[blindlaw] Blindness and Mobility Transit Services

[Locke Milholland]

Raleigh has Accessible Raleigh Transportation, with two tiers of service.
Tier 1 is a City only program that allows reduced rate cab service for
anyone who can not drive due to a disability.  Tier 2 is for people who can
not use public transportation safely due to a disability.  It offers a
pick-up and delivery service for twice the cost of a bus fair.  For the trip
to qualify, the passenger has to be picked up and delivered to within .75 of
a mile from the nearest bus stop.  It is a federally mandated program


Blindness alone is not eligibility.  A vocational rehab/mobility trainer
helps with the application and vouches for the danger level.

My apartment complex has no sidewalks leading to the bus stop and has afive
points intersection with one of the roads having five lanes of traffic.
Combined with my vision acuity level, I was eligible.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "E.J. Zufelt" <everett at zufelt.ca>
To: <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 3:24 AM
Subject: [blindlaw] Blindness and Mobility Transit Services


> Good morning,
>
> It recently came to my attention that the city I live in, Fredericton, NB,
> Canada, offers a "Dial-a-Bus" service for "mobility impaired" passengers.
> The service is supposed to be available to "...any person with a
> disability that prevents them from using, with a high degree of comfort
> and dignity, fixed route transit services in the City of Fredericton".
> (Dial-a-Bus Policy Statement).
>
> I recently spoke with the Executive Director of the not-for-profit
> organization that administers the application process of the program for
> the city.  I was told that "blindness, on its own, is not a mobility
> impairment".
> I then spoke with the City Transit Manager and City Administrator who both
> told me that the service is not offered to the blind, because the blind
> can learn how to get from one location to another with a cane or dog.
>
> I am curious if anyone on list lives in a city with a similar service,
> offered as an alternative to the municipal transit service, and if you are
> aware if blindness is considered an eligible disability.
>
> To prevent any negative feedback before it is given, I do not believe that
> I would need to use the "dial-a-bus" service for all of my transit needs.
> There are locations that I can get to easily either walking or using the
> standard transit system, in combination with my dog guide.  It is the
> locations that I visit infrequently, that are dangerous to walk to, or
> that are incredibly difficult to get to using a dog guide for which I
> believe this service should be assisting me.
>
> Thank you for any feedback you can provide,
> Everett
>
>
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