Transportation Issues Unite Coalition

By Greg Trapp, Director, Commission for the Blind

A broad coalition of disability organizations has united to discuss concerns related to public transportation in Albuquerque. The organizations represented include the Commission for the Blind, the Independent Living Resource Center, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Protection & Advocacy. The goal is to enhance the accessibility of SunTran and SunVan. SunTran is the Albuquerque "fixed-route service," and SunVan is the comparable complimentary "paratransit service." The Coalition is assembling a comprehensive list of concerns which will be presented to SunTran and SunVan officials. Many concerns which have been identified can be resolved with little or no cost, such as the need for fixed route drivers to consistently announce major intersections, and the need for drivers to allow passengers with disabilities to take their seats before pulling away from the curb. The Coalition is hoping to engage SunTran and SunVan officials in a continuing dialogue which will lead to these and other improvements in the system.