[Blindtlk] Hiring a Driver

Mon Dec 9 03:13:04 UTC 2013

Another way of getting a discounted driver is ride sharing services such as 
side car. I have never used this particular service, but my friends 
recommend it. http://www.side.cr/

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Linda" <waterinmyroom at gmail.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2013 10:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Hiring a Driver

> Have you called any churches in your area to find out if they would pick 
> you up so that you can attend church?  That would put you in a position to 
> meet some folks and hopefully make some friends.  You really do need a 
> Plan B.  Call your city or state transportation department.  Maybe they 
> could suggest something.  Your state's rehabilitation services department 
> might be another resource for finding about how to get transportation. 
> Your public library might be another resource and, of course, the 
> internet.
>
> That's my two cents worth. Do you have any neighbors that you can talk to?
>
>> On Dec 8, 2013, at 7:54 PM, Michelle Medina <michellem86 at gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>>
>> Ericka,
>> You're very fortunate in the family and friends department. Smile.
>>
>> I have one person I can rely on and that's my Dad, period. He's it.
>> However, he lives 15 minutes away from me and he's getting very
>> frustrated with the lack of assistence provided by Medicaid. So I hear
>> you about the ridiculousness of transportation!
>>
>> I'm sorry, I get that $4.50 is cheap, but I wouldn't even be able to
>> use that service you've mentioned if I lived in WI because it's still
>> too much money.
>>
>> I like your idea of cooking/baking for people and I would totally use
>> it if I had the people to test it out on.
>>
>> I'm not a member of a church or any offline organization (as I said,
>> transportation issues), so I'm a member of nothing and do nothing
>> except go to doc apts, counseling and grocery shopping as needed.
>> Other than that, I'm in my home 7 days a week.
>> Michelle
>>
>>> On 12/8/13, Ericka Short <ericka.short at wi.rr.com> wrote:
>>> Having a "toolkit" of options to apply to  different transit situations 
>>> is
>>> good for all of us to have.  I don't think there is a flat fee we should
>>> charge since distance, hhow you met the person and  whether they are 
>>> going
>>> the same direction  matters. Most of the help I admit is free or is paid 
>>> in
>>> homemade cooking, but that's me.  We do have other options but they are 
>>> not
>>> reliable so I"ve had to be creative.
>>>
>>> Craig's list is pretty risky so that's my last option personally.  I 
>>> have
>>> enough friends or family that I don’t have to do background checks or
>>> negotiable a fee for service but I'm just lucky I realize.  The last 
>>> paid
>>> job I had I was able to walk to and was lucky in snowy weather like 
>>> this.
>>> Some staff in our department couldn't get across town a few times and I 
>>> had
>>> extra hours that way.    Our buses stop running at 5 pm and do not run 
>>> on
>>> the hour during the day so it's pretty difficult to  connect and do more
>>> than one thing via bus.  The buses go to one  4 year college but not the
>>> other posing trouble to being as independent as the NFB philosophy asks
>>> people to be. Getting there was always harder, but I have had good 
>>> friends
>>> and family that have pitched in without cost.  This is makes the cash
>>> stretch since I'm on all the gov't programs you can think of except
>>> community care or some program to help you stay in your home.  My 
>>> husband is
>>> out of work and has been for years.  Things are tough and he's 
>>> unreliable
>>> but that's another story not related to vision loss in the least.
>>>
>>> Besides having someone I know to help with local errands we have a 
>>> volunteer
>>> transit program run by the county and paratransit called Care-A-Van.  If 
>>> you
>>> are low income and elderly or disabled you pay $4.50 round trip for 
>>> local
>>> things and something else depending on distance you are going out of 
>>> town.
>>> If you don't meet the criteria for the reduced rate you pay $9 round 
>>> trip.
>>> They will only take you to medical appointments if you are not on some 
>>> kind
>>> of government or state program that pays for medical transportation.  If 
>>> you
>>> are financially independent then it is tougher to obtain help since you 
>>> are
>>> not considered needy even if you are legally disabled.  I had to fight 
>>> to
>>> get some things because my husband is sighted.  Most drivers for 
>>> Volunteer
>>> Transportation  are retired folks who want to give back to the 
>>> community.
>>> They are reimbursed about 3 cents a mile for driving so it's not 
>>> completely
>>> volunteer.  It is basically to help with gas.  They will take you
>>> anywhere--night classes, grocery shopping, etc. as long as they can find
>>> someone to help at the hours needed.  Most will hang out and help you in 
>>> the
>>> store if you ask.  The price is about the same as paratransit but is 
>>> much
>>> more reliable.  WI is pretty messed up as far as transit goes, but 
>>> Kenosha
>>> County did one thing right when they  created Volunteer Transit.  There 
>>> are
>>> a lot of groups of disabled that do not qualify for paratransit 
>>> including
>>> the blind unless you have other medical conditions like Epilepsy or a
>>> cognitive disability.  No logic to it.  If you have a bus stop they 
>>> expect
>>> you to take it even if you have had no training to use the unreliable,
>>> inefficient bus system.  They used to be more lax but now I don't think 
>>> I
>>> can use them because I can walk even though I’m also Epileptic.  I heard
>>> about a lady that has an oxygen tank and uses a walker.  She was told 
>>> she
>>> ineligible for their help by paratransit leaving her the local bus as 
>>> the
>>> only option. Isn't that cruel?  We have several groups working on this 
>>> but
>>> to no avail.   Until the city transit authority makes their buses 
>>> reliable
>>> we are all underserved as the blind community in Kenosha WI.  If you are 
>>> in
>>> a town of 100,000 or less and have reliable transit options tell them 
>>> thank
>>> you.  You are very, very lucky.
>>>
>>> I know the way I do things is kind of unorthodox compared to  NFB
>>> philosophy, but I get what I need done.  I don't take people for granted
>>> though like some with other disabilities take gov't programs, etc.. 
>>> Many
>>> times I offer people gas money and they decline.  I make cookies, share
>>> homemade soup or take them out to lunch as others shared they do.  Don't 
>>> be
>>> too proud to ask those who know you for help.  It's a great tool to 
>>> educate
>>> people while getting something done at the same time. Former drivers 
>>> have
>>> written to the  newspaper on our behalf because of this so don't 
>>> hesitate.
>>> Remember that sighted people take help from others so why shouldn't we.
>>>
>>> Ericka Short
>>> "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 
>>> 4:13
>>>
>>> "No hand is too small or too big to do good in this world." EJ. Short
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
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