About us
Urban/Rural Rides is a community transportation service operated by volunteer drivers who are dedicated to bridging transportation gaps in both urban and rural communities in New Brunswick.
As a registered charity, our mission is to provide safe, affordable, and reliable transportation solutions to seniors and low-income families. Roundtrip transportation services are offered primarily for medical appointments and access to food banks.
With Urban/Rural Rides, those in need can rely on our dependable transportation service that prioritizes their safety and well-being. We take pride in our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our clients with compassion and efficiency.
Our Drivers
Every month we profile one of our Volunteer Drivers.
Find out more about these awesome individuals and why they volunteer to help those in need in our community!
MAY 2024 | JEAN FRIGAULT
Hello,
My name is Jean and I have been a resident of Moncton since the age of 6.
After my retirement in June 2022, I was looking for a place to volunteer. I began my search at the South East Volunteer Center. Debbi introduced me to the Urban Rural Rides service and in November 2022 I joined the group to do 2 afternoons a week. The service is very well organized and the hours are flexible.
The customers are friendly and always very grateful. I encourage everyone to get involved and offer some of their time to assist those who need help.
APRIL 2024 | MONIQUE OUELLETTE
I am surprised by this honor. I am a retired nurse and I love helping people live better. My role as a volunteer driver allows me to enjoy a rewarding retirement. I also keep busy as a knitter and transform wood into buttons and accessories. I also work as a mentor for newcomers for the Vitalité Health Network. I am very busy, but my role as a driver is important and I want to give it a certain priority in my life, because people appreciate the service I provide them so much.
MARCH 2024 | GASTON JOLICOEUR
After retiring 2 years ago for the second time. We moved back in NB. This time I decided to volunteer instead of keeping on working. I spend most of my life on the road, so being home full time allows me to be available to help…
FEBRUARY 2024 | MICHAEL SPEARS
Grew up in London, Ontario and have lived in a few different provinces. I am a type 1 diabetic. I owned a business selling and installing granite, and was featured in a magazine for my work. I have worked as a maintenance worker doing pretty much everything. I have knowledge and experience at plumbing, electrical, and building and repairing many things. I have every tool known to man.
JANUARY 2024 | TERRY SISSON
The opportunity to become an Urban Rural Rides driver came almost a year ago and I thought it was a good fit for both the URR and myself. I was born and raised in Arthurette which is now in the District of Tobique Valley. I left to go to university, returning to Arthurette to teach at my old high school, Tobique Valley High 12 years later. (Learn more)
DECEMBER 2023 | Anne Roussel
I am Anne Roussel. I have been retired for a long time, but I needed a challenge that was not too demanding. So, through a friend, they were looking for volunteers to drive people in need to go shopping or to appointments in the Northwest Region. Since June I have been responding to the need for transportation and I have had the opportunity to meet and expand my circle of acquaintances. I feel useful.
NOVEMBER 2023 | Elsie Doucet
Hi, my name is Elsie Doucet and I live in Moncton.
In 1995 I started working for UPS as a customer service representative and was promoted to supervisor one year later. In 2015 I decided to semi-retire but continued working as an inbound representative, working mornings only, until our center closed in 2021.
OCTOBER 2023 | Louise Tingley
Hi! My name is Louise Tingley and I live in Riverview. On Halloween day 2023 – I will be commencing my 7th year of retirement after 37 years in commercial banking. Immediately after my retirement, I began volunteering for the schools breakfast program for a couple of years. Not working any longer provided me more time to spent with my mother who was in a nursing home…
SEPTEMBER 2023 | Ted Olsen
I started to volunteer as a driver August 1, 2000, one year before I retired. I wanted something to do during retirement as I had no real hobbies or interests. In the beginning there were only a few of us driving, and sometimes there were only two. For the couple of years that Covid was rampant I decided not to drive, but now I am back again since December…
Our Board of Directors
James (Jim) Brown
President
I am a licensed paramedic with 28 years experience and retired from the provincial ambulance service about 2 years ago. I am employed part-time at a private health care clinic in Dieppe NB, Medicalux Private Care. I provide all kinds of medical services with them, and I am responsible for managing their HCP (hearing conservation program). I travel all around our province and others in this capacity. I am also a hyperbaric oxygen therapy technician with them.
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I am involved with Saint John Ambulance and volunteer in all manners of what services they provide including: Instructor Trainer, First Aid & MFR instructor, CSUL (community service unit leader) of the Moncton 275 Brigade, member of the newly formed ERU Team (Emergency Response Unit), one of 25 federally regulated teams that respond to natural and man-made disasters. A Youth Group Leader with 15 years experience working with young people.
I am married to my wife Bea, of 22 years and have been friends for a great number of years prior. We both have 2 children each from previous marriages, and 5 grandchildren. We like to travel, tenting, hiking, enjoy our cats and ballroom dancing.
I was fortunate enough to be involved with one of the parent groups “Rural Rides” from the very beginning. Myself and several others were involved with the pilot amalgamation process that led to the successful formation of the current charitable organization “Urban/Rural Rides Inc.”
I am the current President of Urban/Rural Rides Inc and a volunteer driver. I work closely with our valued staff and sit on our Strategic Planning Committee/Bylaws Committee. I chair our Executive and Board meetings. I also enjoy meeting with other stakeholder groups and related conferences.
It is my greatest desire to see our services being established and provided for those communities still without affordable transportation and other transportation services to meet the demands of all New Brunswick.
Dave Gouthro
Vice-President
Non-Dealer, Wholesaler/Distributor
Markets: Wholesale
As distribution center manager for Groupe Touchette’s warehouse in Moncton, Dave serves in the company’s largest distribution center in Atlantic Canada. Always present and active in the building, Dave has built a strong diverse team of talented individuals.
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Dave continually seeks to grow a platform of improving safety, inclusivity/diversity and corporate social responsibility within the industry.
Dan Matthews
Treasurer
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He loves the interaction with the clients and has an opportunity to learn a lot of history and stories from this area as they travel to and from various appointments.
Diane Wilson
Secretary
I have been volunteering in the Secretary position of Urban/Rural Rides since 2019.
Kirstin Shortt
Past-President
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Normand Dupuis
Board Member
Career in printing industry as management and sales for the past 50 years. Elected councillor for Memramcook Village in June 2021, which also requires the participation on several committees including one of which is for the past two years sitting on the Board of Directors for Rural Ride (attending meetings regularly, joining in with board discussions and offering ideas or opinions, voting on board matters, making motions).
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Family life with our 3 boys and 2 grandchildren has kept our family very involved in the sports environment. Presently playing pickleball myself is very enjoyable as a source of physical activity and socialization.
Gerald (Gerry) Forsythe
Board Member
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Jason Gallant
Board Member
Jason has had a lengthy career in the IT Industry and most recently holds the position of IT Manager for a leading Health Insurance Company in Moncton.
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His primary drive is to make a difference in any organization he’s a part of and is happy to be making a difference as a board member with Urban/Rural Rides.
Board Member
Michelle Tupy is originally from Australia and is currently the Chapter Director for Shelter Movers Greater Moncton. She enjoys working with businesses and nonprofits to develop community relationships and believes that working together is the key to success.
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Heather Richards
Board Member
Executive Director of the Vestiaire St-Joseph Shediac Regional Food Bank
With over 35 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, Heather has a passion for collaborating with her community to empower individuals to become the best version of themselves.
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Heather is passionate about community and believes in the importance of the Urban and Rural Rides program as lack of transportation should not become a barrier to meeting one’s basic needs
Changing lives, One ride at a time
“They Make Me Feel Like I Matter“
Michael has been using Urban/Rural Rides for several years now. He has been dealing with a multitude of medical needs and relies on Urban/Rural Rides for his transportation into the city for his appointments.
“They are always kind when I interact with them – the drivers and the staff. They listen and are very helpful. The drivers are volunteers. They give up their time to make sure I get to my appointments. That makes me feel like I matter because someone is willing to give up their own time to help me. The benefit of this service goes well beyond the ride itself. I have a lot of health issues and I am in constant pain. However, when I am in the car having a friendly conversation with a driver, I am distracted in a way. I feel better. My pain is lower for a time because I am interacting with someone.” said Michael.
Michael is one of the many lives being changed one ride at a time. In addition to assisting people to get to their appointments, a friendly conversation, interaction with someone and knowing that they matter enough for someone to take the time to help them goes a long way to improving the lives of those without transportation who may be isolated from people and services.
One such story is a woman in Shediac who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and needed frequent transportation to the hospital for treatment. There is a shortage of volunteers in Shediac but, because of the seriousness of the need, a driver was brought in from another area to provide transportation to treatments.
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Sometimes lack of transportation is not the only barrier to accessing services. One Wednesday in August, we received a letter in the mail from a senior lady living in a remote area with no phone or Internet, who needed a ride to the food bank. Our service requires 48 hours to book transportation and unfortunately the letter was received on the day she was asking for transportation.
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The following Wednesday, a driver was out in that area for another ride and stopped in to check on this client and offer to take her to the food bank that afternoon. When the driver arrived at the home, the client did not answer the door but the driver could hear the radio on inside the house. The concern for the welfare of this client increased dramatically. After a conversation with the ride coordinator, it was decided to go ahead and do the other ride and then return to this client’s home to check on her again. If there was still no response, a call would be made for a wellness check. Thankfully, when the driver returned, the client answered the door. She had merely gone out for a walk. The driver took the client to the food bank to get supplies. We later received a letter of thanks from the food bank commending our driver and ride coordinator for going above and beyond to make sure this isolated senior had food.
Our Partners
