Disability groups in NY file class-action lawsuit over proposed elimination of accessible county transportation

From the Long Island Press in NY:

Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, Inc. (ACLD) and United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County, Inc. (UCPN) have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on behalf of eight disabled individuals from Nassau County who will see service eliminated in April.

The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order and injunction against the MTA to prevent drastic cuts to the Able-Ride program in Nassau County. Able-Ride is part of the MTA’s paratransit bus service for people with disabilities.

“Removing transportation services for this population will be devastating,” said Aaron Liebowitz, Executive Director of ACLD. “Most of these individuals have no other means of transportation. We understand that the MTA is making cuts and non-disabled people may lose some access to service, however they will not lose all of their services as will be the case with many people with disabilities.”

Since many of the program riders are elderly, or suffer from cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, which makes understanding the changes in service difficult, the organizations are upset they were not notified of the cuts.

“These cuts are disastrous to Long Island’s elderly and disabled residents, and to the regional economy,” said Robert McGuire, Executive Director of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, Inc. “The people with disabilities rely on the Able-Ride program for transportation to and from work, doctor’s appointments, grocery and drug stores.”

The cuts, to take effect April 12th, will impact individuals with disabilities who live more than 3/4 of a mile from a bus line. These individuals will no longer have access to or receive transportation services.