2006-12-01 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes

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TEAM REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS TEAM – M. GLEASON No report. B. RECREATION TEAM – L. SCADDEN No report. C. TRANSPORTATION TEAM – D. COWDREY T. Brown reported that there is a bid out for five four-wheel drive mini buses for Puna and Kona. The reason four-wheel drive is needed in these two areas is because of the terrain. They recently received six accessible buses from the City and County of Honolulu. The buses are 45 passenger buses and they are getting three more in mid December. The buses are all accessible with bicycle racks. The Department of Public Work is working hard creating accessible official bus stops in the South Kona district. In addition to the bus stops, the Department of Public Works are making pull outs for vehicles where some buses can get off the road when they pick up people. The Mass Transit Agency received a federal grant for a program which will be called the Transit Taxi Program. Currently, there are no private taxis that are accessible. They received approximately $150,000 for three vehicles. Initially, two will be placed in Kona and one in Hilo. The Mass Transit Agency is responsible for the entire taxi industry on the island. There are 38 taxicabs in East Hawaii and 202 taxicabs in West Hawaii. In West Hawaii, there are not many companies that serve the local residential population. As far as more service on a regular route, Kona and Puna are the two target areas. They operate approximately 13 hours a day of service within Kona between Captain Cook and Kailua. They will also be adding another bus running six to seven hours a day in Kona, especially during the peak time of 7 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. T. Brown said that the Mayor has identified four crisis on the island: 1) ice problem, 2) coqui frog, 3) housing, and 4) current health care crisis. T. Brown indicated that there is a lack of specialty care physicians. Currently, there are two cardiologists and one neurologist for the Big Island.Sometime in January or February, the Mayor will have a summit meeting with health care providers, representatives from Kona and Hilo Hospital, State Senators, State representatives, and U. S. Senator Daniel Inouye to see what we can do to entice more physicians to come here. In addition, Hilo Hospital is trying to get a grant to start a Family Practice Internship at the different hospitals. J. Souza mentioned that deaf people on the Big Island have communication problems because most of the doctors will not provide an interpreter. He suggested that deaf people have communication accessibility for the deaf in the county’s planning. 2