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

Thu Jan 25 19:51:17 CST 2007

Hello listers,
I believe there are problems with Access Ride true enough but it does give 
me pause to hear my fellow citizens talk this way. I don't think this is so 
much a transportation issue as maybe a financial one. I pay five hundred 
dollars a month car payment, gas, insurance, and other maintainance as 
required to go places. When that's not available, I call a cab or yes have 
used Access Ride. My daughter and I use it to run errands or go shopping. In 
those instances, I realize I am at the mercy of a buracracy and will be 
picked up and dropped when they decide.
It pains me to hear my fellow blind citizens talk about being "relegated to 
the projects" or otherwise denegrate the poor when often they are in the 
same situation  with no Access Ride to take them if they don't choose to use 
the bus. Let's face it, many of us can use the bus but choose Access Ride 
because it's not convenient to our schedules. The poor don't have this 
option. I guess I just hate to see someone throw a guy in the water when 
they share the same boat and you're the only one with an oar.
Also, the NFB chapter of Middle Tennessee in conjunction with the ACB have 
had two meetings trying to work on this issue and neither of you have been 
there. I'm not picking on you, I'm just sayin...

Joe Shaw Nashville
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ryan Smith" <ryansmith78 at comcast.net>
To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide 
Problem

> 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
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tn-talk mailing list
>> Tn-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tn-talk
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tn-talk mailing list
>> Tn-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tn-talk
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tn-talk mailing list
> Tn-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tn-talk
> 