I am a handicapped person who rides Handi-vans daily. Lately, they're consistently running two to three hours late. This causes a hardship. They know a week in advance when my doctor's appointment is. Handi-van insists the problem is getting money from the city to hire more drivers and says they have a problem with the computer system. They also blame the union. No one wants to take responsibility. Can you help us? Handi-van has problems,
and will for some timeYour complaints are valid, said Patricia Nielsen, vice president for para-transit services for Oahu Transit Services.
Unfortunately, you'll have to be VERY patient, because the system won't improve overnight.
One thing Nielsen, who became overseer of the Handi-van system seven months ago, told employees recently is to stop saying a van is on the way when it's not, and instead, give a reasonable estimated time pickup time.
From among 12,000 eligible customers, Handi-vans provide about 2,200 rides a day.
Also, it's been easy to use the city as a scapegoat, she said. "Mostly, we just do it because we don't know what else to say. I say, 'Yeah, there are problems and we're trying to address them, but it's a long road and it just takes some attention and some time.'"
But she was sympathetic to your complaint, noting that the problem in delays occurs especially from 1 to 5 p.m., when people are returning from medical appointments. Unfortunately, that's also when the vans are "dedicated to providing service for agencies and group homes," Nielsen said. With a full load, it often can be several hours before the last person can be dropped off, she said.
Two things will help: the installation of new scheduling software and 12 new vans next spring equipped to handle four to six wheelchairs.
The latter is important because 75 of the current 90-van fleet can carry only two wheelchair passengers at a time.
So if there are 16 people in wheelchairs who have to be picked up at Waimano Home, for example, eight vans are needed. That means fewer vans to serve the rest of the clientele.
But just getting those 12 vans caused "considerable problems for us," she said.
Nielsen also is working to train employees "to better treat people with disabilities," which means better customer service and professionalism, she said.
"I apologize to anybody who gets crappy service," she said, "but we are trying to make improvements and do the right thing. If people could drop in about three years from now, there might be some real dramatic changes. I believe there have been some positive changes, I don't necessarily know that the customer sees them yet."
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To the cashiers at a Kahala Mall store. When I visited my daughter outside L.A., I found the waiters, waitresses and cashiers at every restaurant and mall so nice. I was amazed at their aloha spirit. I wish some of the cashiers at that store would be like that. Have some aloha for customers who shop there every day. (We passed this on to the store's district manager.) Auwe
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Call 525-8686 if you can help.
