Choosing not to drive makes traveling more challenging

Editor,

I refuse to drive. This decision stuck with me since I can remember. Even hearing peers excitedly announce they have received their drivers permit did not change my mind.

As a person who is on the autism spectrum; as well as a physical disability, driving would, in theory, be extra dangerous. Yes, I could have adaptations to help accommodate my physical disability. Nothing can aid me in driving with ASD. I constantly space out, and I have trouble reacting quickly to things.

On the road, you must be able to have a quick reaction time, especially when drivers around me are being jerks. It is for my safety that I rather not drive. A substitution to owning a car is relying on local public transportation. Although my parents have begged me to practice the public transportation system, the service is tricky to access; therefore I do not feel totally motivated to practice the bus system.

Presently, I am home alone during the day. I imagine going on adventures using the public bus service. Of course, I want to be able to do so. The thing is…I never have taken public transportation alone.

I also need a destination in mind, and I often do not. More importantly, there are personal barriers that prevent me from being willing to practice public transportation. These barriers include: money, accessibility and complexity. If these barriers did not exist, I would be all over public transportation.

To begin with, I struggle with handling money. It takes a few extra seconds to hand money to the driver. Fortunately, there are bus passes, but they cost $40. I am in a VOC Rehab program that provides passes for me, but their are only for rides to school and work. I would have to spend my own money to go places for fun.

The Saco Transportation Department should consider being more like the shuttle bus system in Acadia National Park. The busses are free with an optional donation. Optional payment or no payment at all equals less hassle.

Secondly, the bus system is too complicated. I have to get on three busses to get to Southern Maine Community College. From my house, I need to walk a half hour to get to the Saco Train Station to catch a bus to Old Orchard Beach. Then, I need to catch a bus that takes me to monument square in Portland. Finally, I take a third bus that goes straight to SMCC.

Overall, the journey is about two whole hours! Sometimes, I may need that last two hours to complete the school work that is due. Additionally, I declined a job at Cracker Barrel because I needed to take two different busses. Having a one shot bus would be more convenient. Although the ZOOM bus is more of a one shot bus, the stop is at the Park and Ride. The Park and Ride is not accessible to walk to. There needs to be more one-shot bus options.

Lastly, accessing the bus stop itself is an obstacle during a certain time of year. During the spring, summer and fall, the easy walk to the bus stop is thirty-minutes. However, the sidewalks in the wintertime can be ice rinks.

Because of my physical disability, I am at a much higher risk of slipping on the ice. Once when walking home from school, I fell on a sloped driveway next to my driveway. I was stuck there because I’m unable to balance myself to get back up. Luckily, a bystander helped me stand up. The bus should pick me up closer to my house.

Even more important, there are other disabled individuals who need similar or much different accommodations to ride transportation. Sometimes, already, there are elevator-esc doorways to help people in wheelchairs board the bus. Also, the front of all the public transportation there is priority seating for people who are less mobile, like the elderly. I do not have further suggestions on how to accommodate others.

After all, I live inside the shoes of somebody who has a limited range of motion and is autistic. I do not know what it is like to live with a different disability. Abled bodied people may list generic options to help disabled people. There are other accommodations necessary that normal people may not even realize. That is why the essay lists my personal ideas to accommodate me.

In summary, choosing not to drive makes traveling to places more challenging. The bus system is a very time consuming, I’m slow to get out money and passes, and it’s inaccessible at times. An ideal bus system for me is free or low cost, would be able to pick me up closer to home and be a one-shot ride. For other disabled people, their special transportation needs may differ.

Everybody has required places to go, and also everyone would love to get places for fun. But because of theses obstacles, I do not feel motivated to get up and go ride a bus.

The city of Saco and the surrounding towns could implement a Transportation system or a service like Uber or Taxis made to accommodate disabled people.

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