Family learns how to ride with special help
RTA make permanent friends with the Lamb family
Every new RTA customer has his or her own story about how they first learned to ride. The story of Savanna Lamb and her family happened by coincidence. Ten-year-old Savanna, who is in a wheelchair, and her family were spotted at Wright Stop Plaza by Scott Meece, a travel trainer for RTA.
Meece, who also uses a wheelchair, feels deeply for people with special mobility needs, especially kids. When he saw Savanna, her mom and siblings at Wright Stop Plaza, he made a point of introducing himself and asking if they ride RTA.
Mom Amy Lamb said they were not sure how to ride the bus because of Savanna’s wheelchair. Quick to help, Meece offered to travel along to ensure they had a successful trip and the Lambs were soon excited to try a family adventure on the bus. They looked over a schedule and left that day on their first trip, traveling to a library and to a movie at locations near the Dayton Mall.
"It was fun," said Savanna, a petite girl with a smile that fills a room.
A highlight of her trip that day was meeting an exchange student from India who told the family she was impressed by how easy it was to get Savanna on and off the bus. As an act of kindness the woman gave Savanna a bus token.
"This has opened up new avenues for us and created new ways for us to get around," Amy said. "That bus was like riding in a Cadillac. I would let Savanna ride anytime."
Though Savanna was still recovering from surgery for a broken leg, the Lambs found time to come to an RTA board meeting with Meece to express their thanks for the personalized service they received.
With four kids living at home and medical needs for Savanna, Amy finds it important to watch their expenses. She now plans to count on RTA as an affordable means of travel. Savanna and sisters Macy, 11, her twin Sydney, and brother, Caden, 8, enjoy activities like swimming, garage sales, Bible school, soccer and reading, according to Amy. She says they will be planning a family outing on RTA to local parks very soon.
"You have a lifetime customer here," she said.