[Nfb-or] Fwd: [oregon-l] Tri-Met Invitation Needs your immediateattention
Haben Girma
habnkid at aol.com
Tue Apr 14 05:00:37 UTC 2009
Good question. While the NFB has shown that blind people can have such
developed travel skills that some of them even work as O&M instructors,
the fact remains that many blind Americans, and blind non-Americans, do
not have such advanced travel skills. So, even though some blind people
don't have mobility impairments, they would rely on paratransit
services. They may not have received the training, developed it on their
own, or simply choose not to use cane travel skills. It's really
important to remember the heterogeneity of the blind community.
Haben
Mike Freeman wrote:
> With the exception of the blind who are also mobility impaired, why
> should the blind worry about lift access any more than should other
> citizens?
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill" <cassonw at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB of Oregon mailing list" <nfb-or at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 5:10 PM
> Subject: [Nfb-or] Fwd: [oregon-l] Tri-Met Invitation Needs your
> immediateattention
>
>
> I received this on a ACB list and am interested in what it means and if
> the
> NFB of oregon has a position or if any of you have an opinion.
> Bill, VP
> Oregon Association of Blind Students
> 503-768-8982
> cassonw at gmail.com
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Gregg Welch <tallcoolgregg at msn.com>
> Date: Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 3:24 PM
> Subject: [oregon-l] Tri-Met Invitation Needs your immediate attention
> To: Kat <lady-potter at comcast.net>, "John A. Fleming" <
> blueskies.acb at gmail.com>, Darian Slayton Fleming
> <darehart56 at hotmail.com>,
> "Patricia Kepler\"" <patricia at ilr.org>, acbo2009convention at yahoo.com,
> Jack
> Thorpe <mcgruff1958 at comcast.net>, pstokes at hevanet.com,
> hdelaunay at quest.net,
> omninet at comcast.net, Kristin <kbretana at gmail.com>, Daniel Ezell <
> dbezell at verizon.net>, doguser4 at msn.com, randy.hauth at comcast.net,
> laris71843 at mypacks.net, Cheree Heppe <cheree at dogsc4me.com>, James McCree
> <
> jamccree at comcast.net>, jpmccree at comcast.net, Lew Middleton <
> lewmiddleton at yahoo.com>, irimex at comcast.net, ronandwilly at hotmail.com,
> cynarie at hotmail.com, awilliams at nhweb.org, Ms COLLEEN UTTER <
> c.utter62 at verizon.net>, Todd Ray <toddaray at verizon.net>, Sean Ray <
> seanlray at verizon.net>, Elizabeth Pescuzzi <empbow at hotmail.com>, "Mary L.
> Reid Holmes" <mlreidh at q.com>, cherislack at yahoo.com, Michael Mulvey <
> michaelmulvey at earthlink.net>, gpatrick at visionnw.com, MrsDaCoop at aol.com,
> ac7dz at juno.com, oregon-l at acb.org
> Cc: Gregg Welch <tallcoolgregg at msn.com>, "Jon M. Egan" <
> jegan at eganlegalteam.com>
>
>
> I am considering going to all forms of the media about this so called
> invitation sent out to Lift customers that I have attached to this
> e-mail.
> When you read it as a Lift customer it gives you the flowery message
> that
> the workshop is not really significant and practically puts you to
> sleep.
> The blind and disabled community and caretakers and relatives will read
> this so called invitation more than likely will not see the
> significance of
> how their lack of knowledge and concern about these changes, will lower
> the
> importance of how these system changes will impact the disabled. Read
> the
> attached invitation below and see if you see anything about ; Quote;
> Current
> Lift Users, Unquote. You won't find it, because they don't want current
> users to resist or get concerned. If I'm wrong, they need to issue a
> declarative policy that indicates that all current Lift Users will be
> exempt
> from these changes. That won't happen and Tri-Met needs in my opinion
> to
> be taken to task for this flowery letter that cleverly omits statements
> about how all of these positive changes may not be positive for current
> customers. I'm sure that some of the guests at this workshop are
> speaking
> as a result of consultation with public relations firms and probably
> wrote
> the attached invitation letter of positivity to the maximum. If you get
> kicked off the Lift Program because you read this so called invitation
> from
> Tri-Met and shoved it aside as unimportant, that attitude would be
> created
> by the wording of this attached Tri-Met Lift invitation and could cost
> your
> life. They want to reduce Lift ridership and flower up a letter to
> users of
> the program and set up this workshop so each one of you will have a
> limited
> exposure to information that is vitally important and opinions of disent
> by
> more informed users or advocates to keep resistance down and reduce the
> contraversy.
>
> Please read the invitation and e-mail me with your disagreement or
> agreement
> with my observations.
>
> Tri-Met April 28 2009 Workshop
>
>
>
> Greg, I have attached the files in a Word format. They are minus a few
> photos and the TriMet logo but they contain all of the text.
>
>
>
> If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks,
>
>
>
> Kathy Miller, Manager, Administrative Services, TriMet ATP,
> (503)802-8209,
> millerk at trimet.org
>
>
>
> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 1:32 PM, Subject: TriMet LIFT Eligibility
> Process Improvements Workshop, block quote end
>
>
>
> You are invited to the TriMet LIFT Eligibility Workshop: Tuesday, April
> 28,
> 2009, 1-4 p.m. Doubletree Hotel at Lloyd Center 1000 NE Multnomah
> Street,
> Broadway Room Portland, OR 97232 Learn about TriMet's improvements to
> the
> LIFT eligibility determination process beginning 2010
>
>
>
> · Learn what the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says about
> eligibility for paratransit services
>
> · Hear from TriMet staff about improvements to the certification
> process
>
> · Learn how other cities around the country conduct eligibility
> determinations for paratransit services
>
> · Find out about the new TriMet Transit Mobility Center
>
> · Get information about the benefits of travel training and hear
> from
> RideWise graduates
>
> · Share your opinions and experiences and provide your comments
> directly to TriMet staff
>
>
>
> Attendees will include the Committee on Accessible Transportation (CAT).
> Please RSVP on the enclosed postcard by Friday, April 17. Plan your
> trip
> at trimet.org or call 503-238-RIDE. Event parking is available at the
> Doubletree garage for $3. For more information please contact the
> TriMet
> Accessible Transportation Program (ATP) office at 503-962-8200 or TTY
> 503-962-8058. Persons needing sign language interpretation or other
> communication aids should contact TriMet ATP at least 48 hours in
> advance of
> the workshop. TriMet LIFT Eligibility Workshop Tuesday, April 28, 2009,
> 1-4
> p.m. AGENDA
>
>
>
> 1-1:15 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks: Fred Hansen, TriMet
> General
> Manager, Jan Campbell, Chair, TriMet CAT
>
>
>
> 1:15-1:25 p.m. Introductions
>
> Agenda Review
>
> Goals for the Workshop: Connie Soper,
> Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates
>
>
>
> 1:25-2 p.m. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Paratransit
> Eligibility; an Overview of National
> Trends
> and Experiences: Karen Hoesch, ACCESS, Pittsburgh, PA
>
> Richard Weiner, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting
> Associates
>
>
>
> 2-2:30 p.m.: TriMet's New LIFT Eligibility Determination:
>
>
>
> Process and the Transit Mobility Center:
>
> Kathy Miller, TriMet:
>
>
>
> 2:30-2:45 p.m. Break
>
>
>
> 2:45-3:30 p.m. Conversation Tables
>
> An opportunity to discuss any or
> all
> points in the Presentations with workshop facilitators
>
>
>
> 3:30-3:55 p.m. RideWise Role in LIFT Eligibility and Presentation
> by
> RideWise Graduates
>
> Julie Wilcke, Ride Connection
>
>
>
> 3:55-4:05 p.m. Next Steps and Opportunities for Comment
>
> Connie Soper, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates
>
>
>
>
>
> Please reply now, so I know whether I have your backing on criticizing
> Tri-Met's strategy to lower concerns of the disabled about continued
> Lift
> Program participation.
>
>
>
> Gregg Welch, Multnomah Chapter President of the American Council of the
> Blind of Oregon
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-or mailing list
> Nfb-or at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-or_nfbnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-or mailing list
> Nfb-or at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-or_nfbnet.org
>
More information about the NFB-OR
mailing list