Emily Keller-O'Donnell, Journalist

Getting From Here To There

    Transportation groups and activists are discussing contingency plans in the face of a planned reduction in bus, subway and Access-A-Ride services that are scheduled to take effect by the end of June.

    The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board voted March 24 to cut 33 bus lines and two subway lines, revise service on 64 buses and transform Access-A-Ride – a door-to-door service for people with disabilities – into a shuttle to nearby buses and trains for some customers.

    This article was published by City Limits. Click here to read the full article.

City Council Transportation Committee Questions MTA Cuts

   MTA New York City Transit President Thomas Prendergast spent last Thursday morning fending off criticism from the City Council Transportation Committee about drastic service cuts planned for this spring.

    The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to eliminate or reduce service on dozens of bus lines, saying that many of the lines overlap with other MTA bus and subway services.

    However, many seniors and people with disabilities are unable to switch to the subway if their bus route disappears, or may require a particular bus to reach the accessible subway stops that comprise only one-fifth of the system.

    The MTA also plans to reduce Access-A-Ride paratransit service while promising to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines that requires the transit provider to offer the service to people who are unable to use subways and buses because of a disability. Kathy Andrade and J.M. Colon (pictured) said they oppose the cuts.

    This article was published on Transportation Access. Click here to read the article.

Amputee Organizations Mobilize for Haitians

    National and international organizations that work with amputees are extending their efforts to people in Haiti who were injured in the devastating January earthquake.

    The nonprofit Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) in Tennessee developed a Haiti Relief Action Center (HRAC) to provide information on the relief effort to people who want to help amputees. The organization is raising funds with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to translate limb-loss information such as wound care advice into Creole.

    This article was published in Able News. Click here to read the full article.

State Budget Alters Services for People with Disabilities

    President Barack Obama and Governor David Patterson recently announced their budgets for the next fiscal year, which include spending adjustments to programs for people with disabilities.

    Paterson's fiscal year 2011 budget seeks to close a $7.4 billion deficit with measures such as limiting personal home care to 12 hours a day.

    The $80 billion budget also proposes charging fees to families with disabled or delayed infants and toddlers who enroll in early intervention service programs that are provided by New York State. Those charges are part of a $1 billion set of new and increased taxes and fees contained in the budget.

    This article was published in Able News. Click here to read the full article.