Thursday, June 23, 2011
 
sponsored by

Oasis begins a new bus drive

Send a link to a friend

[June 23, 2011]  The Oasis board of directors will begin the process of raising funds for a new bus for the senior citizens center in downtown Lincoln.

The current 15-passenger van was purchased in 2001, using grant money from the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs as well as private grant funds.

Dom Dalpoas, Oasis director, admitted that looking for any grant money from the state this time is unrealistic, given their current fiscal state of affairs.

With that in mind, a committee has been formed to look into ways to be able to buy a new state-of-the-art van that carries a $50,000 price tag.

Dalpoas, along with Oasis board member Dennis Schrader, went over the improved features a new van would have.

Besides a safer wheelchair lift, the van also has a back-door camera to allow the driver to see directly behind the vehicle. The seats also have a reclining feature, and there is overhead storage that the old van doesn't have.

The Oasis uses the van for day trips as well as vacation trips, and although many members have used the van multiple times for such trips, the total usage is 7,000 riders during the past decade.

The reasons for seeking a new van now are numerous: First, technology has made handicapped-accessible vans safer and more user-friendly. The current van is beginning to need repair work that has totaled almost $4,000, and a new van won't carry those repair costs. The old van will eventually need to be replaced, and costs for these specialized vehicles continue to rise, so a new van today will cost less than a new one a few years from now.

[to top of second column]

Dalpoas said the old van wasn't perceived as having any real trade-in value, so The Oasis will see what agencies in the area could use the vehicle and attempt to make a deal with them that is beneficial to both parties.

The committee will meet again to decide a plan of action in regard to fundraising, which will include seeking private grants. As plans are solidified for the drive to get the wheels rolling on a new Oasis bus, the board will notify the public how they can help.

[Text from file received; LDN]

< Top Stories index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching and Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law and Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health and Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor