ML20083Q442

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Supplemental Testimony of SW Anderson Re Considerations for Planning Evacuation of Handicapped Persons.Accessible Bus Survey Encl
ML20083Q442
Person / Time
Site: Indian Point  Entergy icon.png
Issue date: 02/21/1983
From: Shaun Anderson
PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP, NEW YORK, UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, WESTCHESTER PEOPLES ACTION COALITION, INC.
To:
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ML20083Q370 List:
References
NUDOCS 8302250396
Download: ML20083Q442 (10)
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Text

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., 4 CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING THE EVACUATION OF TRANSPORTATION -

HANDICAPPED PERSONS FROM NEW YORK CITY - SUPPLEMENTARY TESTIMONY Samuel W. Anderson, PhD . February 21, 1983

1. New York City Office of Civil-Preparedness was contacted by tele-phone for the purpoce of obtaining update on plans for evacuation of disabled pe rsens in the event of a nuclear accident. Inspector Robert Littlejohn informed me that a " limited evacuation plan" is now in ef-f ec t, but that I cotid obtain no detailed information about the plan because it is " classified." Inquiries addressed to the Mayer's Office of the Handicapped we re referred to the Office of Civil 2reparedness.
2. Enclosed is a copy of a letter from Ci y Comptrciler Harrison J. Ccl-din to Richard Ravitch, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority ,

that reports the outcome of a field test of the MTA's wheelchair-acces-sible bus program, nearly one year after the service was put into effect. Although liftbusen are nov operating on many of the city's mainline bus routes, the test was 11 sited to 14 routea that were special-ly designated "accessibic" by tne operating authority. Out of 89 at-tempts by disabled persons in wheelchairs to obtain service, only 41, (46%) were successful.

Also enclosed is a report on the number of complaints received by a consumer group, Mobility Through Access, from disabled individuals reporting denial of accessible service for the month of October, 1982:

A total of 194 couplaints were received, citics various teacons for denial of service. the principal one being the obserJed malfunction of the lift device, others including unfamiliarity of the driver alth op-eration of the lift mechanism. These documents confirm my original testimony as to the continuing unavailability of reliable service to the TH population from the MTA.

3. Paratransit is a designation for transit service utilizing special vehicles and/or operating on special schedules and routes (often upon demand) in a manner designed to serve only a special population. Ac-cording to Fe d e ra l , State and City designations, TH accessible para-transit vehicles must be able to accomodate wheelchairs. Such vehi-cles include all specially operated buses, vans, ambulettes, etc. that are usable by people in wheelchairs.
4. Standard dimensions of lifts and doorways provided for mass transit provide for entry and exit of nearly all TH persons. Those who are not able to use them are those who, for whatever reason, require a personal vehicle that is too large to be accommodated.

8302250396 830222 PDR ADOCK 05000247 G PDR

432 Park Ave. So.,4th Floor New York, N Y.10016 Tel. 212-686-6770

- AdobilityThrough Access ACCESSIBLE BUS SURVEY .

(October 9, 1902 - O.tober 31, 1982) ,

TOTAL COMPLAIl1TS RECEIVED - 194 CATEGORY NUMBER PERCENT I I .. Lift malfunctions 95 49%

A. Operator claimed lift not w0rking (18 or 19%)

B. Malfur.ction actually observed (77 or 81%)

II. . Operator had no key 12 6%

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III. Operator passed by disabled person 17 9%

prior to boarding attempt IV. Bus too crowded 1 .5%

V. Driver untrained in lift operation 2 1%

VI., Driver claimed bus was not lift equipped 2 1%

VII. No fare payment envelope on bus 10 5%

! VIII. Driver was trained but unfamiliar with 19 10%

lift operation IX. No accessible buses on designated route 13 7%

X. Uncooperative driver 5 2.5%

XI. Securement device not working 8 4%

XII. Other 10 5%

TOTAL 194 100%

432 Park Ave. So.,4th Ficor New York. P&Y.10096 Tel. 212 686-6770

. A4obilityThrough Access SIX MONTHS ACCESSIBLE BUS EURVEY (April 1,1982 - October 8,1982)

TOTAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED - 990 CATEGORY NUMBER PERCENT

1. Lift malftmetixc 458 46%

A. Crerator claimed Jft not workir.g (242 or 25%)

B. Malfunction actually observed (216 or 21%)

II. Operator had no key 119 12%

111. Operator passed by disabled person prior to boarding attempt 120 12%

IV. Bus too crowded 3 .5%

V. Driver untrained in lift operation 11 1.5%

VI. Driver claimed bus was not lift-equipped 16 1.5%

VII. No fare payment envelope on bus 53 5%

VIII. Driver was trained but unfamiliar with lift operation 50 5%

IX. No accessible buses on designated route 53 5%

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X. ~ Uncooperative driver 47 5%

XI. Securement device not working 46 5%

XII. Other 14 1.5%

TOTAL 990 1007c

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(. .

. ,.7 I OFFICE oF THE COMPTROLLER Muwscopat su Loews

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NEW YORM, N.Y. 30007 wam miso w J. s otnew e cc-eveo.sta ,

July 13, 1562 tionorabJ o RicN rd h vitch, Chair .an _

1:stropolitan Trangpprtation ht:thority

. 347 t'adison Aronoe ,

New York, !L Y. 105Ii?

Dear Dich:

Derir.g the week e.f I*ay Olst ve conducted a field 5

test, in cooperation wath a ner.reer of h.m6icaprad cit:zens, of the lieu York City Cransit A:.tnority'r (TA) handicappec accessible buses. Oar ohnervations uero nsoe on 14 of the 33 routes on uhlch tho 7A provides special lif t servico (The dates, locations and rour.es are EbcUn in Apptndix A.) Ue obcerved lift ser.vice , including operability, waiting times, lif t operating tinne and tic in security during 1.eak weekday rorning hot.rs (8:30-11:30 A.h End peah r.f ternoon hours ( 2: .30-5: 00 P::) on six bus 2.outc3 in 11anhat tan , tive in Brooklyn, two routes in The Eronx and one on Staten Is)and. In a.il, we conitored P,9 at tempts by individuals confined to wheelchairs to board handicappe6-accessible buses.

Our najor findings are as follous:

o More than one-hslf (48 of 89) of the attempts to board buses by hydraulic lif ts were unsuccessful. The nost f recjuent problem (56 percent of the unsuccessful atten.uts - 27 instances) uas a lif t nalfunction or a claira by the driver that the lift was inoperable.

The second nost f requent problem (15 percent -

of the unsuccessful attocots, or 7 instances) was that the 6 river did n'ot havc the key that operates the. lift.

'o . During 27 percent of the sucevscful boardint.s

. (11 oct of 41), handicappec peopic had to wait 30.r..inutes. or longc-r f or .the arrival of a oes a6d/or opcrator ct}.able of ; roviding lif t se r vi er. . F u rt he r::. ort , 12 percent (5 of 41) of thC f.hndiCLj.pCd ricC rs hua to Kai t ;.. ort than

, 45 findtCN for st.rviCd'. . In twO ChsCs rictrE he0 tO bhit En 1.Ca r h!!d 8 niif or'f. Orc P. n d ,

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/ .

+ - - - v-m ,---.-.v .--.m - - ,

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yet, were ncver able to board a bus. The average overall waiting. time of approximately 25 minutes could have been'-reduced to about- 12 minutes

.had the first accessible bus and/or operator becn able to provide lif t service.

o The- time bus operators required to operate ~

the GMC bus lift varied substantially, from .

less than one riinute to as'long as eight minutes.

Overall, average lif t operation time was two minutcs- and nine seconds. According to G!'C, the builder of the accessible lifts we observed, boarding by a handicapped passenger chould take no' more than 30 seconds And the total process of boarding'and disembarketion .;

a little n. ore than onc minute. ,

e o Tie-ins, the hechanisms which are supposed to hold. one wheel 'of a whecichair to prevent its rolling aboat, were incperable 29 percent of the time (during 12 boardings) and presented a considerable hazard. .For example, sone handicapped riders were forced eitner ta hang -

on to the nearest stationary cuject or rolled abcut dangerously. In several.cascu, drivers did not or could not operate the tic-ins.

Boarding Problems Following is an analysis of the reasons for. failed

, or denied boardings.

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Category , liumber Percentace i

l l 1. Lift malfunction: 27 56.2%

L .

a. Driver claimed lif t was inoperable - -

7 14.6%

b. Actual malfunction observed 20 41.6%

'2. No key for operating lift 7 14.6%

3. Driv'e r dcliberately drove off prior to boarding attetpt 4 S.3t
4. Overcrowdins on bus 3 6.3t l

! 5. Driver not trained to

, operate lift eceipment 3 6.3%

b..-.............. . - . - -

_._,_--.-.._.._.._-__.~.________-_~~~~~~

_, 2- . . - - _ _ ,

.3 -

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6. < Driver claimed bus -was not accessible -3 6.3%
7. Driver pas'ed s by without1 stopping 1 2.04 On four occasions drivers of accessible buses -

deliberately drove off af ter able-bodied passengers had '

/ boarded'the bus. The drivers Icft the handicapped riders waiting at .the bus stop even though they had oueued up for boarding : with able-bodied passentcrs. Furthernore, "

in three instances drivers of accessible buses osaring i the symbol,-indicating wheelchair accessibi2ity riated either i that'their bus wcs not' equipped with a litt or that it  ;

was not designatod 'en accessibic bus.

l' . ,

Other Matters He also' observed that fare envelopes were not made p

available:to many. handicapped riders. This is signific;nt because these envelopes are the basis for collecting revenues and determining the utilization lovels of accessible buses.

Finally, we f ound that, generally, able-bodied passengers willing3y cooperated when asked to vacate their seats in .the. wheelchair tie-in areas. Overall, the reaction of riders was positive and supportive.

There is a clear need for improving handicapped-accessible bus service. All drivers shoald have keys' to operate lifts and a sufficient number of fare envelopes before the. start of each shift. All tie-in mechanisms should be checked to ensure 'that they are functioning '

properly. The TA should ensure that its drivers cycle lif ts during refueling or before the shift, starts in order to detect lif t mechanism defects and to refresh the drivers' understanding of operating techniques.

I hope our observations .will help to improve this aspect of the TA's operations.

Sincerely, I

I cc: John Simpson, President hh IWCTA I .

. g 3 .

. ..._.. ... ..._._ _._ - ....- _ m L-._m-- -- - --

o '?, . . ..

APPENDIX A

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Bus Routes

  • Date Tested Startinc' Point .

May 17 S7' Victory Boulevard and Clove Road S7 Victory Boulevard and Clove _ Road S7 '

Victory Eoulevard and Clove Road M32 Nadison Avenue er;d 31st Street

. M32 Madison Ave.liuc ar.d 31st Street M32 Madiscn Avenue and 45th Street M32 60th Street and 3rd Avenue --

M32 60th Street and 3rd Avenue M32 60th Street end . 3rd Avenue M32

, , 60th Street and 3rd Avenue

, M7 14th Street and Broadway M7 14th Street and-Broadway -

M7 35th Street ahd Broadway M7 35th Street and Broadway H7 35th Street and Broadway M7 35th Street and Broadway 1

M7 7th Avenue and 58th Street M7 7th Avenue and 58th Street May 18 B41

. Clark Street and Cad:.:an Place West 541 Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues B12 Parkside and Flatbush Avenues

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3 ' ./=\? '

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f APPE!! DIX ' A (Cont'd)

Bus Routes

  • Date Tested ,

Starting Point' .

. B12l .Parkside and flatbush Avenues B41 Flatbush and Clarkson Avenue's B41 Flatbush and Clarkson Avenues i

B41 Platbush and Clarkson Avenues

. B41 Flatbush and Clarkson Avenues B41 ,

Bor.d Street and Livingston Street B49 Vean Street and Bedford Avenue i

B49 Dean Street and Bedford Avenue B49 Rogers and Clarkson Avenues B49 Roge,rs and Clarkson Avenues

,_ B68 Coney Island Avenue and Avenue V B68 Avenue J and Coney Island. Avenue

, B68 Church and Coney Island Avenues B68 Church and Coney Island Avenues

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B68 Church and Coney Island Avenues B68 Church and Coney Island Avenues BX17 Gunther and Allerton Avenues BX17 . Gunther and Allerton Avenues BX17 Gunther and Allerton Avenues BX17 .

Dreiser Loop BX17 Drcisc'r Loop s .. . . . ... .. _ . .==== w ee.-= = = . . - = = * = * * ~ * . - ** ** #

^

.es . . .

6-  !

APPElDIX A (Cont'd) l Bus Routes' Date Tested Starting Point -

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BX17 Dreiser Loop

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BX17 -

'Dreiser Loop * '

May 19' M4 Undisen Avenue and 32nd Street M4 Madison Ave and 32nd Street

. H4 5th' Avenue and (Bth Street M4 Sth Avenue and 48th Street

{ h4 Sth Avenue and 48th Street M4 . 5th Avenue and 48th Street M4 5th Avenua and 48th Street M4 5th Avenue and 4Sth Street M14 14th Street and Avenue B

, M14 14th Street and Union Square M14 14th Street and 9th Avenue May 20 BX41 225th Street and White Plains Road BX41 225th Street and White Plains Road EX41 225th Strect and White Plains Road BX'41 205th Street and Webster Avenue BX41 ,

, Fordham Road and Webste-r Avenue BX17 Allerton Ave. and Lastchceter Rd.

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LX17 Eastchtster Ed. and'Allerten Ave.

BX17 192nd Strcct and Valentino Avenue LX17 192nd St rcc t and Valc..tir.c Avc r.uc SXI? Baycheste r Ave and Loni zett- Street EX17 . Eaychester Ave end Lo..izet:1 .tirec t

>a w a ge, 4 ee _ eeee e e . .O- W.6 ' ** 86 8 '8 '***N"* N * * " * * * * * * ' ' * *

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s .

.*, ,, g APPENDIX A (Cont 'd )

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  • Bus Routes. -

Date Tested Start'inc Point ~

M32 Madison Ave and 35th Street M.'i 2 1 Madison Ave and 44th Street -

M32 1st Avenue and 60th Street May 21 B68 Avenue V and Coney Island Ave.

B68 Ave' V and . Coney Island Ave.

B(8 Ave V and Coney Island 7.ve.

B36 Avenue Z and Coney Island Avq,. .

. , B36 Avenue 2 r.nd Coney Island Ave.

B36 Surf Avenue at ' Aquarium B68 Surf Ave and West 5th Street B68 Surf Ave and West 5th Street B68 Surf Ave and West 5th Street M7 14th Sfreet and Union Square M7 14th Street and Union Square M104 6th Ave and 42nd Street

. M104 6th Avc and 42nd Strect M104 6th Ave and 42nd Street M104 6th Ave and 42nd Street

, M10 6th Ave and 42nd. Street 10 Broadway and 61st Street M14 14th Street and 7th Ave.

M4 Madison Avenue.and .32,nd St.

M32 5th Ave and 45th Street

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