[nagdu] does anyone know why?

Marsha queen.marsha.lindsey at gmail.com
Sun Nov 9 16:17:36 UTC 2008


Thank you Craig, And this for the same reason I have filed a formal
complaint with the MDLC office here. I understand the issues of safety, but
my puppy is small enough that she would lay down on the floor board of a car
not being effected by a deploying air bag, but at the same time they "do"
let other passenagers to ride in the front of the car, and not me and my
puppy. I am currently applying to be on the Taxi Access services, and as of
yesterday we had a chapter meeting here about the possible changes that taxi
Access is trying to put into action. If you are a Taxi Access user I
strongly advise you to contact them or find out what the changes they are
tryuing to make and speak yoru mind about them. 
Marsha Lindsey


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of craig.borne at dot.gov
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 11:26 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] does anyone know why?

Hi Marsha,

I am speaking now as a user of the MTA Mobility Services system and not
as an attorney with the U.S. DOT.

First, I know of no rule that states that we can ride in the front seat.
However, Marion is correct; policies may be modified to better
facilitate users of service animals equal access.  This would be
balanced against the assumed reason for the policy: safety.  So, even
though the policy can be changed, the MTA is not forced to change it.

Secondly, there is no rule in the Maryland Code or the Public Service
Commission (taxi regulatory body) that states a service animal must be
on the seat in a cab.  In fact, I have never rode with my dog on the
seat of any cab -- the drivers would have had a fit.  However, many
drivers are quite large, and the room between their front seat and the
back seat is sometimes not large enough for my dog to fit.
Nevertheless, we always make it work.

Getting back to the Paratransit/Taxi issue.  If Paratransit refuses to
allow you to sit up front (and presumably, they have the right to do so,
as long as no passengers are allowed to ride up front) and you would
rather a car than a mini bus, then I would look into the MTA Taxi Access
program.  This way, you will be in a car with no other passengers, such
as what is done with Paratransit.

Craig


Craig Borne
NHTSA/DOT
(202) 493-0627 
craig.borne at dot.gov
 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Marion & Martin
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 8:09 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] does anyone know why?

Marsha,
    To the best of my knowledge, there are no DOT regulations regarding 
these issues; however, there may be company policies. The ADA requires 
businesses to "modify policies, practices, and procedures" to allow
people 
with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals. Therefore,
if 
the front seat and/or the floorboard is the best place for the service 
animal and there is a policy regarding this, the policy may need to be 
modified. Craig Borne is an attorney and guide dog user in the Baltimore

area. I believe he also has something to do with transportation. Perhaps
he 
would be willing to help out with this question.

fraternally,
Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marsha" <queen.marsha.lindsey at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 11:55 AM
Subject: [nagdu] does anyone know why?


>I am signed up here in the Baltimore area for the paratransit service,
when
> I have been picked up in a car, they will not allow myself or my
"Seeing
> Eye" dog to ride in the front seat. In the case of last week, a car 
> arrived
> with two other passengers and I was forced to cram both me and my dog
plus
> another passenger in the back of a car, it was very uncomfortable.
Well I
> did not want to be "no showed" so I took the ride. If I had been
allowed,
> and this is not the first time this has happened, there would have
been
> plenty of room in the front seat with me and my dog, with the dog in
the
> floor board, and me comfortable. But they refuse to allow this. Is
there 
> any
> legal standing on this? I am filing a complaint with the MDLC about
> theparatransit here, for this and a few other reasons. Am I wrong in
> thinking that they should allow this? I like being picked up in a car
> better, but there can not be two other passengers. Another policy that
I 
> do
> not understand, is that when picked up in a cab, a regular normal cab,
I 
> am
> forced to have the dog on the seat not on the floor board. Is anyone
> familiar with this? These are strange things to me, and in some cases
has
> caused some issues when traveling with someone because there is not
enough
> room. Of course no one will admit it but I have been passed up several

> times
> by cabs because of me and my dog, I did not think that this still 
> happened,
> and especially in a city with the headquarters of the NFB in it, but
it
> does.
> Just looking for some feed back on this, thanks!
> Marsha Lindsey
>
> NAGDU Board member
>
>
> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus 
> signature
> database 3591 (20081106) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
>
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/swampfox1833%40ve
rizon.net 


_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/craig.borne%40dot
.gov

_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/queen.marsha.lindsey%
40gmail.com
 

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 3595 (20081107) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
 





More information about the NAGDU mailing list