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

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

Santa Perez, of the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, speaks in support of Handicab during the public comment section of the March 24th Taxicab Authority meeting.

My name is Frank Driscoll. I have lived in Las Vegas for a year now, but visited Las Vegas for many years as a tourist. During one ride in a cab I nearly fell out of the back of the cab, because the back door wasn’t closed properly and I was not strapped in. It was really scary, thank God we were not in motion at the time, so the driver was able to get out and close the door. It just shows me a lackadaisical attitude with regard to tying wheelchairs down.

I live in a new community on the NorthWest side of town. Its preposterous that between Paratransit and the cab services in this town that there is not a single company that will come up here and give me a ride. Were just dying for a program like HandiCab.

Santa Perez and David Kilton of People First of Nevada discuss Las Vegas taxicabs and people with disabilities at the Nevada Taxicab Authority Meeting on January 27, 2009.

Cathy Kelly speaks during the public comment at the Nevada Taxicab Authority meeting on January 27, 2009.

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 Gloria Miranda and I drive a van for people with disabilities.  I am trained very well, to strap different types of wheelchairs in place and also to be capable to handle emergency situations.  I do not believe, from my experience, that cabbies on the streets right now are qualified to be servicing people with disabilities.  They need more extensive training, to have the supervisors go through the training so that they can train their drivers.

My name is Karen Wheeler, I have lived in Las Vegas since 1998. The taxi service I have received has been very poor. One time a driver had only one strap to strap me in, I was sitting next to him and he put it on my left side, which didn’t make any sense. He took a hard right turn off of the freeway and my chair fell over onto his lap. I thought we were going to be in a wreck. It is too scary to even ride in a cab. I think drivers should ride around in a wheelchair in the back of a taxi, and get toppled over a couple of times & see how they land.