In rural Kansas, seniors are stranded by a lack of transit options — and it's getting worse

Senior citizens who want to live in the same rural towns where they grew up face a growing problem: how to get around. Unreliable transportation means many seniors have trouble shopping for groceries, visiting family and getting to medical care.
LIBERAL — A white Dodge Caravan pulls up in front of the Dillons grocery store in Liberal, Kansas, and Floyd Coleman steps out to help his next passenger into the minivan. Coleman, a 63-year-old retired truck driver, shuttles people around town for Liberal’s senior center. He has a few pickups and drop-offs throughout the day and can drive senior center patrons anywhere within the city limits for free.

City Bus, the public transit system in Liberal, runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. And although seniors qualify for reduced fares, the stops are sometimes few and far between.