[Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION

[Joe ToLove]

Man do I wish that I had known that when working, either caught or missed an erlier bus.  had to either lose 15 minutes pay or sit around for 45 minutes waiting for the next.  Maybe if I had gotten the right people I could have gotten the schedule changed very slightly?

Joe     
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Blindhands at aol.com 
  To: ct-nfb at nfbnet.org 
  Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 11:55 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION


  I had an interesting conversation with a politician in my home town.  His job is in my town and not at the state level.  I was telling him about the situation with using the 2 transit systems and he told me to call my town hall.  He said to find out which politician covers my part of the town and talk to that person.  He told me that in Stratford there are 2 people that are kinda like delegates that will work with individuals with issues with the transit system.  He also said the politician in my area should help me too.  The more people standing with you will help convince the bus service to do things to help their paying customers.

  I wish I knew this when I started my job and felt I didn't have a chance of working this out.  It took a lot of calling and talking with both transit services to get them both to give a little to accomplish getting there.

  Bridgeport  only goes to K Mart in Milford and My Ride supposely only goes to the Shopping Mall on the post road.  Well they finally agreed to both go to Milford Hospital and that is where I make the connection.

  Joyce Kane
  www.KraftersKorner.org
  Blindhands at AOL.com 

  In a message dated 6/19/2011 10:37:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, SALISBURYJ08 at students.ecu.edu writes:
    To Trudy, et. al,

        If you want to make a change in your local public transportation system, I seriously encourage you to get people together in your area who use the system (or will use it if it improves).  If you can come up with simple solutions to the issues at hand, especially ones that incur zero or minor costs, you may find that your local systems are very receptive to the ideas.  It's important for them to hear from people who will actually be their customers.  For example, if Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the NFB, were to call a public transit system in a Connecticut town, the first thing that they're going to wonder is if he's ever going to use it.  If they have no proof that doing what he says is going to benefit them, they may not do it.  If they have ten people who live locally and want to use their transit system standing in front of them with a complaint, they might really think about making the change.  I'd be more than happy to help brainstorm specific solutions with you, but I live up in the northeast corner and can't claim to be a potential customer.

    Advocacy is one of the things that the NFB is all about!

    Good luck!

    Justin

    Justin M. Salisbury
    Undergraduate Student
    The University Honors Program
    East Carolina University
    salisburyj08 at students.ecu.edu

    “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD


    ________________________________________
    From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Trudy Swenson [trudyswenson at charter.net]
    Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 8:45 AM
    To: 'NFB of Connecticut Mailing List'
    Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION

    I’ve been following this thread closely. Over the years, my family has experienced many difficulties and frustrations with the dismal state of public transportation in our area.  I empathize with all of you regarding lousy and inadequate scheduling, delayed and canceled rides, and the often shoddy conditions found in the transit system.  I have a question for all participants on this listserv: why is there so much focus and enthusiasm on the effort to put blind people behind the wheel of a car and absolutely none on improving public transportation?

    Driving a car despite blindness seems a very attractive goal. We all want the freedom and independence to go where we want to go when we want to go there. Nevertheless it will be years before a method is perfected. Huge dollar amounts will be expended for research and fabrication and manufacturing.  This doesn’t take into account a massive educational campaign to gain acceptance in the public arena.  If and when a blind person is put behind the wheel of a fast moving car in highway traffic that vehicle will surely be beyond the financial reach of most people I know, blind or sighted.

    On the other hand public transportation, however lousy it is, exists to some degree almost everywhere. There are many simple things that could be done to make it better. As a group that depends on this mode of getting around, we have a collective voice.  Energy devoted to this issue might very well effectively improve our lives now.

    Thank you for letting me air my opinion. I look forward to your comments.

    Trudy

    From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Richard McGaffin
    Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 7:08 AM
    To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
    Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION

    Good morning folks:

    about the transit thing I refuse to use it, I will walk take a city bus, or bug my family for rides if I have too, the para transit sucks to put it bluntly they're never on time and when I did use it. It made me late for work.


    --- On Fri, 6/17/11, Suzanne Westhaver <swesthaver at comcast.net<mailto:swesthaver at comcast.net>> wrote:

    From: Suzanne Westhaver <swesthaver at comcast.net<mailto:swesthaver at comcast.net>>
    Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] TRANSPORTATION
    To: "NFB of Connecticut Mailing List" <ct-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:ct-nfb at nfbnet.org>>
    Date: Friday, June 17, 2011, 10:41 PM
      Hi, Joyce.  I think working the two transits to coordinate is trickier too.  I have used the Waterbury/New Haven connection  to connect in New Haven on rare occasions when I need to get to a law office in New Haven and have had good luck, but New Haven si a very busy transit system.

    Nice thing about Waterbury is they run later now.  You can get a ride up until 9 p.m. which it used to be 5 p.m. was the latest.  Now they are talking about extending service until 11 p.m. which is verynice for people that ork later or 2nd shift or just want to do stuff in the evening.


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