Twice each year, New Growth Transit has volunteer drivers to stop in for program updates and a vehicle safety inspection. These gatherings are also a chance to connect face-to-face, share appreciation for the miles our drivers provide, and catch up with the New Growth Transit team.

For Thelma Warner, volunteer driving is about paying it forward. As she celebrates her 80th birthday this month, she reflects on how helping neighbors get where they need to go has given her purpose too.

In 2025, volunteer drivers went above and beyond — with the top 5 logging more than 138,000 miles combined to help neighbors get to medical care and back home safely. Meet a few of the drivers whose commitment keeps rural communities moving.

Getting to a medical appointment is only half the journey. Here’s why Donna Crouch makes sure her neighbors have a way back home — and why she says every mile is worth it.

After a career in law enforcement and still with a heart to serve, Kevin was looking for a meaningful way to keep helping people without the pressure. As a New Growth Transit volunteer driver, he discovered that reliability itself can be a powerful way to ease the burden for others.

The reality for people living in remote, rural communities is that frequent, life-critical medical appointments are difficult to reach. Dean’s story shows why reliable transportation is needed and matters.

Tom, a volunteer driver from Vernon County, will tell you he just likes people and respects everyone he meets. Read why Tom chooses to volunteer as a driver and help his neighbors.

Despite reduced state support in 2025, New Growth Transit's delivered a rural transportation solution. Volunteer drivers delivered over a half million miles of rides ensuring residents could reach lifesaving medical care, employment, grocery stores, recovery court, and other essential destinations.

Rather than just a traditional annual report to look at 2025, this calendar highlights businesses and volunteer drivers from communities across our region— Bolivar, Butler, Clinton, Collins, Nevada, Rich Hill, Stockton, and Warsaw. You might see someone you know!

When community meetings kept circling back to one problem—transportation—Milo Kelly (pictured at right of volunteer driver Jackie) decided to do something about it. What began as a few willing drivers grew into a partnership with New Growth Transit, proving how local initiative can set real change in motion.

For many veterans in rural Missouri, getting to medical appointments means traveling long distances to reach specialized care at VA hospitals in urban areas. Volunteer drivers like Rowann Bastow make those miles possible through New Growth Transit—turning every ride into a gesture of gratitude and connection.

When a volunteer driver emailed our staff last week out of the blue, his words stopped us in our tracks. His story is a powerful reminder of why this work matters—not just for riders, but for the drivers who give so much.