[tabi] Re: nova2010 plan
- From: "Barbara Lineberry" <bkblpp@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:31:00 -0400
Robert,
What a great piece you posted. It all makes sense to me. For four years,
during the time I was working at IB (which has changed its name twice since
then), I was the disabled person's rep on the TD council for both Madison and
Hamilton Counties. I also, after retiring from IB, was on the Mayor's
Committee for the Disabled (it may have been called differently then). But in
all instances it didn't make a difference in what was eventually decided. I
did speak up. And I'd been in the Commissioner's Chambers in City Hall several
times. Not recently. And I was on the 22nd floor of the Capital when the ADA
was passed, and knew immediately that it would be at least 25 years before
"temporarily-abled" people would start to understand what was the law and would
fight it with all they had.
I agree completely that "mobility not accessibility" is an outrageously stupid
thing to say. Mobility is getting harder for me so I opt out of more things.
But my heart is there for all of us. Thank you and William and Chip and so
many others who have continued the fight.
The words of two songs come to mind for our situation. They had different
original meanings but are good for this. "We Shall Overcome" and "When will
they ever learn?"
Barbara
----- Original Message -----
From: Easy Talk
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2009 9:58 AM
Subject: [tabi] nova2010 plan
After reading all the post on this list about the nova2010 plan, I want to
say the following and then I am going to keep my mouth shut since some people
think I am attacking Star Metro and not acting with a level head and I run my
mouth
and don't go to meetings.
I have been involved in advocacy for over 20 years and have served on the
Governors accessible voting task force and followed the AEIT task force around
the state. I was also at all the legislative hearings on the AEIT bill which
looked good up until the last two days of the session when it was stripped
down so bad to the point it had no enforcement clauses. I was on the first
committee that dealt with the guide lines for Para transit service in Leon
county. At the time Carol Keo-green was the chair of the TD board and she was
never at the committee meetings but at board meetings she would just say no we
aren't going to do that and that is that. In politics actions like this are
referred to as the political sausage meal and you might not believe it but I
have seen it first hand. One thing I have learned over the years is that
politicians are going to do what is best to protect there careers. Nice guys
finish last.
For those of you who went to the two TDC board meetings
that dealt with prioritization of rides will remember when I ask the board to
establish a committee to look at the impact this would have on the rider ship
at the first meeting, I was told they had a committee that did that. Calvert
Durden ask who was on the committee and was told the committee consisted of
Donna Peacock and Colleen Roland who ironically aren't voting members of the
board. It was apparent none of the other members seemed to know about the
committee. When this question was brought up at the second meeting the members
were different but neither William or Carl who are the only disabled people on
the board were on the committee. Also the cost per trip prices were different
from the first meeting to the second, it went from around 76 dollars to 38. My
point here is to show you that government will say what ever is necessary to
support there actions. These are just a few things I have seen over the years
and is why I am so skeptical of politicians.
It should be apparent to all of you that the disabled community was not
considered during the Nova2010 plan. If they had been considered then Star
Metro would have stated that service to the disabled would not be affected in
regards to Para Transit. Under the current information we have, if a
particular bus has to pick up say just 2 wheel chairs that particular route
will definitely not be able to keep its schedule. If there is a third wheel
chair then that person will have to wait for the next bus because the other bus
wouldn't have room for the third wheel chair. There will also be delays when
one wheel chair has to be transferred to a connecting bus. I can assure you
there will be some ADA complaints filed by wheel chair users. Also remember
wheel chairs when I post below some direct information from a message posted by
William a few days ago.
We all need to remember that each person has there own needs and as citizens
of Tallahassee have the right to advocate for themselves. They may choose to
speak through TCB or NFB or as an individual. The only way we are going to
have any affect is if people get involved and in this case I think there will
be a lot of concerns from the community and not just people with disabilities.
If we really want to be affective on this issue, we need to get other people
involved who aren't disabled because we are considered a small group and the
attitude the city has about the disabled community isn't good. Some of you
will remember when the lieutenant of operations for TPD came to one of the TCB
meetings to talk about the enforcement of the White Cane law. He stated that
he didn't know about the White Cane law until just before our meeting when he
was preparing his presentation. He admitted to using his Black Berry While
driving and said the city had more important things to deal with such as face
slapping instead of enforcing the White Cane law. As Mr.. Scheib stated the
Nova2010 plan is about mobility not accessibility is the most stupid thing I
have ever heard. If the system is not accessible who cares about mobility. Am
I skeptical, you better believe I am.
Now, here is what should be of major concern to all of you. It is key points
of the plan and unless a miracle happens most likely isn't going to be changed.
q Routes would no longer circulate within neighborhoods. This will,
however,
allow StarMetro to serve a larger population by providing higher frequency
and better
service to the most popular destinations.
This is just totally ridiculous logic. How do you serve a larger population
to get to there destinations if you don't go where they live. A trip consist
of a starting point and destination not just a destination.
q Related to the above, walking distances to StarStops are anticipated
to increase.
On the other hand, this will lead to fewer stops, increased mobility, a more
pleasurable
riding experience and a healthier community.
The benefits, however, would far outweigh the few discrete disadvantages,
which are
better communicated in a longer visual presentation.
Star Metro would have a more dependable system going where our patrons want
to go
doing so in a timely, efficient fashion.
This will basically mean the system will not be accessible to a large
majority of visually impaired, wheel chair users and elderly. in fact I see
some reference to changing the type/class of people the system is trying to
target and it isn't us.
Personally the new system won't affect me that much since it goes up and down
capital circle and I am with in 3 quarters of a mile from it. The only affect
it will have on me is that I might not be able to visit a friend that lives in
a neighbor hood which most of us do. I haven't heard anything about a bunch of
tents along capital circle or the parkway. I have posted on this list because
I care about transportation and think it is vital to have a good system
especially for the disabled and the linkage between the fixed route system and
Dial A Ride. Personally I am in favor of a decentralized system as long as it
has feeder buses or vans that can get you to the main routes. As stated on the
web site, the current plan shouldn't cost more but will give more frequent
service. There is no way you can make a system better and decentralize it with
out spending more money. Personally based on the current information, I think
the city is doing this to save money not provide a better service. If people
can not get to the bus, they will be empty then the city can say no one uses
the busses so we are going to stop that service and believe me people this is
starting to happen all over the u.s. Reduce and then eliminate.
Robert
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