OATS Transit has partnered with the Productive Living Board (PLB) since 2003 to provide rides to individuals with developmental disabilities in St. Louis County. This year, PLB provided $1.6 million to OATS Transit to serve 150 riders each day and transport them to work at sheltered workshops. PLB also provides bus match dollars as needed.
The main locations that riders go to include Lafayette Industries, Valley Industries, Canterbury Enterprises, Heartland Industries and Project CU within the St. Louis area. OATS Transit is very valuable to the St. Louis community because these facilities would struggle to get employees to work each day without safe and reliable transportation.
PLB is one of about 85 senate bill 40 boards in the state, which are funded by tax levies within those counties. Taken from their website, “PLB ensures funding for a spectrum of high-quality services that create opportunities for St. Louis County residents with developmental disabilities to thrive in the home, community, and employment settings of their choosing.” In 2003, when the past St. Louis transportation provider for clients with disabilities went out of business, OATS Transit quickly stepped in and took over that service. Many of the drivers from the past provider came to work for OATS Transit, which allowed us to pick up where that provider left off. It is through our partnership with PLB that this service ensures our riders, and their clients, get to work at the workshops. For some added fun PLB also funds transportation for the Saturday Night Social. Through this service clients are able to go out for movie night and other pre-determined activities in the community a couple of Saturdays each month.
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