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Finding and Hiring a Driver If  You're Blind or Visually Impaired with 
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Stephanie  Stephens Van


Author Stephanie Stephens Van, M.A., VRT, LVT 
Stephanie Stephens Van is the author of _NEW  INDEPENDENCE! Craft 
Adaptations for Adults with Vision Impairments  (Revised)_ 
(http://www.visionaware.org/craft_adaptations_for_adults_with_vision_impairments) . She has also 
written _A  Day On the Road with Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Stephanie 
Stephens Van_ 
(http://www.visionaware.org/Vision-Rehabilitation-Therapist-Techniques) ,  an informative article that explains the role of an itinerant (i.e.,  
field-based) Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT) in helping people cope 
with  vision impairment. 
Stephanie has 30+ years of experience as a Vision Rehabilitation  Therapist 
and Low Vision Therapist. She has been Supervisor of Rehabilitation  and 
Social Services, consultant for a variety of public and private vision  
rehabilitation agencies, and an Adjunct Instructor at Salus University College  of 
Education and Rehabilitation. Stephanie has a Master's degree in Blind  
Rehabilitation from Western Michigan University. 
The driver problem: A daily  frustration
My husband and I are legally blind and are raising two boys. We have no 
car.  We have chosen to live in an urban area for the benefit of 
transportation, but  we have also faced the challenges of living in suburbs and small 
towns. 
We are continually reminded of our transportation challenges by family and  
friends who will ask, "Why don't you move back home?" or "Why don't you 
come  visit more often?" The answer is simple. We need a driver. 
_Assistive  technology_ 
(http://www.visionaware.org/assistive-technology-products)  has put me on a more-or-less equal playing field with my sighted  
counterparts. Despite all of these impressive technological advances, 
however,  what continues to frustrate me the most in my daily life is the stress 
and  anxiety of being at the mercy of public transportation systems.  
Getting a driver sounds simple, doesn't it? It sounded simple to me when I  
was in my twenties. In my naiveté, I thought this would be easy. But over 
the  past thirty years, I have learned it is not that simple. 
Transportation options have declined, due to lack of funding. Fewer persons 
 are available to volunteer as drivers. Medical facilities and shopping 
areas  have sprawled far outside the city limits. Ease of mobility and 
transportation  options have markedly decreased. 
My early driver experiences: It was  so much easier "back then"
When I first began working as an itinerant (or field-based) _Vision  
Rehabilitation Therapist_ 
(http://www.visionaware.org/find_vision_rehab_professionals)  (VRT) in the 1980s, the private, non-profit agency  that hired me 
provided a corps of volunteer drivers. Work problem solved! The  need to get 
around to shopping, medical, and social events was also less  problematic back 
then, when taxis were prevalent, reliable, and  accommodating. 
My work friends and church friends were available to drive on an "as 
needed"  basis. I made sure not to ask the same person too often so that none of 
my  drivers felt "used or abused." The notion of "not going back to the same 
well"  too many times is an important point that not only applies to 
drivers, but to  other sources of support as well. 
Over the years, transportation funding was steadily reduced, along with bus 
 routes, schedules, and transportation flexibility. The health care system 
spread  out its specialties and testing areas. There was no more "one-stop 
shopping," so  to speak. In addition, my current employer required that I 
hire my own drivers  for my field-based work. 
Learning to find a driver: lessons I  have learned and want to share
What all of this meant was that I had to learn a variety of effective ways 
to  hire my own drivers for both my work and my personal lives, in order to 
ensure a  reliable and consistent means of transportation. 
Here are some lessons about hiring a driver that I have learned along the  
way: 
    1.  Consider this relationship to be a business relationship rather  
than a volunteer relationship. Create a job description that clearly  defines 
the required hours, job tasks, and expectations. It is my belief that  such 
a description makes it clear that you are skilled, competent, and in  
control; in addition, it addresses the potential "pity attitude" toward  blindness 
head-on. 
    1.  Advertise in all kinds of places. I have used community  bulletin 
boards, public libraries, volunteer organizations, the Department of  Aging, 
churches, advertising circulars, and the Internet; in fact, I found my  most 
reliable driver through Craigslist. Be willing to pay advertising fees if  
you take your venture seriously.

Use only one contact method in the ad:  either a phone number or an email 
address. Never provide both. Keeping  yourself safe is important.

It has been my experience that the more I  reach out, the more helpful it 
will be when I need additional drivers in the  future. If I receive more than 
one reply, I keep a file of available names so  I don't have to use the 
same driver all the time. I have learned that this  keeps everyone happier over 
the long run, especially when emergencies arise,  such as taking my child's 
trombone to school when he left it behind, or  delivering a form to a 
doctor's office. 
    1.  Prepare a driver application form for each candidate.  This can be 
especially helpful if you interview several applicants and it can  help with 
record-keeping, including contact information if you need it later.  An 
application is also helpful if the driver wants to report your payment as  
added income, or if you deduct job and travel expenses on your own income  taxes.

The application should, at minimum, contain the following  information: 
name, address, telephone number, email, references, driving  experience, safety 
record, insurance coverage, and availability.

You  can keep the application in your laptop or notetaker and complete it  
electronically when you meet the applicant. After the interview is 
completed,  print out the application for the individual to sign and scan the 
completed  application into your computer. 
    1.  Don't be afraid to ask about the applicant's driving record and  
safety. Asking how many accidents the person has had during the past  year, 
the last five years, and the last 10 years gives you a good idea about  
whether you want to entrust your safety to this person.

Believe me, I  have made the mistake of driving with unsafe persons for the 
sake of "needing  to get there," and no destination is more important than 
your safety! 
    1.  Conduct in-person interviews with potential candidates. I  
recommend that you ask a sighted friend or relative to attend the interview  with 
you. It's also best to meet the candidate in a neutral public location to  
ensure your safety and protect your personal space. I have met with candidates  
in a variety of public areas, such as restaurants, parks, and in an 
interview  room with my secretary.

Be sure to pick a location from which you and  your sighted friend can 
retreat quickly and easily, if the need arises.  Believe me, there are some 
undesirables out there.

Having someone with  you who can see the subtleties you may not hear in an 
applicant's voice is, I  believe, a smart and prudent thing to do. A sighted 
companion can tell you how  the person is groomed, head to toe, for 
example. Remember that a picture is  worth "a thousand words." 
    1.  Be prepared to offer a flat or hourly fee. Going into the  
interview, if you know what you are able to pay, you and your potential driver  will 
not have false or unrealistic expectations regarding finances.

Be  "up front" from the outset. State how much you can pay, the services 
you  require, and when you will need those services. If you are on a limited  
income, you can offer to barter by baking a cake, _doing  sewing repairs_ 
(http://www.visionaware.org/sewing_for_the_blind_or_those_with_low_vision_0) , 
or performing online research, for example. 
    1.  It is okay to fire a driver. This is easier when you have  a 
well-defined business arrangement in place. I have had to do this on several  
occasions. It is not pleasant, but it must be done. Remember that safety  always 
comes first.

There have been situations in which I felt the  driver was not driving 
safely, even though I could not see. Although I have  never driven, I know how a 
car feels when it is traveling, stopping, and  accelerating.

When a car lurches forward repeatedly, accelerates to  make a sudden left 
turn more than once a day, or screeches to a halt at  traffic lights or 
intersections, I can clearly sense that something is not  right. If this happens, 
trust your intuition that this driver is not as safe  as he or she has 
stated. 
    1.  Not every driving situation is always a business  situation. 
Despite my emphasis on establishing a business  relationship, your friends will 
most likely be happy to drive. My rule of  thumb is to know which friend likes 
to shop in particular stores or  neighborhoods and plan accordingly.

For instance, one of my friends  belongs to a big-box membership store. 
Another likes to shop at the mall. When  I know I will be needing items at 
either of those locations, I will ask when  their next trip to that store will 
be. In return, I'll buy lunch or snacks or  an item for them while I shop. 
Just remember that you don't want to "wear out  your welcome," driver-wise. 
    1.  Be flexible with your personal (as opposed to work-related)  needs. 
It is best to get used to being patient and flexible. I have a  simple rule 
I tell all my drivers: "If I have the right to ask, you also have  the 
right to say no." I never want to take advantage of our working  relationship. 
Being a considerate passenger is extremely important. 
    1.  Good planning is key. As with all things in blindness  living, 
organization and planning is essential. If you coordinate your trips  within 
similar geographic areas and locations, you can help make the most of  your -- 
and your driver's -- time.

I spend much time using Google maps  and web searches to locate where 
businesses and doctors' offices are located  in relation to each other. A GPS 
device can also be helpful for planning ahead  with virtual mapping. I have 
also learned that sometimes it is not possible to  get that widget at ABC 
market today. It can wait until the end of the week.  Life will go on without it. 
Finally, know that every situation  is unique
These are my personal experiences and life lessons. Each person is unique.  
Each situation is unique. Each area of the country is unique. You will need 
to  find your own solutions to meet your specific needs. 
Transportation remains a critical priority for almost all visually impaired 
 or blind persons. Despite the trend toward self-contained communities, I 
know  very few blind or visually impaired persons who can afford to move to 
these  communities, due to high unemployment rates among persons who are 
blind. 
In the meantime, good luck finding your way -- and happy  travels!