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Council presses Via on wheelchair access and tradeoffs of dedicated fleet
Summary
Councilmembers emphasized ADA obligations and that a dedicated Via fleet simplifies wheelchair access; Via said third‑party brokerage can include local wheelchair providers but warned it may increase wait times and require additional procurement if local capacity is limited.
Councilmembers repeatedly raised the need to guarantee wheelchair‑accessible rides and ADA‑trained drivers. Thomas DeRidder said a dedicated Via fleet makes retrofitting and consistent ADA training straightforward: ‘‘We have a retrofitted fully, you know, rear entry wheelchair accessible component to our fleet’’ and drivers are ADA sensitivity trained. He cautioned that relying solely on third‑party providers could limit guaranteed access and increase response times for some trips.
Members asked whether the city would need to purchase or staff an ADA vehicle if third‑party suppliers cannot meet demand; Via said hybrid models are available and that the vendor can include local wheelchair‑capable providers in the brokerage mix, but the city should expect possible longer waits or the need for a dedicated ADA asset if local third‑party capacity is insufficient.
