[Massachusetts-NFB] petition Massachusetts: Don't Leave Disabled Residents Behind in the "Innovation State

[keri Svendsen]

Good afternoon all. I am copying the petition wording and link in hopes many
of you will sign in support! Please share with your networks to get as many
signatures of not just disabled folks but allies! This was started by Cory
Cadlik.

The Issue

Petition Title: Massachusetts: Don't Leave Disabled Residents Behind in the
"Innovation State"

Addressed To: Governor Maura Healey, Interim MassDOT Secretary Phillip Eng,
and Undersecretary of Transportation Policy Samantha Silverberg.

The Problem: A 40-Minute Trip Shouldn't Take Up to 3 Hours

Massachusetts is currently investing $100 Million in a new "Applied AI Hub"
and providing statewide Google AI training. We are told our state is the
"First in the Nation" for innovation.

But for disabled folks living outside the MBTA service area, that innovation
is a myth.

While urban riders can access flexible, on-demand Uber and Lyft trips
through "RIDE Flex," thousands of us in Regional Transit Authority (RTA)
areas outside of the MBTA coverage area are physically barred from these
modern tools. We are forced into a system of:

Late Arrivals: Because we are forced to rely on traditional vans with rigid
"pick-up windows," a direct trip that takes 40 minutes for others often
takes us up to 3 hours.

The Scheduling Trap: We must book our lives 24 to 48 hours in advance,
making it impossible to be spontaneous or respond to last-minute job
opportunities.

Geographic Exclusion: The state's "innovation" stops at the Boston border.
If you live in an RTA area, you face unequal access to the community and the
economy.

It is a slap in the face to offer us "Google certificates" for jobs we
cannot physically reach.

The Request: A Seat at the Table for a Statewide Solution

I have reached out to the Governor's office with my research, "Modernizing
Paratransit in Massachusetts." Instead of a dialogue, I was passed off to an
MBTA manager who lacks the authority to fix a statewide policy failure.

I am not asking for a favor; I am asking for a seat at the table. We are
calling on Governor Healey and Undersecretary Samantha Silverberg to meet
with disability advocates to discuss a Statewide On-Demand Mobility
Strategy. We believe the solution can be found by:

Using Fair Share Funds: Utilizing a portion of the $2.4 Billion in "Fair
Share" transportation revenue to bridge the gap between the MBTA and the
RTAs.

Exploring Sustainable Funding: Considering a small, dedicated fee on all TNC
(Uber/Lyft) rides statewide to support accessible transit.

Prioritizing Subsidy Parity: Ensuring that the high cost the state already
pays for traditional vans (averaging $64 per trip) can instead follow the
rider to more efficient, on-demand options.

Why it matters:

Independence isn't a "Boston-only" right. Whether you live in Framingham,
Worcester, or the Berkshires, your ability to work and live shouldn't be
dictated by an arbitrary transit border.

Sign this petition to invite Governor Healey to use our state's "Innovation
Energy" to move people, not just software.

 

https://c.org/bWW7dx4FnF

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