[Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide Problem

[Ryan Smith]

Hi Peter,

The fixed route service in Nashville is poor at best.  Unless one resides in 
a major district or the projects, fixed route service is not readily 
available.  I, for one, am not going to relligate my life to living along a 
bus line and reduce my quality of life if it is not necessary.

Ryan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide 
Problem


> Hello Dominique and listers,
>
> You said nothing about using fixed route service to make this and similar
> trips. Can you tell us something about fixed route bus service in the
> Nashville area which obviously serves the area where you live if Access 
> Ride
> can pick you up from home. If this were me I'd try to use regular bus
> service as much as possible. We have the same kinds of problems with
> Viatrans; San Antonio's equivalent to Access Ride though service is better
> than it once was. Even still when possible Mary and I will use fixed route
> service over Viatrans any day.
>
>    Another thing we do is we've used several area cab drivers regularly.
> They call customers like us personals. Rather than calling in to the main
> number we call each driver directly, they take us wherever we need to go,
> and permit us to charge fares when necessary. If you have cab drivers you
> use regularly I'd suggest trying to work out such an arrangement with them
> so you don't need to screw with outfits like Access Ride and its kin. Hope
> this helps.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Domonique Lawless" <dlawless86 at gmail.com>
> To: <tabs at nfbnet.org>; <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>; <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 10:01 AM
> Subject: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide Problem
>
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> I have recently had another unpleasant experience with AccessRide and
> am hoping to get assistance so that people outside the disabled
> community will finally understand what a disreputable and unorganized
> service this is.
>
> On Wednesday, January 10 I had a scheduled  AccessRide trip that took
> me from my home near Belmont to a business in Brentwood. The
> AccessRide van showed up at a decent time. This trip had no problems
> and I was promptly brought to my destination. I remained at this
> establishment for the designated period and was supposed to be picked
> up between 3:30PM and 4:00PM. I had lost my cell phone which was my
> only contact number. I called the dispatch office to give them an
> alternate number. 3:30 came around and there was no sign of
> AccessRide. 4:00 and 4:30 came around and there was still no sign of
> AccessRide. I called the number and pressed the number four which is
> designated for emergencies and late rides. I was left on hold for over
> 30 minutes with no assistance. Finally my mother had to come get me to
> bring me back to school so I could make it to my evening classs. I
> called again on the way home and was put through to the after hours
> ansering service. I filed a complaint and was given the typical
> placations which just meant that they wanted me to shut up so they
> could get me off the phone.
>
> I realize that probably nothing will be done about my complaint and
> that AccessRide will continue to treat disabled people as if they are
> not worthy of courtesy and respect. This is not the first time that I
> have had issues with this business and I know that many of you have
> had similar experiences. While I feel outraged because of my
> experience with this so called business, I am horror stricken when I
> think about the people who have more serious medical conditions who
> are also subjected to such ill treatment.
>
> I am planning to take my concerns and outrage over this pitiful excuse
> for Paratransit to the media so that others can see howunorganized and
> inhospitable AccessRide is. I am tired of being treated like a second
> class citizen because I cannot drive and need assistance with
> transportation. I want the people at AccessRide to be brought to
> justice.
>
> I am writing to you for your assistance in this matter. I know that
> many of you have had similar experiences and would like to form a list
> of statements and complaints so that when this matter is brought to
> the media they can see that it happens to all the AccessRide clients
> and not just one or two. If you could please e-mail or call me if you
> are interested in joining this project I would really appreciate it. I
> am looking for a collection of statements and specific instances of
> the failures and mistreatment for which AccessRide is responsible. I
> believe that we are stronger in numbers then as individuals and I
> believe it is time that we make ourselves heard. Thank You for taking
> the time to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you.
>
> Sincerely,
> Domonique Lawless
> dlawless86 at gmail.com
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