[QUAD-L] Transportation

[Stacy Harim]

So I got them to reduce the price of transportation for me.  I talked to the coordinator for the paratransit however I totally screwed myself in the process.  It turns out that the paratransit is supposed to run at the same times as the regular route.  Well the regular route does not return to Ocean City from Salisbury where I am going to school about 35 miles away until 2:30.  My classes on M,W,F are over at 9:50.  I looked up all the things that they are federal law and it turns out that it is true. It is federal law. I went to the ADA webpage and from there was directed to the Federal Transportation Administration website where they have all the information, guidelines and regulations for the paratransit. http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/legal/ada/FEDREG1001.HTM#37141  It is all there if you click on the link.  I know I can write letters and make phone calls but it isn't going to do anything for me anytime soon. I'll be driving by then  I cant believe that the federal government would have guidelines that charge double the price and would allow people to get stuck places for hours on end.     I can handle it I suppose, I'm not happy about it, but can handle it.  I can always do work at school.  They have computer there, just my computer isn't there which is what sucks.  Since I have to get up at 4:45 in the morning to catch my ride, I try to get a nap for a little bit before I study when I get home. By the time I get home I wont have time to do anything.  I will have to share rides and I live the furthest away from pretty much anyone else. Cant go any further when I only live a couple of miles from the Ocean.  By the time I will get home it will be probably 4 or 4:30.  I will have to eat, shower, try to straighten the house up as much as I can and I am sure I will have more studying to do.  Man this is going to be a rough few months.     Thank God I will be driving but probably wont be before the end of the semester.  I have no idea when I will be able to take care of the things I need to take care of in order to get the work done and get to the DMV to get my license.  Spring break I have to go get a mess of testing done in order to get my stoma surgery in the summer.    I'm tired, so tired of losing this battle.  Every time I get something accomplished with these people, something else gets me.  I can't win the battle alone with the federal transportation.  Would anyone else be interested in helping me write letters complaining about the services that are provided according to their guidelines?  All of them are here http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/legal/ada/FEDREG1001.HTM#37141 if you want to take a look at them. It's a lot of reading but most of the information that directly is related to someone in my situation is Subpart F--Paratransit as a Complement to Fixed Route Service.  Things get accomplished in a group, not just one person writing letters.