Media Contact: July 20, 1999 Opening New Doors Greater accessibility means greater independence for customers with disabilities DART is taking new steps toward a day when all buses and trains will be fully accessible to disabled customers. That day is not far off. "We're getting there!" says DART Vice President of Transportation Operations Frank Jennings. "All light rail and commuter rail cars are wheelchair accessible and more than half of our 800 buses are accessible. By 2001, all of our public transit vehicles will be totally accessible." Jennings says every bus and train operator is certified to operate wheelchair lifts. Currently, train operators are re-certified on a yearly basis; beginning this fall, bus operators will be re-certified every two years on all aspects of operating their vehicles -- including sensitivity to the special needs of disabled patrons. Operators re-certified for working with disabled Buses with lifts are scheduled a minimum of one per hour on designated routes -- and accessibility increased with DART's June service improvement package. Taking a fresh look at paratransit eligibility Working with local agencies and organizations representing the disabled, DART is reassessing eligibility requirements for paratransit van service, and offering travel training to those who can gain greater freedom by using the bus and train. "Every light rail car has space for two wheelchairs, which exceeds the federal requirement of one space per multi-car train. No federal funds accompany these requirements, but we want the best transit system possible -- and that includes all our riders," says DART President/Executive Director Roger Snoble. "The more accessible our fixed route system becomes, the better it works for our riders traveling in wheelchairs." DART Executive Vice President/General Manager of Operations Victor H. Burke is heading up the initiative to direct paratransit services to those without other options, and to introduce disabled riders to the independence of regular route bus and train travel to those without other options, and introducing riders with disabilities to the independence of regular route bus and train travel. "Under the new eligibility process, some paratransit customers may no longer qualify to use our curb-to-curb paratransit van services to the extent they have in the past. We can anticipate some complaints, but we will be there to help them with the transition," he says. -- 30 -- Representatives of disabled comment on new paratransit eligibility process Sherry Taylor, Texas Commission for the Blind Stacey Rogers, Executive Director, North Texas Rehabilitation Services J. D. Harrell, United Cerebral Palsy Andrew Linville, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities |
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