I'm working on it. I didn't go to the Transportation Committee last night, but I'm trying to find out what the story is. Jenn Hathaway Director of Public Relations Metropolitan Council
>>> phaedrus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/08/03 12:49PM >>> At first blush, this certainly looks concerning. Anyone out there from Met Council have a response? - Jason Goray, NE Minneapolis > Last night, January 6, 2003, the Transportation > Committee of the Metropolitan Council awarded a > company in Chapter Eleven a contract to transport > developmentally disabled people! The service has > been provided by a Minnesota company, Transit Team, > Inc., and the new contract will now go to a Kansas > company, Laidlaw, Inc. > > The riders of Transit Team are vulnerable and > generally without a voice. Therefore, I address you > as a parent and express what I know to be the > feelings of many other advocates for the riders. > > We strongly reject the proposed switch from Transit > Team to Laidlaw! Transit Team provides reliable > service, has excellent equipment, low employee > turnover, and has a company culture, which is > compassionate and understanding. > > If part of the mission of the Transportation > Committee is to help handicapped persons become > gainfully employed, taxpaying members of the > community, why are these same persons (and/or their > advocates) not surveyed as to their opinions about > changes crucial to their lives? Why are the > opinions of Opportunity Partners and Lifeworks not > given validity? > > Is there a coincidence in the timing of the proposed > change and the prospect of new Pawlenty > appointments? > > The bureaucratic micro-management of handicapped > transportation a few years ago resulted in a fiasco, > which still leaves a bad taste in our mouths and a > mistrust of the wisdom of the proposed change. > > Conversations with a number of other advocates > resulted in some universal reactions: > > " Here we go again-remember the last changes?" > > "The service has been great. "If it ain't broke, > don't fix it!" > > " There must be some skullduggery in the bidding > process." > > " With Laidlaw located in Kansas, they can't > possible provide the same management control and > flexibility as Transit Team" > > (Over) > (2) > > > > " Why would a Minnesota governmental agency destroy > a taxpaying Minnesota Company in favor of one in > Kansas that is in Chapter Eleven?" > > > "Before the fiasco of several years ago, the network > of advocates and riders was passive and silent. > This will not be the case this time!! > > In today's economic environment, the jobs of the > Transit Team riders can be jeopardized by any > transportation problems. > > We implore you to reconsider the change. Don't > penalize a Minnesota company for providing an > effective, reliable service to our handicapped > citizens. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Twin Cities Metropolitan Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/tcmetro Rules: Sign posts with real name. You may not post more than twice a day. _______________________________________________ Twin Cities Metropolitan Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/tcmetro Rules: Sign posts with real name. You may not post more than twice a day.
