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

Thu Jan 25 20:08:27 CST 2007

I'm sorry, I am truely not trying to get personal here  but this is hitting 
home for me a bit.  Do you really feel safe in Antioch AKA the new ghetto 
of Nashville? Look it up, the downtown and East Nashville areas of which you 
refer as the  "inner city" are the fastest rising and hottest property 
values in the city. I just don't understand this better than thou to feeling 
of entitlement  attitude among our blind community. Isn't the NFB's idea to 
be like everyone else as much as possible, or is that just something nice to 
say in theory?

Joe Shaw
----- 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 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide 
Problem

> You're absolutely right Mike.  One must pick one's poison, but when I am
> thinking of raising children and having a family, do I want to live in the
> inner city just so that I can take a bus, or do I want to inconvenience
> myself a little?  I'd rather feel a little safer about where I live.
> Wouldn't you?  As Domonique has already stated, Nashville's fixed route
> service is not run very efficiently, so one tends to lose out no matter 
> what
> poison s/he chooses.
>
> Ryan
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 5:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
> Problem
>
>
>> Seems to me one's quality of life *already* is reduced by paratransit
>> problems. In essence, you're just saying you're choosing a different
>> poison!
>> (big grin)
>>
>> I say take fixed routes also. I've disqualified myself from paratransit.
>> Let
>> those who truly need it use it.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> ----- 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 1:24 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
>>> _______________________________________________
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