New taxi service heading to Mineral Co.

A new taxi service will soon be available in Mineral County. Superior resident, Michael Bowen, is starting “Bowen Family Transport”, and will provide services throughout the county.

Several members from the Mineral County Pioneer Council and Transportation group attended a meeting with the county commissioners in support of the new taxi business.

Monte Turner, a spokesman for group and who also represents Mineral Community Hospital, said there is a real need for this type of service. The attendees asked the commissioners if the new service could be under the county insurance umbrella at least for a year, until the business become more viable. The commissioners approved the use of county insurance for a year.

“Oftentimes, community members need rides to the grocery store, to visit friends or go to appointments,” Monte explained. “Also, sometimes patients are discharged from the hospital and they don’t have transportation and hospital policy prevents personnel from giving patients a ride.”

There was even a report of a discharged patient who ended up walking home to St. Regis, located 14 miles away from Superior.

“I never realized how big of problem this is,” said Turner, “I called other medical facilities in the area and they said they run into the same thing. People don’t always have reliable transportation.”

Transportation is available through the Pioneer organization, but that is strictly run by volunteers and isn’t always available. A taxi service would guarantee people rides who need it. The hospital has a voucher program where patients are given funds for transportation. Funds for the vouchers are donated and this would help patients who may lack the funds needed for a taxi ride.

Bowen attended school in St. Regis and moved back to Superior three years ago. He is also a volunteer ambulance driver and EMT. The vehicle he will be using was donated by Curt’s Transmission in Missoula.