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Idling outside an apartment building in Pipestone, Minn., volunteer driver Doris Larson scrapes snow off her vehicle while she waits for a passenger.


She pauses and spots a middle-aged woman coming out of the building.


"Here she comes, here comes our gal," said Larson.


The 'gal' is Susan Marrs, 50. She needs to see an orthopedic doctor in Sioux Falls, S.D., about 50 miles away.  


"For my back," said Marrs. "I just had a minor surgery not too long ago and I'm just going there for another post-op."


Although she's retired, Larson said she's plenty busy in her volunteer role. Some weeks she drives nearly every day, others maybe only a trip or two. She volunteers through the transit program of the United Community Action Partnership, based in Marshall, Minn.  

5 ways communities can prepare for 'age in place' seniors

United Community Action Partnership


"People need it," Larson said. "We got a lot of seniors that don't have cars and can't drive. Kids that got behavior problems, I transport them."


Volunteer drivers play a crucial role in helping Minnesotans who can't drive themselves get to the places they need to be, from doctor appointments to court dates.

And with a rapidly aging population, the need will inevitably become even greater in the years ahead. 

Larson shuts her car door and heads out of the parking lot, figuring on about three hours before she returns to Pipestone. While she's waiting for Marrs' appointment to be over, she may do a crossword puzzle or go shopping. Just another day in the life, she said.   


A study by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs estimated that there are about 900 volunteer drivers, like Larson, across Minnesota. But the actual number is likely much higher, since only half the state's 87 counties were covered in the study's responses. Those 900 drivers alone, though, are busy: Providing nearly 400,000 hours of service each year.  


"It's a very important role that the volunteer drivers play," said Kari Benson, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging, a government agency. 


But that role isn't just a practical one, she said: Volunteer drivers are crucial to helping elderly people stay connected with their community.


"Helping older adults get to medical appointments, but also to meet other needs," said Benson, "including just getting errands done such as grocery shopping or going to the bank."


And the need is expected to grow as the state ages. 


Pushed by Baby Boomers moving into their senior years, Minnesotans over 65 are projected to make up a fifth of the state's total population by 2030. Right now, about 14 percent of Minnesotans — nearly 800,000 residents — are considered seniors, older than 65. 


But there are concerns about whether the number of volunteer drivers will keep up with the growing ranks of people who need them. The percentage of people willing to volunteer for anything is shrinking across the U.S. — and Benson said that could lead to problems finding drivers.  

 
"With the demographic changes, the aging of the population, we do worry that we will lose volunteers," Benson said. "And some areas are feeling this pinch already."


Nearly two-thirds of the agencies in the University of Minnesota study said it is already difficult to find enough drivers to meet demand. But there are a few factors that might change that equation.  


The use of telemedicine, for instance, is increasing. In telemedicine, patients visit with a doctor over the internet, from their homes. That could reduce the need for driving trips to the doctor.  


And, traditionally, Minnesotans are helpful. The state ranks 

second in the nation in volunteering rates

. So the hope is that more people like Doris Larson will step up to meet the need.  


"I like doing this, yes I do," she said. She called her trip to Sioux Falls another successful day of volunteering behind the wheel.  


And she would know: The University of Minnesota study found that most drivers do this volunteer work for less than five years. Larson has been doing it for 20. And at 80 years old, she has no plans to stop. That's the sort of dedication the state may need to keep ahead of the coming flood of seniors and their transportation needs.

Want to become a volunteer driver? Here's where to apply• 

Southeastern Minnesota
Community Action Council

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Volunteer drivers play a crucial role in helping Minnesotans who can't drive themselves get to where they need to be. And with a rapidly aging population, the need will likely grow in the years ahead.

Running on empty? As Minnesota ages, need for volunteer drivers grows

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