Accessible transportation business expands to southern Utah

From The Spectrum in Utah:

CEDAR CITY, Utah­ - Southern Utah residents now have the opportunity to use a wheelchair transportation service, which is open to those who are elderly or wheelchair bound and need help traveling to doctor visits and other appointments.

Gold Cross, which started out in the ambulance business 42 years ago, began assisting in wheelchair transportation in northern Utah in 2002, said President Mike Moffitt.

Because of the high demand from care facilities in St. George, Moffitt decided to expand his business to Southern Utah and address the need for such transportation effort in Beaver, Cedar City, Hurricane, St. George, Kanab and Mesquite.

"A lot of our clients, like rehab facilities and clinics up north, have sister facilities in St. George, so we figured that southwest corner would be a good place to locate," Moffitt said.

In addition to picking up residents from their homes and taking them to appointments, the service also extends to picking up clients who are bedridden and ensuring once at their destination they make it inside and where they need to be within the facility, clinic or hospital, Moffitt said.

"It's a personalized service," he said. "We are just trying to get the word out about what we do now that we are in the area. Nothing like this exists here yet."

The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said.

Chris DeLaMare, director of transportation for Gold Cross, said he is excited to have the business expand into Southern Utah.

"We are doing well in Salt Lake and it was time to expand to where the need is in Southern Utah," he said.

DeLaMare said he hopes residents can use their service and get a lot out of it.

"It gives these residents the opportunity for them to remain in their wheelchair when we pick them up for safe transportation without sacrificing that level of comfort," he said.

The services are also sometimes used to help get the clients to work or just out for a recreational activity, Moffitt said.

"Sometimes we take them to a movie or to have a night out," he said. "We even take some clients to work if their van or vehicle is in the shop."

Moffitt said he is looking forward to seeing how business goes in the area.

"We are building the business up," he said. "We are hoping people will see what we have to offer."