DRIVING PEOPLE NOT CARGO…RCATS IS IN NEED OF DRIVERS
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Story & Photos by Kim Allgood, Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator
ruce Alston has been transporting the residents of Randolph County to doctor appointments, to drug and grocery stores, to senior centers and even to work and school for 23 years. Bruce joined Regional Coordinated Area Transportation System (RCATS) December 16, 1997 and has a message for people out there looking for a fulfilling part-time job helping others - come try on the RCATS vest and awesome responsibilities and see if this vital job is the right fit for YOU! RCATS provides public transportation service to all Randolph and Montgomery County residents on an advance reservation basis. In Randolph County, RCATS provides transportation for thousands of trips for seniors and the general public. Curb-to-Curb transportation services for older adults, persons with
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disabilities, human service agencies, and the general public are provided on a county-wide basis. Clean, comfortable, dependable vans, some of which are equipped with special accessibility features, are used to transport passengers. Drivers are trained in First Aid, CPR, defensive driving and in other safety-related areas. RCATS drivers take on great responsibility but as Bruce explains, “Being an RCATS driver definitely has its perks - for example it’s basically a Monday through Friday job and then you’re home at night. You get paid holidays and you’re not expected to drive in certain weather conditions. You get to work with people but work independently at the same time.” Also, a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is NOT required, and thorough paid training is provided. Bruce does have some advice for anyone interested in becoming an RCATS driver, “You need to be able to handle a certain amount of responsibility, and you have to be good at working with the public. You also must like DRIVING!” When asked what led him to join RSAA as an RCATS driver 23 years ago he simply said, “I love driving and I’m driving people not cargo” and when asked why he has stayed with the job all these years he explained, “The older I get, I appreciate seniors more and more. It takes a lot of patience sometimes, but one day we’re all going to need some help getting around. I’ve gained so much personally.” Another faithful driver is Paul Hogan. Paul recently celebrated his 5th year with RSAA. After retiring in 2015, he moved from up north to Asheboro, NC to be with family and said he kept seeing the RCATS vans everywhere around town. He walked in the Asheboro Senior Center and asked what the buses were all about. He put in an application, was hired and has been making people smile ever since. Paul said “That’s the best part of the job – making somebody smile. I try to make it a fun time on the bus ride by joking and just finding out more about the people who are
