to a resource. We’ve had a client in Montezuma County who didn’t have a walker. My mom had hip surgery recently, didn’t need her walker anymore. So I just was like, here, take this gentleman and let him use it. So we do, our drivers really pay attention. They really listen.

(0:34:32) They want to help as much as possible. Okay. Well, one time one of our drivers discovered that one of our passengers, their heater in their house had failed and they have…

(0:34:46) And winter was coming. The cold was coming. And he actually went out there himself and fixed it for them. Oh, wow. So compassionate individuals paying attention. And, you know, again, I’d love, you know, I’d love to put my brochure in your car or have give your provide your drivers with maybe a resource guide that they can hand out if someone needs resources. You know, if there’s anything we can do to support that, because that’s what it takes. Right. All eyes on individuals because someone may not mention that their heat is not working.

(0:35:15) to their doctor, but they mention it to the person driving them to the appointment. So it’s really valuable. Absolutely. Yeah. We have a place on the back of the seats for literature and things like that. Oh, okay. Well, can I put mine in there? Sure. Absolutely. Like something that’s, you know, you know, relevant to our area and maybe aging. Yeah, absolutely. In fact, just recently we added.

(0:35:38) To the backs of the seats so that the passengers can see a kit that has granola bars, water, tissues, hand sanitizer, and all sorts of little things to help. Oh, well, you know what? I can maybe give you guys something else, too. Like, I just ordered some nail clippers. You know, something like that. Well, we’re going to be talking because I already love so much of this. This is fantastic. So we have just under a minute before we need to take a break.

(0:36:04) I would love to talk maybe next segment, so don’t let me forget, about how the actual process looks. You’ve mentioned it, but I believe you have an app? Yes. Okay, so we want to talk a little bit about that, the convenience, the accessibility, how easy it is for people, and for people who maybe don’t.

(0:36:26) function in the world with electronics as well absolutely so we want to talk about that too for sure i know with our clients um you know a lot of our caregivers help drive them but there’s also people that i would like for them to get a ride with you guys so that it’s not costing the client you know if they have a medicaid most of our clients and you know 90 don’t but there’s always occasion or the guide clients there’s room for help there

(0:36:53) So we’re going to take our last break and we’ll be right back with Sunshine Rides.

(0:36:57) Hey Durango, this is Jack Llewellyn inviting you to tune in every Saturday from 4 to 5 for Durango Diggs on KDGO 98.3 FM and 1240 AM. We’re talking with business owners, non-profits, and community leaders to bring you the stories that make our town thrive. Want to know what’s happening in Durango? Who’s making a difference? What’s coming next? Durango Diggs has you covered. Join the conversation Saturdays at 4 o’clock on KDGO. Welcome back to…

(0:37:26) My name is Erin Youngblood. I’m the owner of Comfort Keepers here based in Durango, also serving Montezuma County and San Juan County, New Mexico.

(0:37:36) Today I am with Sunshine Rides, and I keep wanting to say Sunshine Gardens sometimes, and I actually have met with them. We have a story with Sunshine Gardens, a conversation. We do go there frequently. I’m sure you do, and so it’s great to hear more of levels of care, which I’ve done quite a few of these, as my team has as well. But anyway, back to the task at hand. So keeping your independence with public transportation. We focus a lot on…

(0:38:04) You know, for seniors, their families, someone who can’t drive, what a great service you’re offering in Montezuma County, La Plata County, up through Archuleta, and in rural areas. We talked about that, right? And I did get to hear the story behind the scenes of some interesting rides that you had that we’re not going to share. But, you know, it is interesting.

(0:38:27) Because people tend to probably, it’s like going to the hairdresser. You kind of just chat away, right? I’m the same. So someone gets in the car, they may again say things that they maybe haven’t said to anyone else. Someone mentioned their heat was out. Someone needed a walker. So you had maybe Corey, another story that you wanted to share or a synopsis of stories. I’m not sure. Sure. There’s a lot of times where we make those really personal connections.

(0:38:54) a time that I picked up a gentleman who had just found out his cancer diagnosis, and he was in a pretty low spot at the time, but we’d been riding together for a while, and I knew his interests. We started talking about the sci-fi movies he liked, and by the time the ride was over, we were laughing together, and I feel like I was able to really make his day a lot better. Sure, a bright spot in his day. And, you know, I think…

(0:39:22) It’s funny because I took a I had a friend in town and we took an Uber ride and that person had never been in an Uber before. And so, you know, so for especially seniors, it’s really uncomfortable to do something new sometimes. And so.

(0:39:40) Knowing that they’re going to make the call, someone’s going to pick them up that they don’t know, that could cause a lot of anxiety. And so from your stories, I think I really want to make sure listeners understand there is a warmth there. There’s a compassion. They’re trained to be great drivers. They’re not just picking someone up, you know.

(0:40:00) And I think that’s really valuable because we have to remember how hard it really is for maybe someone to make that call. That’s absolutely right. And I think we have an amazing team here right now. Great. I’m so glad. And again, every single person I’ve talked to on your team, just the pride comes through on what you’re doing. And I think…

(0:40:18) It’s super valuable. That’s how I feel about the work that I do. My team, we all feel that way. We’re not here just for a paycheck. We’re here to make a difference. We’re here to care for people. And you’re doing the same. And we’re going to talk more. We talked about collaborations because it should be that way. Community companies and organizations coming together to help the common cause, which is supporting for me, supporting aging or individuals that need support. Yeah.

(0:40:45) So we’re going to keep doing that. I’ve got hot now, Marie. Maybe someone turned the heater up in here all of a sudden. So again, if someone wants to get a ride and they don’t know how to do it or their technology, they don’t have the skills necessarily in technology or those that do. Tell us about that, Marie.

(0:41:08) So just to start off, you just call the number, the 970 and it’s 777-7777. At the beginning, it will ask you what city or town you’re calling for to get a ride in. So you just let them know that it’s Cortez or Durango, you know, Grand Junction, whatever it happens to be. Then they direct it to that town. And we have some really awesome…

(0:41:37) dispatchers and booking agents who will help you and guide you through what is needed to set those up whether it’s a cash or a card or whether it’s a Medicaid ride they have

(0:41:54) they have as much compassion and understanding as the drivers do. That’s great. So anyone who’s nervous, just call. And if you also have an app and you have the website, tell us about those. Yes, we do have an app. It is the Sunshine Rides app. You can get on there. You can make your booking essentially just like you would if it was Uber or Lyft. How far in advance?

(0:42:21) I would say that last minute is probably not optimal. Just because of the way we run on demand, we may not be available right then. We do try to make those priority, but like I said, it’s kind of just…

(0:42:41) That’s kind of how it falls in the system. Sure. Ideally, you’d want to make a booking two or three days in advance. You know what? I need you to put that microphone in there. It’s okay. Ideally, two to three days in advance at least. Okay. So could I book you two weeks out for my airplane? Yes, absolutely. We take reservations.

(0:43:00) Far ahead of time. Well, that’s great. See, I’m learning so much. Well, we do… I’m sorry. We do… The girls in the office, we tend to hold off a month. We do a month out. Okay. But that is not, like, super strict. That’s mainly medical so that we can get to everybody. Okay. So on-demand services, definitely, I think that my… I would say just as soon as you know what you’re doing, just give us a call because it’s so much easier…

(0:43:29) to fit you in and get you on the schedule than for you to wait until the last minute. And if you’re a new client, it’s easier to get yourself set up with us in advance before you have a doctor’s appointment. Okay. Because it does take 24 to 48 hours to get that set up. Oh, to process. Okay, good to know. And I would think, too, if someone, you know, say they’re in the hospital and they’re hearing this and they’re like, I need a ride home tomorrow –

(0:43:56) call we’ll make it work figure it out and and you could call us too because maybe we could help figure it out too as a manager i can check their medicaid anytime okay so you guys are there for the greater good that’s it’s fantastic i love to hear it and it reminded me of another question oh uh do you take people like from cortez to durango yes and so what about the medicaid um if they have a doctor’s appointment or somewhere else so we can go honestly anywhere in colorado oh um

(0:44:25) Medicaid standard is if it’s more than 25 miles from your location, we do have to have a letter from the doctor’s office where you’re going to. So we have to have that in advance in order to transport. And now they’re doing a picture of the client and stuff like that just to prevent fraud. Okay. Okay.

(0:44:48) So, yeah, we go up into Colorado Springs. Oh, I was going to ask. You can take someone to Denver? Yes. And will you take them back? Yes, we can. So what we do is if it’s like a doctor’s appointment, we take you up there, our driver, and you have to stay up there that night because our drivers are set to the same standard as truck drivers. They can only drive so many hours a shift. That makes sense. So they stay the night and then they bring you back the next day. Okay. And Medicaid covers that. Okay.

(0:45:17) And then if it’s private pay, they just have to pay. Did you work out some type of deal for those situations? Or is it the $4 a mile still? It’s the same. It’s a straight across flat rate for Medicaid. Okay. But that Medicaid client does have to kind of have their own lodging. The company will pay for our drivers. But I believe Medicaid can…

(0:45:44) reimburse okay well something people probably know if they have Medicaid but again reach out call ask yes always you guys every car has your sunshine ride so don’t ever take a ride from someone saying their sunshine rides that doesn’t have sunshine rides on the car correct that safe assumption to keep help keep people safe so we’ve talked about the app the reservation process yeah I’d like to tell you a little bit more about our vehicles

(0:46:12) Oh, please do. And then how you’re involved in the community. Okay. So we have a variety of different vehicles for different needs. We have RAV4s that are great with their all-wheel drive in the wintertime. We have a fleet of minivans that can carry more people or baggage or… Oh, do you charge per person? Like, what if it’s a family of four?

(0:46:35) Nope. It’s the same rate. It’s just that $6 pickup fee and then $4 per mile, no matter how many people are in the vehicle. Okay. Good to know. Keep going. Sorry I interrupted. Yeah. And then some of our minivans are wheelchair accessible vehicles with ramps in the back and all the securement points and tie downs required for that. And our drivers have extra training for that. Okay. So make sure you’re, well, they’re probably asked that. So when you call, don’t worry about, they’re going to ask you, you’re going to get all the information needed to them.

(0:47:04) Yes, but definitely let them know if you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle. And we also have transit vans that can carry 10 to 14 passengers from much larger groups. Oh, gosh. You know what? So if I want to have like an office party, I could call you guys and you drive us to dinner and back. Absolutely. We do that. Oh, my gosh. This is so exciting. We do weddings also.

(0:47:23) Oh, and weddings. That’s great. Okay. I’ve done weddings. Well, you guys are doing way more than I even talked about. So in our last like 30 seconds, tell us a couple quick community, how you stay involved in the community. So I do a lot, especially in the Cortez area, on Halloween community events. We’re going to be in a Christmas event.

(0:47:47) Oh, you said Snowdown Parade. We’ll do the Snowdown Parade also in February. So we try to stay involved in the community so that we are out there. Well, I love it. This has been so much fun. I don’t know why. You guys are both very dynamic and it’s been great. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you, Erin. This has been great. It’s been great meeting you. I appreciate that. So Sunshine Rides, thank you. Give them a call or reach out to me at Comfort Keepers and have a great day.