The local office of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Amtran plan to work out an arrangement by which a handful of individuals who’ve been struggling with homelessness can ride buses for free.

The program would be intended to help the individuals get to work, to employment interviews, to the grocery store and to the doctor’s, so that they can become productive members of society.

The arrangement would be similar to ones Amtran already has with other social service agencies, said Amtran CEO Michele Barnes, after board Chairman Larry Bilotto broached the idea Wednesday, upon the prior suggestion of Society Executive Director Eric Curfman.

The Society is proposing a six-month pilot program, in an effort to eliminate a persistent barrier for individuals trying to improve their lot, said Curfman in a phone interview.

“The one main barrier that is constant no matter where you go is transportation,” Curfman said. “I wanted to address it.”

The Society provides food and clothing and helps pay utility and housing bills for needy people, “but one area we haven’t touched on, and where there are not a lot of options, is transportation,” Curfman said.

Helping people get the things they need generally can help them “grow as a person” — enlarging their opportunities for them, even as it helps the overall community, Curfman said.

If the pilot is successful, agencies could perhaps work together to expand the initiative and create a permanent solution, Curfman said.

The Society is willing to pay part or even all of the costs, although Amtran or even the city may be willing to contribute, according to Curfman.

“Nothing is finalized yet,” Curfman said.

Barnes thought the proposal was “a great idea” when she first heard it from Bilotto, she said.

Amtran has the technology to track usage of the proposed passes, Barnes told the board.

The idea for the passes came up at a recent meeting of the Hope for the Homeless committee.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.