Transit board candidate Perry says paratransit must remain top priority

Perry, a candidate for the open seat on the Bloomington Transit Board, told the interview committee she has decades of transit experience and said serving riders with no other options must come first.

“I was the chair of the commission on transportation disadvantage for the state of Florida. I was appointed by Governor Martinez,” Perry said, describing work focused on people with disabilities and low-income riders. She emphasized that doorto-door paratransit remains essential: “First priority are for people who really have no alternatives.”

Perry described operational steps she has used elsewhere to expand access, including retrofitting buses with lifts and giving monthly passes instead of single Medicaid trips to broaden mobility for older and disabled riders. She urged the committee to preserve paratransit as a core, nonnegotiable service while the system evaluates other tools such as microtransit.

The committee did not vote on the appointment. Members deferred action and said they would schedule further deliberation after the Bloomington Transit board's next meeting.

Why it matters: Paratransit is a high-cost service but also the primary mobility option for many disabled and homebound residents. Perry's comments place equity and access at the top of potential board priorities if she is appointed.