[Nfbmt] National Federation of the Blind of Montana Fourth Annual Convention: panel discussion on transportation issues in Montana -- Second Request

Mon Oct 10 10:36:23 UTC 2016

Hello, everyone.

At our convention in Billings last week end, we approved the following
resolution.  It had been approved in prior years as well, so in that case it
is still in effect, but we brought it up to date for this year.

I am including it below, but I also want to know if there is a more
meaningful way in which we can facilitate the improvement of transportation
options for the blind in Montana.  Is there a task force that we can be a
member of, a discussion in which we can partake?  I don't want our concern to
languish in a drawer somewhere without any meaningful action being taken.  

Resolution 2016-01 Regarding Intercity Ground and Air Transportation in
Montana

WHEREAS The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shut down
Rimrock Stages on March 22, 2013, leaving Montana intercity bus service in
shambles; and,

WHEREAS Blind citizens of Montana, along with other nondrivers, have long
relied on intercity bus transportation to travel the great distances between
Montana cities; and,

WHEREAS Jefferson Lines is currently providing intercity bus service, routing
passengers through Butte, Montana, with long layovers in Billings, Butte, and
Missoula, making convenient travel throughout the state virtually impossible;
and,

WHEREAS This lack of intercity bus service has a serious significant negative
economic impact on the citizens of and the visitors to our state; and,

WHEREAS Jefferson Lines monopolizes Montana's intercity bus transportation,
leaving the nondriver with only one choice for intercity travel: NOW,
THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Montana in
convention assembled this Ninth Day of October, 2016, in the city of
Billings, Montana, that this organization call upon Governor Steve Bullock to
bring the full resources of his office to bear on restoring safe, reliable,
and affordable intercity ground and air transportation to Montana.

From: Bruce&Joy Breslauer [mailto:breslauerj at gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2016 2:40 AM
To: jpavao at mt.gov; psanders at mt.gov; kbushman at mt.gov
Cc: breslauerj at gmail.com
Subject: National Federation of the Blind of Montana Fourth Annual
Convention: panel discussion on transportation issues in Montana -- Second
Request

Hello.

My name is Joy Breslauer, and I am the President of the National Federation
of the Blind of Montana.

We are having our fourth annual Treasure State convention at the Billings
Hotel and Convention Center October 7-9, 2016.  If you are interested in
seeing the agenda, please go to www.nfbofmt.org and click on the 2016
Treasure State Convention Agenda link.

2016 TREASURE STATE CONVENTION AGENDA

On Saturday, October 8, we are having a panel discussion about transportation
options in Montana for the blind and visually impaired and other nondrivers,
and how good they are in some places and instances (Uber, city busses,
special transportation vans for the elderly or disabled), and how abysmal in
others (intercity bus or airline travel), and how changes might be made.  If
you would be interested in participating in this discussion, either in person
or off site, please let me know.  I would appreciate any input you can
provide.

On a personal note regarding transportation, I live in Great Falls and my
daughter, who lives in Billings and has an 18-year-old, a 16-year-old, and a
13-year-old, just had twins on September 23.  I would have loved to have been
there, but the decision to take the twins early was a sudden one, and I had
no way to get there in time.  The bus would have left Great Falls at
something like 2:50 P.M., I would have gone to Helena and then Butte, and had
an eight-hour layover in Butte, then caught a bus to Billings, arriving at
5:30 A.M.  I think the cost of a round trip bus ticket is close to two
hundred dollars.  The price is not so much the concern as is the
inconvenience of the scheduling.  

I realize times have changed, but I remember the days when Great Falls had a
bus that would leave in the evening for Missoula, and one that would leave in
the evening for Billings either fifteen minutes earlier or later.  I could
take a bus to Missoula after work on a Friday afternoon, be dropped off at
Clearwater Junction where I would meet a family member by prearrangement, and
drive the 18 miles to the family cabin, arriving at around nine in the
evening, and spend the week end, arriving in Great Falls on the return bus
around 6:30 in the evening.  A perfect week end.  Or I could take the bus to
Billings after work, arriving at 11:30 or so Friday evening, spend the week
end with family and friends, catch the bus at around 1:15 Sunday afternoon,
and arrive back in Great Falls around 9:30 or 10:00 in the evening.  Maybe
not as good, but still definitely doable.  

Another time when I had wanted to go to Billings, I checked out the airline
transportation just for fun.  I remember flying down to college in Billings
in the early 1970s for ten or fifteen dollars during the price wars.  I knew
I wouldn't find anything like that again, but what I did find is that I would
have had to catch an early morning plane out of Great Falls to Seattle, have
an almost all day layover there, and then fly to Billings, arriving there at
something like eleven in the evening, at a cost of over nine hundred dollars.
I could theoretically take Uber to Billings at a cost of over four hundred
dollars.  If I had lived in Havre, I could have caught a plane to Billings
that leaves twice a day for fifty dollars.  To me, this is totally
unacceptable, and directly impacts whether or how often I can see my daughter
and grandkids, or visit friends.  I may move down there some day, which will
reverse the situation for me, since I have a son and grandkids here in Great
Falls that I would then not see very often for the same reasons.     

I know we live in a large state with a relatively small population, and it is
not economically feasible to provide many transportation options for those of
us who do not drive.  We are in a minority and thus have a smaller voice that
may go unheard.  Can you suggest any realistic ways for us to advocate for
the improvement  of transportation options for us and other nondrivers in
Montana?  

Thank you for any thoughts you might have to contribute to our discussion of
transportation at our upcoming convention.  This is a real hot button for
those of us who do not drive.

Cordially,

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403 

Phone: (406) 454-3096

Email: president at nfbofmt.org

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

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