When The Bus Comes To You
How Core Transit became Leo’s dependable connection to care and community
After his first ride with Core Transit’s Paratransit program, Leo called his wife in tears.
“I felt such extreme joy. These people are angels walking on earth,” he said.
When we sat down with Leo, a rider of Core Transit’s door-to-door Paratransit service, he shared more than his experience with transportation. A Vail Valley resident since 2005, he loves working on vehicles, has a passion for tattoos, and has dedicated time to managing a community market food bank in Gypsum. He has long been someone who showed up for his neighbors.
In February 2023, Leo drove himself to an appointment, hopeful that surgery would help preserve his sight. Months later, he was still unable to see. Getting behind the wheel was no longer an option, and reaching the care he needed had become a challenge.
Leo, who lives with diabetes, told us how difficult adjusting to life without sight had been. He withdrew from the world around him.He felt he was losing both his independence and his connections with people he cared about.
“My friends, out of nowhere, stopped speaking (to me) and visiting me,” he said.
With his wife’s support, Leo wanted to regain his independence. Regular dialysis appointments made transportation a pressing concern.
“I’m not able to get to a bus stop alone and wait for a bus,” Leo said.
Then a community member told Leo about our Paratransit program. He learned the service could pick him up at home and take him door to door. That changed what was possible. It gave him a dependable way to travel from home to the care he needed. For his wife, that support mattered, too.
As Leo gained independence in getting to his appointments, his wife gained greater flexibility in her day. The service supported both of them. “Things have been easier on my wife ever since I started using paratransit,” Leo shared.
At a time when Leo felt increasingly isolated, the people behind his Paratransit trips became a consistent source of support and kindness: the staff who helped him apply, the dispatchers who scheduled his rides and the operators who arrived at his door.
At Core Transit, people come first. Every trip helps someone keep a routine and get where they need to go. By making transportation accessible and dependable, we help people stay independent and connected to our community.
Written By Edgardo Reyes & Pedro Reyes
Learn more about The Core Transit Paratransit Program and how to apply on our website at coretransit.org/paratransit
