County Hospital Transportation Service Expands to Include Another East Valley Stop

MECCA, CA — A van providing patient transportation services to the county's Moreno Valley hospital has expanded its coverage to include a stop in Mecca, and made its inaugural trip to the community Thursday morning.

The Riverside University Health System's Transportation Courtesy Van transports patients in Indio, Palm Springs, Banning -- and now Mecca -- to Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley.

Patients may now hitch a ride on the van free of charge at the Mecca Library at 91260 Avenue 66. The van will leave each weekday at 7 a.m.

The service is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but riders must have a hospital appointment to make an appointment for the courtesy van, which is funded by Measure A, the county's half-cent sales tax, as well as the Riverside Transit Agency.

Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit said the van's expanded service was one of several recent improvements to health care services in the eastern Coachella Valley, which included recently available enrollment assistance for the county's Medically Indigent Services Program and the establishment of the county's mobile health clinic in North Shore twice per month.

"I am extremely excited to work with our county health system to bring this vital service to the eastern Coachella Valley, and greatly help families who require serious medical attention," Benoit said.

"Many of our residents struggle with transportation and, at times, miss appointments. This will provide access to reliable transportation to the Riverside University Health System Medical Center and help patients make their appointments for specialized medical care."

Appointments can be scheduled by calling (800) 794-3544 at least five days in advance. The van leaves the hospital to return to the Coachella Valley at 3 p.m.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock.