Ribbon Cutting for New Chesed 24/7 Handicapped Transportation Vans

Chesed 24/7’s medical transportation services just got a major boost. Three new vehicles, including wheelchair-accessible vans, joined the fleet at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community activists, donors, and local officials.

These vans represent more than transportation. They are lifelines for elderly patients, individuals with disabilities, and families navigating medical crises who need reliable, dignified transportation to appointments, hospitals, and home.

With two distinct transportation programs — the Hospital Shuttle and Shvil Hachesed — Chesed 24/7 ensures no patient misses critical medical care because they lack a ride.

Ribbon Cutting for New Chesed 24/7 Handicapped Transportation Vans

On a bright morning in Monsey, we gathered with askanim, elected officials, volunteers, and donors to officially dedicate three brand-new vehicles to our Hospital Shuttle fleet.

Two of the three new vehicles are fully wheelchair accessible, outfitted with hydraulic lifts, secure tie-downs, and spacious interiors that allow patients to ride safely and comfortably. The third van has extended capacity for elderly patient transport and group medical trips. All three follow assist with transportation to major hospitals and treatment centers, ensuring reliable service for families who depend on consistent transportation to life-saving care.

The ribbon-cutting also highlighted the broader Chesed 24/7 ecosystem, including chesed apartments near hospitals, Shabbos in a Box program, medical equipment lending, and volunteer opportunities. Several community fundraising events were represented, connecting the dots between donor generosity and on-the-ground impact. Politicians spoke briefly, acknowledging the organization's role in filling gaps that insurance and public transit often leave wide open.

Understanding Chesed 24/7's Two Transportation Programs

Chesed 24/7 meets transportation needs through two complementary programs, each designed for different types of medical travel.

Hospital Shuttle – Daily Route-Based Transportation

The Hospital Shuttle operates on structured, daily routes between Rockland County and Manhattan, providing consistent, dependable transportation to major hospitals and medical centers. These routes run every day, ensuring reliable access for those who depend on regular hospital visits.

While the shuttle is essential for patients attending appointments, treatments, and procedures, it also serves another critical role: transporting family members who need to visit hospitalized loved ones. When someone is admitted for surgery, intensive care, or long-term treatment, family presence matters. The Hospital Shuttle makes it possible for spouses, parents, and children to be there — even if they do not have access to a vehicle or cannot manage the cost and logistics of frequent trips into the city.

The Hospital Shuttle runs every day, following designated routes so that both patients and their loved ones can count on safe, steady, and dignified transportation when it matters most. The daily route model provides structure and reliability not only for patients managing recurring treatments, but also for families who need to visit regularly during extended hospitalizations.

Shvil Hachesed – Dispatcher-Based Volunteer Ride Program

Shvil Hachesed operates differently.

Rather than following fixed routes, this program functions through a dispatcher-based system. Individuals call in to request transportation, and a dispatcher coordinates with volunteer drivers who accept rides based on their availability.

When a request comes in, the dispatcher reaches out to volunteers. An available driver accepts the ride and transports the patient to their appointment. It is a flexible, community-driven model that allows transportation to happen outside the structure of daily shuttle routes.

There is one important distinction within Shvil Hachesed: the handicap-accessible vehicle in this program has a designated trained driver assigned to operate it. Other volunteer drivers fulfill ride requests using their own personal vehicles.

This flexibility makes Shvil Hachesed ideal for local medical appointments, one-time visits, appointments outside shuttle routes, and situations that require more scheduling adaptability. It allows neighbors to step in and support one another directly — volunteers helping families, one ride at a time.

The expansion strengthens both arms of the program. It enhances the structured reliability of the Hospital Shuttle while also expanding the responsiveness and capacity of Shvil Hachesed. Most importantly, it increases wheelchair-accessible transportation options for patients who depend on them.

Each van represents a partnership between donors and families in need — a tangible expression of community responsibility.

Why Medical Transportation Assistance Matters

Medical transportation is not a luxury. For many families, it is the difference between receiving care and missing critical treatment.

Some patients cannot navigate public transportation. Others cannot afford rideshare services multiple times per week. Some rely on wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Others simply have no available family driver.

Treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical follow-ups require frequent travel. Transportation costs can quickly become overwhelming, especially when combined with medical bills and time away from work.

Chesed 24/7 removes that burden entirely.

No fees. No billing. No insurance complications.

Just help.

What Each Program Provides

The Hospital Shuttle provides structured daily routes to major hospitals, wheelchair-accessible vans equipped with hydraulic lifts, and trained drivers who assist with boarding and securing wheelchairs. Patients use the shuttle for surgeries, consultations, dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation, hospital discharges, and transportation to and from Chesed Apartments for out-of-town families.

Shvil Hachesed provides dispatcher-coordinated ride requests fulfilled by volunteers. Volunteers use their own vehicles, while the accessible van is operated by its designated trained driver. The program offers flexible scheduling outside fixed routes and supports local medical appointments and one-time transportation needs, all at no cost.

Who Chesed Transportation Services Are For

Both programs serve the same community but in different ways, offering transportation assistance for:

• Patients who are too weak to travel alone or navigate public transit
• Elderly patients with no local family support
• Parents taking children for medical treatment
• Individuals without a car or driver's license
• Families under severe financial or emotional strain
• Patients who use wheelchairs full-time or temporarily after surgery
• Special-needs children and adults requiring accessible vehicles
• Out-of-town patients staying in Chesed Apartments who need rides to medical facilities

There is no fee for either program. These are pure chesed services, powered by volunteers, donors, and people who care about ensuring every community member can access the medical care they need.

Where Transportation Assistance Is Available

Chesed 24/7's Hospital Shuttle service operates throughout the greater New York metropolitan area, with routes between New York City (Manhattan) and Rockland County and its surrounding areas, including Monsey/New Square.

Exact availability depends on several factors: volunteer driver coverage, distance to the hospital, time of day, and urgency of the medical need. For the Shvil Hachesed program, van availability depends on demand and current reservations. Chesed 24/7 always tries to help, and when direct service isn't possible, staff work to guide families toward alternative solutions.

Hospital Shuttle Services Include:

• Rides to hospitals for surgery, tests, consultations, and admissions
• Transportation to recurring treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, or dialysis
• Rides home after discharge when families cannot pick up the patient
• Transportation for family members visiting seriously ill loved ones when necessary
• Support for out-of-town patients staying in Chesed Apartments who need hospital access.

How to Request Medical Transportation Assistance

The process differs depending on which service you need:

For the Hospital Shuttle:

Phone: 845-354-3233

Call the dedicated Hospital Shuttle line and our dispatch team will coordinate your request. Rides are managed by full-time staff who handle driver schedules. Our drivers have been with Chesed 24/7 for years: they know the hospitals, the neighborhoods, and the families they serve. You can read more about the work they do behind the wheel every day.

Last-minute requests are accommodated whenever possible, but early planning helps ensure availability, especially during peak times.

Does Chesed 24/7 Provide Drivers?

The answer depends on the service.

Every Hospital Shuttle ride includes a trained driver operating along structured daily routes.

Within Shvil Hachesed, the accessible vehicle includes a designated trained driver. Other rides are fulfilled by volunteer drivers using their own vehicles.

This dual model allows Chesed 24/7 to provide both reliability and flexibility — structured hospital routes alongside responsive, community-driven support.

Why Chesed 24/7 Expanded Its Transportation Fleet

Demand for wheelchair-accessible transportation has grown steadily. Over the past three years, requests for accessible rides increased tremendously. This growth reflects the tremendous population increase in the area and the rising demand for dependable transportation services as more residents rely on consistent, timely access to medical care. Adding these three vehicles allows Chesed 24/7 to maintain service reliability even during peak demand periods.

At the same time, vehicle maintenance costs have risen. Hydraulic lift systems require regular inspection and repair. Wheelchair-accessible vans log heavy mileage shuttling between Rockland County and Manhattan hospitals multiple times daily.

The decision to expand the fleet came directly from donor partnerships and dedicated fundraising efforts aimed at transportation infrastructure. Several vehicles are sponsored by families who wanted to create a lasting zechus in memory of a loved one. Each van bears a dedication, honoring those whose generosity made the purchase possible.

Serving Patients Every Day, Without Pause

From early morning hospital discharges to late-night dialysis returns, these vehicles have been operating full-time—accommodating dozens of patients and families each week who depend on reliable, wheelchair-accessible transportation. The fleet is now constantly in motion, covering thousands of miles across the region to ensure patients arrive safely and on time. The expansion has allowed Chesed 24/7 to serve many individuals who previously had no dependable way to get to medical appointments, treatments, or urgent care needs.

How Your Donation Supports the Transportation Program

Every chesed ride requires significant resources:

• Fuel and vehicle costs for daily operations
• Insurance and safety considerations for passenger transport
• Coordination time and dispatch staffing
• Volunteer support and scheduling systems
• Sometimes subsidizing rides when volunteer coverage isn't available

Purchasing a wheelchair-accessible van costs significantly more than a standard passenger vehicle, often $60,000 to $80,000 per unit once accessibility modifications, branding, and safety equipment are included. Ongoing insurance costs for nonprofit transport are higher than personal auto policies, and fuel, maintenance, and driver wages add up quickly.

None of this is covered by patient fees, because we don't charge patients. Every mile driven is supported by donations. Your donation helps:

• Ensure patients never miss critical care due to lack of a ride
• Relieve families from the stress of arranging and paying for transport
• Expand hospital transportation for Jewish patients to more areas
• Maintain both the Hospital Shuttle and Shvil Hachesed programs

Community events and campaigns raise funds specifically earmarked for transportation, and individual sponsors often choose to dedicate a vehicle in honor or memory of someone they loved. These sponsors receive updates on the impact their vehicle is making, families served, miles logged, appointments kept, and many report that it's among the most meaningful gifts they've ever given.

The branded transportation fleet also serves a secondary purpose: visibility. When a Chesed 24/7 van pulls up to a hospital entrance or is seen on Route 59 or the Palisades Parkway, people recognize it. That recognition builds trust and awareness, reminding the community that help is available when crisis strikes.

Even small contributions add up. Full vehicle sponsorship is available for individuals, families, or groups. Partial sponsorships and monthly transportation support are also options for those who want to contribute toward fuel, insurance, and maintenance costs. Those interested in learning more can contact Chesed 24/7 directly at 845-354-3233 or visit current campaign pages for details on how transportation funding works.

What the Ribbon Cutting Represented

We work quietly, around the clock, mostly out of sight. But a ribbon cutting for new handicapped vans felt important, not for fanfare, but for gratitude. Gratitude to the donors who made it possible. Gratitude to the drivers who show up every day. Gratitude to the families who trust us during some of their hardest moments.

Moving Forward

The ribbon cutting was a milestone, not a finish line. The three new vans are already logging hundreds of miles each week, and our dispatch team is fielding more requests than ever. That's a good problem to have, it means families know where to turn when mobility becomes a barrier to care.

We'll keep doing what we've always done: answer the phone at 2 a.m., show up on time, secure the wheelchair carefully, drive safely, and treat every passenger with the dignity they deserve. That's the work. The ribbon cutting was just a moment to pause, say thank you, and recognize that this work is only possible because a whole community stands behind it.

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