[nagdu] paratransit woes

Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com
Thu Jul 12 17:23:49 UTC 2012


Get yourself on nonconditional status.
You can't always take the bus due to your health and safety. Get a doctor to sign off on that or do whatever needs to happen so you meet the requirements to count as nonconditional.

Don't view this as just being blind, being blind is only one of your issues.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rebecca Ilniski
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 5:50 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] paratransit woes

hi everyone.  I'll post this here and see what you all would do about
this.  This is a long story so be prepared to read awhile.
Back in 99 I moved to Philadelphia and in 2000 I got my first apartment
at 7250 walnut street.  I got travel trained to go to work  from my
apartment.  Yes instead of mobility they call it being "travel trained."
I made the mistake of saying so then starts a nice long battle with the
paratransit company.  Every 3 years you have to get recertified.  In
2004 I moved to my new apartment.  I never had mobility or "travel
training" as they call it from here.  In order to have paratransit, you
have to make yourself sound so disabled.  They claim every bus and train
is ADA accessible.  It may be for the wheelchairs but they aren't for
the blind.  If they were done correctly, every stop[ would  be announced
which they aren't.  The county where I live has two pikes baltimore pike
and westchester pike which are both very dangerous to cross.  It's like
a highway with a median in the middle.  Three years ago I had to attend
a hearing to have my paratransit certified.  Septa had an attorney and I
had an attorney.  They had no evaluations or anything to stand on and I
had paperwork from my neurologist talking about some of the medicines
that I'm on as well as the fact that my physical condition has changed
since the 90's as we get older certain things change.  For me sometimes
I get such bad headaches and the medicine that I take at times either
forces me to stay home or sometimes if it's bad enough I get a ride home
from work sometimes.  At the hearing, they determined that I was
"conditional" meaning that I would only use paratransit in unfamiliar
destinations.  Here comes this year.  I got a letter stating that the
that my paratransit service would end in September.  If I wanted the
service I needed to call so I did.  I spoke to my friend Fran before I
called and she said that her and her husband had a phone interview since
they are unconditional.  So I call today and spoke to the person that
handles these interviews.  He said that he'd take a look at my file.  He
called me back and said that I couldn't have the phone interview because
I was conditional and that I'd have to come to the office and have
someone help me fillit out.  Well, when I get back from Williamsport
I'll take paratransit to the septa office and if I don't show up either
because they are late or whatever they will see.  The issue for me too
is yes I can get on a bus or train but where on earth do I go after I
get off?  The transportation company is not thinking about safety or
anything like that.  So if you read this far how would you proceed?
--
Rebecca and Zeb
email: rilniski at gmail.com
facebook: facebook.com/rebeccai5
Zeb's facebook: facebook.com/zeb.ilniski

--
Rebecca and Zeb
email: rilniski at gmail.com
facebook: facebook.com/rebeccai5
Zeb's facebook: facebook.com/zeb.ilniski

_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the Message is strictly prohibited.




More information about the NAGDU mailing list