Transportation is one of the most significant services required by seniors to maintain their health independence. The need for accessible, affordable transportation increases proportionately to the number of seniors in a community.

Helping Hands is a leader in specialized transportation services.  We use the most effective combination of paid and volunteer drivers and personal and agency vehicles. We were part of the creation of Simcoe County Community Transportation Link, a portal that allows transportation service providers to share information about the location of vehicles and availability of seats in vehicles to maximize the number of rides available to all residents of Simcoe County.

A fleet of wheelchair accessible vehicles and personal automobiles, driven by professional paid staff and volunteers ensures that clients can get to important medical appointments, do their shopping, and access recreation. For many seniors, access to transportation is a vital part of their health care and an integral part of maintaining dignity and independence. Helping Hands is a leader in optimizing transportation options in Simcoe County. They use an effective combination of volunteers and paid staff to manage a complex array of requests and ensure that scheduling maximizes the use of each vehicle and driver.

While medical appointments including daily dialysis appointments, and trips to doctors’ offices and hospitals are prioritized, social, shopping, and other rides are accommodated as much as possible.   Helping Hands transportation serves residents of Orillia and area but travels outside of the city, often taking Orillia residents to medical appointments in Barrie, Toronto, or even further afield. 

Complex clients are always transported by paid staff. Other clients receive drives from a combination of volunteer drivers and paid Helping Hands staff. Seniors identify this as a significant service for maintaining their independence.

Helping Hands needs the support of the community to replace aging vehicles in our fleet and to increase the number of available vehicles.