Transportation Solutions: Strategies for Life, Living Well with Vision Loss
By Debby Smith, Rehabilitation Specialist
January 1, 2008
Most of us think of our ability to drive a car as a key to our independence. As teenagers we can not wait to get our learner's permit. As adults, we pop in to our car at any time of the day or night to do an errand, go visit a friend, or take a drive. Have you ever had your car in the repair shop for a few days? Do you remember how frustrating it was to depend on someone else to drive you? Or to use public transportation when you usually do not?
In Massachusetts, when you are determined to be legally blind, you must surrender your driver's license. We hear over and over again that the inability to drive, coupled with not being able to easily read print, are two of the greatest frustrations to those experiencing vision loss. It all comes back to that sense of losing your independence. But have you really? No, there ARE alternatives which can give you back some control.
In the greater Boston area we benefit from various transportation alternatives. THE RIDE, ( MA toll free: 800-533-6282), the MBTA's Paratransit program, provides door-to-door transportation to people who can not easily access the general MBTA services due to their disability. THE RIDE serves 62 cities and towns and operates 365 days a year. RIDE passengers must complete an application and be registered for the service.
There are other community-based transportation services. Founded in 1983, SCM, (617- 625-1191), provides rides to seniors and people with disabilities in the Greater Boston area, primarily focusing on Somerville, Cambridge and Medford. The City of Boston's Senior Shuttle, (617-635-3000), provides free transportation within the city to medical appointments, food shopping and other events. Boston also has a Taxi Discount Coupon Program where a coupon book worth $10.00 may be purchased for $5.00. Call your local Council on Aging or Elder Service agency to find out about options in your local area.
While these are excellent transportation services, they do require planning ahead. Requests for travel must be placed in advance. One client we know came up with a solution allowing her a more spontaneous life style because that was important to her. Realizing that is costs money to own and operate a car, the client set aside that same monetary amount each month for taxi service. Some people chose to maintain their own car and have others drive it using their handicapped parking placard. In most states you apply for the placard through the state department/division of motor vehicles. MA residents should contact the Registry of Motor Vehicles at www.mass.gov/rmv or 800-858-3926.
In 2004, in its yearly "Your Driving Costs" study, AAA calculated that motorists who own and operate a vehicle for 10,000 miles of annual driving pay an average of $6,890 a year. A 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey estimated that car and operating expenses equaled 17% of the average household's total expenses. Owning a car is very expensive. Instead, if you can afford it, allow yourself the luxury of a cab ride.
Yes, it is really hard to turn in your keys but there are alternatives which can give you back some control. While none of us are totally independent, "No Man is an Island", we can continue to make our own choices and retain control of our lives with a reasonable reliance on others.
Perkins Outreach Services for Ages 55 and Older, Outreach@Perkins.org, 617-972-7643