Bus service opens doors

Those without personal transportation can now go where they want

and where they need to be.

"Without it, I wouldn't be able to work in the evenings. It's a great service. I depend on it."

--- HOLLY RICHARDS, a single mother of two who works full-time

By DAVID ROSE

Special to The Capital-Journal

As anyone who has known me for more than five minutes will tell you, I am quite a fan of classic rock. You know, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Beatles ("Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and beyond), the Rolling Stones, stuff like that.

So when I was asked to do an article on Topeka Transit's new door- to-door evening and weekend service and what it might mean to individuals like myself who happened to be "differently abled" (or whatever the term happens to be this week), I immediately flashed on an old Rolling Stones tune. Its chorus goes: "You can't always get what you want. You can't always get what you want. But if you try, sometimes you'll find you get what you need."

Since January, Topeka Transit has been providing both, and not just for people in situations similar to mine (I use an electric wheelchair and don't own a vehicle), but also for the "normal" population of the city at large.

After working on its plan for nearly a year and a half, Topeka Transit unveiled new weekend and evening service affording many opportunities for people both with and without "physical challenges." I recently took one of these wheelchair lift-equipped buses (as are all city buses now) to catch a showing of "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace."

It is so nice to have this option. Before, I would have either have had to see a matinee instead or rely on a buddy to provide me with a ride. Now if I want to see a movie, go on a date or visit a friend after dark without hassling anyone else, I can.

The new evening and weekend service can perform much more vital functions as well, allowing individuals to attain financial independence as well.

"The efforts involved in creating this service were directed toward work-related trips, specifically welfare to work opportunities," said Ron Butts, general manager for Topeka Transit.

The evening and weekend service is funded by a grant from the Kansas Department of Human Resources. Over the next few years, it will receive further financial support from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Butts said that as of July, the evening and weekend service had provided about 10,000 rides to about 600 individual patrons. This includes about 130 to 140 rides every Sunday. Seventy percent of these trips pertained to individual employment.

"One of the real differences for individuals who are on welfare and seeking employment is transportation, and many of the jobs that these individuals are going to attain are outside traditional work hours," Butts said.

Mary Burke, Topeka Transit's financial administrative manager, added, "Another one of the key factors of this service is safety, because it is at night. People don't have to walk three or four blocks to the bus stop." Riders are picked up at the curb of their destination and taken to their homes and vice versa.

Burke also pointed out that the evening and weekend service may also be of assistance to the elderly and others who may not be able to make the trek to the nearest bus stop, or to working teenagers without vehicles who might not otherwise be able to get to and from jobs.

"I think the service's safety and convenience offer a lot to the riders," she said.

The riders apparently agree.

Fred Moll is visually impaired. He uses the service to get to and from his job at a local truck stop.

"Overall, I think it's really nice. It's consistent, and it's on time. They do the best job they can of trying to please people," he said.

Holly Richards, a single mother of two who works full-time, said, "Without it, I wouldn't be able to work in the evenings. It's a great service. I depend on it."

Hallie Manderscheid rides to and from her job at an area restaurant. She has been using the service from the beginning and saves over $100 monthly.

"I was taking cabs, and so I'm real happy with the savings," she said.

Wes Mallory is recently retired after more than 35 years as a Marine during the Vietnam era and an employee of Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center. Mallory is also visually impaired and must go to dialysis regularly. He cannot drive at night, so he was also pleasantly surprised to learn this option existed for him.

"I think it's a gold star for Topeka to finally do something like this. I think it's going to be quite beneficial to many people," Mallory said.

Tracy Attig has also patronized the service in the past. "People ought to take advantage of this," Attig said. "I think that when they tried something like this a few years ago, I think there was a big misconception about who it was for or how to schedule a trip."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bus to catch.

Copyright 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.