For hundreds of Interlake residents, a trip to the doctor, a grocery store or even a friend’s house wouldn’t be possible without the Lakeshore Age Mobility Handivan.
In 2024 alone, the non-profit service logged more than 130,000 kilometres, helping people in the RM of West Interlake and the RM of Grahamdale get where they needed to go — no matter their age or mobility.
With a team of eight dedicated drivers and a fleet of three vans, the service makes daily trips to medical appointments, adult day programs and essential errands for those facing transportation barriers.
“We strive to create a sustainable and affordable service for those that require it,” said Keith Lundale, chair of the Lakeshore Handivan Association.
Demand for the program is only growing. Last year, the vans made 946 one-way trips — 95 per cent of them for medical appointments — and often all three vehicles are in use at once.
The current fleet includes three vans, each able to carry up to 10 passengers. Two operate out of Eriksdale, and the third from Ashern.
To help make the service accessible, subsidies are available for residents with lower incomes. Individuals earning less than $35,000 — or $70,000 for couples — are eligible for reduced fares.
In addition, rides are currently free for residents of Eriksdale, Ashern and Moosehorn, thanks to funding from the Rural Transportation Solutions Fund (RTSF).
The RTSF provides grants to rural communities to support transportation initiatives. Since receiving the funding, usage of the Handivan has only grown — but that funding is expected to end in 2026.
With the clock ticking, the Handivan team is already looking for ways to keep the service running without raising costs for users.
“We never want to lose sight of who we service, and we are working hard to make all aspects of it affordable,” said Lundale.
To meet rising demand, the board is budgeting to purchase a fourth van by the end of 2025. But growing the service means expanding its physical footprint, too.
Construction is underway on a permanent garage in Eriksdale to house the vans, with completion expected by the end of August.
Until now, the organization has rented space with no amenities — including washrooms for staff — which has made day-to-day operations challenging.
“It’s just not feasible for our team, so we need something that will benefit us as a whole in the long term,” Lundale said.
Once the Eriksdale garage is complete, the next step will be building another permanent facility in Ashern to better support operations across both regions.
The Lakeshore Age Mobility Van accepts ride requests from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Same-day transportation is offered when possible, and bookings can also be made in advance.
Requests can be made by phone at 204-768-2237 or by emailing lshcoor@gmail.com. Outside regular hours, weekend calls are answered by an on-call employee, but email is not monitored. Any weekend transport must be pre-arranged and is subject to driver availability.
