[nagdu] . introducing myself. Am Trak and Greyhound.

[Art Nolden.]

    Princess Linda and I rode AmTrak five years ago  from Tampa to Jacksonville, Florida.  AmTrak and Greyhound both have "Travel Assistance" department at a different toll free number from the main toll free phone #.

        We called the AmTrak ADA department, and it was silly.  The conductors at the station have no clue about people with service / guide dogs.  As we aproached to board the train, I said, "the dog goes first".  The woman conductor pushed Princess to the steps, leaving Charcoal on the ground, leash attached to  Princess's hand.    The first step was very high, and the dog didn't want to step up.

    Our reservation was for the dining car.

    Then we get into a passenger car, an assigned seat #, according to the conductor.  .    The seats were low, no space to put the dog "down & under".    Every other seat was facing the rear of the train, so we'd be facing other passengers.

    We asked to be taken to the dining car.   There was no dining car, but they called it a snack bar car.  So we up and went to it.  It's hard plastic seats, for nearly five hours.

    First, the  train was behind schedule by 2.5 hours.   The conductors sat in the snack bar car between the few stations between Tampa & Jax.  The train was headed eventually to NYC, NY.  They joked about how they're always late so that they can rack up lots of overtime, and increase their pension, which is paid by the taxpayers because AmTrak is federally subsidized.

    Princess brought her Braille LiteMillennium 20,  which she could use at the table at which we sat.  The conductors told her to shut it off an put it away, as it might interfere with the operation of the locomotive.  I said, "it can't possibly do that., to which the guy said, "if you don't put it away, we'll have to arrest you."

    Then he said to me, " are you legally blind?"  I seriously wanted to say, I  refuse to answer on the grounds of the fifth amendment."   But i said, "Yeh.  What about it?"  He said, "you'll have to move to the passenger car."  "No I don't.  We have reservations for a dining car, and you call this a snack bar car."  Of course i spoke with my Noo Yawk attitude.  You arrest us or touch either of us or the dogs, we'll sue you so fast your eyes wont' have time to blink.",   He turned and went back to his cohorts, and they were muttering.

        Now next Wednesday we are going Greyhound  from Spring Hill , Florida to Pensacola.  Greyhound has its own "Travel assistance" department, and that has its own toll free #.   Talking to that guy with the American name in -- over there were Obama went last week, a trip in itself.    He asked all kinds of questions, and very slowly and methodically had to read it all back after it was all said.      In between all that, he had to put me on  hold while he typed whatever.  Then we had to go through the same damn thing concerning Princess Linda, one detail at a time.  He wanted to do this with her on the phone.  I said, she is hearing impaired as well as blind, and will not be able to understand you."  I went inside, as I told the guy I  was doing, to have her give  permission for him to talk with me about her.  He started to ask her questions, starting with her name.  I took the phone, went back outside, and finished up; this took nearly an hour.

        We road Greyhound once before about 5 or 6 years ago, in-state, from New Port Richey to Orlando.  It was the same thing: "the dog goes first."  Helllll-oooo, do I speak English?  Where we got on, they wanted us to watch them put our suitcase in the cargo hold  which is beneath the passenger area.    We had to walk about  200 feet from the storefront office to the bus in the parking lot in a shopping center, the blacktop was boiling.  Charcoal was dancing to try to keep her paws from burning.   They wanted blind people with guide dogs to stand there and watch the suitcases be put onto the bus.  "You can't get on until we load your luggage."  I wonder if they'll do that again in the cold on Wednesday morning.

            Both AmTrak and Greyhound have a chapter in my book.  "Incompetence Runs Rampant", sub-title, "I dont' Know.  I Just woik Heer."

            Artie and GDF Golden guide dog JJ by the Gulf, west central Florida.
                                    Dusty's Light Will  Shine Forever!
    and sweet Charcoal, who has received her Beautiful Angel Wings, her Loving Memory lives on in our hearts.
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Hello,

I am just now getting around to joinging this list.  I live in Louisiana and have been a guide dog user for over 4 years.  One question, what do you did if a Greyhound driver refuses to let you on the bus or insists that you go to the back of the bus?  The latter I promptly took care of by sitting down and not moving and then getting a hold of Greyhound once I got to where I was going.  I had an issue the last time I road Amtrak where I was denied access to the dining car.  What do I do in that situation, and I sent a lengthy e-mail to them, but no response as of yet.

Thanks,

Jordan Gallacher


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