[tabi] Re: Talking Bus Stops?
- From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:07:25 -0400
Thanks Owen.
I brought these up several years ago, and tried hard to champion them to the
TCB, TABI, and StarMetro. Even going so far as asking for the loan of a trial
setup from the company (but they would not, because no organization would write
a letter saying they were seriously interested in purchasing these).
They are costly; they require a power supply or battery changes at each sign
location, and every customer must be furnished with a hand-held unit which
guides them to the sign (which is costly and occupies one hand, at least for
some part of the time).
All of this was pointed out to me frequently; even though I thought if we could
get businesses, government buildings, etc. to all begin locating their front
doors and other points of interest with these signs, then individuals carrying
the hand-held units might feel that it would be worth the trouble. They would
even work inside a mall for locating stores.
One advantage is that a relatively few number of people who are blind can read
braille (I don't have the number handy), while almost everyone could use this
system; and of course, it does much more than just identify a location, it
guides you to it from a relatively far distance.
I think it's not going to ever happen though because it requires a relatively
large expenditure up front at once, before you have a system you can build on
as more money becomes available. You must equip anyone who wants to use the
system with a hand-held guiding unit, and then you must have enough of the
signs in use so that individuals will feel like it's worth the effort to carry
the receiver.
Still, if we got both the TCB and the NFB interested in this, we could create a
fund which these organizations contributed to every year until we felt we had
enough money to start a program of use.
Chip
-----Original Message-----
From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
mccaulo@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 8:02 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Talking Bus Stops?
Doug is right; the way John was showcased today was much more prominent
than if it had been included in the annual Dining in the Dark article.
Regarding the question of actually finding the bus stop, here's an
interesting link to research done by Dr. William F. Crandall, Jr. of
the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco that
explores the idea of talkiong bus stops, which would potentially solve
the problem. Given the degree of resistance that the Braille placards
met from StarMetro, though, I doubt that anyone could make this happen
in Tallahassee anytime soon. Even so, I hope that Mr. Waterman is
taking notes...
http://www.ski.org/Rehab/WCrandall/AusOpt/AOSurfaceTransit.html
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackburn, Douglas <dblackburn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Mon, Oct 28, 2013 7:03 am
Subject: [tabi] Re: Local Volunteer Has Braille Added to Bus Stops
It was well deserved for John and, the way John was showcased today was
much more prominent than had it been woven into the annual Dining in
the Dark story. Kudos to John for his efforts. Now, if I could only
FIND the bus stops. From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chip and Allie Orange
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 7:00 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Local Volunteer Has Braille Added to Bus Stops
From today’s Democrat:(thanks Doug for making this happen) Local
volunteer has Braille added to bus stops Volunteer helps StarMetro
stops become accessibleOct. 27, 2013 11:36 PM John Plescow was given
the Paula Bailey Award by Lighthouse of the Big Bend for brokeringa
deal with StarMetro to have braille plaques installed on bus stops.John
Plescow was given the Paula Bailey Award by Lighthouse of the Big Bend
for brokeringa deal with StarMetro to have braille plaques installed on
bus stops. / Specialto DemocratWritten byArek Sarkissian IIDemocrat
staff writerFiled UnderTLH LocalTLH Local VolunteerismFour years ago,
StarMetro announced a plan to do away with its hub-and-spoke
routesystem in favor of a decentralized network using 40 stops as
transfer points.The move would make Tallahassee’s bus system more
efficient and perhaps decreaseits reliance on the city budget. But the
plan included nothing for members of thevisually-impaired community who
rely on Braille signage to keep up with bus schedules.John Plescow
found no use for StarMetro’s new system, which went online in July
2011,and at the suggestion of his fellows in the blind community, he
volunteered his timeto make a difference.“It served me much better the
old way,” Plescow said. “They really opened up Pandora’sBox with the
new system. It was much more difficult to navigate.”Plescow brought in
the help of Lighthouse of the Big Bend, Ability1st and the cityto find
a roughly $24,000 federal grant to purchase and install Braille plates
onbus stops across the system so blind people can determine route
numbers and a textcode for schedules.Plescow’s work earned him the
Paula Bailey Inspirational Award at the LighthouseDining in the Dark
event on Oct. 13. The award is given to people who inspire others,are
visually impaired and are residents of the 11 Big Bend counties the
organizationserves.City transit planning manager Brian Waterman said
the StarMetro C.K. Plaza was usedas the main transfer point in the
former route system and was outfitted with Brailleplacards to meet
federal Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The
newly-adoptedsystem turned former stops into transfer points and the
ADA did not require themto have signage for the visually impaired,
Waterman said.“Braille is not common at bus stops,” Waterman said. “You
have to do it so it’s readableand also, bus stops are prone to damage
or being removed.”Plescow said he was determined to come up with a
solution and found former assistantcity manager Jay Townsend willing to
help.“It sort of became my second job,” Plescow said. “But it was
something that neededdoing and it was a distraction from everything
else.”Plescow said the signs have been ordered and should be installed
in the next sixmonths. He applauded the city’s initiative to make
StarMetro the first public transitsystem to equip all stops with
Braille signage.“Everyone likes to be recognized and told, ‘hey you’re
doing something good,’ ” Plescowsaid. “But the true reward is that
there is going to be Braille at every bus stop.That is a plum for
Tallahassee and a very positive thing.”
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