STREAM transit system serves as medical lifeline in rural areas like Hendry and Glades counties.

"Right now, the critical need we have is dialysis," said Timmi Finnerty, program administrator for the Hendry County Transit Program. "Probably 50% of our trips are just for dialysis patients."

The statistic underscores how the Southwest Transit Regional Emergency Mobility (STREAM) system has become an essential service for residents who have few other ways to reach work, medical appointments and other everyday destinations.

One of STREAM's fixed routes, the Green Route, also operates under a hail-and-ride system. Instead of waiting at a designated bus stop, passengers can board by signaling the driver anywhere along the route where it is safe for the bus to pull over. Riders also can request to be dropped off at any safe location along the route, even if it is not an official stop. The system operates both fixed-route buses and door-to-door paratransit service for qualifying riders. Fixed routes connect communities throughout Hendry and Glades County on scheduled loops, while paratransit provides transportation for educational programs and medical appointments.

Many riders also travel outside the county for specialty care because those services are unavailable closer to home. Finnerty said she understands those challenges firsthand.

"So a lot of the concern is if this transit wasn't available, an Uber trip to Fort Myers for a cancer appointment is about $100 one way," Finnerty said. "So it would cost each patient $100 each way just to get to a cancer appointment, and I'm one of them. My cancer doctors are in Miami. I can't get a cancer doctor over here for what I need. So if I didn't have transportation, I'd have difficulty getting back and forth to my doctor."

Marybeth Soderstrom, transportation director for the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, said improving transportation access throughout the Heartland region remains a priority.

"We have actually created a platform to help people connect to those mobility resources," Soderstrom said. "It's called Heartland Rides."

The service includes a toll-free telephone number that connects callers with staff who help identify available transportation options, including STREAM and other providers.

For those who rely on the system every day, the buses are more of a necessity rather than amenity. Waiting at the Walmart stop in LaBelle, rider Raenisha Johnson said STREAM has helped her keep her overnight job while staying connected with family.

"It means a lot, honestly, because of the situation that I'm going through right now in life," Johnson said. "It's been helping out."

Originally from the Fort Lauderdale area, Johnson said the service is different from the larger transit systems she once used.

"I've been telling a lot of people you can use it," she said. "It's not like being in a city, but it's still convenient."

Without the service, Johnson said, getting to work and staying connected with the community would be a bit challenging.

"Oh, it would be way harder than what it already is," she said. "It's really come in handy."

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