[il-talk] Petition to fight transportation changes for people with disabilities

[CONCERNED CITIZENS OF PARATRANSIT]

Hello All:

Thank you for signing on to our petition to fight the upcoming changes to paratransit service in the Chicagoland area.  We still need more names.  We are a long way from 10,000 names.  You may sign on to our petition by going to www.CCofP.org and clicking on the petition 2009 link next to the home link.  If someone is having trouble signing on, you can call me at 773-779-1856 and I will do it for you.  Out of the 36 people who have signed on, only 3 of those people are paratransit riders in Chicago.  If each person would provide 10 names, we would reach 10,000 much sooner. Anyone who is  concerned about the plyte of transportation for people with disabilities can sign our petition.  We have approximately 2000 names.  Just in case you didn't see it before, I am pasting in the previous message that was sent explaining the upcoming changes.

Thanks for your help.

URGENT

 

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

 

Once again Concerned Citizens of Paratransit is fighting for better paratransit on behalf of people with disabilities.  We have recently learned that Pace Suburban Bus Co.'s financial committee has plans to recommend on October 14th to their board that paratransit fares be raised to the max $3.50 in the suburbs and $4.50 in Chicago. At the September 22 Pace financial meeting, it was discussed that 95% of the drop in ridership will occur in Chicago.  The expected number of trips are somewhere in the area of 564,000 because of the increased fares.  These trips are seen as "social trips" and therefore unimportant.   

 

Please sign on to our petition ASAP by going to our website at www.CCofP.org and clicking on the petition 2009 link.  We are trying to get 10,000 signatures by October 8th.      

 

The remaining proposed changes that Pace Suburban

Bus Co. plans to implement include:  

 

1.  Elimination of the Chicago monthly pass.  

 

2.  Elimination of free transfers between the city of Chicago and the suburbs,  

 

3.  Elimination of scheduling hours  down to 8 am to 5pm,  

 

 

Anyone can sign the petition.  Based on a report given at the August

20 RTA board meeting, The "savings" will result in approximately $39 million in savings to Pace Bus Co. if all of these changes are implemented.  The savings

will occur based on the "drop in ridership".  

 

Thank you in advance for your support.   

  
Debbie Pittman,
President

CONCERNED CITIZENS OF PARATRANSIT
773-779-1856P 773-779-2763F
concernedcitizens at cometlink.com