Giving up the car keys is one of the hardest decisions an older adult makes. In Sumner County, it can also mean giving up the pharmacy run, the hair appointment, and lunch with friends, because there’s no public transportation to fall back on.
That’s the gap Community Life Bridge set out to close seven years ago. Its first program, Community Life Ride, pairs older adults who no longer drive with a volunteer driver for older adults who has a free morning or afternoon. Christine Martin came on as program manager to get it running and became executive director in 2025.
Christine joined Kathryn on A Good Pour to talk about why the need keeps growing, what drivers get back, and why the program’s wait list depends on one thing: more people willing to drive once a month.
Why can’t older adults in Sumner County use Uber or Lyft?
Some can. For many older adults, though, rideshare breaks down on cost, technology, trust, and timing.
The app assumes a smartphone and comfort using it. A trip downtown for a specialist appointment can cost more than a fixed income allows. And some parts of the county are hard to get a driver to at all.
Then there’s the pharmacy problem. Christine described it plainly. You call a car, it drops you at the pharmacy, you’re inside for three minutes, and “that Uber or Lyft leaves.” Now you need a second car and a second wait.
Trust matters too. A stranger in a personal car pulling into the driveway feels different when you’re 80 and live alone. Christine has also seen drivers skip pickups at senior living buildings entirely.
What does a volunteer driver for older adults do?
A Community Life Ride driver uses their own car to take one rider to one place, waits when the stop is short, and brings them home. Rides go anywhere a person needs: a doctor’s office, the grocery store, a salon, a friend’s house.
Training takes about an hour. After that, drivers log into an online ride list, compare it to their own calendar, and pick what fits. Rides run Monday through Friday between 9 and 4. A single ride can take 30 minutes or three hours, depending on the appointment.
Most drivers are early retirees who want something meaningful that still leaves room to travel and see grandchildren. Some work part time and drive on their days off. One volunteer works full time, looks for rides near his office, and gives them on his lunch hour.
What drivers get back
People sign up to pay it forward. Christine says they stay for the riders.
Drivers hear life stories. They find connections nobody would predict, like the rider and driver who figured out they’d worked in the same warehouse in another state. Some pairs hit it off and the rider asks for that driver again. Other riders love meeting someone new, because it means a fresh chance to tell their story.
With about 85 drivers on the team, there’s always someone to cover when a favorite isn’t available.
Why one ride a month changes the wait list
Right now, 72 people are waiting to become riders. The length of that list is tied directly to how many volunteers the program has and where they live.
Christine did the math out loud. If 100 people each gave one ride a month, that could potentially clear a wait list this size. Nobody has to drive every week for the list to move.
Why Community Life Bridge says “older adults”
Christine chooses her words on purpose. “Elderly” can offend. “Senior citizens” makes people feel old. Both carry a picture of someone frail and needy.
Her experience says otherwise. “Most older adults are high functioning,” she said. “They have a lot of life to live.” What they need are tools to keep getting out into the community, and a ride is the first one.
Use This Today
Open your calendar for next month. Find one weekday window between 9 and 4 with two hours free, and block it as “drive.”
Then visit communitylifebridge.org and ask about the next volunteer training. That’s five minutes, and it holds a spot for someone on the wait list.
A pause before you scroll on
Nobody expects you to fix transportation in Sumner County. The ask is smaller than that: one ride, once a month, with someone who has stories to tell and a place they need to be.
Kathryn said it well at the end of the conversation. Older adults have so much wisdom to share, and if they’re not out and about, it’s hard to have community.
Listen to the full conversation
Hear Christine and Kathryn’s full conversation on A Good Pour: [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mJT8fjBqrsoVyXjGNdcCe?si=e1gGoMWQR9GJxtgZunLXPw]
Frequently asked questions
How much time does it take to volunteer as a driver with Community Life Ride?
Community Life Ride asks volunteers to drive once a month. A ride takes anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours, and training takes about an hour. Rides run Monday through Friday between 9 and 4.
How does an older adult in Sumner County sign up for rides?
They call Community Life Bridge or request information on its website. The team mails an application with a return envelope, and once a spot opens, a staff member visits the rider at home before the first ride. There is a wait list, and it moves faster as more drivers sign up.
Does Community Life Bridge offer anything besides rides?
Yes. Riders can join rider socials every other month at local businesses, and vetted volunteers can pick up online grocery orders for riders who can’t get to the store. Christine Martin also sees growing needs around technology help and housing.
How can a local business support Community Life Bridge?
Businesses can host or sponsor a rider social, sponsor Community Life Bridge events, or partner on services for older adults. Reach out through communitylifebridge.org to start the conversation.