Transportation for Persons with Disabiltiies In Rural Areas   All eligible counties are either providing transportation service or will be very soon. Stay involved! Call or write to your elected representatives and thank them for the service. Also work with your local provider to make the service better. You can keep making a difference.   Keep the Dream Alive

     

 

 

HARRISBURG ACCESSIBLE TAXI ORDINANCE

SCRANTON ACCESSIBLE TAXI ORDINANCE

Some "Snapshots" of Transportation Advocacy in PA from 1993 - Spring 2001 What the ADA Says Web Links

Calling Out Stops

Capacity Constraints

Paratransit Response Times

Paratransit Subscription Service

Paratransit Fares

Private Entities Providing Taxi Service

Lift and Securement Use

     This is a short history in a series of “snapshots,” in words and pictures, of the Pennsylvania Developmental Disability Council sponsored efforts to improve transportation for people with disabilities in Pennsylvania. The lack of adequate, accessible and affordable transportation has long been a major barrier to full participation for people with developmental and other disabilities in the state. In 1993, the Council formally recognized the need for an advocacy based, systems change approach to the problem. The Council’s substantial commitment to solve the persistent transportation problem has resulted in two advocacy based projects whose activities focus on supporting people with disabilities in creating change.

     In 1993 the Council funded the Transportation Advocacy Project and for more than seven years TAP has been working with people with disabilities and other like-minded advocates to alter the state of transportation for people with developmental disabilities throughout Pennsylvania. TAP, a Council funded grant project of RTR Associates, is about people talking, thinking, mobilizing and acting together to make accessible and affordable transportation readily available everywhere for all Pennsylvanians with disabilities. TAP acts as a catalyst, resource and support for many of these efforts.

     One hundred twenty-five pioneering advocates from 25 counties first met in five TAP organized regional roundtables in 1994 to exchange information about existing transportation services and to discuss ways to improve transportation for people with disabilities in rural areas. [picture]

     In the summer of 1995, over 200 plus people with disabilities and their supporters rallied in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania Coalition of Citizen’s with Disabilities Freedom Ride ‘95 to demonstrate and testify about the lack of transportation for people with disabilities in rural areas and the impacts this had on their independence. [picture1] [picture2]

     In May of 1996 more than 130 people with disabilities, transportation providers and government officials came together at the TAP initiated and organized Statewide Summit Meeting on Rural Transportation for People with Disabilities. This group of people began a conversation entirely new in Pennsylvania – a conversation to make Shared-Ride transportation service, which exists in all 67 counties of the state, accessible and affordable for people with disabilities. [picture1] [picture2]

     As a result of the Rural Transportation Summit, a steering committee representing 25 disability organizations, convened and supported by TAP, met in the fall of 1996 to plan and organize the PA Transportation Alliance, a new, statewide voice on transportation needs of all people with disabilities. [picture] Through the following year, TAP initiated and worked with the steering committee to build a statewide transportation advocacy network and to see the first bill to make Shared-Ride affordable for people with disabilities introduced into the PA Senate in the February of 1998. While the bill successfully passed from the Transportation Committee to the floor of the Senate, the legislative session ended before a full vote could be taken.

     As the Alliance took shape and legislation was moving, TAP worked to find resources and a Harrisburg base for the organization. In early 1998 a DD Council grant funded the operations of the PA Transportation Alliance at the Center for Independent Living of Central PA. in Camp Hill.

     Now TAP and the Alliance operate in close partnership to provide strong advocacy support to local groups in all geographic areas of the state. The two Council projects also work in tandem, joining their resources and expertise, to support advocates in bringing about statewide transportation improvements. A second Shared-Ride bill (SB 1066) was introduced in the 1999 -2000 legislative session. A similar bill was introduced in the House.

     On-going empowerment events around both local and statewide transportation issues have included:

• a three day training event held by the Alliance for advocates from around the state who volunteer their time to work as transportation advocacy organizers, working in their local communities with grassroots advocates, agencies and their transportation providers. [picture]

• Regional forums on transportation issues for people with disabilities in Erie, Altoona, Reading, and Scranton and Lancaster organized during 1999 by the Alliance and TAP working with local advocates [picture]

• Regional transportation advocacy roundtables held in Indiana, Washington and Fayette counties by TAP in cooperation with local advocates [picture]

     All this local activity created a high level of interest among legislators and seemed to give impetus to the affordable Shared Ride legislation. However, in September 1999, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation unexpectedly announced its intention to conduct a study of the transportation needs of people with disabilities in rural Pennsylvania. Most legislators indicated that they would wait for the outcome of this study before considering further action on Share-Ride legislation. The Alliance, TAP and local advocates pressed for a strong voice in the conduct and content of the study.

     Meanwhile broader advocacy efforts continued. More than 100 disability advocates from across the state came together for Freedom – A Speak Out in Harrisburg in April, 2000 to learn more about the legislative process and educate their legislators about the need for improved transportation for people with disabilities. [picture1] [picture2]

     During July, 2000 the Alliance coordinated a hugely successful month-long event, Rolling Justice 2000, in which hundreds of Pennsylvania advocates with disabilities gathered in 30 communities and marched throughout the state to call attention to the need for affordable, accessible transportation. The event was organized as a relay march and local advocates used a variety of creative means to get from town to town – local transit services, Greyhound, AMTRAK, rented vans, private vehicles, and in one case a tow by a cow! State and elected officials ranging from state senators to county commissioners and small town mayors participated in many towns. Media attention was high and resulted in heavy local coverage. [picture1] [picture2]

     The event was later celebrated with a week-long exhibit mounted in the rotunda of the PA capitol building. [picture1] [picture2]

     By the early fall of 2000 PennDOT had completed its study and the study recommendations were approved. PennDOT would conduct a pilot program of affordable Share-Ride transportation for people with disabilities in eight of the 67 counties of the state. In January 2001 the 18 month program began. Toward the end of February 2001 315 people with a disability had registered for the program, 588 rides had been provided and the program continues to grow as the word gets around. [picture]

     Both the Alliance and TAP, along with advocates across the state are working for a rapid expansion of the program to other counties and a statewide affordable Shared Ride program in all PA counties no later than 2003. This will take united action on the part of many people with disabilities. But the goal is within site. Both Council projects will continue to organize and support disability advocates in achieving this.

     Other transportation advocacy projects the Council programs are working on include:

• support of local advocates campaigning to have accessible taxicabs available in the City of Harrisburg and to expand this campaign to other cities and towns across the state;

• concerted efforts to consistently monitor and enforce ADA fixed route bus regulations for calling out stops and maintaining lifts in working condition;

• actions to ensure ADA compliance in paratransit services to facilitate

• facilitate and support the expansion of the network of people with disabilities across the state working together to achieve freedom through access to adequate transportation.

     The Alliance is working with the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) on national rural transportation for people with disabilities. APRIL’s advocacy efforts are focused on national legislation for more equitable funding for rural transportation programs. The Association is particularly interested in the DD Council funded projects, the grassroots advocacy aspect of the Alliance, the development of legislation and the relationship developed with PennDOT. Council’s efforts will impact the national scene as the Transportation Alliance continues to promote the advances made in Pennsylvania in transportation issues for people with disabilities.

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WHAT THE ADA SAYS ABOUT . . .

Calling out Stops
"(b) On fixed route systems, the entity [public and private] shall announce stops as follows: 1. The entity shall announce at least at transfer points with other fixed routes, other major intersections and destination points, and intervals along a route sufficient to permit individuals with visual impairments or other disabilities to be oriented to their location. 2. The entity shall announce any stop on request of an individual with a disability." Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation (49); Part 37, Subpart G, 37.167 (p.361)

Capacity Constraints
"(f) Capacity constraints. The entity shall not limit the availability of complementary paratransit service to ADA paratransit eligible individuals by any of the following: (1) Restrictions on the number of trips an individual will be provided; (2) Waiting lists for access to the service; or (3) Any operational pattern or practice that significantly limits the availability of service to ADA paratransit eligible persons. (i) Such patterns or practices include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Substantial numbers of significantly untimely pickups for initial or return trips; (B) Substantial numbers of trip denials or missed trips; (C) Substantial numbers of trips with excessive trip lengths." Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation (49); Part 37, Subpart F, 37.131 (p.354)

Paratransit Response Time
"(b) Response time. The entity shall schedule and provide paratransit service to any ADA paratransit eligible person at any requested time on a particular day in response to a request for service made the previous day. Reservations may be taken by reservation agents or by mechanical means. (1) The entity shall make reservation service available during at least all normal business hours of the entity's administrative offices, as well as during times, comparable to normal business hours, on a day when the entity's office are not open before a service day. (2) The entity may negotiate pickup times with the individual, but the entity shall not require an ADA paratransit eligible individual to schedule a trip to begin more than one hour before or after the individual's desired departure time. (3) The entity may use real-time scheduling in providing complementary paratransit service. (4) The entity shall permit advance reservations to be made up to 14 days in advance of an ADA paratransit eligible individual's desired trip." Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation (49); Part 37, Subpart F, 37.131 (p. 353)

Paratransit Subscription Service
"(a) This part does not prohibit the use of subscription service by public entities as part of a complementary paratransit system, subject to the limitations in this section. (b) Subscription service may not absorb more than fifty percent of the number of trips available at a given time of day, unless there is non-subscription capacity. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the entity may establish waiting lists or other capacity constraints and trip purpose restrictions or priorities for participation in the subscription service only. Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation (49); Part 37, Subpart F, 37.133 (p.354)

Paratransit Fares
(37.131) "(c) The fare for a trip charged to an ADA paratransit eligible user of the complementary paratransit service shall not exceed twice the fare that would be charged to an individual paying full fare (i.e., without regard to discounts) for a trip of similar length, at a similar time of day, on the entity's fixed route system . (1) In calculating the full fare that would be paid by an individual using the fixed route system, the entity may include transfer and premium charges applicable to a trip of similar length, at a similar time of day, on the fixed route system. (2) The fare for individuals accompanying ADA paratransit eligible individuals, who are provided service under Sec. 37.123 (f) of this part , shall be the same as for the ADA paratransit eligible individuals they are accompanying. (3) A personal care attendant shall not be charged for complementary paratransit service. (4) The entity may charge a fare higher than otherwise permitted by this paragraph to a social service agency or other organization for agency trips )i.e., trips guaranteed to the organization). (37.123) (i) If the ADA paratransit eligible individual is traveling with a personal care attendant, the entity shall provide service to one other individual in addition to the attendant who is accompanying the eligible individual; (ii) A family member or friend is regarded as a person accompanying the eligible individual, and not as a personal care attendant, unless the family member or friend registered is acting in the capacity of a personal care attendant; (2) Additional individuals accompanying the ADA paratransit eligible individual shall be provided service, provided that space is available for them on the paratransit vehicle carrying the ADA paratransit eligible individual and that transportation of the additional individuals will not result in a denial of service to ADA paratransit eligible individuals; (3) in order to be considered as "accompanying" the eligible individual for purposed of this paragraph (f), the other individual(s) shall have the same origin and destination as the eligible individual. Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation Revised as of October 1, 1997, Part 37, Subpart F, 37.131 (137.126) (i) In applications for ADA paratransit eligibility, the entity may require the applicant to indicate whether or not he or she travels with a personal care attendant.

Private Entities Providing Taxi Service
(37.29) (a) Providers of taxi service are subject to the requirements of this part for private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people which provide demand responsive service. (b) Providers of taxi service are not required to purchase or lease accessible automobiles. When a provider of a taxi service purchases or leases a vehicle other than an automobile, the vehicle is required to be accessible unless the provider demonstrates equivalency as provided in S. 37.105 of this part. A provider of taxi service in not required to purchase vehicles other than automobiles in order to have a number of accessible vehicles in its fleet. (c) Private entities providing taxi service shall not discriminate against individuals with disabilities by actions including, but not limited to, refusing to provide service to individuals who can use taxi vehicles, refusing to assist with the stowing of mobility devices, and charging higher fares or fees for carrying individuals with disabilities and their equipment that are charged to other persons. (Emphasis added) Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation Revised as of October 1, 1997, Part 37, Subpart B, 37.29

Lift and Securement Use
(a) This section applies to public and private entities. (b) All common wheelchairs and their users shall be transported in the entity's vehicles or other conveyances. The entity is not require to permit wheelchairs to ride in places other than designated securement locations in the vehicles, where such locations exist. (c) (3) The entity may require that an individual permit his or her wheelchair to be secured. (d) The entity may not deny transportation to a wheelchair or its user on the ground that the device cannot be secured or restrained satisfactory by the vehicles securement system. (e) The entity may recommend to a user of a wheelchair that the individual transfer to a vehicle seat. The entity may not require the individual to transfer. (f) Where necessary or upon request, the entity's personnel shall assist individuals with disabilities with the sue of securement systems, ramps and lifts. If it is necessary for the personnel to leave their seats to provide this assistance, they shall do so. (g) The entity shall permit individuals with disabilties who do not use wheelchairs, including standees, to use a vehicle's lift or ramp to enter the vehicle. Code of Federal Regulations: Transportation Revised as of October 1, 1997, Part 37, Subpart G, 37.165

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LINKS TO USEFUL ADVOCACY WEB SITES

ADVOCACY RESOURCES

Successful Strategies for Getting What You Want from State Government
http://www.empowermentzone.com/capital.txt

The Empowerment Zone - A huge collection of practical information on impacting the political process
http://www.empowermentzone.com/#politics

Find Your State Senator or Representative
http://www2.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/findyourlegislator/find.cfm

Pennsylvania Legislature Electronic Bill Room
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/billroom.htm?chamberBILLS=hb+462&session=2001%2F0

Pennsylvania Legislature
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/

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ACCESSIBLE TAXI

Accessible Taxi, Part 1

Accessible Taxi, Part 2

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