Recognizing transportation as a contributing factor to an individual’s health and well-being, last year the East County Rural Health Coalition worked with representatives from San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) to conduct an assessment of the existing rural bus routes. As a result, new stops have recently been announced for rural Route 894, enhancing community access to several essential services.

The East County Rural Health Coalition (ECRHC) is a multidisciplinary group of public agencies and community organizations that was established in 2021 by the La Mesa-based Grossmont Healthcare District, with the vision of healthy communities in San Diego’s rural East County that have local and timely access to health and wellness services.

The American Hospital Association encourages hospitals and health systems to address transportation issues, because millions of people in the U.S. do not seek regular medical care due to a lack of adequate and reliable transportation services.

“In nearly every conversation we had with residents and community stakeholders, transportation was identified as a top concern,” said GHD’s Chief Executive Officer Christian Wallis. “We appreciate MTS’s willingness to listen to our community, and work with us on a solution.”

In the summer of 2023, the ECRHC and MTS worked together to conduct a survey of rural East County residents, to learn about bus ridership in the area, barriers to access, and destinations that were not available by bus. This month, MTS announced that effective Jan. 29, Route 894 will now serve Sheridan Road in Campo, bringing transit service closer to several points of community need and interest including San Ysidro Health’s Mountain Health Family Medicine Clinic and Community Center; Sheriff, Border Patrol, and CAL FIRE stations; the Campo Café; and the Campo Post Office.

“It doesn’t remedy the problem of access to health services for the residents in our rural communities” says Wallis. “But it’s an improvement, and an important start.”

Route 894 provides service Monday through Friday between the Parkway Plaza Transit Center in El Cajon and Highway 94 and Buckman Springs Road in Campo. Detailed route information and schedules are available on the MTS website at: https://www.sdmts.com/getting-around/departures-and-schedules/schedules/894.

Information about the Grossmont Healthcare District and the East County Rural Health Coalition are available at: https://www.grossmonthealthcare.org/.

American Hospital Association: https://www.aha.org/ahahret-guides/2017-11-15-social-determinants-health-series-transportation-and-role-hospitals. 

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