Statewide transportation survey illuminates problems for disabled people

Results of a statewide survey regarding transportation for developmentally disabled persons were released yesterday and they don’t bode well for Ohio.

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council based in Columbus published the findings along with some suggested solutions.

Here are the main takeaways from the 2,200+ people with disabilities, family members, transportation providers, and advocacy organizations surveyed in 63 Ohio counties:

• More than half of respondents with disabilities said they have to wait 30 minutes or longer to be picked up for a ride
• 60 percent of the survey respondents with disabilities feel they can’t be active/employed in their communities because of problematic transportation
• Only 11 percent of people with disabilities utilize public transportation
• 67 percent of caregivers surveyed don’t believe transportation needs are met
• 78 percent of survey respondents feel public transportation increases inclusion

Here are the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council suggested courses of action for the state:

1. Authorize rideshare services like Uber and Lyft.

2. Provide education on how to read/access bus or transit schedule.

3. Incentivize transportation for being on time.

“We continuously heard from people with disabilities that transportation was their number one concern,” said Mark Seifarth, chair of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. “This study finally puts many of those anecdotal concerns into a more coherent collection of data and information.”

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