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A. Parker <br /> stated that the handi lift service was started in 1985. We got a call <br />from Sally Wehrsig at Easter Seals. We got a grant and the van driver. So we <br />went into partnership with HCEOC and we got police radios from the Police <br />Department, a van, and we started a handi lift service. We got it up to about <br />three to four vans, and personnel and turned it over to Mass Transit. Over the <br />years, the program was transferred to Coordinated Services and that’s why <br />Coordinated Services continues to have vehicles that are wheelchair accessible. <br />The County has made a lot of effort to address this issue. Transportation is the <br />number one problem in every district on this island. No transportation system is <br />able to sustain itself without huge subsidies from the government. All our 501C’s <br />are barely surviving. It’s a really, really tough time. And so Transit has been <br />working with us for all these years and really trying to do something. We need to <br />get together and advocate. We need subsidies. There is no way the County is <br />going to be able to come up with the funds to do this kind of program. That’s why <br />every community has to rely on Federal subsidizes from various Federal <br />agencies. So, it’s becoming huge. People are living longer. That’s another <br />challenge to transportation. We’re going to be working more closely with Transit <br />Office as well and trying to get some support from that organization I told you <br />about, National Association on Area Agencies on Aging and Easter Seals <br />nationwide. We need to try to pool the disability and different groups together, <br />working with Transit, working with Aging, and trying to see what the solutions are <br />for these issues. Hopefully we will come up with solutions in the not too far <br />future. We’re trying. <br /> <br />Bus stops <br />C. Cholas <br /> stated that there are a lot of new bus stops and they are wheelchair <br />accessible. He wanted to know if people can give their input on where a bus <br />stop might be placed or if they have an access issue. Tiffany said when there <br />are requests, they look at the ridership numbers at that stop also. Bill wanted <br />everyone to know that the county operates on a flag stop system. So outside of <br />the bus stops (44 bus shelters) the majority of the stops are just flag stops and <br />they are on the request of the rider. And those are the ones that can be <br />dangerous according to Chris. We need to have bus stops that are safe to get <br />on and off, and they have to be placed where people are going and the access is <br />there; and knowing where the bus routes are in relation to parks and recreation <br />areas so people can enjoy those facilities. <br /> <br />T. Spinola-Campbell <br /> inquired about the process for a visually impaired person. <br />Tiffany stated people who have vision impairment will call and inform Transit of <br />where they’re going to be and then we in turn let the driver know to watch for that <br />particular bus rider. When the rider boards the bus, he or she will inform the <br />driver where they would like to get off and they will make that stop <br />announcement. <br /> <br />It was stated that some of HCEOC’s vehicles might be broken down and they <br />might be short on drivers, so that it seems like the demand is higher than what <br />they can provide. The question about who is overlooking the safety of all the <br />vehicles. Tiffany stated that safety inspection is done annually, but HCEOC is <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />