When Rochester Regional Health officials launched a new site in September 2023, the Batavia Medical Campus on the north side of the Thruway entrance, they were aware of some residents’ disappointment in having a facility that much farther out of reach for a pedestrian.
At the time, Dan Ireland, the newly promoted Chief Nursing Executive and Patient Care Officer, recognized the fears expressed by some people that this new place is out of bounds for someone with no dependable means of transportation and too far for one to walk.
Rochester Regional Health had been coordinating a solution with Regional Transit Service in Genesee County to provide an on-demand service for rides to the medical center. That has now been expanded effective June 16.
RTS Genesee announced Monday that it will offer a new free express service that will travel from Batavia City Centre to University of Rochester and Rochester Regional Health medical centers in Batavia from morning to afternoon throughout the week.
The express route will run in a loop four times per day, departing from City Centre for transfer and/or continuation on to URMC and RRH. This service is subsidized by URMC and RRH, which means it is free to any and all customers who use it.
Providing this “free, reliable service” will help ensure that people can access the care they need, United Memorial Medical Center Associate COO Sonja Gonyea said.
“Rochester Regional Health is proud to support the new RTS Genesee Express Service, connecting riders to key medical destinations in Batavia, including our Batavia Medical Campus. Transportation is a common barrier to care, especially in rural areas,” Gonyea said. “This partnership reflects RRH’s ongoing commitment to improving access and supporting community health.”
Likewise, the transportation service is “happy to partner” with URMC and RRH, RTS Chief Executive Officer Miguel Velázquez said.
“Medical Centers like these are among the most important destinations we connect our customers to, and it is our hope that this partnership and new service meets that need for many years to come,” Velázquez said. “I thank the teams at URMC and RRH for their partnership and support, and the RTS team for bringing this important service to life.”
The express service schedule, which includes specific departure and arrival times, is available on the RTS website. Customers are encouraged to contact RTS Genesee with questions at 585-343-3079.
For all other information, visit www.myRTS.com.
