The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) works with many statewide stakeholders, including the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Met Council, and others to advocate for transportation access. We invite you to get to know the work of our partners at MNCOTA, the Minnesota Council on Transportation Access.
We recommend MCOTA’s current virtual events “Minnesota’s Road to Volunteer Drivers Virtual Forum,” a series of public meetings designed to inform participants of issues important to transportation access in Minnesota.
Living in the community of your choice is a right we all should have. Often folks with disabilities make decisions on where to live based on the means to get to and from the most essential things in their lives. The access to safe and reliable transportation is not only fundamental to independent living but it allows people to express who they are by the community they chose to live in.
There are not many options for people who don’t drive to get around and live anywhere in the great state of Minnesota. One of those options is the Volunteer Driver Program. Volunteer drivers are especially important in Greater Minnesota communities where public transportation is limited and where people with disabilities are often forced to arrange their lives around the few available transportation options.
MCD recognizes the importance of the various volunteer driver programs throughout the state. Nearly 2,000 fellow Minnesotans volunteer their time to provide transportation access to older adults and people with disabilities. These drivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments, regularly deliver meals, and otherwise provide access to community services.