(KMZA)--Onaga-based Community HealthCare System (CHCS) is excited to announce the launch of a new transportation initiative designed to make travel easier, safer, and more reliable for both staff and patients.

Beginning in September, CHCS will offer scheduled daily routes between three of our key locations: Holton, Onaga, and St. Marys. These routes will function much like “bus stops,” giving employees and patients a dependable option for transportation between CHCS campuses.

The daily route schedule will be:

8:10 a.m. - Leave Onaga
8:40 a.m. - Arrive in Holton
9:00 a.m. - Leave Holton
9:30 a.m. - Arrive in Onaga
10:00 a.m. - Leave Onaga
10:30 a.m. - Arrive in St. Marys
11:00 a.m. - Leave St. Marys
11:30 a.m. - Arrive in Onaga
12:30 p.m. - Leave Onaga
1:00 p.m. - Arrive in Holton
1:30 p.m. - Leave Holton
2:00 p.m. - Arrive in Onaga
2:30 p.m. - Leave Onaga
3:00 p.m. - Arrive in St. Marys
3:15: p.m. - Depart St. Marys
3:45 p.m. - Arrive in Onaga
For patients, the service provides vital access to appointments and services, helping to eliminate transportation barriers that can delay or prevent needed care. For staff, the service provides a convenient way to travel between facilities, reduces travel expenses, and facilitates connections with colleagues.

The initiative will utilize Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) vans, which CHCS already operates. By implementing these daily routes, CHCS will not only support our communities but also ensure that annual mileage requirements for the vehicles are met.

This effort is being launched as a six-month test program. CHCS will evaluate usage and feedback during this time to determine how best to continue or expand the service in the future.

“This program is another step in making healthcare more accessible,” said John Fitzthum, CHCS CEO. “Whether it- an employee traveling between facilities or a patient needing care, reliable transportation can make all the difference.”

CHCS is proud to invest in innovative solutions that strengthen our rural healthcare network and meet the needs of the communities we serve. For more information on this exciting new patient transportation initiative, please call 785-889-5121.