More than two years ago, King County Metro set out to improve public transportation options on the island and convened a group of about a dozen islanders to address Vashon’s transportation needs. And now, the results of that work can be seen in the Community Van program, featured on page 1 in this week’s paper.

By many accounts, the program is doing well — and continuing to expand. It is heartening to see it serve islanders in ways that typical public transit could not. We applaud all those who have stepped up to be volunteer drivers, and we appreciate all the creative thinking behind the varied trips, from shopping at Ikea to climate change-related activism.

At the same time, we would like to see better transportation services on Vashon for those who not only want such services, but need them. This category includes seniors — of which there are many on the island. In fact, residents over 65 make up more than 17 percent of the island’s population, according to 2010 Census data.

For seniors who no longer drive, tasks that previously seemed simple can loom large. Fortunately, regarding food, there are options, including Meals on Wheels and food delivery programs through both Thriftway and the food bank.

But medical appointments — getting to the doctor — can present challenges all their own. In fact, both Vashon Senior Center Executive Director Apple and Community Transit Coordinator Janet Welt say one of the biggest unmet needs they see regarding transportation is for seniors who want to get to on-island medical appointments.

When Metro began working with islanders on this project in 2015, Apple said she hoped it would lead to services that would ease transportation difficulties for seniors.

Unfortunately, Apple said last week, that has not occurred in part because van trips require at least two passengers. This two-person requirement can be onerous for island elders, especially those who are isolated and have no one they can easily call upon to accompany them.

We would like to see this need met in some way. The senior center’s ride services — for lunch at the center and for off-island medical appointments — are already stretched thin.

Could the Community Van expand its parameters and provide a limited number of such medical trips a month? Would some sort of partnership with Neighborcare be possible — and helpful? Are more volunteers needed in some capacity?

This problem related to caring for our neighbors seems like one that can be solved with the right resources and ingenuity. We hope to see it happen.