You would think a “trainer” would understand that the proper place to secure wheelchairs on vehicles are the “hardpoints”, the strongest attachment locations of a chair, wouldn’t you?
On most wheelchairs, these hardpoints are the bars connecting the seat to the chassis cage. Usually 4 of them are to be found on wheelchairs, they are amongst the strongest components of any chair as they’re designed to keep the seat connected to the wheelbase in motion.
Unfortunately, there is at least one trainer on the road this morning who not only seems ignorant of the concept of hardpoints, but actively demands to secure wheelchairs by wrapping tie-down straps around weak plastic components of wheelchairs that are not directly connected to the chassis cage of a chair.
- Image by Getty Images via @daylife
This after parking the van beside a pathway stub that ends in a step – apparently, not only can wheelchairs be secured by flimsy plastic attachments, but they also have Dalek-like abilities to hover 3″ off the ground to reach the ramp.
This is one of MV Transit’s “trainers” – and that’s not even going into the trainer’s seeming other form of ignorance: his patronizing, condescending, and downright rude, obnoxious, and paternalistic dismissal of the rider advising him of the correct securement points – one hell of an example to his trainee!
Even worse? MetroAccess dispatch at Hyattsville’s response to being told their trainer is trying to secure wheelchairs in a totally unsafe manner is to essentially tell the passenger to shut up and be secured the way the trainer desires, or they’ll tell the driver to put the rider off.
We believe this trainer needs to be taken off the road immediately, and either retrained or told to find a different career. Going by this trainer’s actions and attitude this morning, we believe he is a danger to MetroAccess riders, and believe it seriously has to be questioned what else he is “training” his charges in.
Likewise, Hyattsville dispatch needs looking into as a matter of urgency. When a rider informs them that their driver is being unsafe and negligent, their response should be somewhat more than effectively saying “Shut up or get off”.
Rider safety is part of the MetroAccess “Rider’s Bill of Rights“. In that respect, we fully believe this trainer and Hyattsville dispatch this morning both violated that Bill of Rights.
More worryingly is that, right now, going by this morning’s debacle it seems apparent that MetroAccess not only has a trainer on the road whose idea of wheelchair securement is negligent, wrong, and blatantly dangerous for riders, but also one whose attitude is impossible for us to characterize in any other way than indicating a deep and paternalistic prejudice against wheelchair users, perhaps all of his charges.
WMATA needs to get this trainer off the road as fast as is humanly possible, and remind the dispatchers that safety is supposed to be their first priority over everything else – even above looking out for their union buddies.
http://www.accessthedmv.com/
I could use some advice over here.
We plan to set up a rider-owned Green Paratransit – no fossil fuels, fares, jobs for people who are disabled. Seems that MV gets contracts all over the country–some lobbyists they must have. There are too many companies out there to think that this is a random selection of MV in over 25 states… hmmm… I can't ride MV paratransit vehicles in Chicago, because they are unsafe for me and most people who have osteoporosis and any bone, joint, spinalor muscle problems. The fare is too high for the incomes of most riders and the vehicles are not suitable for the the type of people they pick up, i.e. persons who are disabled.
That;s reasonable fares.
Would like to meet up with your group. IMPRUVE comes to DC May 23-27. Please join our National Paratransit Memorial Rally and bring banners of those who have passed away from 2010-2011. WE WILL NOT BE SILENT. http://www.greenthinktankfordisabilitycommunity.blogspot... See March 1 and March 26 , 2010 entries
impruve-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. See us on Yahoo, facebook, LinkedIn,com, care2.com and multiply.com. Subscribe to post and stay in the loop with paratransit riders. email me to invite you to Rondee teleconference calls Wednesdays at 2 pm CT to discuss olan sfor trip to Dc May 23-27: ayomaat@hotmail.com
(Comment2 continued) Re; IMPRUVE, Paratransit and Congress:
IMPRUVE wants to prevent the rise of a Transit Gestapo nationally, as well as set up our own rider-owned Green Paratransit. I agree with the comments concerning Examiner.com article as to reasons behind recertification and policy meant to reduce number of trips by making it so difficult that we won't want to ride or can't due to the high cost of paratransit. We call it Transit Eugenics and we want to prevent the rise of a Transit Gestapo and conversion of paratransit to an elitist service only for those who can afford it. the Send me your emails, I will send you info or get on the Rondee teleconference call–not for providers or government, just riders–every Wed. at 2pm CT, 3 pm ET. Must email me to be invited. There will be weekly calls beginning Wed. May 11 on 800 number, but Rondee is more secure–just not free–it will be used for more indepth private calls and specialized calls. Email ayomaat@hotmail.com. (To be continued in 3rd comment)
(Comment 3 continued) re: Paratransit, Congress, Washington Trip
We are selling tee shirts that say WE SHALL NOT BE SILENT. WE would love to work with you WHEN WE COME TO Washington. CALL AND WORK WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO BE ON THE TEL:ECONFERENCES. Call me or email to get 800 number. It is hosted by So Florida CIL c/o Ernie Martinez. Thanks email: impruve2@yahoo.com or ayomaat@hotmail.com http://www.greenthinktankfordisabilitycommunity.blogspot... DON'T BE SILENT
Not one Washington DC-based disability advocacy group or Metro Access paratransit rider showed up for NPPMA Memorial rally May 26, 2011 outside WMATA Metro Access headquarters on 5th St. National Paratransit People's Movement Assembly: Next NPPMA Teleconference hosted by Ernie Martinez, South Florida Center for Independent Living, is Wed. June 15 at 2 pm CDT 800-?204-5502 PIN 938460 Ernie's cell: 305-776-5573
I would like to see some sort of alternative to MetroAccess get started in the dc metro area and I would like any information anybody has on how to start that. MetroAcess' fare hikes are atrocious especially with such bad service.