[NFB-Idaho] FW: working to save the taxi Script program

Thu Dec 3 15:52:20 UTC 2020

Our chapter member Susan Brooks has sent the attached letter to our Boise
mayor and a member of city council who is involved with transportation.
There will be a meeting of Valley Regional Transit on December 15 from
9:00-11:00 to discuss the future of the script program. This is our chance
to have a seat at the table. If you use taxi script and want to participate
in the meeting, please contact me. We really need other stake-holders like
seniors etc. and other disability groups to get on board to make our voices
heard, so if you have contacts of others that should join, let me know.  

From: Susan Brooks [mailto:sbrooksaty at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2020 3:59 PM
To: pres.nfbidaho at gmail.com
Subject: Scrip

Dana,

How about this version:

SUSAN CORISIS BROOKS

ATTORNEY AT LAW

1005 N. NINTH STREET, STE. 12

BOISE, IDAHO  83702

(208) 345-9400

sbrooksaty at hotmail.com

December 2, 2020

HONORABLE LAUREN MCLEAN

MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BOISE

150 N. CAPITOL BLVD.

BOISE, ID 83702

ELAINE CLEGG

CITY OF BOISE COUNCIL PRESIDENT

150 N. CAPITOL BLVD.

BOISE, ID 83702

Re: Taxi Scrip Program of Boise and Valley Regional Transit

Dear Mayor McLean and City Council President Clegg:

I have participated in the Taxi Scrip "SCRIP" Program in Boise for more than
25 years.  I am concerned about the planned termination of SCRIP and whether
its planned replacement, "On Demand," is equivalent.  My mother and I are
both unable to drive due to being legally blind.  Although we often use
other public transportation programs, we depend upon SCRIP to fill in
transportation services not provided by other programs.

I.  Inception of Taxi Scrip Program in Boise.

Boise and other cities began SCRIP about 30 years ago.  The founders modeled
SCRIP after taxi cost sharing programs in many other cities.  The goal of
such programs is to enable elderly and disabled adults who are unable to
drive to live more independently and normally.

II.  Cost Sharing.

Taxi scrip programs allow the rider to purchase taxi vouchers, "scrip," for
a lower dollar amount than its face value.  Cities and taxi providers
subsidize these programs.  Some taxi scrip programs outside of Idaho
required the rider to pay just 25 % of the face value.  Boise launched the
program with the rider paying 33 1/3%.  The rider paid $5 for a book of
fifteen $1 vouchers.  Boise later began "chipping away" at the program by
requiring the rider to pay $6 for fifteen $1 vouchers; this is 40 %.  Many
years later, Boise again compromised the program by requiring the rider to
pay $10 for ten $2 vouchers; the rider now pays 50%.

Only people who do not use SCRIP would think that contracting the program
out to Valley Regional Transit ("VRT") would be a good idea.  That's exactly
what Boise did, however, about two years ago.  VRT recently sent a letter to
SCRIP riders stating that ridership is down, and the SCRIP program will soon
terminate.

Of course use has declined.  First, the rider is now paying 50% instead of
33 1/3 %.  Second, the fees charged by taxis have increased.  In order to
retain the goal of the program, Boise should have been reducing the percent
paid by the rider, not increase it.

The history of the rider's costs in SCRIP should be considered when drafting
a replacement program.  Further, Boise must control the rider's cost.  VRT
should not have authority to set the rider's costs or raise the costs in the
future.

III.  Taxi Scrip Advantages that "Normal Drivers" Take for Granted.

The founders designed SCRIP to fill in gaps in services not adequately
provided by other transportation programs.  The following are some of the
gaps in transportation services that SCRIP covers for seniors ad disabled
riders.

1. Consumer Focused Attitude Due to Private Sector Competition.  SCRIP
riders deal only with taxi providers.  Taxi providers stay in business by
quickly and safely transporting riders and their belongings.  Taxi providers
know the rider will select a different provider if the service is
unsatisfactory.  Taxi drivers do not care whether the rider is a normal
driver or a disabled individual.  

Conversely, managers of disabled programs, like VRT or Boise Urban Stages,
sometimes have an officious "take it or leave it" attitude towards people
who cannot drive.  Such companies tend to abuse their power over those
riders.  I routinely visit with other ACCESS riders and the ACCESS drivers
who agree.  I note that the VRT ACCESS drivers, schedulers and most
dispatchers are not part of this problem.  They are remarkably competent and
compassionate when dealing with riders.

VRT, for example, currently manages ACCESS.  VRT continually imposes new
"rules" and "policies" upon riders.  During my 25 years of using ACCESS, I
have not "had a seat at the table" once prior to its proclamation of a new
rule.  The harshness of the rules and policies sometimes defeats the benefit
to the rider of using ACCESS.  As discussed below, these managers allow
ACCESS ridiculously long windows of time to pick up and to transport the
rider.  Other "rules" involve unnecessarily limiting personal property the
rider may bring.

A key advantage of the scrip program was that it was managed by the city,
rather than companies like VRT.  SCRIP riders just don't experience the
"rules" and "attitude" issues when we use a taxi because taxi providers
serve the general public.  The general public would not tolerate VRT's
restrictions and lack of timeliness in its disabled transportation programs.

2. Immediate Transportation.  A "normal driver" does not always plan in
advance.  Spontaneous "drives" become necessary in order to meet a friend,
shop, avoid being stranded when planned transportation fails, etc.  SCRIP
provides taxi transportation within 10 to 20 minutes of calling.  When an
individual is waiting for transportation, particularly when waiting at an
uncomfortable location, every minute counts!

3. Departure "Pick-Up" Time.  Taxis arrive at the time the rider arranged.
If one taxi is delayed, the dispatcher will send another.  A taxi does not
arrive with other riders.  A taxi driver does not delay picking up the rider
because he had to first pick up another rider.   

A rider using a VRT program schedules a time to be picked up.  Although VRT
demands that the rider be timely, VRT allows itself to arrive within a
"window of time."  First, the window allowed VRT to be up to 15 minutes
later than the arranged time.  VRT then expanded the window to encompass up
to 30 minutes early and up to 30 minutes late.  VRT currently allows itself
to arrive up to 15 minutes early and up to 15 minutes after the arranged
time.  In reality, its ACCESS buses are frequently later than 15 minutes.
The rider, not VRT, suffers the consequences.  VRT's lack of timeliness is
because VRT habitually schedules too few buses.

VRT's long time windows for ACCESS are unpleasant for the rider.  Such long
windows would not always work for normal drivers, and they do not always
work for individuals that cannot drive.  SCRIP enables the rider to leave
when he wants.

4. Destination Arrival Time.  SCRIP provides direct transportation.  Upon
picking up a rider, a taxi takes the rider directly to his destination.
This dependability allows the rider  efficient transportation and peace of
mind.

VRT decreed that ACCESS has one hour to transport a rider to his
destination.  A rider may be carted all over Boise before being dropped off.
Again, if the transportation takes longer than one hour, the rider suffers
the consequences, not VRT.  On June 26 of this year, I had a scheduled 1:17
pickup time by ACCESS at Walmart.  I had to be ready to leave Walmart by
1:02 because of VRT's "window."  ACCESS picked me up at 1:37.  I had to
stand during that wait.  ACCESS dropped me off at my home at 2:45.   The
distance?  5.3 miles. 

5. Nights, Sundays and Holidays.  SCRIP provides dependable transportation
24/7.  Because taxis provide transportation for the general public, taxis
are plentiful and available to serve at all times.  If a taxi provider is
too busy, the rider may call another taxi provider.  Unlike VRT, the rider
rarely suffers from a shortage of vehicles or drivers.

6. Unlimited Boundaries.  SCRIP provides immediate transportation to any
location.  VRT has  sets boundaries.

7. Guidance to Office / Apartment in Building.  A rider who is blind may
need guidance to get to his destination within a large building.  A rider
using taxi scrip may tip the taxi driver to enter a building, find the
elevator, and escort the rider to the right office.

VRT prohibits its drivers from entering a building.  A blind rider going to
an office, therefore, is not actually taken to the rider's destination.

8. Pets/Personal Property Transportation.  "Normal drivers" get into their
cars and take with them whatever they choose.  SCRIP riders are also able to
transport almost any items that they can fit into a taxi's trunk or back
seat.   SCRIP enables the rider to take his dog to the park or transport
many bags of groceries and a new bike.

VRT severely limits personal property that ACCESS riders may bring.  Again,
VRT's rules have become harsher over the years, and VRT did not give riders
"a seat at the table."  Although VRT claims "safety," their arguments fail
when put to the test of evidence.  While some restriction would be
reasonable, VRT's restrictions are too broad and designed for VRT's
convenience.  SCRIP riders appreciate taxi drivers because they are
cooperative and do no impose unnecessary restrictions about items the rider
brings.

9. Flexibility.  SCRIP allows riders to be human.  A rider may need to
return to where he was just picked up because he forgot his wallet.  A rider
may want to include an additional passenger at the last minute.  Taxi
drivers are glad to accommodate.  VRT does not allow its drivers to be
flexible.

Summary.

My preference is that SCRIP continues.  If Boise does not continue with
SCRIP, the replacement  program should be based upon the rider's needs. The
rider should not have to sacrifice his needs because VRT can't or won't
offer the advantages of SCRIP.  As with SCRIP, a new program should
supplement existing programs.  In order to supplement, the program needs to
offer immediate transportation that directly transports the rider to his
destination.  The program needs to be flexible, such as allowing the rider
to transport 10 bags of groceries or his dog to the park. 

VRT's track record leaves me deeply concerned about VRT managing SCRIP or
its replacement.  Boise should not take a 30-year step backwards in helping
people who cannot drive to live more independently.  I hope that Boise and
VRT include actual riders when forming or changing transportation programs
for adults who do not drive.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.  Please contact me if I may
be of assistance.

Respectfully,

SUSAN CORISIS BROOKS

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