JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin’s largest employer has an easy way to get their employees from the parking lot to the hospital, and back. It’s called “FRED” or “Freeman Rapid Employee Delivery.” A set of three buses will pick up and take freeman health system employees from the “FRED” parking lot south of the main hospital, to the hospital’s front door.

They also take workers to the Cornell-Beshore Cancer Institute and David A. Ball medical building. Then, of course, take them back to their cars at the end of their shift.

It’s a service very appreciated by those who work at Freeman.

“It would take a lot of time out of our day, otherwise. And without these guys, I don’t think we could do it. It’s nice to talk to them in the morning on our way in and when we’re leaving the shift it’s kind of a decompression and a nice, friendly atmosphere,” said Raun Williams, Freeman IT and Support.

“Sometimes we don’t, we don’t stop. We just drive and drive and it’s a pleasure, though, to meet everybody every day. The camaraderie is really, really enjoyable here at Freeman Hospital,” said Dennis Holland FRED Driver.

It generally takes each bus about 7 to 10 minutes to complete the circuit and each bus averages about 15,000 miles a year.