When Alan had to stop driving (about 6 years ago), our lives literally took a nosedive. We could not visit friends or relatives and many people kept their distance because of what we were going through with our son.

I once asked them why, and they said "well, it makes us uncomfortable and we don' know what to say, so we say nothing".

So literally, Alan stopped driving, and we lost everybody. And because he could not work anymore, we couldn't even keep the car and get the hand brakes. Between the cost and the insurance, well it wasn't feasible.

So thank god for Access-a-ride (even though they rarely show up on time), they are the only game in town where you can go anyplace you want for $2.00.

You really can't beat that.

I had an idea once. Why can't the Access-A Ride, develop a service where it stops every few blocks (along a bus line), and it's only for people over 60 or with disability. Like the person would show their medicare card or if they have an obvious disability and could prove it.

Do you know how hard it is to get on a bus with 50 screaming school kids who push and shove?

A regular service line for the handicapped would be the most convenient thing for EVERYBODY CONCERNED.

Just imagine, you have to get from point A to Point B, and you simply wait on the bus line, and get on the access-a-ride and get off at your stop.

You just walk a few blocks (if you can walk, or you can use a wheelchair), and presto, there would be an Access-A-Ride bus stop, the vehicles would be stopping all day long, picking up and dropping off people.

I would welcome this like you would never believe.

People say this can't work, too much confusion. Why can't it work? It would only be for certain people, the kids can't get on, nobody gets shoved, they pay their $2.00. Imagine, a person could go to the mall, do their shopping. go to the grocery stores, do their shopping, THEY COULD LEAD A MORE NORMAL LIFE. without all these pre-teens and teens bumping them and hitting them with the backpacks.

Buses are murder on seniors. Absolute murder. and god forbid you are standing up, holding on to the bars (well, it wrenchs my shoulder), very painful.

They just have to add more access-a-rides.

I know this will never happen. Unless we start a petition. Even then, seniors and the disabled will never get their own bus line.

God, I would kill for an Access-a-ride Bus line.

Hey, I just thought of something. It wouldn't have to be an access-a-ride bus, it could be any old bus, (we have he new ones where you just step up), but they could have a handicapped bus line. Same route, but only for people over a certain age and people who are disabled. What a neat idea!!!