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| Mission Statement |
| Easy Lift serves our community and is pledged to offer cooperation, creativity, and leadership. Easy Lift is dedicated to supporting the independence of individuals with special needs by providing safe transportation and related services. Easy Lift is committed to providing our employees, volunteers, and passengers with a supportive work and service environment |
| Our Background |
Easy Lift is a non-profit organization. In accordance with state statute, Easy Lift has
been designated the Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) for South
Santa Barbara County. As such, our mandate is to provide and coordinate a variety of
transit services for the community in a cost effective manner. Easy Lift's effectiveness,
operations, and bookkeeping must annually undergo review and/or site inspections by
the CHP, CalTrans, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, City of
Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, United Way and others. We also conduct a
"client satisfaction" survey of our Dial-A-Ride passengers annually and undergo an
extensive annual audit by an independent CPA.
Since 1979, Easy Lift Transportation has provided frail elderly and temporary or
permanently disabled individuals with wheelchair-accessible transportation. Our service
area includes all of south Santa Barbara County. Easy Lift is the only general public
Dial-A-Ride service in south Santa Barbara County for south county residents who
have a physical or cognitive impairment that excludes them from using fixed route
transit (MTD). As our nation grows older and those with physical challenges assert
greater independence, the need for service will surely increase. Because transportation
provides the independence vital to maintaining quality of life, Easy Lift strives to
continually expand service to meet the unmet and growing needs of our community.
As a member of CalACT (California Association of Coordinated Transportation) and
CTAA (Community Transportation Association of America), Easy Lift has access to
valuable comparative data and networks with organizations like our own throughout the
state to enhance the management and service of our programs.
been designated the Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) for South
Santa Barbara County. As such, our mandate is to provide and coordinate a variety of
transit services for the community in a cost effective manner. Easy Lift's effectiveness,
operations, and bookkeeping must annually undergo review and/or site inspections by
the CHP, CalTrans, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, City of
Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, United Way and others. We also conduct a
"client satisfaction" survey of our Dial-A-Ride passengers annually and undergo an
extensive annual audit by an independent CPA.
Since 1979, Easy Lift Transportation has provided frail elderly and temporary or
permanently disabled individuals with wheelchair-accessible transportation. Our service
area includes all of south Santa Barbara County. Easy Lift is the only general public
Dial-A-Ride service in south Santa Barbara County for south county residents who
have a physical or cognitive impairment that excludes them from using fixed route
transit (MTD). As our nation grows older and those with physical challenges assert
greater independence, the need for service will surely increase. Because transportation
provides the independence vital to maintaining quality of life, Easy Lift strives to
continually expand service to meet the unmet and growing needs of our community.
As a member of CalACT (California Association of Coordinated Transportation) and
CTAA (Community Transportation Association of America), Easy Lift has access to
valuable comparative data and networks with organizations like our own throughout the
state to enhance the management and service of our programs.
| Our History |
Easy Lift began operations in the late seventies. The independent living movement was
underway throughout the country, and an awareness of the special transportation
needs of the elderly and disabled was growing. Created as a special project of the local
chapter of the Easter Seal Society, Easy Lift began operation with one converted motor
home, one driver, and an on board hostess. In 1981, Easy Lift incorporated as its own
non-profit, charitable organization. The early and mid eighties were not particularly kind
to Easy Lift. We vacillated monthly between running three to six vans as funding
fluctuated. The instability of funding, along with internal problems and a lack of public
understanding of Easy Lift’s vital role in the community, resulted in a level of service
that was both undependable and continually in a state of crisis. Eventually, the Easy
Lift’s volunteer board decided to shut the organization down.
After an overwhelming response from the community, the Board of Directors decided to
give it another try. In late September 1987, with three vans in service, a new Executive
Director was hired and charged with the responsibility of rebuilding the agency from the
ground up. Within a few months the renewal and rebirth of Easy Lift began. In August of
1987, Easy Lift scheduled 900 rides. The agency was serving a handful of people and
hundreds of requests for service were turned away each month. Easy Lift’s fleet
consisted of four usable vans, only two of which were in service.
With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, transportation
services for disabled individuals were mandated under federal law. This gave rise to
more consistent funding sources for Easy Lift, and enabled the agency to grow to the
current fleet of 15 vehicles, and allow us to operate 363 days per year, and
approximately 18 hours each day.
underway throughout the country, and an awareness of the special transportation
needs of the elderly and disabled was growing. Created as a special project of the local
chapter of the Easter Seal Society, Easy Lift began operation with one converted motor
home, one driver, and an on board hostess. In 1981, Easy Lift incorporated as its own
non-profit, charitable organization. The early and mid eighties were not particularly kind
to Easy Lift. We vacillated monthly between running three to six vans as funding
fluctuated. The instability of funding, along with internal problems and a lack of public
understanding of Easy Lift’s vital role in the community, resulted in a level of service
that was both undependable and continually in a state of crisis. Eventually, the Easy
Lift’s volunteer board decided to shut the organization down.
After an overwhelming response from the community, the Board of Directors decided to
give it another try. In late September 1987, with three vans in service, a new Executive
Director was hired and charged with the responsibility of rebuilding the agency from the
ground up. Within a few months the renewal and rebirth of Easy Lift began. In August of
1987, Easy Lift scheduled 900 rides. The agency was serving a handful of people and
hundreds of requests for service were turned away each month. Easy Lift’s fleet
consisted of four usable vans, only two of which were in service.
With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, transportation
services for disabled individuals were mandated under federal law. This gave rise to
more consistent funding sources for Easy Lift, and enabled the agency to grow to the
current fleet of 15 vehicles, and allow us to operate 363 days per year, and
approximately 18 hours each day.
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