Left: Driver Karla Gossling starts her shift 40 minutes early so she can get four neighbors to work right at 7am, her route’s normal start time. One day soon, EARL will collaborate with area employers to co-sponsor vehicles and routes to provide affordable rides for workers, says EARL mobility manager Sam Castro. Photo by EARL Public Transit.
How to Summon EARL 1. Call (563) 382-4259 or toll-free (866) 382-4259 between 5am and 5pm weekdays to schedule. Calling a day ahead is best, but same-day service may also be possible.
Caring, compassionate EARL drivers wanted!
Part-time drivers are needed within the counties of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek and surrounding areas. Must have or be able to secure a Class C CDL license with passenger endorsement upon hiring. (Transit provides training to individuals to help them to secure the necessary CDL license.) Proficiency with email and GPS strongly preferred. For more information, visit neicac.org/employment. Join the team!
2. Be ready 15 minutes prior to your scheduled pick-up, with payment handy. It’s $2/each way for in-town service. If headed out of town, your trip total (cost figured per mile) will be given at booking so you’re ready. Weekend trips are possible, at higher cost. Drivers cannot make change, so exact cash or check payment is required. Riders may also purchase a booklet of in-town fare tickets from drivers or the NEICAC office at 305 Montgomery Street or PO Box 487, Decorah. Passengers over age 60 and not residing in a nursing home qualify for discounted fare tickets, available from the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, at 563-382-2941. 3. Ride in comfort! (Think: Heat! A few minutes of quiet to work/sleep/study/ reflect!) The fine print: Drivers will wait a total of 10 minutes at your stop and are authorized to depart 3 minutes past your scheduled pick-up time. Riders are allowed one escort per trip; riders requiring an interpreter may bring one escort and one interpreter. TTY callers: Please use Relay Iowa 711. Para TTY en espanol: Marquen 1-800-264-7190 y pidas que marquen a (866) 382-4259.
Left: Driver Rich Wede, a former farm kid, driver’s ed instructor and retired administrator at South Winneshiek Schools and St. Benedict’s Catholic School in Decorah, says even his military training didn’t teach him as much wayfinding as EARL. “I’ve never learned so many little ways to get so many places,” he says with a laugh. Drivers use tablets on board to view pick-ups and GPS routes, as well as respond to same-day pick-up requests. Photos by Kristine Jepsen
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