[ Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Deborah Cunningham
Date: 3/12/2003
Time: 1:05:53 PM
Remote Name: 209.150.211.34
Michael Kernell State Representative 38 Legislative Plaza Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0193
Dear Representative Kernell:
Thank you for meeting with us last week at the Shelby County Legislative Delegation’s Town Hall Meeting. We appreciate your support and concern about issues facing our citizens with disabilities in Shelby County.
As you know, issues involving transportation affect all people. Persons with disabilities often face even greater difficulties in obtaining access to transportation in the public sector. For many years the Memphis Center for Independent Living has been actively involved in advocating for public transportation especially in the area of paratransit services for persons with disabilities. Without a doubt, transportation has been one of the biggest concerns that our constituents face on a daily basis. We believe firmly that reliable and accessible public transportation is the key to full community integration for persons with disabilities.
As we deal with accessible mainline public transit which will include in the future an accessible light rail system, many of us share very real concerns about MATA’s ability to effectively design and implement a light rail system which will include full physical and service accessibility. Our day to day experience with our paratransit system with its chronic inability to provide reliable, efficient and customer centered services leads us to believe that our transit authority may not be prepared to implement a costly light rail system which serves all of its citizens.
A few years ago, U.S. Representative Harold Ford Jr. requested a meeting between paratransit riders and representatives from the Memphis Area Transit Authority in order to try and initiate greater communication between consumers and the service provider. It was Representative Ford’s expectation that these meetings would be ongoing. Unfortunately, subsequent meetings have been erratic and regrettably lacking in substance and focus.
The Memphis Center for Independent Living, Barrier Free Memphis and ADAPT would welcome your support and in your interest in restarting the transportation meetings in our community. We would like to suggest that Representative Harold Ford Jr. be included in this meeting as well as Mayors Herenton and Wharton. We will be happy to be responsible for invitations and outreach to the community for this meeting.
I look forward to your reply and again, thank you for your willingness to assist us in re-examining these issues.
Sincerely
Deborah Cunningham Executive Director, Memphis Center for Independent Living