Within our society, freedom of movement is a fundamental right. However, it remains a largely unfulfilled promise for citizens with disabilities. Millions of Americans with developmental disabilities have difficulties obtaining transportation that serves as a vital lifeline to employment, education, health care and community life.
NGCDD believes that all publicly funded and/or regulated transportation service systems must be: seamlessly coordinated among all modes of transportation; expanded in suburban, urban, rural and unincorporated areas to connect places people live with places they work, shop, socialize, worship, attend school, access health care, etc.; incorporated with mobility management and training services for individuals with developmental disabilities; designed to appropriately address insurance and liability of vehicles and operators who serve in a coordinated transportation environment, including non-profit providers); based on principles of universal design; supported by stable and adequate funding; and fully accessible to all people with developmental disabilities.
Policy Recommendations:
Increase funding for mass transit programs (including para-transit).
Encourage pooled use of vehicles purchased so that underutilized vehicles may be shared.
Simplify the coordinated planning process for the programs that serve people with developmental disabilities and create transparency and accountability.
Promote incentives that encourage greater mobility for people with developmental disabilities.
Advocate that transportation providers to have up to 15% of their fleet include accessible vans/taxi cabs – and require training for drivers on how to assist passenger with developmental disabilities.
Support coordinated human services and public transportation planning process and its structure.
Encourage use of uniform data collection to evaluate customer satisfaction and to support coordination of transportation efforts.
Our goal is to start a statewide conversation of how we can gain measurable progress toward a replicable model that promotes an increase of accessible transportation options in Nevada.
More on our transportation initiatives:
The Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities 2019 Statewide Transportation Summit
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From here to there. . how to get EVERYONE in Nevada moving!
Welcome Video provided by Senator Catherine Cortez
Welcome to the 2019 Statewide Transportation Summit!
We all recognize that transportation is the center piece for living a productive life. Most people depend on transportation to go to work, home, doctors, grocery stores, and to go about daily business. Without effective transportation, living productively becomes a challenge, if not impossible.
Nevada covers 110,567 square miles, with a 2017 estimated population of 2,998,039 people with 274,622 living in rural Nevada (USDA-ERS). While different pockets of transportation exist throughout the state, no single entity provides paratransit across the state, leaving major gaps of population with little to no access to effective transportation.
This Summit is designed for professionals, self-advocates with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), and parents or caregivers of individuals with I/DD, highly involved in the community and able to provide productive input in guided conversations about transportation.
Our goal is to start a statewide conversation of how we can gain measurable progress toward a replicable model that promotes an increase of accessible transportation options in Nevada.
This interactive session will discuss a process of creating educational and professional development programs for future workforce professionals within the transportation industry. We will share experiences from classroom settings and summer transportation camps for high school students. Examples will include hands on activities, group projects, peer mentoring initiatives, and any other ideas that successfully enhance awareness of disabilities among young people.
Connected, Inclusive and Resilient: Requirements for Multimodal Transportation
George Mckinlay, Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities (NCED) and Nevada Assistive Technology Resource Center (NATRC)
Materials for Connected, Inclusive and Resilient, will be available in the session. Please contact the presenter at mckinlay@me.com for information on the materials presented.
Accessibility and inclusiveness are fundamental to any discussion of transportation. Ensuring equal and meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all phases of transportation—from consideration through operation—is necessary if it is to be relevant. This presentation highlights the rational and methods for incorporating Universal Design, usability and accessibility approaches to engage people with disabilities in meeting our transportation needs.
Inequities on the Road: Does Being Differently-Abled Make Your Travel More Dangerous?
I will explore how our roads are dangerous for all road users, especially those not in vehicles, and how any loss of skill makes you the most in danger of all.
I will also look at barriers to traveling by transit and by bike and look at who has best practices in the country.
Resource Panel Discussion
Katie Pace, State of Nevada, Office for Consumer Health Assistance (OCHA)
This was a discussion panel of professionals who represent various transportation agencies and resources. For more information, contact the representatives below:
Susan Haas – Nevada Rural Counties, Program Director, shaas@nvrsvp.com
ADSD has been working to improve access to services through a No Wrong Door approach. This approach is person-centered, focusing on individual goals and innovative ways to support individuals in achieving their goals. This thinking has led the Division to pilot new approaches to transportation through self-directed projects and innovation grants related to transportation. This session will highlight efforts of both ADSD and Community Partners to address transportation needs and access to services. This session will be an interactive panel discussion using PowerPoint.
Speak Up and Be Heard: A Study of Social Engagement and Community Response in Washoe County, Nevada
Kelley Macmillan, Ph.D., LSW, Sanford Center for Aging, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno
The Session will include an overview of the importance of social engagement for health and well-being, the methods used to solicit input from people with disabilities and older adults about their interests in social engagement activities, a, summary of the findings based on their input, and discussion of how findings are being disseminated.
Taking Lyft in Northern & Southern Nevada
Amy Dewitt-Smith, Neighbor Network of Northern Nevada (N4) and Dan Howland, RTC Southern Nevada
RTC Southern Nevada and the N4 have both piloted Lyft shared ride projects at their respective organizations. Come learn about the evolution of these projects and what’s to come on the road ahead for shared ride in Nevada!
Transportation Disruption Ahead: Technology is the New Asphalt
Dan Howland, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Advanced mobility technology is disrupting the transportation industry and transforming how we will move people, goods and services in the future. Technology is the new asphalt, and we need an infrastructure strategy that rewards innovation. We must plan, test and implement smart infrastructure and smart community solutions to anticipate and solve real-world problems, efficiently plan and deploy resources, and create an ecosystem of mobility options.
Transportation, Independence, & Supported Decision-Making: A Legal Perspective
Homa Woodrum, Esq., Nevada Aging and Disability Services
Jenny Hatch was riding her bicycle on a fateful day when she got into an accident. What happened next propelled her story on to the national stage and served as inspiration for an ongoing movement in independence and choice for people with disabilities. This session will start with that story and cover the Supported Decision-Making Act (A.B. 480 in the 2019 Nevada Legislative Session). Learn what it will mean if, by law, the act of getting a little help or support getting from point A to B can’t be used against you to take away your independence. Also learn how supporters could assist in getting information and making informed choices about navigating your world.
Transportation Funding Resources, Leveraging and Brainstorming
A presentation with a basic overview of federal public transportation funding and match, followed by a basic overview of funding available in Nevada. A short discussion from studies on how some states have maximized funding through leveraging. Open discussion and brainstorming with those in attendance.
This session will be discussing the difference between wheelchair transportation services, rideshare transport, curb to curb transport, and bed to bed transport.
David Darm has been a life-long advocate for persons with disabilities. David was born with visual disability, called “Macula Hypoplasia,” and has had to overcome multiple barriers to live independently within his community, including transportation.
During childhood and adolescence, David’s parents and teachers taught him how to effectively communicate his needs and engage in activities alongside his sighted peers, such as public speaking. These experiences inspired David to pursue a career in public policy to serve others with similar challenges.
For the last ten years, David has served in various positions in Florida’s state government, promoting systems-change initiatives related to employment and transportation. He currently oversees the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) supported employment, day habilitation, and transportation programs. He is responsible for identifying policies and collaborating with stakeholders to support competitive employment and community inclusion of individuals with DD. Prior to his role with APD, David served as the chair of the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, where he worked with state leaders and public transportation providers to promote greater mobility options for individuals with various disabilities. He also assisted the Florida DD Council in developing Florida’s Employment First policy through his role as executive director of Governor Rick Scott’s Commission on Jobs for Floridians with Disabilities.
David is accompanied by his service dog, “Ranger,” and enjoys living in Tallahassee, Florida. When he is not working, David enjoys running, cooking and exploring new cities and cultures.
Media Release
By attending the 2019 Statewide Transportation Summit, attendees grant permission to the NGCDD and supporting agencies, to utilize the attendees’ image to promote transportation initiatives. Attendees waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product(s) and the advertising copy or other matter that may be used in connection therewith.