Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit Accessibility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident tells commission transit drivers denied passengers with grocery carts, leaving elderly rider behind
Summary
A resident said Owensboro transit operators told riders to fold grocery carts and left a 78-year-old woman at a Walmart after she could not carry holiday groceries on her lap; city staff pledged to investigate and follow up with the speaker.
At the open public forum Georgia Bryant, who identified her address and said she rides the bus daily, told the commission that in the past month drivers have required passengers to fold grocery carts and move groceries into their laps, and that on one occasion a 78-year-old woman was left at the Walmart on Frederica Street after she could not hold her purchases on her lap.
"She purchased all her items for her Thanksgiving dinner. The bus pulled up. She went to board...she was told she would have to remove the items, put them in her lap, and fold her cart up...she couldn't hold her turkey and everything in her lap. So they left her there," Bryant said, urging the commission to address the problem and noting written transit rules she had obtained that say small carts are permitted so long as they do not block aisles or mobility-device locations.
A councilor offered to refer the complaint to Vicky Pennington with Owensboro Transit System and the city manager said he and Steven Franklin discussed the issue earlier that day and were looking into it. Staff asked for Bryant's contact information so they could follow up.
The commission did not take formal action on the complaint at the meeting; staff indicated they would investigate and report back to the resident.
