Ven Mart in front of devastated Woodridge Estates mobile home park is now the hub for a new Springdale bus route. Alex Santana is the man behind the wheel.“We helped out families with the damage the first weekend and you’ve got families with one or two cars that were completely demolished, and these people still need to do life,” Santana said.To help make that happen, Ozark Regional Transit launched three new routes Monday. It is free and targets those hit by the March 30 tornado.”We know we wanted to connect people to some shopping and the rest of the community so we put Walmart on Robinson as one of the first points,” said Ozark Regional Transit executive director Joel Gardner.Also along the route, Lowe’s, Walgreens, CVS and the post office. So far, Alex has had only one passenger. But he says word is getting around that ORT is here to help.”It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a stick home a mobile home,” Gardner said. “If your car is upside down – your car is upside down. If there’s a tree running through your roof — there’s a tree running through your roof. We are there to help people regardless of their station in life, regardless of their makeup.”The new route runs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will run for four weeks and then be evaluated by ORT. Until then, the doors are open for anyone and everyone.”I’m still getting paid but I feel like I’m helping give back to Springdale,” Santana said.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. —
Ven Mart in front of devastated Woodridge Estates mobile home park is now the hub for a new Springdale bus route. Alex Santana is the man behind the wheel.
“We helped out families with the damage the first weekend and you’ve got families with one or two cars that were completely demolished, and these people still need to do life,” Santana said.
To help make that happen, Ozark Regional Transit launched three new routes Monday. It is free and targets those hit by the March 30 tornado.
“We know we wanted to connect people to some shopping and the rest of the community so we put Walmart on Robinson as one of the first points,” said Ozark Regional Transit executive director Joel Gardner.
Also along the route, Lowe’s, Walgreens, CVS and the post office. So far, Alex has had only one passenger. But he says word is getting around that ORT is here to help.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a stick home a mobile home,” Gardner said. “If your car is upside down – your car is upside down. If there’s a tree running through your roof — there’s a tree running through your roof. We are there to help people regardless of their station in life, regardless of their makeup.”
The new route runs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will run for four weeks and then be evaluated by ORT. Until then, the doors are open for anyone and everyone.
“I’m still getting paid but I feel like I’m helping give back to Springdale,” Santana said.
