[nabs-l] transportation in your area

[Jennifer Aberdeen]

Hi Ashley and all,

Well, I usually take Paratransit, and we all probably all have some idea as 
to what a nightmare that it, but I do know a little about the regular RIPTA 
bus system, despite the fact that I can't use it.

It all depends on where you live. If you live in the Providence area, it's 
pretty good. The northern part of the state is ok, but it could improve. 
Most of the southern part of Rhode Island has no public transportation at 
all, and this is bad because I love South County and could go on paratransit 
if there was service.

I can't use the regular public transportation because there aren't any buses 
with wheelchair lifts...can you believe that?

Anyway, that's our transit system in a nut shell. Sometimes I wish I lived 
in Massachusetts...it's so much better and cheaper.

Jen


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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 4:21 PM
Subject: [nabs-l] transportation in your area


> Hi all,
> Let's have a more productive topic than rehashing ACB/NFB frictions.  I've 
> got one.
>
> How is the transportation in your area?  Say where you go to school as 
> that makes a difference.  If you're in a metropolitian area its probably 
> decent.
> How about near your home?  If you have transportation, is it adaquate? Are 
> bus drivers accomodating by calling out bus stops upon request?  Are they 
> helpful in giving directions to find seats if you want it?
>
> For me, its pretty decent at school.  I'm near DC, in northern va.  When I 
> attended the large state school George Mason University, GMU was great. 
> The CUE bus came to GMU and went around the city and to the Vienna metro. 
> Metro Buses were just across the street from the college.
> At Marymount in Arlington, the school shuttle bus went to Ballston metro. 
> That's our subway.  From there you could take the metro, get 
> Art(arlington) buses, many metro buses, or walk to many shops and 
> restaurants.  Ruby Tuesday, IHOP, a pizza place, and Chevy's were just a 
> few accessible.
> At home there are not sidewalks and metro buses are not accessible to us. 
> So I have not done much public transit travel.  I did some on mobility and 
> when I lived at MU since I had access to them.
>
> In my limited experience, metro is good.  Other customers are friendly and 
> happily answer my questions as to what line to go on as there is no 
> accessible way to know you're in front of an orange or blue train; they 
> share the same track.  Drivers announce stops on buses although many now 
> have talking systems announcing major stops automatically.
> On a crowded bus or subway as I'm departing its helpful that most of the 
> riders move out of the way so I can have a clear path and exit before the 
> door closes.  Especially on metro rail, subway, you have a limited time to 
> exit until the door shuts and you miss your stop.
> On metro rail drivers announce stops, but if I can't hear them due to low 
> voice or something, I count stops or ask fellow passengers.
>
> Metro service is better during the day time as with all public transit 
> services.  On weekends its infrequent.  Some lines do not run and others 
> only run a bus once an hour.
>
> So those are my thoughts.
> Ashley
>
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