Transportation, a problem for the visually impaired

Each day, Piper, 25, has to arrange to get to his job at Dilly's restaurant and the supermarket. What complicates matters for Piper is the fact that he has been totally blind in his left eye since birth and has only limited vision in his right eye. Even though he is able to work and do most things "fairly easy," he can't drive.

"It's difficult getting across town without public transportation and not being able to drive," Piper said. About 14 visually-impaired residents in Chambersburg attended the Franklin County Association for the Blind's community meeting Friday to discuss the need for public transportation for the disabled.

The gathering focused on the lack of subsidized transportation for low-vision citizens under age 60, following the demise of the Chambersburg Transit Authority.

The CTA, which shut down in July 2004 after accumulating an estimated $1 million in debt, provided public transportation to local residents for more than 12 years. The heavily subsidized bus service provided the elderly, disabled and poor with transportation to doctor's appointments and stores.

Life skills coordinator Jim Fennen said since the end of the CTA, transportation for low-vision and legally blind residents has been minimal at best.

"Many people with low vision have received rehab training to improve their orientation and mobility, and with the help of aides, canes and guide dogs they can lead more independent lives if only they had the same access as you and me," Fennen said.

Currently, the Franklin County Integrated Transportation System, which is funded by the Pennsylvania lottery and departments of transportation and public welfare, offers shared-ride transportation by appointment to seniors 60 and older to medical appointments, senior centers, supermarkets and senior centers, among other places.

Others, including medical clients, are also eligible for county services. Still, residents said Friday they have trouble paying the trip fees implemented by the county system. The one-way fee increased from $10 to $13 on Wednesday. The Franklin County Area Agency on Aging also announced this week that one-way transportation co-payment costs for the elderly will increase from 50 cents to $1.50 beginning March 1.

Chambersburg resident Susanne McKinney, who has been legally blind for more than 12 years, said low-vision residents often have limited incomes and are unable to pay for multiple trips through transportation provided by the county system.

"If someone here were to go to a fitness gym and back three times per week, it would cost them about $75," McKinney said. "A lot of us can't afford those fees and without transportation, it limits our independence."

Susie Bulger agreed that the lack of public transportation has affected her ability to run errands independently. Bulger, who has been totally blind in her left eye for more than 26 years, relies on her daughter to get to work at the First United Methodist Church during the week. Because her daughter works late and is unable to pick her up, she has to ask her co-workers for rides home.
"Because my daughter has to be at work on time, I have to get up earlier in the morning to catch a ride with her. I only make $75 per month at the church because I'm on SSI (Supplemental Security Income) so it's hard for me to afford transportation from the (Franklin County) integrated system," Bulger said.

According to recent figures from the National Eye Institute, blindness or low vision affects 3.3 million Americans aged 40 and older. The Franklin County Association for the Blind estimates that more than 1,129 county residents have low vision or blindness, including 941 seniors and 188 people under age 60.

"You only need to lose the ability to drive your car to realize just how bad the present situation is for those who do not have affordable transportation," Fennen said.

Fennen hopes Friday's meeting will be the first step toward gaining more supporters for solving transportation issues for the blind in Franklin County. Fennen said association members will meet again in October prior to the November elections to highlight the issues and offer solutions.
"We want to form a venue and put a face on the problem and (offer) solutions and offer it to the people that count, such as state and county officials," Fennen said, adding that he would like to see personalized cab services available to low-vision residents.

McKinney said improved transportation services are needed immediately.

"It's about independence. We want to get back in the habit of getting to our doctor appointments and going to the supermarket to pick up dinner without being an inconvenience on others," she said.