Plan for the Achievement of Transportation Coordination in Human Services (PATHS)

A University of Connecticut-sponsored forum addressed a critical lack of accessible transportation for people with disabilities nationwide.

By Jayne Kleinman

The Problem

• According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2003, over half a million people with disabilities said they never leave home because of transportation difficulties.

• The National Organization on Disability (NOD) reports that nearly one third of Americans with disabilities have inadequate access to transportation, compared to 10% of those without disabilities.

• Sixteen percent of people with disabilities cite inadequate transportation as a major problem for them compared to 4% of people without disabilities.

An increasing number of citizens are unable to get to work, run errands, participate in community, religious and political activities, or access medical care because they lack reliable, accessible transportation.

In 2005, a series of forums on transportation was held by the University of Connecticut A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities under a grant from the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities. The forums were attended by individuals with disabilities, transit district representatives, local advocates, and other stakeholders. Four major priorities for action to enhance access to transportation emerged as a result of these forums.

Priority 1: Community Access

Access to all aspects of community life provides an opportunity for citizens to become valued and contributing members of their communities. This is as important to people with disabilities as it is to other residents of a community. Because of inadequate transportation services, however, many people with disabilities cannot participate in the community life most Americans take for granted.

Priority 2: Collaboration

Municipal and agency officials and providers are often unable to fulfill requests for transportation due to restrictions in federal, state, or even town- specific regulations. Agencies often provide transportation to the same location for different groups, creating redundancy and inefficiency. Strict eligibility guidelines result in limited transportation options for individuals who meet the requirements of one agency and not another. Coordination of transportation services would increase cost- efficiency in addition to expanding the pool of riders served.

Priority 3: Education and Training

Significant information gaps exist. Transit companies are sometimes unaware of programs in neighboring towns and do not always disseminate information about alternative transportation choices. Providers often lack training in regulations governing passengers with disabilities and the safe use of equipment. Local policy makers may be misinformed about program regulations and limit services based on this misinformation. Potential passengers don’t know what is already available. They frequently find navigating difficult because they cannot read the transit maps, can’t hear the directions, don’t get accurate information, and get overwhelmed by the process. In regions and communities where services or programs do exist, they are often unknown to consumers. Additionally, consumers not familiar with transportation options avoid using public transit due to fearfulness and unfamiliarity with the system.

Priority 4: Safety

Individuals with disabilities do not always feel safe as passengers. A ride on an “accessible van” can be uncomfortable and even unsafe. Consumers report a lack of compliance with safety procedures or improper use of equipment, especially among smaller providers. Reliability of equipment and properly attached tie-downs on both fixed route and paratransit vehicles, are a priority. Vehicles need to be maintained appropriately and lifts need to work. High lifts or insecure tie downs on accessible vans can be frightening and dangerous to passengers. In addition, bus shelters are often inaccessible for someone in a wheelchair because bench seats get in the way, or they have no seats, no overhead protection and no cooling or heating system. In the winter, snow is often left blocking access at bus stops.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Increasing access to all aspects of community life is a critical issue for the quality of life for people with disabilities. The coordination of fragmented services is a crucial step in addressing their needs through more efficient utilization of existing resources. To view the comments from the forums and the consolidated findings call or write to the address below or go to www.uconnucedd.org/projects/ paths_publications.html.

• Expand public transportation services to serve all citizens and meet the mandate of the February 24, 2004, President’s Executive Order on Human Service Transportation Coordination. Expand geographic and time-of-day limits on Paratransit services. Explore low-cost alternatives such as accessible taxis to reduce reliance on expensive medical transport vehicles. Increase weekend service to allow greater access to the community for anyone who does not drive or is looking for alternative transportation to combat high fuel costs.• Support collaboration between state agencies, towns and community service providers to increase cost-efficiency and allow more flexibility of services. Use programs such as Connecticut’s United We Ride to address the regulatory barriers among federally-funded transportation programs, coordinate regional initiatives, and lay the foundation for local partnerships and generate common sense solutions to an issue that affects not just people with disabilities, but all citizens.

• Promote disability awareness and safety programs to be taught by people with disabilities to providers of transportation services across the state. Inform and educate consumers and human service providers on the availability of, and access, to existing transportation services.

• Mandate disability awareness and safety training using people with disabilities as trainers to improve the quality of existing and future service. Increase education of both consumers and service providers, including drivers and dispatch, to increase ridership on existing routes. Support more frequent inspections and proper maintenance of equipment to ensure the safety of consumers.

Jayne Kleinman is Transportation Project facilitator at the University of Connecticut Center on Disabilities in Farmington. If you would like more information on this program, please call her at 860-679-1575, or write jkleinman@uchc.edu.