The Blind See Red Over Cap Metro Abuse

Howdy Comrades!
After I posted the last Cap Metro expose on Martin Luther King Day, my phone has been ringing off the wall with complaints and terrible stories of problems with the Special Transit Program. I have posted some of this comment, but many of the desperate STS passengers who have been calling me are too afraid of retaliation to allow me to publicize their individual concerns. I told these fellow members of Austin’s blind and disabled community that we cannot live in fear that Metro will “come after us” as some predicted. I can’t blame these good people for being terrified of retaliation, however, because it appears retaliation against “the complainers” has occurred and may be getting worse. One of the blind members of the Access Committee has been targeted for impeachment by the Accessible Transportation Specialist because she has been outspoken about the abuses and failures of Metro staff to do a decent job for the community. Even more disturbing, perhaps, is that recently persons associated with “the complainers” are having trouble getting rides, even rides to the doctor for cancer treatment. This is totally unacceptable and unprofessional behavior on the part of STS staff, and we cannot allow the fear and seething anger that now exists to continue. Once the Austin community learns about the extent of this abuse and incompetence, I’m confident more blind and disabled users of Cap Metro Services will be emboldened to stand up for their rights without so much anxiety. Those of us with a platform to speak out on behalf of the weakest and most vulnerable members of our community must advocate for them. We are not afraid: We are angry and determined to take whatever steps are necessary to end the terror and incompetence that pervades the STS Program.
Recently one blind woman with high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer was abruptly and without explanation, denied taxi vouchers to and from her doctor. She suspects the action was taken because she dared to criticize Capital Metro’s performance and spoke against elimination of the voucher program. To deny seriously ill STS passengers a cab voucher to seek medical treatment is an outrage! Blind, frail and seriously ill passengers are having their lives disrupted, subjected to unnecessary stress that could exacerbate their medical problems, and ignored by heartless bureaucrats at Cap Metro. The Capital Metro Board should be ashamed of these staff. What happened to the core principle of “due process? Inherent in American law is the right to notice when government denies rights, property and life. This passenger should have been notified that the transportation to her physician was subject to change. She should have been granted the normal appeals process through an STS Advisory Board that truly reflects the community before any action was taken. We will not allow incompetent, inconsiderate Metro officials to callously ignore our rights. The STS Interim Director should be fired immediately and all actions to change existing policies and normal practice must be stopped. We will no longer accept changes by administrative fiat. The blind and transportation impaired of Austin cannot be ignored. The Press, our elected officials, the relevant Federal agencies and the courts can and will intervene. Regards, Chairman Mal: Power to the Peeps!