Handi-Van cutback strands disabled

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

At a center for blind people in Liliha, only three of 15 people made it to class yesterday.

Without Handi-Van service, more than half the Lanakila Crafts classmates of, from left, Tracey Holstein, Kaye Kidani and Gild De Jesus weren't able to receive the rehabilitation center's services. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

And instead of going to his daily therapy and classes that address his severe multiple disabilities, Makaha resident Roman Cummings had to stay home.

Many disabled and elderly people who rely on the Handi-Van remained stuck without rides yesterday in the trickle-down from the city bus strike. "The Handi-Van suspension has tremendously affected us," said Mary Jossem, executive director of Special Education Center of Hawaii. "We have all these people sitting at home instead of getting these services."

Although Handi-Van drivers are not on strike, managers cut service by about 60 percent yesterday because of uncertainty over how many drivers might not work because Teamsters had planned to picket the Kalihi facility. But the union put off plans to post a picket line outside the Handi-Van offices, T.K. Hannemann, Teamsters business representative, said yesterday.

Hannemann said the union held off on picketing the Handi-Van office out of concern for disabled clients and for their drivers.

"We didn't want our drivers to get into any unneeded problems," he said.

OTHER STORIES
•	Bus talks to resume today
•	City's hunt for options goes on
•	Some winning, some losing on new commute
•	Getting around without TheBus: Information you can use

Patricia Nielsen, who oversees Handi-Van services as vice president of paratransit for O'ahu Transit Services, said she is hopeful that service will be up to half of normal levels by today and back to full service by Tuesday.

But yesterday Handi-Van had suspended all but critical services, such as taking people to kidney dialysis appointments.

Handi-Van provides about 2,500 rides on an average day. By the end of yesterday, it had accepted reservations for 946 trips, Nielsen said.

Among the services suspended is regularly scheduled pick-up and drop-off service to many programs that serve the disabled and elderly, such as Lanakila Crafts, Special Education Center of Hawaii facilities and Ho'opono, which provides services for the blind. Nielsen estimates those programs make up about 40 percent of Handi-Van runs.

OTS spokeswoman Marilyn Dicus said disabled people who need help should still call the Handi-Van at 456-5555.

For Margaret Cummings of Makaha, the disruption in Handi-Van services meant her son Roman, 32, couldn't go to his daily therapy and classes in Pearl City. Roman uses a wheelchair and Margaret is busy caring for five grandchildren and her elderly mother.

Cummings said the program means a lot to Roman. "He's able to socialize, go on his field trips; he has physical therapy," she said. "It's something that he looks forward to every day."

Without the activity, "it means that he's at home not doing much," she said.

T.C. Chun, a downtown resident, is in his third week of learning skills for the blind at Ho'opono as his sight is worsening. Without the Handi-Van, only three of the 15 people in his class were able to make it to the Liliha center.

Chun worried that he would fall behind on his effort to be more independent if he couldn't get rides from family and friends. "It's going to set me back," he said. "I have to be able to cope on my own."

At Lanakila Crafts, Tracey Holstein of Mililani got a ride from her aunt since she couldn't take the Handi-Van to her daily programs. She usually spends her weekdays working on crafts, making lei and doing volunteer work.

While her family could help, many others weren't as fortunate. Marie Hughes, interim director of Lanakila's rehabilitation services, said half of Holstein's classmates couldn't make it yesterday.

Two of the Special Education Center of Hawaii's largest centers ran yesterday with only half of their clients because the others couldn't get there without the Handi-Van.

Jossem said about half of the 70 people in Pearl City made it in and about 50 of 100 at Diamond Head.

Dr. David Fray, chief of the state Health Department's developmental disabilities division, said a tremendous effort by programs, caregivers and families got many clients to their programs yesterday.

But he worried about the long term. "We're trying to contact people who we see as the most vulnerable," Fray said.

"What I'm afraid of is what I don't know. Has someone been left alone?"

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.