September 1999

Advice from a Maryland Traveler

By Paul Rasinski,
Executive Director - MD TAP

How long has it been since you took your last ride on the MTA's paratransit system serving Baltimore City? Until recently, mine was back in 1990 and it left a scary memory in my mind. Like a lot of people who use a wheelchair for mobility and don't have their own vehicle for getting around town, I had to rely on the paratransit system to get me from my home in Highlandtown to Dundalk Community College for one semester of classes. Many of you will remember the routine back then when a rider had to call in a request for a ride a full week in advance and then wait until the day before your class or medical appointment to find out if you actually had a ride. My experience started out reasonably well, even though I had to be ready to go two hours before my class started and heaven forbid if I stayed an extra ten minutes to speak to the instructor for fear of not being at my designated pickup stop when my return ride showed up. The service got me through the first two months of classes but the rides suddenly stopped coming as the spring weather cleared and more folks called for transportation and I got bumped.

The service may have been a blessing in disguise, because I took steps to get my driver's license and modified van later that year. Once I began driving I had little need or desire to test the system after that period.

Having the independence of my own transportation lead me to my present position as Director of MD TAP and in that capacity I was invited to inspect the system that has evolved from the horror I once experienced.

In a well-planned tour I was delivered from the Department of Transportation Building near BWI airport to the headquarters of the MTA on Washington Boulevard in a customized van, the kind you see running all around the city, white and blue, kind of wide. From there I rode a regular lift equipped bus to Camden Yards where I got on the light rail, destination Hunt Valley Mall, after a nice lunch it was back on the tracks to downtown and onto the subway. A few minutes later I was at the station in front of Johns Hopkins Hospital. I got a quick look around then got back on the subway to Hopkins Plaza for a connection with the van on Baltimore Street and return to BWI.

I admit the tour was well orchestrated but I will say what I saw of the equipment and witnessed in the personnel impressed me greatly. First, I saw the computerized registration system. When a rider calls in for paratransit now, he or she is actually given multiple possibilities for pick-up and return times that are verified at that moment as being available. The drivers are trained to be courteous and careful to strap a wheelchair in place before moving on. Of course if you are not extended this same treatment you are encouraged, by the MTA, to report such occurrences. Even when riding the lift equipped mass transit busses, the drivers are trained to assist you to the designated wheelchair spots and strap your chair to the floor for your safety and that of the other passengers. Again if this doesn't happen the MTA wants to hear from you.

I was a little concerned that straps were not available on the light rail and subway but found the ride smooth enough not to warrant more than the brakes of my chair. Speaking of the wheelchair, access to the entire system was quite easy. There are lifts, elevators, ramps and adequate turning room built into the entire system. A crowded bus may create some difficulty that I didn't experience but I would expect as much service as any other rider or report anything less to the MTA.

In all, I would recommend to anyone, even persons without special needs, a test ride on the MTA's system. You may find a new world of independent travel you didn't know existed or was afraid to try again after a past experience that left you wanting something better.

Below is some information for contacting the MTA.

How To Participate

To participate in the Paratransit program you need to complete an application and submit it to the MTA. The application may be obtained by visiting the MTA's Certification Office, which is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This process is referred to as certification for the Paratransit program and follows guidelines set by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Eligibility is determined based on an individual's functional ability.

All blanks on the application form must be completed. If you require assistance in completing the form, contact the MTA's Certification Office at 410-767-3441.

If you meet the program's certification requirements, you will receive an identification card. You will be asked to display this card when you board a Paratransit vehicle.

Once you receive your identification card, you may schedule rides as described on page five (5) of this brochure. It is very important that you notify the MTA if you have a new address, if you no longer require the use of a wheelchair, if you will not require the service for a period of time, etc. Such notification is vital to your status in the program.

Obtain Certification applications from and mail completed forms to:

Mass Transit Administration
Certification Division
6 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-1614
410-767-3441f TTY 410-333-2051 (Certification),
TTY 410-539-3497 (Information Services).

Reserving a Ride

After you are certified, to reserve a ride in the Paratransit program call 410-727-3535; TTY 410-468-4789 or FAX 410-468-4790. Be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your name as it appears on the Paratransit application.
• Your complete pick-up and destination address, including zip code, name of building (if applicable) entrance location, cross street or nearest main street.

NOTE: Due to the volume of calls, reservation clerks cannot look-up addresses for you. You may request the information on frequent destinations become a part of your permanent record.

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