The Road to Care: Asiya’s Hospital Transportation Mission
On any given morning, a simple drive down a California freeway can mean much more than a commute. For a child bound for Shriners Children’s Northern California, that ride is the bridge between uncertainty and healing. Behind the wheel, it’s not a chauffeur or a hired service—it’s one of us, a Noble, quietly transforming the open road into a lifeline.
That journey—so humble, so practical—is powered by one of the most essential yet less glamorous committees of our fraternity: Asiya Hospital Transportation Committee. The mechanics of this mission are deceptively complex, with rules drawn from Shrine Law, our Temple bylaws, and the financial manuals of Shriners International. But the spirit is plain: no child should miss the care they need because of the distance between their home and the hospital.
The Chair at the Center
Every journey begins with a single point of responsibility—the Transportation Chair. This isn’t a ceremonial role; it’s the fulcrum upon which the entire operation turns. The Chair schedules each trip, ensures drivers are cleared, and makes certain our Temple is in compliance with every insurance and safety requirement. While a committee may form around him, it is the Chair’s signature that ensures our drivers depart on time and with confidence.
The Fund With a Solemn Purpose
At the heart of this work lies the Hospital Patient Transportation Fund (HPTF). It is narrow in scope, deliberately so. Every dollar exists for one reason only: to get children to and from their appointments at Shriners Children’s.
Vans, Cars, and the Open Road
The romance of the open highway is tempered by rules. Insurance certificates must be on file, liability limits maintained, and trips coordinated through the Chair. Reimbursements often follow IRS medical mileage rates; sometimes it’s a bus ticket or even an airplane seat if a child requires treatment at our out of state facilities or needs to be brought in from a different country. The method varies. The principle doesn’t: a patient must arrive safely.
The Invisible Armor of Insurance
Behind the scenes, a web of policies protects our Temple, patients, and volunteers alike. From the million-dollar liability requirements to non-owned auto coverage, these layers of insurance are the invisible armor of our mission. Every certificate filed, every “additional insured” clause is a reminder that good intentions alone are never enough. We match our generosity with diligence.
Drivers, Ages, and the Human Element
Unlike so many institutions, Shrine law doesn’t dictate a universal age cap for drivers. Some Temples set their own thresholds—under 80, for instance—while others trust their Transportation Chair’s discretion. What matters is fitness, responsibility, and respect for the trust placed in every driver. These aren’t passengers; they are children and families in fragile moments of their lives. Oh and there always has to be a driver and co-pilot when the child needs to be driven to their appointment. We never drive alone with our patients.
Why It Matters
Because at the end of every checklist, every insurance certificate, every fuel receipt, there is a child who makes it to a doctor’s appointment that could change their future.
Asiya Shriners Transportation Committee fulfills the centuries-old promise of our fraternity that puts children first. The open road awaits. And with it, the chance to turn every mile into a gift of healing.