Newtrax has 55 vehicles in its fleet , and has not been able to get any new ones since Spring of 2020 . The company secures its vehicles through a state contract and has been told it may be late 2023 before any additional buses become available for purchase .
Greenbaum said Nextrax ’ s buses have more miles on them , and are older than preferred , but their internal maintenance crew is doing a great job of keeping them running . In 2022 , the company was able to expand its customer base to service immigrant populations in the community in need of transportation , as well as students participating in afterschool enrichment programs .
In addition to providing pickup and dropoff services , Nextrax also runs five community bus loops for seniors : The North and South Loops serving White Bear Lake , Vadnais Heights and Mahtomedi , the Community Thread Connector Loop serving Stillwater , and the East side of St . Paul , and the Forest Lake Area Loop . Exact routes can be accessed online at : Newtrax . org / community-bus-loops .
“ Our senior circulator loops in Ramsey and Washington Counties are designed to help increase the older population ’ s independence and decrease social isolation ,” said Greenbaum . The buses typically operate once or twice a week between 9:30 a . m . and 1:30 p . m . There are no set fees . Seniors are asked to pay what they can for the service .
Nextrax has partnered with the City of White Bear Lake , the Minnesota Department of Transportation , the University of Minnesota and Ramsey County since August of 2022 on the Bear Tracks automated shuttle project in White Bear Lake . The automated shuttle travels from PAI off County Road East , then goes south down Willow Avenue and East on Orchard Lane , ending up at the White Bear Area YMCA . All shuttles are free and open to the public . More information about the service can be found online at Beartrackswbl . org
“ Our goal has always been to meet community transportation needs . We are focused on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and seniors , but we ’ re always looking to meet other transportation gaps in the community ,” he said .
The majority of Nextrax ’ funding comes from its operations . Eighty to eightyfive percent of the company ’ s funding comes from fees paid for service by companies such as Merrick , Inc ., PAI , Inc ., Northeast Community Services , and local senior residential providers . The remainder of the funding comes from grants and community support .
NEWTRAX
Newtrax Inc . 3700 Highway 61 N White Bear Lake , MN 5510 Phone : 651-789-6221 E-mail : info @ newtrax . org Website : www . newtrax . org
TSE-INC
TSE , Inc ., which is based in Roseville , and has locations in Maplewood , St . Paul and Vadnais Heights , has been providing employment and enrichment support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1963 . The nonprofit currently serves about 300 people in their 20s to 80s in the Ramsey County area , and wants to serve more .
Lynne Megan , TSE , Inc .’ s President and CEO , said in 2023 a lot of focus will be placed on hiring the staff necessary to provide support for everyone in need of TSE , Inc ’ s services . “ There are people with developmental disabilities we supported pre-pandemic that have not been able to return to our services . Plus we have a fairly large waiting list of people who want to work with us but can ’ t currently . We work on staff to client ratios and we don ’ t have enough staff .”
Megan said TSE Inc . needs 15 to 20 additional staff members , mostly employment specialists who would provide clients with direct support .
As of early 2023 , about 150 of the organization ’ s clients were employed
in the community at places such as the Staples Fulfillment Center and several assisted living communities in Vadnais Heights , and PCs for People , the city recreation center and a Jutt Salon in St . Paul . Megan is happy to share that one of TSE Inc .’ s clients , a woman named Sheila , has been employed by Jutt Salon for more than 23 years .
“ Sheila has an intellectual disability . She needs reminders to make sure she does her job and does it well . So , her job coach , Nancy , will go visit her three or four days a week to say , ‘ Hi Sheila . How are you doing ?’ She ’ ll talk with Sheila . She ’ ll talk with the manager of the salon and perhaps other stylists to make sure everything is going well .”
Those clients not intellectually able to perform a job in the community receive enrichment services from TSE , Inc ., instead . They are helped with accessing the library , participating in activities at the YMCA and visiting the local shopping centers .
“ We want people with disabilities to have the best life possible , so it comes back to the name of our grant , Choices for All . What people would like , we want to help them achieve ,” said Megan .
Choices for All is a 2-year , $ 350,000 grant provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services .
“ The grant allowed us to hire an employment coordinator , an additional person that will help us to make sure all of our staff are educating and working with curriculum to assist people with disabilities in gaining more employment skills . It also allowed us the opportunity to hire an enrichment coordinator who is assisting us with
30 Northeast Metro Business