Voices for Independence ‘ride for rights’ of those with disabilities
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Shona Eakin, CEO of Voices for Independence, speaks at Wednesday’s event in Washington.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
The Voices for Independence vehicle took those involved in Wednesday’s “Ride for Our Rights” to VFI locations in Seneca and Erie.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Aaron Fajerski, a Voices for Independence staff member, boards the bus Wednesday.
Transportation challenges facing Washington area residents with disabilities were spotlighted at a “Ride for Our Rights” event Wednesday, held in conjunction with the 33rd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We are still having issues with transportation,” said Shona Eakin, CEO of Voices for Independence (VFI). “We understand there are staff shortages because of the pandemic and there aren’t enough drivers. Transportation for people with disabilities needs to be a priority for not only our local authorities, but lawmakers on a state level and a national level. People with disabilities need to have the same access to transportation that anyone else does.”
A number of those affected spoke at the Voices for Independence/Transitional Paths to Independent Living office on West Maiden Street in Washington. They shared the issues they face, such as extended wait time for a shared ride, arbitrary pickup times and the struggle to get where they need or want to go, especially when leaving the county. TRPIL merged with VFI in 2020.
Many of the complaints were levied against Freedom Transit.
“The biggest problem I have is the drivers are incredibly late,” said Jackson MacTaggart of Washington. “This is not the problem of the drivers. This fault is solely on the scheduling done by Freedom Transit. There is no communication with Freedom Transit after a certain time when it comes to travel updates.”
Laurie Poole, who said she lives three miles from the Voices of Independence office, said at times it takes two hours for her to be taken the mile-and-a-half from her job to her home.
“There are times I’ve been forgotten at work because they thought somebody else picked me up,” she said. “In the winter, I have been dropped off an hour before my physical therapy place is even opened up. I’ve been left to sit outside because I could not get inside to keep warm. That’s unacceptable.”
Sheila Gombita, Freedom Transit CEO, said the company is sympathetic to the plight of those with disabilities but does have some constraints. She said there are challenges to bring on enough drivers to meet the increasing ridership.
“We are a public transportation agency that operates within limited funding,” she said. “That does create challenges with providing services that meets all the needs of all the people all the time. I don’t dispute there are service issues … We always have been a partner with TRPIL and now Voices for Independence. We’ve worked through and solved a lot of issues in the past. We are willing to sit down and express the concerns they brought up. We know, PennDOT knows, our state association knows that this is an issue that needs to be resolved statewide.”
Ed Pahula of Cokeburg is optimistic that necessary changes can be made.
“Advocacy leads to change,” he said. “We have to get back to working together to where we were when it all started. If we go back to when it was everybody’s problem, I truly believe in all my heart we will have an improved transportation system.”
After the event in Washington ended, some of those who spoke were taken by VFI convoy to events at the VFI regional office in Seneca (Venango County) and Erie, VFI headquarters. Eakin said press events were scheduled throughout Pennsylvania Wednesday.
“We want to bring the local community to those locations to tell their stories,” Eakin said. “It’s not just what’s happening here in Washington County. It’s what’s spanning the entire western half of the state, it’s the whole state of Pennsylvania.”