Beverly Eros speaks in support of Handicab during the public comment section of the March 24th Taxicab Authority meeting.

My name is Tex O’Dell, and I have polio and post polio syndrome. I have given up on the idea of getting a taxi in Las Vegas. They haven’t been reliable for us, so we use alternative transportation or get friends to take us. When I was younger and going to school in San Francisco, the taxicab drivers would pick up kids with polio and drop them off at school. It was wonderful, it gave you a good feeling about the company, as they were willing to give back to the community. Here they aren’t even willing to serve the community if you pay them.

My name is Diane Resetar, and I am a polio survivor.  I help run a support group for people affected by polio, and I am always checking for them on ways to get to and from meetings & functions.  When I called asking for taxicabs for people using scooters or wheelchairs, I was told we would have to give a one day notice.  It would be nice to have a more reliable same day service available.

My name is Sandra Graham, I had Polio at age nine and I have been dealing with Post-Polio Sequelae for the past 30 years. I no longer use taxicabs in Las Vegas. I opted not to use them anymore after having bad experiences trying to get my wheelchair into the cabs. On two occasions my chair was not strapped in, it just sat in a trough in the back of the cab. I didn’t feel safe and it was bad for my back. I was very uncomfortable. I was also stranded by a cab driver for one hour and forty-five minutes, and I ended up with a slight heat stroke that day.

My name is Emanuel Poznanski, but everybody calls me Manny. I have polio, post-polio syndrome. I use taxis a good bit, even though I have a car with an automatic lift on it, I use taxis going to the airport. My experience using handicapped taxis has been pathetic, nothing but pathetic. I am fed up with it, to tell you the truth. There needs to be independent feedback, from people who use wheelchairs or scooters on a weekly basis, to check if drivers are following the rules.

My name is Michael Sells and I have lived in Las Vegas for 30 years. I primarily use taxi cabs when coming home from the airport, which is a few times a year. I find their service challenging at best. Even though there is a large volume of taxis at the airport, it is still difficult to get a wheelchair accessible taxi.