Paratransit taxi service faces major cuts, riders with disabilities fear reduced accessibility
Posted In Categories: Advocacy
The team at Vision Forward wanted to share a county budget concern regarding transportation for people with disabilities and vision loss. The 2023 county budget proposes eliminating on demand taxi service, transportation services which are critical for individuals with disabilities or vision loss who rely on this for employment, medical care, and essential tasks of living. A letter has been sent to county supervisors that was signed by numerous nonprofits in our area, Vision Forward included, who have signed on with their concern of this issue and are working for support of this change.
We feel this is important for everyone to be aware of this issue because it can impact people with vision loss, families, community partners, as well as staff and board members in our community.
Because of the advocacy work that is occurring around this issue, on Friday, October 28 from 4:00 to 5:30 pm there will be a Transit Plus Listening Session, In-person at Independence First, 540 S 1st St, Milwaukee 53204.
The Milwaukee County budget phases out the Transit Plus taxi service. The purpose of the listening session(s) is to hear your questions, explain the rationale for the change, and begin a dialogue on how to meet the community needs moving forward.
If you are able to please plan on attending or share this information with others who rely on this service. It’s so critical right now for people’s voices to be heard on this important means of transportation.
The Journal Sentinel recently published an article on this issue that can be accessed with this link https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/10/26/riders-with-disabilities-worried-about-countys-paratransit-cuts/10534289002/.