[Nfb-or] Fwd: [oregon-l] Tri-Met Invitation Needs your immediateattention
Haben Girma
habnkid at aol.com
Tue Apr 14 16:45:42 UTC 2009
That's a fascinating question, Joseph. O&M instructors have to go
through years of training, but LIFT drivers probably only need a high
school diploma and have lower salaries than O&M instructors. So it would
look like feeding the blind fish would be cheaper than teaching them to
catch their own fish in this case. That would be a very interesting
research project indeed!
T. Joseph Carter wrote:
> Haben,
>
> I wonder if the cost of paying for their use of paratransit is less
> than the cost of getting them travel skills sufficient to not need
> it? I can't imagine someone's done the research.
>
> Joseph
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 10:00:37PM -0700, Haben Girma wrote:
>>
>> 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
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
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