bleh12345 wrote:
It would be helpful to know the location of your friend. I can help find certain programs that may be available to him. If you feel like giving me specific streets, I can also get possible alternative routes. If you don't feel like giving too much detailed information, go to google maps. They have detailed bus route information for big cities. All you have to do is enter point A and B and the time you want to leave/arrive.
If you feel like looking up programs yourself, there is usually a transit program for disabled people in big cities. Not only can you get free passes, but you may even get a discounted taxi service. Also, in big cities, some colleges have a dedicated bus that goes to and from the school to a bus station or something. There might be ride-share programs he can take that can simply get him part of the way home and he can take the bus from there. This would minimize potential side trips. Depending on how far it is, he could get a foldable bike and take an alternative route. For example, if there is only one bus that gets him almost close to his destination but not quite, he could bike the rest of the way (if it's only a mile or two or something, which often happens with transit). Brampton makes bikes that are expensive up front, but they have wheels that you can push them around on while folded. The reason I mentioned a foldable bike is because it can be easier to take it on the bus. He might be able to get a cheaper one off of ebay or something.
Well, I'm not going to give his location online, but I've already looked up transit routes for him and, like I said, what's possible there is just not good. It's nearly an hour each way with a three-minute wait between buses, which means the odds are good that at some point or another he'll miss his connection and not only be late, but be left outside in the freezing cold till another bus comes (it'll be a while). Likewise, rideshares to a bus will leave him waiting for unspecified times, possibly long times, in extremely cold weather, unless the person driving him is conscientious about leaving/arriving on time. (It'd also be "ridegive", because he wouldn't be able to participate in the driving.)
The distance is not the problem; he can ride when the weather's all right. But, like I said, it's extremely cold and not good riding weather for a good chunk of the year, so reliance on bike is not practical.
He's not diagnosed nor amenable to diagnosis, so unfortunately ride programs for the disabled aren't an option either.
arielhawksquill, unfortunately the program is not an online program; he'll need to show up physically.
I've been looking to see what the apartment situation is near the college, so he could just walk, but am not seeing much available. It's in a suburban area, not a city center. I guess that's why the bus service also isn't so great out there.
03 May 2014, 9:35 am
