Disabled face double hit in possible loss of Handi-Van
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Many elderly and disabled Handi-Van passengers are finding themselves the indirect victims of the bus strike, facing the suspension of most Handi-Van service from today because O'ahu Transit Services is not sure how many of its drivers might cross a Teamsters picket line.
BUSINESSThe Handi-Van, which has about 340 regular kidney dialysis passengers, will continue to give rides to people who need dialysis treatments or have other critical appointments, said Patricia Nielsen, who oversees Handi-Van services as vice president of paratransit for OTS.
But scheduled trips to the dentist, hairdresser and similar services have been canceled, although Handi-Vans will take same-day requests on a space-available basis, Nielsen said.
About 13,000 O'ahu residents are registered as eligible to ride the Handi-Van, and 5,000 to 6,000 people use it regularly, Nielsen said. The fleet of 100 wheelchair-accessible vans provides about 2,500 rides daily, she said. Passengers pay $2 per ride.
State officials estimate the number of Hawai'i residents with disabilities at 144,000 to 240,000.
Francine Wai, executive director of the Hawai'i Disability and Communication Access Board, said transportation officials have been trying to work with the disabled community to plan what might happen in the event of a strike, but "we don't know exactly what to expect."
Wai predicted the effect would be felt soon, even if the Handi-Van is able to maintain much of its service. "Many disabled people use the bus, not just Handi-Vans," Wai said. A number of city buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts.
J. Roger Morton, senior vice president of OTS, said 500 to 600 people use the wheelchair lifts to board regular city buses on an average day.
Nielsen said some customers have few options. "Their disability may be more severe in nature, that doesn't offer them the flexibility to independently ride other systems. There are not many accessible vehicles, taxis included, on the island, so your options are limited."
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Claire Woods, executive director of Salvation Army Family Treatment Services, said many people in their treatment and rehabilitation programs would be affected if the strike drags on.
A Handi-Van moved through traffic on King Street yesterday. Some drivers might not be willing to cross Teamster picket lines.
"All of those people come by bus," Woods said. "These people have a lot on the line."
She's worried that they won't make it to court to see social workers, or to work and children's doctor's appointments. "They're either going to not go or we're going to have to transport them," Woods said.
Salvation Army spokesman Daniel de Castro said a continuing strike that idles Handi-Vans "will affect us greatly." One adult daycare program estimated that as many as a quarter of its clients depended on the Handi-Van, he said.
Handi-Van is operated by TheBus operator OTS, but its employees are covered by a separate contract and are not on strike.
Nielsen said most Handi-Van drivers have said they are willing to continue working and taking customers to dialysis, doctors' appointments and other activities. But some don't want to cross a picket line run by other Teamsters, and are hoping they can get their vans and schedules without having to do so.
Elena Paongo, a Handi-Van driver for eight years, said most of her colleagues had told her they would work. "We're compassionate with our customers. We want to work," she said.
Paongo said she hoped to work with managers to find a way to help the disabled without crossing a picket line. She said many regular customers could not leave their homes without the Handi-Vans. "A lot of them live with a lot of pain," she said.
Handi-Van driver Paul Bringas said his customers count on him. "I told my passengers, 'I'll pick you up,' " he said.
After a decade of driving, Bringas said he knows his passengers well. "They trust you," he said.
The union that represents the drivers, Hawai'i Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, had told OTS managers it planned to post a picket line yesterday afternoon, invoking their right to ask for a sympathy strike on the part of the Handi-Van drivers. But the line never formed yesterday.
