DES MOINES, Iowa — Job Rides is a not-for-profit run out of Raine Recruiting in West Des Moines. Bill Raine, the president of Job Rides, started the program based on the idea that everyone deserves to have stable transportation to and from work.
"I've always felt that if a person wants to work, they should have an opportunity to work," Raine said.
He's hoping the program opens more doors for job-seekers.
"What we have found is through the van, the reliability is much higher," Raine said. "We've had individuals that, again, wouldn't be at work, if it wasn't for the transportation that job rides as provided."
Leanne Otting, a Job Rides driver, said helping the riders gives her a sense of fulfillment.
"It's very gratifying... I'm making connections with people that ride with me, getting to know them listening to their stories, seeing hope blossom amongst them as they continue their jobs and they even connect with each other," Otting said.
She isn't alone, as Raine says the people he drives to and from work are more than just passengers to him.
"One of our original riders, he was homeless before we started picking them up, down at the shelter and he's been riding with us now for three and a half months, four months and he and I have had struck up a pretty good friendship," Raine said.
For now Job Rides is only driving a select number of workers from a few companies, but Raine plans to make this program more accessible in the next few years.
"We're on a, you know, a five-year plan," he said. "This is year one. So, we're really liking where year one is going right now, with the growth that we've seen and the help we've been able to give."
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