RTD Considers Cutting On-Demand Access Service for the Disabled in Denver

When National Federation of the Blind Colorado director Jessica Beacham got into an Uber recently, the driver refused service. She objected to Beacham’s guide dog, Prada, a 70-pound German shepherd. Beecham remained where he was. The driver called the police.

A Littleton officer ejected Beacham and Prada after apparently misunderstanding federal law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. The sergeant later called Beacham and apologized.

This controversy reflects common barriers that people with disabilities face when moving around Denver and other U.S. cities. Four years ago, the Regional Transportation District launched an innovative program to improve that mobility, building on the existing “paratransit” van system by providing thousands of metro Denver residents with disabilities with free, taxpayer-subsidized rides on Uber and other commercial services.

But as costs rise, RTD managers have begun scaling back its on-demand access program and are considering deeper cuts.

“For us, driving is not an option. We need transit,” said Beacham, 39, who is blind and runs a catering company. “We want to fully participate in society. Nobody wants to be locked in their house. We want to be able to go to work, take our children to school and participate in various activities. We want to be able to go to a music festival, go shopping, go to a nice park.”

Disability rights activists in Denver first identified public transportation as a major obstacle when Gang of 19 protesters blocked RTD buses downtown at Colfax and Broadway in 1978. They got RTD to accommodate wheelchairs on all buses and helped start a nationwide movement for accessibility.

Six years later, RTD officials added a “paratransit” minibus service called Access-a-Ride for people who, because of disabilities, cannot ride buses or light rail trains. Vans require reservations a day in advance (standard fare $4.50), RTD costs more than $60 per trip, and passengers complain they can’t get to their destinations on time. In 2020, RTD leaders decided to do more and launched Access on Demand, one of the first comprehensive programs in the country to provide taxpayer-funded commercial car sharing services to people with disabilities. Qualified riders can take up to 60 trips per month to destinations of their choice using Uber, Lyft, Metro Taxi or zTrip. RTD pays up to $25 per trip, typically covering passengers’ expenses (average trip cost is $16).

Other transit agencies are exploring government-funded ridesharing options. In Boston, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority pays qualified drivers with disabilities up to $40 per trip, up to a maximum of 40 trips per month. In Washington, D.C., public transit riders registered as disabled receive free ride-sharing service. The cities of New Jersey and Dallas cover most of the cost of travel in certain areas.

In metro Denver, drivers with disabilities have adopted the RTD program. The number of trips they took increased tenfold from 6,250 per month in January 2021 to more than 62,750 per month, according to the agency.

RTD’s monthly costs for on-demand access have grown to more than $1 million.

RTD managers recently told their agency’s board of directors that the program is not financially sustainable. RTD directors must decide how much the agency can afford.

RTD officials began cutting ride-sharing costs earlier this year by banning “multistop” options that allow riders, for example, to drop off children at schools on the way to work or to the grocery store on the same trip. . Additional cuts to the program being considered could reduce the monthly number of rides to 30 and require riders to pay a base fare of $5. RTD manager Deb Johnson also said the program needs to be changed to address a non-cost issue — “equity” — because on-demand access, available 24 hours a day, favors blind riders while discriminating against riders who use wheelchairs. due to the lack of wheelchair lifts in many Uber and Lyft vehicles.

Denver riders with disabilities have flooded RTD’s citizen comment forums, calling on directors to reconsider the cuts. Disability rights advocates also called on RTD leaders to weigh in on the situation with Uber and Lyft to ensure drivers accept passengers with service animals, a company policy. Last month, Beacham helped lead street protesters from across the country who gathered at Uber and Lyft headquarters in San Francisco to demand that drivers comply with ADA requirements to accept service dogs.

Nearly 70% of people with disabilities in metro Denver are unemployed, and reliable transportation is key for those seeking self-sufficiency, said Curtis Chong, 70, a longtime member of the National Federation of the Blind who has worked for years to create more job opportunities for people with disabilities.

“Transportation is something everyone needs, otherwise they will become prisoners in their homes,” Chong said. “If our community and RTD can do this, they should continue this program. People are used to the attractions being at the level they are. They will suffer if there is a reduction in service.”

RTD managers declined to discuss the matter. The agency’s public affairs team emailed a response to questions saying RTD is “committed to civil rights and equity in transit.”

Elected directors asked to reconsider staff recommendations before voting on further cuts.

Government funding for mobility for people with disabilities is money “that needs to be spent,” said RTD Director Jamie Lewis, who uses a wheelchair. “On-demand access has opened up a whole new world for some of our riders. They’re doing things they’ve never been able to do before.”

On-demand access should be seen as a success, not a burden, he said. “That’s our job – moving people. Our number of disabled riders is growing. Amazing.”

RTD Board Chairman Eric Davidson said the agency has been “on the cutting edge” and that “we remain committed to providing leading services” and up-and-coming directors will weigh proposed cuts against community concerns.

Metro Denver residents with disabilities who rely on on-demand access say accessible transportation has increased their ability to live independently, stay employed and manage child-rearing responsibilities. While RTD paratransit vans can be useful, many drivers find them too inconsistent and slow for modern life.

“Without transport, we will not be able to recognize the city. We can’t explore the city. We can’t work in the city,” said Barbara Mosby, 70, who is blind and helps find jobs for people who must reassure employers they can be there every day. “Our needs are not much different from everyone else’s, except that we can’t drive.”

In the suburb of Thornton, Francesca Mays, 65, who is blind, lives alone on $900 a month. She says RTD’s free rides have changed her life. Otherwise, she would need $300 a month to cover travel to the doctor, as well as trips to the grocery store and pharmacy, which she estimated would be unaffordable on her income.