Greene often uses paratransit to get to doctor's appointments, which makes the service's lateness especially problematic.
"You've got to be there when you agree to be there," he said.
SO WE TOOK A RIDE WITH HIM: On June 28, Greene scheduled a pickup for 10:45 a.m. to go to Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood. He's learned that he has to ask for pickups at least an hour ahead of his actual appointment.
The van arrives at 11:15. There's a 20-minute grace period before and after the scheduled pickup, so by paratransit standards, it's actually just 10 minutes late. But it comes to the front of Greene's building even though he's specifically said he needs to be picked up at the rear, where the ramp is.
Greene pays $4 for a single ride within his county. There's space for two other wheelchairs in the van, but today he and Help Desk are the only riders.
Our return trip arrives just after the 20-minute grace period. The driver said she's been here for 20 minutes, but didn't know where to find Greene. Greene shakes his head - he made it clear he needed to be picked up at the dialysis entrance.
DO OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THIS WAY? Help Desk went to a few hospital pickup and drop-off areas to speak to paratransit customers about the service. The response was mixed: Some said they were satisfied; others shared stories of waiting for hours.
Fran Fulton, supervisor of the Independent Living Program at Liberty Resources, a nonprofit that promotes independent living for people with disabilities, said she hears complaints about paratransit every day.
It's unfortunate, she said, because paratransit customers are completely dependent on the service for transportation. In order to be eligible to ride paratransit, you must be unable to use fixed-route public transportation, like the El or the bus.
