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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>This sent to me from Denise Rush, a report on something else we have long wanted in this area.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Denise Rush [mailto:drush301@outlook.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 7, 2023 9:54 AM<br><b>To:</b> Deborah <deborahb14@verizon.net><br><b>Subject:</b> Good News<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><span lang=ES style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Jordan Pascale | DCist | March 23, 2023</span></b><span lang=ES style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;font-stretch:normal'><span lang=ES style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span lang=ES style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:white;background:#16171F'>Jordan Pascale</span><span lang=ES style='font-size:180.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=ES style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>. . . The board also called for a $4 cap for MetroAccess paratransit rides, a win long fought for by people in the disability community, and a $6 cap on Metrorail fares instead of the previously-discussed $6.50. A final vote on the budget is expected next month. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For nearly a decade, people in the disability community have called for cheaper fares on MetroAccess paratransit services. Thursday, their wish came true after board member Sarah Kline recommended a $4 cap for MetroAccess fares. The board agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal;min-height:30px'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“I almost had a heart attack,” Denise Rush of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. “Thank you for hearing and listening… I’m doing a happy dance.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Rush lost her vision at 48 and MetroAccess got her to work for 22 years. It also got her to entertainment like Chris Rock and Tina Turner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal;min-height:30px'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Paratransit system has been my lifeline,” she said. “It made me want to go forward instead of lay down and die… It is very important to a lot of people who have disabilities.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal;min-height:30px'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>MetroAccess fares are currently set at “twice the fastest comparable fixed-route fare with a maximum of $6.50 per trip. Fare calculations consider the time of day, trip distance, and the fastest mode of available transportation.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal;min-height:30px'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The move will cost WMATA $500,000 but will be offset by moving some people to the cheaper Abilities Ride service that partners with cab companies and car services.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Metro instituted flat fares for Metrorail after 9 p.m. and on weekends, and the disability community asked for the same but didn’t get it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Patrick Sheehan of the Accessibility Advisory Committee said the disability community often doesn’t have a loud voice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='font-stretch:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“But we spoke, and you said you would listen and you did.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>