Memphis deserves public transit that works.

MATAplus is unreliable

By Allison Donald, Disability Connection Independent Living Specialist

I rely on MATAplus — not by choice, but because it’s my only way to get where I need to go. Like thousands of other Memphians, I depend on public transportation for everyday needs: work, doctor’s appointments, community meetings, groceries — just living life.

Due to capacity constraints being practiced by MATA — which are actually illegal — riders like me now have to schedule every MATAplus trip three days in advance. That means if you need a ride on Thursday, you have to call Monday morning at 8:00 am sharp. I tried this recently, calling at 8:15 am — a little late, but still early enough, right? By the time the reservationist took my call, I was able to schedule my 7 am ride to work… but was told there was no return trip available for the afternoon.

This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a barrier that threatens my job and my independence. Without a guaranteed ride home, I’m forced to scramble for alternatives or pay out of pocket — which isn’t sustainable.

Not long ago, after finishing a long shift at work, I was denied a return trip home altogether. No explanation. No backup option. Just “No ride available.” I ended up paying for an Uber just to get home. That’s become part of my reality now — a constant gamble on whether I’ll actually be able to get where I’m going. And I’m not alone.

For disabled riders, these aren’t minor inconveniences. They’re disruptions that affect our health, our jobs, our safety, and our dignity. When the system fails — and it does often — there’s usually no one there to make it right. You’re just left dealing with the fallout.

So when I say that MATA is failing, I don’t mean that as a figure of speech. I mean it literally, daily, and at a personal cost. I mean people are being left behind — stranded, ignored, and treated like we don’t matter in a city that claims to care about access and equity.

Recently, a majority of MATA board members resigned in protest. Sandi Klink, one of the only voices on the board who truly understood the disability community, was one of the first to resign. Her departure matters more than people realize. She wasn’t just a name on a list — she was a disability rights advocate and a fierce defender of accessible transit. With her gone, the little trust many of us had in MATA’s leadership is quickly eroding.

Klink said it best in her resignation letter to Mayor Young:

“This Board has been working very hard and has been disrespected and undermined. It was an absolute honor working with very strong and talented leaders on this Board, not so with a distrustful City Council.

Personally I am very disappointed in your lack of support and commitment to this Board and to the Disability Community.”

She’s right. MATAplus is stretched thin. There are never enough drivers. You book your ride days in advance and still end up waiting or getting no ride at all. Calls go unanswered. Fixed-route buses aren’t reliable either — and let’s not forget the inaccessibility of many bus stops or the lack of proper driver training. If you rely on MATA, you learn quickly that “on time” and “dependable” are just words in a brochure.

When you don’t drive and can’t afford other transportation, you’re stuck. Not metaphorically — literally. Stuck at work, stuck at the grocery store, stuck at the doctor’s office, stuck outside in the heat. And all of this is made worse by how little urgency there is from MATA to actually fix what’s broken.

We need change. Not just new board members, but people who actually use the system, who understand what it’s like to wait two hours for a bus or have to pay $25 for a ride home because the one you scheduled never showed. We need real accountability, better training, better communication, and a commitment to accessibility that shows up in more than just statements.

Memphis deserves public transit that works. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about buses — it’s about basic human rights. The right to move, to work, to participate in your community without constant barriers.

For the latest updates on MATA and MATAplus service, visit www.disabilitymidsouth.org

MATA SUV Parking Illegally

A Disheartening Incident: When MATA Vehicles Misuse Accessible Parking

At Disability Connection Midsouth, we believe in advocating for the rights and dignity of our community members. A core part of that advocacy involves ensuring that public spaces are truly accessible for everyone. Recently, we were confronted with a frustrating example of this need when a MATA-branded vehicle was found misusing accessible parking.

Accessible parking spaces are not a convenience; they are a vital resource. These spaces, along with their crucial access aisles, are legally designated for individuals with disabilities who have the required placards or license plates. They provide a safe and practical way for people with mobility challenges to get in and out of their vehicles and access the places they need to go, especially in the sweltering Memphis heat.

On Wednesday, August 13th, at a Kroger on Union Avenue, a MATA-branded SUV was observed parked illegally. Not only was the vehicle in a designated accessible spot, but it was also angled in such a way that it blocked the access aisle, a critical area for people who need extra space to deploy a ramp or maneuver a wheelchair.

This incident is particularly disheartening because it involves a public transit authority that is meant to serve the community. The misuse of these spaces by MATA staff shows a profound lack of awareness and respect for the very community they are supposed to serve. It undermines the trust we place in our public agencies to uphold the law and model respectful behavior.

It is important to remember that most drivers do the right thing and park appropriately. But one incident like this can make it hard to advocate for public transit when we see examples of what appears to be a lack of basic consideration for community needs.

We have reached out to MATA's Acting CEO, John Lewis, to request an investigation and to suggest a path forward. Our hope is that this incident can be used as a teaching moment, prompting MATA to provide retraining for its staff on their responsibilities to the community.

This isn't about one parking ticket; it's about a broader responsibility to create an inclusive and respectful society. We will continue to hold our public institutions accountable and fight for a Midsouth where everyone can move freely and safely.

If you witness similar violations, please document the time, date, location, and vehicle information. You can report these issues to the property owner or local law enforcement. For questions or to learn more about accessible parking, contact us at Disability Connection Midsouth.

The VR Saga

The Vocational Rehabilitation Saga: How I Am Navigating It

By Sarah Silberberg

I have been working with vocational rehab for a year now. I have sent them endless documentation and I am still in the process of being approved for financial assistance. I need college tuition, adaptive driving equipment and training to use that driving equipment. At last, I reached out to Christina, a colleague of mine at Disability Connection Midsouth where I intern. She reached out to some people that she knew who worked for Vocational Rehab and asked them questions regarding the documentation I was required to send. 

She assisted me with speaking to my vocational rehab counselor regarding required documents. She also sat in with me for my Interview with an evaluator for a vocational assessment. That consists of two cognitive tests and a career aptitude test. Having Christina in my corner made navigating Vocational Rehab requirements smoother. I am sharing what has helped me so far in the hope that it will help present and future vocational rehab clients. Do not let Vocational Rehab beat you down.

When I felt that I could use a little bit of help, I asked for assistance.

When I was being asked for multiple documents, I reached out to Christina to guide me so I knew how to do better to get the services I was requesting. I also absorbed advice that other people with disabilities who went through Vocational Rehab gave me. When I wrote the first draft of this paper, the draft was sent to a consultant for pointers on how to improve it. A week later, I met with her. Her name was Judy, and she told me that she had also gone through Vocational Rehab to get services and that she had worked for an Independent Living center up in Denver, Colorado. I told her my struggles with Vocational Rehab and I listened to every piece of advice she gave me.

Ask for the list of documentation.

Now, this is not part of the advice that she gave me. But, I found that it was easier to fulfill requirements when I requested a list of documentation requirements from my vocational rehab counselor. When I had the list, it gave me a step-by-step list of documentation to send so that I could send the documentation efficiently.

 

Keep a folder of all the documentation you send.

As part of my request for college tuition financial assistance, one of the documentations that my vocational rehab counselor asked for was my acceptance letter. Luckily, I had already had a folder of every document that I had emailed to my vocational rehab counselor. Judy asked me: “do you have a folder that you keep the documentation in?” I replied: “yes”.

Even before I spoke with Judy, when I signed up with Vocational Rehab, one of the first things I did was create a folder of every document that I had sent or was planning to send to my vocational rehab counselor. I am extremely glad I did because they asked for some documentation that I had already sent them. Because I have a folder of the documentation that I have sent, the documentation will be a little bit easier to get together to resend.

 

Ask for it in writing if what they are requiring you to do sounds ridiculous.

Ask: “Where is the policy that states that this is a requirement?” And then, ask them to email that specific policy for you to review. This was the second piece of advice that Judy gave me and it's a really good idea. I recommend that you do the same.

When you sign up with Vocational Rehab, get people in your corner that can help you as soon as you sign up. Look up if there is an Independent Living Center near your area. They will be able to help you navigate the process since many of them have disabilities themselves. They can also connect you with people who have disabilities who may have also gone through Vocational Rehab and can give you advice on how to navigate the requirements and the processes. And if something seems ridiculous, ask to see the policy that pertains to it. If you follow these steps, hopefully the process will go smoother for you.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sarah Silberberg has just concluded her summer semester as an intern with Disability Connection. Thank you so much for your work with us and good luck this year. We hope to see you soon.

A History of DCM

Forty Years of Independent Living 

EDITORS NOTE: This is from the Welcome speech given my Tim Wheat at the 2025 Deborah Cunningham Access Awards Dinner, Friday, July 25.

Disability Connection Midsouth was chartered in 1985 as Access All Areas and changed names officially in 1992 to Memphis Center for Independent Living. Forty years of Independence. That is who we are. 

Since 1985 The Center has been a tower of empowerment for individuals with disabilities; even though we work out of a basement. From that basement we are deeply rooted in the principles of self-determination and community integration. 

In May of 2008, New Mobility magazine profiled many of our Memphis consumers. The odd thing was they did not interview them in Memphis, they all lived in Denver. This Center bravely helped people like Devoe Mack, Willie Robinson and Darrell Williams move out of a Nursing Home in Tennessee to live in their own home in Colorado. 

Often it was “Against Doctor’s Orders” and many families did not approve. But our Center fought for equal rights and responsibilities of citizens with disabilities. This includes challenging the systemic marginalization that has historically plagued our community—a marginalization fueled by bigotry, discrimination, poverty, isolation, dependency, and pity. 

LaTonya Reeves was the first to use the Underground Railroad out of Memphis. LaTonya died two years ago; but she lived and worked in Denver for over 35 years. Back then, our state put people with disabilities in expensive nursing homes. The Center was determined to avoid that. LaTonya knew about nursing homes and said she would have died there.  The average life-expectancy of someone in a nursing home today is less than 14 months. 

Last year, Congressman Steve Cohen introduced the LaTonya Reeves Freedom Act to finally close the gap to allow people with disabilities to live in the community rather than being forced into expensive nursing homes or institutions. Tonight we are awarding Representative Cohen our lifetime achievement award. 

Over a dozen people used the “Underground Railroad” to Colorado. Today DCM works to help people live independently in the community and we are currently working with nearly 800 people in the midsouth to remain in their own home and live independently. 

Independence is our legacy. It was this Center that camped out in Governor Bredesen’s office for a record 78 days demanding Home and Community Services. If you read Governor Bredesen’s profile today, it will tell you he is the greatest proponent of nursing home alternatives and that he started the Tennessee CHOICES program. We here at Disability Connection know where those ideas came from. This Calendar year, with our new Transition Coordinator, Early Smith, we have made contact with over 250 nursing home residents and provided countless hours of transition services. 

In 2002 This Center published more than 1,700 violations of the Fair Housing Act. These barriers kept people with disabilities from equally enjoying many new properties in the Memphis area. Today thousands of Units are accessible to our community that would not be without the work of this Center. 

In 2012, with the Urban Institute we managed a survey grant to determine the frequency of disability discrimination in local rental units. And we continue to work on Fair Housing in our area. In the past five years we have documented nearly 4,000 housing issues that DCM has assisted with. 

Before the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act was law, The Center worked to make the Memphis community accepting and accessible. Deborah Cunningham led the way to make movie theaters in Memphis have reasonable access. This Center pioneered using Pro Se Complaints to enforce the ADA. Our consumers, without an attorney, sued restaurants, stores and even Greyhound Bus lines, and won.

The Center led the community in demanding equality in transportation and housing. Over the past 40 years, before the ADA and since, with our Pro Se complaints, peer advocates, DCM Blog, Personal Attendant Services, Barrier Free Memphis, Jingle Hop, and all the community partners, interested locals and all of you here tonight, I cannot imagine all the lives we have impacted this 40 years.  

Memphis's journey with Independent Living began in 1982 when Easter Seals secured the first grant for IL. However, Easter Seals wasn't aligned with the core principles of independent living, particularly the crucial idea of consumer control (meaning people with disabilities leading). 

Because of this mismatch, a group of former Easter Seals staff and consumers took action. They founded a new non-profit organization. What made this new organization different, and what continues to define it, is consumer-control. I am proud this concept is critical to the Center today forty years after our rebellious founding. 

Thank you to each of you for being part of our Rebellious Future.