KerrKonnect volunteer drivers pass 350,000-mile mark — and still have a waitlist of 150

In less than eight years, KerrKonnect volunteers have driven 350,000 miles — all of them within 10 miles of the Kerr County Courthouse.

The milestone ride was given by Cynthia Wallace, a volunteer driver since January 2023 who has logged more than 350 rides. On that trip, she drove a rider identified as Ms. Gervais to Hill Country Dental Associates on Hill Country Drive. Gervais has been using KerrKonnect for two years, taking two to three rides a week — a frequency that, according to the organization, has allowed her to continue living independently in her own home.

“When I quantify the truest impact of KerrKonnect, I know that it is the quality of one person’s life made incrementally better by another person, one ride at a time,” said volunteer coordinator Georgieanna Itz.

KerrKonnect provides door-to-door transportation to members for $2 per ride ($4 roundtrip) within a 10-mile radius of the courthouse. Nearly half of all rides are for medical appointments; another third are for personal appointments. The remainder are split between grocery runs and rides to work or volunteer commitments. The organization says it has helped more than 525 residents maintain their independence.

Despite a roster of more than 85 drivers, KerrKonnect carries an active waitlist of more than 150 people at any given time. “Every new driver that we can recruit means three hopeful riders no longer have to worry about how to get to the places they need to go,” Itz said.

Drivers are background-screened and covered by KerrKonnect’s insurance; they provide their own time and vehicles. H-E-B, a longtime program partner, provides gift cards to help offset fuel costs.

Anyone interested in volunteering can visit kerrkonnect.org or call 830-315-5377.