Rides to appointments: Bluebird, community van, MIH
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Rides to medical appointments: Bluebird, community van, MIH
If you find yourself needing a ride to a medical appointment either on or off-island, you have multiple options for getting there.
Bluebird: This volunteer-powered medical rides program is offered for free to members aged 55+ as part of Vashon Senior Center’s Village program. The Bluebird program can be reached at (206) 485-4335 or villages@vashoncenter.org.
Volunteer drivers appreciate at least one week’s notice, and can take passengers to medical appointments on or off-island. This program is funded by King County’s Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy and generous island donors. Learn more at vashon.helpfulvillage.com
Vashon Community Van: Another option is Community Van, a King County Metro program offering a flexible way to share rides for groups of 2–11 riders, plus an approved volunteer driver. Trip requests must be made at least two business days in advance and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Each trip requires an approved volunteer driver and two or more riders. Participants are encouraged to invite eligible family, friends, neighbors, or caregivers to become approved drivers.
Riders pay a standard Metro bus fare; drivers ride free, and the Community Van and driver sail free for off-island trips returning via Fauntleroy and Point Defiance. King County Metro provides the van, fuel and insurance. Accessible vans are available upon request.
To request a trip or learn how to become an approved volunteer driver for a loved one, friend, or your community, visit kingcounty.gov/communityvan. You may also email communityvan@vashonchamber.com.
Approved volunteer drivers must meet program requirements and complete the King County Metro Community Van driver approval process, which includes an application, in-person training, and an online orientation. For more information, visit kingcounty.gov/communityvan.
A cab from Mobile Integrated Health (MIH): Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s (VIFR’s) MIH offers islanders in need taxi rides for off-island medical appointments inside King County. Call VIFR at 206-463-2405 to request a taxi. The MIH administrator will handle the arrangements with Seattle Yellow Cab, giving them your name and contact information. You’ll receive confirmations or updates directly from the company or driver on the day of your ride.
Important to know: This program is only for islanders without access to: Self-drive option, ride from family member, neighbor, or friend, public transport, (bus, train, ride share, etc.) Bluebird from Vashon Senior Center or Vashon Community Van.
Each ride covers one patient and one support person at no cost. No tipping is required. Patients under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Wheelchair-accessible vans are available; just tell MIH if one is needed.
Rides can be scheduled days in advance. Trips must stay within King County (this excludes Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula).
Riders must get to and from the north-end ferry terminal, and on and off the ferry or water taxi on their own. If traveling by car ferry, the taxi meets them at the triangle parking lot at Fauntleroy. If traveling by water taxi, the cab meets them across the street from Pier 50 in Seattle.
Discounts on Regional Transit – rides for any reason:
Youth under age 18 ride free on King County Metro. Learn more about all Metro fares at tinyurl.com/KCMetro-Fares
Riders ages 65+ or riders of any age with disabilities can get a Regional Reduced Fare Permit for $1 rides on buses, ferries, and light rail. Order your reduced-fare transit card at tinyurl.com/SeniorORCA
Riders under age 65 with lower incomes may qualify for the ORCA LIFT reduced-fare transit card or other discounts. For details see tinyurl.com/VashonLift and tinyurl.com/VashonRF
Riders can get transportation vouchers to cover Community Van, bus, and ferry costs. Contact Vashon Youth & Family Services (VYFS) at (206) 463-5511, info@vyfs.org, or in person at 20110 Vashon Highway SW. VYFS is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Boosting Vashon’s resilience: How we do it here
What is resilience? Personal resilience is described by the American Psychological Association as being able to adapt to difficult or challenging life experiences, using mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Are you easily alarmed and unsure what actions to take when things go wrong, or are you someone who can remain calm and team up to solve problems when life throws a curveball? Do major changes to plans or schedules unsettle you, or can you take them in stride? Do you offer help to others in need, and can you ask for and accept help from others when you need it?
How do we do resilience here? Over the past six years, Vashon BePrepared has addressed many kinds of challenges to island resilience, suggesting ways we can each prepare ourselves, our families and households, and our community, so we can stay safer and more comfortable whatever may come. When the pandemic struck, many islanders saw what needed to be done to keep our community safe, so they rolled up their sleeves, teamed up, got creative, and got it done.
Here are some things you can do to help improve your resilience at every level –
Personal resilience: Keep a go bag in your car, at work or school. Learn the skills to deal with some basic challenges: changing a flat tire, putting out a fire on your stove, tending to a child’s minor scrape or cut. Some people go farther to master advanced skills, such as first aid/CPR/AED, auto mechanics, carpentry, plumbing and other home repairs, or amateur (ham) radio.
Household resilience: Prepare to navigate challenges that affect your home – a power outage, severe storm, earthquake, wildfire. Store extra food and water, sign up for emergency alerts at vashonbeprepared.org/stay-informed/, and have a household communications and reunification plan.
Neighborhood resilience: Develop a social web of people who can support each other in time of need. Get to know your neighbors and neighborhood, and consider forming a NERO (see vashonbeprepared.org/prepare-your-neighborhood). Through these connections, you and your neighbors can help each other during emergencies but also at other times. Examples include assisting seniors, watching over kids, and caring for livestock and pets.
Community resilience: Learn about and support the resilience resources we have on Vashon: Examples include a robust network of social service providers (vashonresourcedirectory.com/en), multiple options for medical care (vashonhealthcare.org/resources/), our schools and daycare facilities, island businesses, and others.
