The Future of STAC

MATAplus riders and MATA management at odds

 

By Allison Donald
I believe the relationship between Specialized Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC) members who use MATAplus for their everyday transportation and the MATA management team is more strained than ever.  If you ask either riders or MATA management who is responsible I am sure that both groups would blame the other.  

As a committee we are clearly at an impasse, because as riders of MATAplus we know that the problem primarily lies with the lack of consistency day-to-day with the paratransit system. The STAC has been requesting to see the policies and procedures for the last five years.  Each time MATA administration has failed to honor our request. 

Ms. Bobbie Fields Co-chair of the STAC said: “The lack of transparency regarding information about policies and procedures pertaining to the day-to-day operations is leading to the breakdown in communication.”

MATA’s lack of disclosure has led to the dissemination of misinformation and a poorly informed and apathetic attitude by MATAplus riders towards the MATA administration.  Rider’s want to have clear answers to their questions that do not depend on the MATA agent they speak to. As STAC members and MATAplus riders we know that it is imperative that we are informed about how to use the service.

MATA’s refusal to provide policies and procedures to its advisory committee is not the only issue that has caused discord.  As riders of MATAplus we believe that MATA is violating the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Davina Williams has been a MATAplus rider for more than ten years. “MATAplus does what they want to do,” she says.  

If you use MATAplus it can be very frustrating, because the service is unpredictable.  On any given day you can be subjected to trip denials, as a customer there may be restrictions put on how many trips you can make on a particular day that fixed-route riders do not have to deal with, and you may have excessive trip times much longer than the regular bus has.  

Each of these patterns of bad behaviors by MATAplus are violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  It is extremely concerning that this continues to go on an impacts the way persons living with a disability travel in the city.

“Sometimes when riding MATAplus,” said Nicole Bowen whose mother is a rider, “you are left waiting and I often times find myself along with mother having to improvise and arrange my schedule around MATAplus.”

As advocates and users of MATAplus we must continue to push for improvements of the system.  It is the only way that we can achieve a paratransit  system that works to the benefit of the community as a whole.  

“If STAC is to do its job, both sides must be willing to come together and compromise and stop looking back at old wrong doings,” said Curtis Tillman with the Memphis chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. “If the situation does not improve than the committee should just be dissolved so no one continues to waste their time.  STAC members serve at the will and pleasure of MATA according to the bylaws.  The advocates on STAC can continue to do their work and MATA can form a new committee that is more willing to be more user-friendly and toe the party line.”

If you would like to attend the STAC meetings we meet every second Friday of the month at 2:00pm at 5100 Poplar Suite 810.  If you have any questions you can also contact Ms. Bobbie Fields Co-chair at 901-726-6404

Handicap and People First

Where does the word Handicap fit in our community?

By Christina Clift
Words do hurt, even cripple and handicap, when referring to people with disabilities.  The history of the word handicapped is not a pretty one to be sure.  

Many people believe it is a term for begging, but it began as a game and is still found in horse racing to describe an extra burden and in golf it is a measure of potential ability.  

People with disabilities are not burdensome, asking for charity because we cannot work, or measured by our potential ability.  People with disabilities can stand on their own and work as hard and have as much potential as everyone else.

The problem is how many people know the real definition of those words and more importantly do we care enough to stop using it.  As a person with a disability I do care enough to stop using it.  

I have worked for the Memphis Center for Independent Living for sixteen years, and I have been conditioned not to refer to people with disabilities using those terms.  However, I do realize that other people with disabilities may not share this sentiment.  Even in the office opinions differ on the language that is used when referring to people with disabilities.

Allison Donald said, “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what society refers to people living with disability as it is what we answer to that matters”. 

Sandi Klink, Executive Director of MCIL feels differently. She feels some  words are hurtful and should not be used by people with or without disabilities.   

"As MCIL," said Sandi, "we want to promote positive identity to decrease the stigma surrounding typical disability language."

 

I personally don’t care what another person with a disability calls themselves.  My real issue is with people without disabilities defining us or creating cute terms like “handicapable” and “differently abled.” Both of these terms and others further marginalize our community in an effort to make disability more socially palatable.  

It is political correctness at its finest in the same vain as people first language in my opinion. People First Language was developed by someone without a disability.  Using People First Language also prohibits usage of words or phrases like handicapped, impaired, mentally retarded, challenged, special needs, and confined to a wheelchair.  But what is really wrong with saying disabled child?  

You often hear people with disabilities using words like disabled, special needs, and some people with disabilities are offended when people without disabilities do the same to describe them or the community as a whole.  

As a community of people with disabilities we will not always agree on what words we prefer as descriptors. I feel like that is part of a good, strong debate that will move the conversation forward.  I believe shift in language will naturally occur over time.  I look forward to the day when the language about us doesn’t take so much thought to use.