Goal: To design a coordinated transportation system that will increase access to medical care, education and employment opportunities and social services for the residents of New Hampshire’s most rural counties, which addresses a barrier to access to health care suffered by North Country residents.

Download a North Country transportation guide.

Service Area

• Northern Grafton County
• Coos County

Economic and Geographic Barriers

• Population density is 75 percent lower than the state average
• Mountainous terrain
• Lower wages
• Limited access to technological advances
• Higher unemployment rate
• Fewer health care providers spread out over great distances
• Limited access to specialty care
• Median family income almost 40 percent below the state average
• Population over the age of 65 is 30 percent higher than the state average
• Twenty-five percent of population not confident of access to health care and/or no usual source of health care or contact with a physician or dentist within the last year
• Specialty services frequently shared among five rural hospitals
• Tertiary care an hour and a half to three hours drive

NCHC has found that regional approaches to planning and implementation are most effective in rural areas. The goal of the NCHC Rural Transportation Project is to convene providers of medical transportation, health and human service providers, funding sources, technical assistance providers, regional planners, government entities and policy makers for a summit on rural transportation with the purpose of identifying solutions and opportunities for sustaining medical transportation services.

Outcomes/Success

A Rural Transportation Summit was held on January 31, 2002. There was a strong turnout for the event, 130 attendees, despite a threatening weather forecast. The day began with an overview of the current transportation situation in the North Country of New Hampshire and information on the health status of North Country residents. A panel discussed transportation models used in central New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Federal and State officials from transportation and health and human services spoke about their commitment to helping improve access to transportation in northern New Hampshire. Charles Rutkowski, of Community Transportation Association of America provided the keynote speech entitled “Innovative Solutions to Rural Transportation Issues”. The day ended with a work session and development of action steps.

A follow up meeting was convened February 13, 2002 to begin work on the action steps identified at the Summit. The group has met monthly since then. Nancy Berliner of the New Hampshire Rural Development Council agreed to facilitate the meetings for the immediate future.

Committee for Public Transportation in the North Country

The group decided to remain an ad hoc committee of the North Country Health Consortium and to move toward developing a North Country coordinating council for transportation. The name of the group is the Committee for Public Transportation in the North Country. The purpose/mission of the group is:

“ to assist the development of a regional, affordable transportation system for the North Country of New Hampshire. The assistance will provide development, coordination and implementation of resources for the public, which enhances transportation choices for all residents. (draft)”

The Committee meets on a monthly basis and recently developed a draft work plan. Contact North Country Health Consortium if you would like a copy of the work plan or if you are interested assisting us with this project.

Go to the main transportation website