By Anne C. Woodlen

The Post-Standard, in its coverage of the FTA final report about Centro’s Call-a-Bus, has substantially misrepresented my position.

The reporter told me that Centro’s Executive Director Frank Kobliski gave himself a “B+” on the report. The reporter wrote it as “an overall good review.” That is the judgment of Kobliski and the reporter. It is not the judgment of the FTA or the riders. The FTA was not interviewed for the story, and I was the only rider who was allowed to comment.

I was interviewed for over an hour. The “hour” part consisted of detailed observations about the problems specified in the report. The “over” part consisted of a single positive statement about change—and that statement was what the Post-Standard reported. My colleagues in the battle to improve Call-a-Bus service certainly do not view the report as a B+ for Centro—more like a D.

First, the FTA only interviewed 12 riders for the report. That is less than one-quarter of one percent of the riders! Neither the FTA report nor the Post-Standard coverage reflects the experience or opinions of the 5,464 disabled riders of paratransit services.

Second, the review of complaints filed against Call-a-Bus (CAB) is equally skewed. Since its inception, complaints about CAB were being directed into CAB where Manager Linda McKeown was officially reporting that there were “zero” complaints. Over the years riders were taught that it was useless to file complaints.

The complaint process was changed only months before the FTA investigation, and not broadcast to the riders until after the FTA report. CAB call-takers and bus drivers who are hearing complaints still don’t tell riders to call the main Centro number, 442-3400, to file complaints. There are a thousand complaints out there that neither Centro, the FTA, nor the Post-Standard are hearing.

The FTA did not spend “months” investigating, as you reported. Last April, they spent four days investigating and then took 11 months to write the report, which was supposed to be done in five. The report is 101 pages, plus 15 attachments. You don’t write a 101-page report if all you’re saying is, “You guys are doing a good job.”

The report gives step-by-step directions on how Centro is to fix the mess in CAB. They are directed to hire more call-takers, provide more training and increase the area to be served. The directions have to be explicit because Manager McKeown lacks the capacity to figure it out herself. McKeown has been in charge of CAB for more than 15 years and has created the current mess.

You reported that “The FTA found Centro had not denied Call-a-Bus trips to anyone approved for service . . .” The key phrase is “anyone approved for service.” The report goes on to state that the eligibility process has to be completely revamped. Simply, Centro doesn’t deny trips; they deny riders the chance to apply for trips: “paratransit eligibility appears to be improperly restricted” and “inappropriate determinations” are being made. Centro is denying eligibility to disabled riders.

The letters of eligibility are confusing. My letter said, “Based upon our review of your application for certification of ADA pratransit [sic] service are as follows: Unable, due to impairment related condition which would prevent you from traveling to or from a Centro Bus Stop.” The FTA report repeatedly cites CAB’s inability to provide clear and sensible information to riders.

The investigator told me there are two problems regarding the provision of paratransit services: “One is money and the other is the law.” Frank Kobliski has been going around the country picking up awards for excellence. The awards always cite a sound fiscal balance. It is easy to keep a healthy bank balance. All you have to do is stop paying your bills.

Centro cuts their expenses by denying eligibility to riders, then not buying enough buses to put into service. The FTA report specifically notes that once the eligibility process is fixed, Centro will have to buy more buses to serve all us poor, sick folks who need to go grocery shopping. It’s the law—the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In closing, I gave the reporter a brief history of my actions vis-à-vis Call-a-Bus. About six years ago, I started attending meetings with Linda McKeown. When it became apparent that it was futile to try to work with her, I developed a working relationship with an attorney at the FTA Office of Civil Rights.

The attorney explained to me just how horrifically wrong CAB’s policies were. I worked with him, he worked with Centro, and we began to get reversals on some of the worst policies (i.e., McKeown’s policy that “People with power wheelchairs don’t need CAB.”)

In 2005, I went to Frank Kobliski and told him what was going on in Call-a-Bus. He later told me that was the first he knew of the problem. Almost immediately, McKeown was given a lateral move that put her under greater administrative supervision.

Frank and I worked together for a couple of years. During that time, Centro formed the Accessible Transportation Advisory Council, began publishing the Accessible Transportation Matters newsletter, and two supervisors were hired for CAB.

In 2006, frustrated by Centro’s refusal to commit sufficient resources and effort to bringing CAB service up to standard, I filed the formal complaint with the FTA. It took the FTA nine months to get to the investigation and 11 months to write the report. During all this time, I continued to file complaints with Centro, letting them know where their problems were and what needed to be fixed, but I no longer talked to Frank Kobliski.

In December 2006, I quit the Council out of frustration, and wrote a letter to the Post-Standard. Since that date, I have been denied access to the entire staff of Centro. Neither Kobliski nor McKeown nor anyone in between will knowingly accept or return my emails or phone calls.

If I had not tried to work with Centro, if I had filed the federal complaint in 2002 based on the abominable service that existed then, Centro would have been in serious trouble with the FTA.

Frank Kobliski, if you think you got a B+ on the federal report, it’s because I spent six years busting my butt to get you prepared for the review.

You’re welcome.