Transportation is a key need for people with disabilities, but the reality of what Is available to them may not always meet that need.
According to the Al Sigl Community of Agencies in Rochester, a recent study found that more than 85% of young adults with disabilities said that not having transportation frequently prevents them from doing the activities they need or like to do.
And part of the reason for that lack of transportation may be due to a lack of qualified drivers. Medical Motor Service is a local nonprofit company that provides transportation for people who may not be able to use traditional transit, and its Executive Director, Tim Kohlmeier, said that the cost and time involved in getting the necessary commercial driver’s license (CDL) can be a barrier.
“So, because of that we’ve seen the pipeline of drivers in our community dry up, whether that’s for school buses, commercial trucking, or where we fit in to the corner of that world is non-emergency medical transport. Because of that, we are down a number of drivers,” said Kohlmeier.
Kohlmeier said the fact that advocacy groups and various programs that provide transportation for people with disabilities are clamoring for greater transportation capacity, “there doesn’t seem to be any effort in the funding stream to be able to support that. And then we’re struggling to get personnel to take the jobs that we have.”
Medical Motor has been awarded some grant funding to develop a driver’s education program to assist potential drivers in receiving their commercial driver’s license. And Kohlmeier said they are also seeking a legislative change in regulations that would make it easier to get a CDL, especially because he noted that some of the elements of the current testing aren’t really applicable for the drivers needed by a company like Medical Motor Service.
Having transportation like Medical Motor is critical for Daystar Kids in Brighton, which provides services for young children with complex medical issues. That nonprofit serves children ranging in age from four months to kindergarten.
CEO Kim Condon said that many of the families they work with depend on Medicaid-funded transportation.
“It’s a huge issue for families,” said Condon. “In fact, this year alone, we saw a 20% increase in demand for Medicaid-funded transportation. Our kids already have the odds stacked against them because there are no other programs of our kind that support their whole self.”
And Condon said if families have children with medical complexities and cannot get transportation for their kids to take advantage of various programs and services, “families are forced out of the workforce and have to stay home. And really, the children are not getting what they need before they go to school.”
This story is part of Dialogue on Disability Week — a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies — in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series.
