PARATRANSIT CUTS

Able-Ride Users Mobilize to Protest Changes

Espa6nol

By Angela Melledy

Able-Ride users are not letting up in their attempt to get the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to roll back the cuts it has proposed to the much-used paratransit service in Nassau County that will save MTA LI Bus $1.2 million in 2010.

Advocates and users have held meetings and press conferences, worked with attorneys, have requested help from local and state elected officials and testified before the county legislature to garner help for their cause.

The MTA announced in March that they would cut Able- Ride service and revert to Americans with Disabilities ADA requirements to help cut budget expenses. The ADA only requires door-to-door paratransit service for those who live in and are traveling to locations that are within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed bus route. Up to now the MTA has provided doorto- door service to all areas of the county, including those without buses.

People living in or going to locations in the northern corridor of the county, which includes the Oyster Bay, Bayville and Syosset areas, would see the worst cuts because those areas have few bus routes.

At a strategy meeting held March 29 at the Long Island Center for Independent Living (LICIL) more than 40 people gathered to air their concerns and work on a plan of action. Able-Ride users expressed fears of being forced to lose their jobs and not being able to get to doctor appointments and dialysis sessions. Attorneys present made suggestions on how to proceed.

The meeting was followed by a press conference outside the Supreme Court building in Mineola on April 7 where more than 70 people showed up to demonstrate their concern.

Advocates also objected to the methods the MTA used to notify the public of the cuts to the program. No public notices or announcements of cuts were made. Only Able-Ride users were notified by mail.

United Cerebral Palsy Nassau (UCPN) Exec. Dir. Bob McGuire and Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities (ACLD) Exec. Dir. Aaron Liebowitz both spoke of the hardships the cuts would cause people with disabilities including those who use their centers. Able-Ride user Meryl Jackelow told the press and those assembled how the cuts would affect her independence.

According to Liebowitz the MTA was not able to give specific routes and stops that would be effected leaving users in a quandary about the future of the only transportation available to them.

ACLD and UCPN filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the MTA on behalf of eight disabled individuals from Nassau.

On Friday, April 9, 2010, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing MTA/Long Island Bus from iniCounty’s Able-Ride program that were scheduled to take effect April 12. The restraining order was to remain in effect pending the next court appearance scheduled for April 27, 2010.

The judge in the case urged both parties to make efforts to resolve this matter prior to the next court date. The judge also asked MTA/Long Island Bus to reach out to advocates for people with disabilities and veterans to see if a plan can be agreed upon to assure that these individuals have adequate transportation throughout Nassau County.

Representatives from the MS Society, United Spinal Association, VESID and senior citizen centers have joined ACLD and UCPN in their efforts.

The Helen Keller National Center of Sands Point joined the class action suit. The MTA, according to their representative Jerry Mikorenda, called a meeting at their facility in Garden City for April 22 to comply wit the judge’s request, and to inform the public about the service changes for Able-Ride.

According to the MTA website, “The judge asked for a two-week delay to give social service groups within the affected areas of Nassau County an opportunity to be fully apprised of the pending changes to Able Ride service. While we believe that our actions are fully in conformance with legal obligations with respect to the lawsuit itself, we want to afford our customers this additional period to explore alternative modes of transportation and resources. An invitation to attend an information session on April 22 was mailed to various social service groups in the affected areas within Nassau County.”

At press time, the parties in the suit were preparing to go back to court on April 27. According to a spokesperson for ACLD they hope the judge will continue the restraining order or issue a temporary injunction to keep the para-transit buses running until a permanent remedy can be implemented.

For information visit the ACLD website at www.acld.org. and for details of the proposed cuts visit MTA.info.