Seniors in Rohnert Park, Cotati and Penngrove can have their own bit of Sunshine delivered right to their door three mornings each week - with a little bit of planning, that is.

A simple phone call, at least 24 hours in advance, will reserve a spot on the Sunshine Bus, a service provided by the Rohnert Park Senior Center. Three white passenger vans, with a sunny flower painted on the side, are available on Wednesdays and Fridays to take local seniors to their appointments. Thursdays are reserved for trips to Santa Rosa for medical appointments or for Social Security or DMV appointments. The service is available only in the mornings, so appointments must be made accordingly.

“We used to have it on Mondays, too,” says Berni Altman, who coordinates the scheduling for the Sunshine Bus, but the driver is no longer able to do so on Mondays. Currently there are only three volunteer drivers available, which limits the availability of the service.

On any given day there are anywhere from two to six passengers, but overall “there are about 50 regulars,” says Altman.

Jessica Schieberl, senior center technical advisor at the Recreation Center, said the buses, which were purchased by the City of Rohnert Park, have proven to be a boon to the senior center. “When I first came here (fall 2009), the buses were used just for morning appointments,” Schieberl said. But the center now offers once-a-month day trips for seniors and “having the buses has been a big help,” says Schieberl.

“We just got back from a trip to the DeYoung, the King Tut exhibit,” said Schieberl. “We had about 13 seniors.” The March day trip will be to the California Academy of Sciences. “Using (the buses) brought the price down a lot for day trips. A trip that would have cost about $60 is now about $30, which means more seniors are able to go than when we used charter buses.”

That’s a good thing, since Schieberl has plans for a number of exciting outings for the coming months.

With the cost of gas and maintenance for the vehicles, the services, unfortunately, are not free and the usual fee for the morning appointment trip is around $6 to $8. Sometimes there may be an additional fee, for instance, if only one person is taking the bus to Santa Rosa.

“Sometimes,” Schieberl says, “we have special events at the center and I will pick up a group of seniors at a local senior apartment complex so they can attend. I might ask for a donation.”

Of course there are always liability issues to deal with. Seniors who wish to use the service must fill out the necessary paperwork regarding liability and they must also have a form signed by their doctor. Seniors can ride the bus the first time to their doctor’s office and bring the signed form back with them, but all paperwork must be completed the first time. Only one of the buses is equipped for handicapped riders, so those riders need to specify their need when calling for a reservation.

The Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but to schedule a ride on the bus, callers must phone the center between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at least one day in advance. Berni Altman can be reached at 585-6780.