Accessible Transportation – the Stronger Together Newsletter Summer 2024
Lack of reliable transportation is a serious barrier to maintaining health, securing essentials for daily life, social interaction, and a reasonable quality of life for people with disabilities. This is why Gathering Strength works to improve accessible parking and public transportation services for people with disabilities in Kentucky.
In March, we heard from Gwendolyn, who uses TARC3 (Louisville’s paratransit service for people with disabilities) to get to and from work. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that public transit providers offer services comparable to fixed-route buses to people with disabilities.
Gwendolyn called about two problems: frequently being dropped off late to work and not being picked up at the end of the day. She is consistently dropped off late to her 7:00 am shift and had to seek leniency from her supervisor, who thankfully allowed it even though tardiness is rarely protected by the ADA. Her supervisor’s understanding means her story is better than most, but that doesn’t solve the problem of TARC3 drivers failing to come to her correct location to pick her up from work.
Learn more about what Gathering Strength does about this below and how you can help.
Lacey, who has a cervical spinal cord injury, uses a wheelchair, and drives an adapted van, found herself blocked on Saturday, July 13. She was at a ballpark to watch her daughter play softball and needed to leave. She took this picture.
It was 90 degrees that day. Heat is dangerous for people with cervical SCIs because they cannot regulate their body temperature. Lacey said,
“My being able to get into my van is the difference between going to the ER or not going to the ER.”
Her adapted van–on the left in the picture–has a ramp that deploys from the passenger side and she needs 8 feet available so she can get in and out using her wheelchair. This is why the ADA requires “van accessible” spots with larger striped access aisles. You see that someone parked in the striped access aisle and blocked Lacey from deploying her ramp and entering her van so she could leave. Everyone who uses an adapted van knows this is a far too common occurrence.
Recognizing the importance of transportation, this year Gathering Strength:
1. Taught 30-40 people with disabilities in Louisville about their rights under the ADA and the federal transit regulations and how to file complaints;
2. Partnered with the Metro Disability Coalition to mobilize dozens of people to lobby elected officials and attend 3 Metro Government meetings regarding TARC;
3. Advocated for better paratransit in one-on-one meetings with Metro Council members, the Mayor’s administration, and TARC’s leadership; and
4. Reinforced our work amending the Louisville Metro Accessible Parking Ordinance by meeting with Metro department heads, property owners, and other advocates to help ensure that the ordinance is enforced. Learn more about the changes we helped make to the ordinance on our website.
How You Can Help
- Contact your legislator. The problems with public transportation, like TARC in Louisville, are nationwide and multifaceted. The American Society of Engineers (ASCE) advises that 45% of Americans have no access to public transit and most of the existing systems are aging and dilapidated. Solutions require political will. One thing each of us can do is find out who our representative is on our local legislative body (e.g., Metro Council in Louisville) and tell them that you care about public transit and you want them to secure funding for its future. Together, we can make it happen.
- Support our work! July 26 is the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are seeking: 34 new supporters of our work to donate at least $34 for the 34th anniversary of the ADA. Donate here
Thank you!
