Syosset Represented at Able-Ride Hearing

With signs held high in the air protesting next week's Able-Ride cuts from the MTA, hundreds of disabled riders loudly expressed their opposition during a hearing at Nassau University Medical Center Wednesday.

Syosset's Evan Skidmore, 29, who suffers from cerebral palsy and is hearing impaired, spoke at the hearing and can't imagine life without Able-Ride. He has been a patron of the bus service for the past nine years.

A graduate of Nassau Community College and Hofstra University, Skidmore attributes his ability to obtain his degrees with the Able-Ride service, which drove him back and forth to classes five days a week. Now in search of a job, Skidmore is worried.

"I like my independence and I want to work. I held a part-time job as an office aide while I was a student at Hofstra," he said.

His father Bob, who attended the hearing with him, admitted the difficulty of transporting Evan around would become his responsibility: "I want Evan to succeed – put his education to work."

Pessimistic about the MTA's plans, Bob Skidmore will continue to encourage his son to live his life with or without Able-Ride.

"MTA most likely will make the cuts and the people who need Able-Ride the most will suffer," Bob Skidmore said.

Determined to live his life to the fullest, Evan Skidmore plans to apply for a position at the Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Evan was prepared to unleash his frustrations had an MTA representative attended the hearing. Unfortunately, no one from the organization showed up.

"I want them to live one day in my shoes," Evan said. "Imagine having Able-Ride for all these years and to have it taken away just like that. They need to understand how they are hurting people's lives. People won't be able to get to their doctor's appointments, go grocery shopping--it's not right."

Nassau County Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) organized the hearing in an effort to stop the drastic cuts, which besides Syosset will affect Bayville, Oyster Bay, Sands Point, Glen Cove and Point Lookout.

The MTA hopes to save $1.2 million by cutting Able-Ride, a shared, curb to curb paratransit bus service for people with disabilities. Able-Ride provides trips for individuals who live more than 3/4-mile from a fixed bus route.

"Cutting Able-Ride is cutting the lifeline of people who want their independence and want to be productive members of society," said Jacobs.

During the hearing, an alternative to the Able-Ride bus service was discussed. It is a structure that is reportedly working in the state of Ohio -- a voucher system which requires a flat fee of $4 from the riders.

Don Dreyer, director of the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged, is committed to fighting the MTA cuts.

"This will impact gainfully employed individuals," said Dryer. "This is a crisis that we just can't let happen." 

For more information on the proposed cuts, visit www.mta.info.