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!
August 2024 Marcel Morin
I have been a Volunteer Driver since January 2022. I decided to join Urban Rural Rides to be helpful to a lot of people in need of transportation at first for medical reasons and then I have extended to any reason approved by our Ride Coordinator for...
JULY 2024 | CHRISTINE HUMPHREYS
My name is Christine and I first experienced Maritime life in university after which I returned to Toronto. After several years of living in the fast paced lifestyle of Toronto, I decided to move to Moncton permanently to have a better work/ life balance. The move to...
JUNE 2024 | MIRANDA SHEPPHARD
After moving to Shediac from Ontario 3 years ago, I had some free time on my hands and a desire to become a part of this community. I knew I wanted to volunteer but didn't know how. I can across an SOS looking for volunteer drivers for Urban Rides. It was an...
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...
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...
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. So I volunteer one day a week...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Our Board of Directors
Kirstin Shortt
President
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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.
Jason Gallant
Vice President
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.
Michelle Tupy
Vice President
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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Pamela O’Brien
Board Member
Pamela is a Board member and volunteer driver for Urban Rural Rides. She is also a member of The Town of Riverview Seniors Roundtable and assisted The Town of Riverview achieve its Age-Friendly Community Designation. She is an active volunteer at Hospice SENB.
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Using her knowledge and expertise gained during her time in the Health and Fitness Industry in Ottawa, she developed and is currently using a specialized program that entails all aspects of Active Aging for the 55 plus crowd that helps them remain strong and independent for a lifetime. She is a frequent presenter on this topic and offers workshops in the Moncton and Riverview area. She also volunteers with The Butterflyway Project with The David Suzuki Foundation as a Butterflyway Ranger growing native habitat for bees and butterflies in the Riverview and Moncton area. She created and actively maintains a native plant park area, Greenpark Meadows, for residents to enjoy and learn about native plants and wildlife.
Katherine Thorne
Board Member
Hello, my name is Katherine Thorne. I relocated from Ontario to Riverview nine years ago and have enjoyed becoming part of this vibrant community. In September 2025, I was delighted to join Urban Rural Rides as a Board member, as I look forward to my retirement in December 2025.
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Raksha Ramesh
Board Member
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Along with her volunteer commitments, Raksha works as an Artist Manager, where she supports local talent and helps amplify their visibility in the community. She brings strong communication skills and a passion for creating awareness to her role as a board member with Urban Rural Rides and is proud to support its mission of providing safe, reliable transportation that connects people across the region.
Board Value Statement
We lead with dignity, listen with purpose, and serve with heart — honoring our volunteers, empowering our riders, and building trust through transparent, community-driven governance.
CORE VALUES OF URBAN RURAL RIDES
- Service with Respect and Dignity
We treat every rider, volunteer, and community partner with compassion and respect. Our service is grounded in dignity — recognizing the worth of every person and the importance of mobility in fostering independence and inclusion.
- Volunteer-Centered Mission
Our volunteer drivers are the backbone of our organization. We honour their generosity, support their needs, and celebrate their role in connecting communities across the province.
- User-Driven Responsiveness
We listen actively and adapt thoughtfully. Our programs evolve based on the real needs of riders and volunteers, ensuring our services remain relevant, accessible, and empowering.
- Transparent and Engaged Governance
We commit to open communication, ethical decision-making, and active engagement with our stakeholders. Our Board leads with integrity, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose.
- Equity Through Access
We believe transportation is a bridge to opportunity. We work to eliminate barriers and expand access for underserved populations, both urban and rural.
- Supporter-Centric Stewardship
We are accountable to the communities, donors, and partners who sustain our work. We steward resources responsibly and build trust through transparency and collaboration.
- Local Roots, Provincial Reach
We grow with care. Our province-wide impact is built on local knowledge, community trust, and scalable, sustainable practices.
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
