[Ohio-talk] Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)

Sun Nov 17 00:46:32 UTC 2013

Suzanne,
I am sure your meeting will go smoothly. I have very few complaints,
no system is perfect, and we are blessed in Cleveland to have one of
the best paratransit systems in the country. However I do realize that
when it goes bad it is really bad for us, been there too. My best
friend lives in Columbia, south carolina and what they call
paratransit is a joke! I was told that Detroit and Washington DC have
corner to corner service. I have used Mainstream in columbus and there
is no comparison to our service. Once when using mainstream I was left
at my location, after I called and was told that they would try to
find me a ride, I called someone to pick me up and made it to my
Mother's house, 3 hours later Mainstream called to say they were
sending a bus to pick me up. Another time I was asked off of the bus
for not having the correct change, smiles, I am notorious for this
andthe drivers are used to me doing this, yes I need to stop, it is a
minor problem in Cleveland we always work it out, however in columbus
it was a unforgivable sin and the driver escorted me off of the
vehicle, walk of shame. Oh well, I will still use the service because
it is all they have and when I need it it is there, sooner or later.
smiles This is why I love our service and appreciate it, there's no
place like home. Our RTA drivers are like family to me and it is the
contract drivers I have the most issues with. The regular RTA drivers
go above and beyond the call of duty, carrying heavy packages,
allowing us to bring more than 3 shopping bags onto the bus, stopping
to allow folks to use the rest room, waiting more than 5 mins., when
we are fully aware of when the bus will arrive, waiting for those that
are on dialysis so they won't have to wait on another bus, making sure
I have on my boots after one of those freaky snow storms. Once a
driver smelled gas in my building and saved all of our lives, thank
god for her! Allowing some of us to travel with baby seats and another
person without notifying scheduleing, dropping folks off at other
destinations they did not schedule for, taking diabetics to the fast
food drive through line to get food so they won't go into a coma,
passengers knowingly riding on expired bus passes, hanging up on
certain schedulers because you would rather talk with someone else,
talking to drivers like they are your personal chauffaur, providing us
with those miracle rides when we call at 3 o'clock pm the day before
we need to be somewhere at 9 o'clock the next morning, the list goes
on and on. I have wittnessed enough abuse on our part, the blind, to
know how the majority of drivers, schedulers, and dispatch make
allowances for us going above and beyond the call of duty. While RTA
continues to provide quality service for us, we should work together
with them toward improvements, making a good thing become even better!
 So, these are my concerns:

1. Training, the contract drivers should have training with sighted
guide, pushing and pulling will result in a accident one day and
creates a hostile atmosphere. I have tried to use humor to make them
listen, but it rarely works andwhen I become serious and firm they
become offended.
Politeness will go a long way, some of the contract drivers ar rude.
My building can be difficult to locate, these drivers will not llisten
and want to tell me where I live. Just last night I gave the driver
instructions and he decided I did not know what I was talking about,
so he finally asked me and I told him again and he says, that does not
seem right, and I remained silent. He found it but was surprised that
it was where I said it was. Once I rode on the bus in circles because
the driver would not listen, he then accused me of causing him to be
late for his next pick up, well you know what I said to that! Some
vehicles are equiped with gps and others are not, maybe this could be
uniform, the contract drivers are often unable to take the proper
routes to destinations, spending long periods of time trying to figure
it out. Some of this may be personality, don't know.

2. Scheduling, this year the process is really bad. There has been a
increase in ridership, however some simple things can be emplemented
to accomadate this increase. Stop having 3 buses pick up 3 people
going to the same destination that live in the same neighborhood, this
is so wasteful and time consuming for others that are waiting for
rides. Having someone that lives west, board a bus full of east
siders, ride all over the east side before taking them home. This
seems to be the new normal, drivers are frustrated with this and we
are too.

3. Vehicles, it would be beneficial for RTA to become pro-active with
contract companies when choosing vehicles. Some of the vans are
dangerous and awkward to navagate. Knowing how to exit the van is
important to me and some drivers will not show you where the door
handleand locks are, they feel like you don't need to know, however
some of us have other issues they are not aware of. When it is time
for RTA to purchase new vehicles, maybe they can look at the ones with
the lower bottom step, curb height, it would be a lot easier to board
and exit the vehicle.

4. Is RTA considering a new fare system, cards similar to laundry
cards that are used in apartment buildings. This is expensive, but
would be really convenient, especially if it was part of our
identification card.The driver could verify id  and collect the fare
with one swipe.

Finally, nfb should have representation on the Citizens Council, this
would provide us a constant voice, and maybe we could hold a town hall
meeting for paratransit riders. I have attended other RTA town hall
meetings and paratransit riders rarely show up in numbers, so we are
rarely heard.

I know this is long, but you know me, smiles, that's all folks!
Make this a great day, be good to yourself and a blessing to others!
Cheryl Fields

On 11/15/13, Suzanne Turner <sturner at clevelandsightcenter.org> wrote:
> Good Afternoon,
>
> I wanted to inform you all that I have a meeting scheduled with Joe
> Calabrese who is the CEO and General Manager of RTA and the Deputy General
> manager of Operations, Mike York along with  Oliver Draper who is the
> Manager of para-Transit in Cuyahoga County about the issues regarding
> services.
>
> I am requesting all to email me any issues that you would like for me to
> discuss. I have many concerns and I am sure you do as well.
>
> My meeting is December 2, 2013 at 8:30 AM.
>
> Although you may not reside locally, I am sure some issues are universal in
> your immediate area.  I will do my best to advocate in your behalf as well.
> I will bring the issues to their attention and let them know that this is
> State wide.  Therefore, during the many State wide transportation meetings,
> they would have heard these issues along the way.
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Suzanne Turner, BSW, MPA
> Employment Coordinator and Benefit Specialist
>
> Cleveland Sight Center
> 216-791-8118 (main)
> 216-658-7350 (direct)
> 216-791-1101 (fax)
> sturner at ClevelandSightCenter.org <mailto:sturner at ClevelandSightCenter.org>
>
> 1909 East 101st Street
> P.O. Box 1988
> Cleveland, Ohio  44106-0188
>
> Our Empowerment Park construction is complete! The ribbon was cut on October
> 17th and we have been awarded the UCI "Building the Circle" award. Come view
> the video here<http://youtu.be/OrJZzUfA_tc>.
>
> Our Mission: To empower people with vision loss to realize their full
> potential, and to shape the community's vision of that potential.
>
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-- 
Peace