Access-A-Ride to casino? Feds confirm NYC Transit's trips to Empire City Casino

[Harry]

NYC Transit began taking the disabled to Yonkers' racino last year after the federal government said it had to cross into Westchester County, officials say.

 

For years, NYC Transit only provided trips to the disabled within the five boroughs.

 

The federal Transit Administration two years ago said the Americans with Disabilities Act required that Access-A-Ride take passengers just over the Bronx border into a swath of Westchester, MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin said.

 

The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway is near the Woodlawn and Wakefield sections of the Bronx.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/12/31/2009-12-31_accessaride_to_casino_you_betcha_the_feds_said.html#ixzz0bQFGTcSn

[metsfan]

I really feel that there should be a stand-alone service for this, not involving (NYCT).

 

- A

[MAA89]

I find this shocking. Everything is wrong with such an arrangement.

 

1) Access-A-Ride is supposed to be a substitute for the regular bus and subway for those whose disabilities prevent them from using it. Since when did NYCT buses and subway start going to Yonkers?

 

2) At a cost of $66 per person per ride, the Access-A-Ride service is a massive loss-making enterprise that survives only because it would be political suicide to argue for it to be cut. You would think that the disabled would keep this in mind and use the service for essential trips, such as medical appointments, groceries and, for children, going to school (assuming that no alternative, such as ADA-compliant buses, exist). Instead, people rich enough to gamble away half their money are using it to ride to casinos to do precisely that, while the ordinary taxpayer pays the $63.75 that is not covered by a MetroCard swipe. If the riders have so much disposable income, they should take a taxi or livery cab instead.

 

3) This frivolous use of the service keeps vehicles occupied and unable to serve those with a more debilitating condition or those needing to make emergency trips.

 

4) The $450 million yearly Access-A-Ride bill keeps the from improving other services (e.g. bus rapid transit, subway station rehabs etc), that might provide alternatives to disabled people.

[Shortline Bus]

I find this shocking. Everything is wrong with such an arrangement.

 

1) Access-A-Ride is supposed to be a substitute for the regular bus and subway for those whose disabilities prevent them from using it. Since when did NYCT buses and subway start going to Yonkers?

 

2) At a cost of $66 per person per ride, the Access-A-Ride service is a massive loss-making enterprise that survives only because it would be political suicide to argue for it to be cut. You would think that the disabled would keep this in mind and use the service for essential trips, such as medical appointments, groceries and, for children, going to school (assuming that no alternative, such as ADA-compliant buses, exist). Instead, people rich enough to gamble away half their money are using it to ride to casinos to do precisely that, while the ordinary taxpayer pays the $63.75 that is not covered by a MetroCard swipe. If the riders have so much disposable income, they should take a taxi or livery cab instead.

 

3) This frivolous use of the service keeps vehicles occupied and unable to serve those with a more debilitating condition or those needing to make emergency trips.

 

4) The $450 million yearly Access-A-Ride bill keeps the from improving other services (e.g. bus rapid transit, subway station rehabs etc), that might provide alternatives to disabled people.

 

The ADA rightfuly deserve a better run para transit system. Its time to end the existing access a ride system and start over as the i think is telling the trurth on how this agency is mismanged money loser.