[NABS-L] Citizen: WR lacks accessibility for certain communities

Thu May 12 18:35:21 UTC 2022

Do you have buses in your area besides paratransit? Thank you.

Sent From My iPhone

> On May 10, 2022, at 10:55 PM, joseph hudson via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Oh wow, you're not alone. I have the same problems with paratransit. Our paratransit is also closed on a lot of those different holidays. However, a lot of our sidewalks and stuff are accessible.
> 
>> On May 10, 2022, at 8:20 PM, Armando Vias via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hello everyone! Guess who made the local newspaper in my county!
>> https://hhjonline.com/citizen-wr-lacks-accessibility-for-certain-communities-p17612-95.htm
>> 
>> Citizen: WR lacks accessibility for certain communities
>> 
>> Byron native Armando Vias finds himself grocery shopping and spending a lot of his time in Warner Robins, but he argues there is something missing or needs more attention. 
>> 
>> Vias was born at 28 weeks with Retinopathy of Prematurity. Currently working as an advocate for web accessibility and disability rights, he is an alumnus of the Georgia Academy For The Blind, a member of the National Association of Blind Students and a member of the at-large chapter of the National Federation of The Blind of Georgia.
>> 
>> He released a press release on his website (armandovias.com) Monday regarding his advocacy efforts:
>> 
>> "Making the city of Warner Robins, Georgia accessible to the blind is the top priority for me. Not only just the blind, all disabled communities as well. As a member of an organization that raises expectations for blind people, I believe that raising expectations in the city of Warner Robins is one-step closer to making the city accessible for all. This may include, but not limited to accessible buses, accessible sidewalks, street crossings, etc.
>> 
>> If we, the people of the city of Warner Robins, don’t advocate, then we will be left out. I could be wrong, but if I am the only blind advocate in the county that is advocating for public transportation and other accessibility initiatives, then, it is time for all of us to step up and advocate for our needs as citizens of Houston County, and the City of Warner Robins.
>> 
>> I wrote a post on my public Facebook page to the Mayor, mentioning 13WMAZ, 41NBC, etc. I understand that some people don’t have time to advocate, but this city is growing, and we need to act now. And what I mean by acting now is by calling/emailing our leaders, including the Mayor, The Commissioners, etc. We will not rest until we get results. You are free to send me questions or your opinions on this page. I will be happy to reply to your emails as soon as possible with the right response.
>> 
>> I will be willing to work on both sides of the aisle. We must remember to unite together to come up with a solution that everyone can agree on. It is okay that some of us will have disagreements, but as a city, we have to expand our access to public transportation. If you haven’t already, please sign my petition.”
>> 
>> More buses and paratransit options could help, he argued. On top of this, more bus stops at frequently visited locations (churches, grocery stores and the mall) could assist in accessibility for all.
>> 
>> He said ordering bus passes would be made simpler through online portal access. Street crossings could be made safer with audible tones or talking signals.
>> 
>> According to wrtransit.com: "Visitors have the right to use WRT’s Paratransit service for a total of twenty-one days during any 365-day period, beginning with the first day Paratransit services are used by the visitor.” Visitors may request service beyond the 21-day limitation.
>> 
>> The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Although no service is provided on Saturdays, Sundays, New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
>> 
>> "Yes, you can have parents take you places and all that stuff,” Vias said. "But they won’t be there — like for example — if I live on my own; they won’t be there all the time.”
>> 
>> Among more transportation access than what is currently available, Vias is hoping for the city to invest in a Blindness Committee to analyze these community-specific issues and delegate appropriate actions to assist residents and even tourists.
>> 
>> "I feel like I’m the only blind advocate here,” he said. "I can’t see, but I can tell that the city needs improvement; the city really needs improvement.”
>> 
>> He said some people have their groceries delivered through services like Instacart, but those services can be expensive.
>> 
>> Vias said he appreciates the efforts of local organizations like the HALO Group, but groups like the National Federation of The Blind need representation here in Middle Georgia.
>> 
>> He offered some words of hope for people that face similar experiences.
>> 
>> "[I just want] to let you know that I’m here for you,” Vias said. "If you need anything, you let me know.”
>> 
>> He described his experience with Aira — a live, human-to-human professional assistance service used to enhance independence and make the world more accessible through visual interpreting.
>> 
>> "Aira is visual-interpreting services where you call someone and they help you with things like inaccessible documents; they use the back camera on your phone,” he explained. "Even public transportation services, they use Aira, too.
>> 
>> "So if you’re in an Aira-access location, such as public transportation, you can use AIRA for free. For me right now, I only have like five minutes; every 24 hours you get five minutes of free Aira calls if you’re outside of Aira access locations.”
>> 
>> Some of Via’s hobbies include blogging and making new friends.
>> 
>> Some of his advocacy work revolves around his petition that can be reached by searching for "Make The City of Warner Robins, Georgia Accessible To The Blind” on change.org.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Sent From My iPhone
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