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Transit riders raise safety and paratransit-access concerns at Transportation Authority meeting
Summary
Riders at the Transportation Authority meeting reported Route 40 buses skipping stops—leaving a wheelchair user stranded—and described confusion and penalties tied to a change from subscription to reservation on CAT Lift paratransit service; staff promised follow-up.
Chair opened the Transportation Authority meeting and invited public comment. Two riders described service problems they said are affecting transit-dependent passengers.
Sean Simoe of South Knoxville told the board that Route 40 buses have “totally skipped at least 6 stops” in the Island Home neighborhood over the past six months, and that his partner, a wheelchair user, was left waiting in the rain after one recent incident. “My girlfriend was waiting in the rain for almost half an hour yesterday,” Simoe said, and said he has a screen recording showing a bus’s GPS going off route.
Simoe asked whether drivers are ever instructed to veer off the published route to save time, and said he has filed complaints previously but received no follow-up. The board’s Chair asked Simoe to remain after the meeting so staff could follow up and the board reserved time for a staff response.
Another rider, Theresa Bradley, who identifies herself as a senior companion at Golden Age Retirement Village, described confusion over a change from a subscription system to a reservation system for CAT Lift paratransit service. Bradley said she obtained supervisor approval to move a recurring ride from Wednesday to Thursday but was later told she could no longer use a subscription because she had changed dates “several times.” She said the reservation policy requires calling every 10 days and asked why riders who follow supervisor-approved changes should be penalized.
The board did not take formal action during public comment, but staff members told both riders someone would remain after the meeting to address their concerns. The meeting record indicates staff will follow up with riders who raised service and accessibility issues.
What’s next: The Chair and staff asked the commenters to meet with staff immediately after the meeting for follow-up; the transcript does not record any committee direction, corrective measures, or a policy change during the session.
