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<DIV id=wmQuoteWrapper>-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: Transportation options for people with disabilities<BR>From: "Sigman, Brian" <<a href="mailto:Brian.Sigman@ct.gov">Brian.Sigman@ct.gov</a>><BR>Date: Fri, December 09, 2011 8:04 am<BR>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT color=blue size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="COLOR: blue; FONT-SIZE: 16pt">At the recent meeting of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><st1:PersonName w:st="on">BESB</st1:PersonName></st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Rehab Council, one of the members mentioned a transportation option that includes funding to offset the cost of ridership. Matt Cornelius, our Mobility Instructor within the Vocational Rehabilitation Program has compiled some information on this program, which is called the “New Freedom Initiative.” Below is a brief summary of the program along with links to obtain additional information.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> Cornelius, Matt <BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sent:</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> Thursday, December 08, 2011 10:04 AM<BR></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV></DIV>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Hello:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">The New Freedom Program is a program initiated federally for improving transportation in areas not currently being serviced and in relation to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">ADA</st1:place></st1:City> guidelines. Attached are a number of links further explaining the information. As far as currently known, in CT, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Haven</st1:place></st1:City> has the only running Accessible Taxi program. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hartford</st1:place></st1:City>, GHTD (Greater Hartford Transit District) has also received monies from the program. Those taxis are not yet available, where GHTD is working through some issues, but plan to start the Accessible Taxi program in the near future. What is nice about this program would the accessibility of running 24/7, 365 days a year. A drawback, if understanding the program properly, a rider needs to purchase vouchers a month in advance. The rider is initially asked how often they will ride the taxi. The rider can, as an example, purchase $100 worth of vouchers for only $50 (the amount can be any amount).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">ECTC (<st1:place w:st="on">Eastern CT</st1:place> Transportation Consortium), which services a good deal of eastern CT, also has used some of the New Freedom funds for their services. Attached is the link for their information.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">The New Freedom funds are not only available for taxis, but for any type of transportation/mobility improvement, such as: purchasing vehicles; expansion of paratransit hours and service parameters; improvements to intermodal transit stations; building and sidewalk accessibility; and many others. Refer to the attached New Freedom document provided by CTDOT. There may be other public transportation providers which may be using the funds, but are not known at this time. This program has been around for a number of years (at least 2008), so initiation of some of the programs (such as GHTD) has been slow. The new light rail system between <st1:City w:st="on">Hartford</st1:City> and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Britain</st1:place></st1:City> is also using some of the funds available for the New Freedom Program.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"> Matt Cornelius<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">New Freedom document:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">CTDOT site: <A href="http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1386&q=415004" target=_blank>http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1386&q=415004</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">pdf file from CTDOT:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><A href="http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/NFP_Eligible_Activities.pdf" target=_blank>http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/NFP_Eligible_Activities.pdf</A></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Article about New Freedom Program for CT:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><A href="http://www.conntact.com/component/resource/article/newslinks/press-release-services/272-business-wire/60533-connecticut-s-disabled-get-state-s-first-new-freedom-fund-taxi-voucher-program-through-metro-taxi-partnership-with-greater-new-haven-transit-district.html" target=_blank>http://www.conntact.com/component/resource/article/newslinks/press-release-services/272-business-wire/60533-connecticut-s-disabled-get-state-s-first-new-freedom-fund-taxi-voucher-program-through-metro-taxi-partnership-with-greater-new-haven-transit-district.html</A></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Metro Taxi Accessible Taxi Program (<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Haven</st1:place></st1:City>):<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><A href="http://www.metrotaxict.com/metroaccess/freedom-fund-taxi-voucher-program.htm" target=_blank>http://www.metrotaxict.com/metroaccess/freedom-fund-taxi-voucher-program.htm</A></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">ECTC Travel Voucher Program:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><A href="http://ectcinc.org/index_files/Page996.htm" target=_blank>http://ectcinc.org/index_files/Page996.htm</A></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Matt Cornelius, M.A., COMS</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">State of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CT</st1:place></st1:State>: BRS: Board of Education and Services for the Blind</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Vocational Rehabilitation Department</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">184 Windsor Avenue</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Windsor</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></st1:City><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">, <st1:State w:st="on">CT</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">06095</st1:PostalCode></SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Office: (860) 602-4106</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><STRONG><B><FONT size=5 face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">FAX: (860) 602-4030</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><o:p></o:p></div>
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