FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Antelope Valley Transit Authority

Contact: Pam Holland, 729-2222

AVTA Public Information Officer

November 13, 2003

A.V. Transit Authority increases medical shuttle service

LANCASTER - Individuals with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and older will soon have three days a week in which to schedule medical appointments in the Los Angeles Basin and West San Fernando Valley.

For the past 10 years, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) has offered Tuesday Medical Shuttle service to nine major medical facilities in the Los Angeles Basin and West San Fernando Valley, however, to better serve its customer base, AVTA’s Board of Directors recently approved adding two days to the service.

The additional service will begin December 13, 2003. Qualified passengers may start making reservations immediately. Destination facilities include Olive View Medical Center, Granada Hills Community Hospital, Sepulveda Veterans Hospital, Kaiser Permanente / Panorama City, Wadsworth Veterans Hospital, UCLA Medical Center, USC Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente / Sunset, and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Passengers will be picked up at their homes and taken to any of the nine medical destinations on the shuttle route. The first stop at Olive View Medical Center will be at 7:30 a.m. The shuttle will continue on to other facilities as necessary.

Medical Shuttle service is limited to seniors 65-years of age and older, or persons with disabilities. Accepted proof of eligibility will be a driver’s license, Medicare card, or AVTA’s Senior/Disabled Fare Permit card.

The one-way fare for AVTA’s Medical Shuttle is $10 ($20 round trip). Escorts ride free of charge with paying passenger. For more information or to apply for service, please call AVTA at 945-9445 extension 1.

- 30 -