Access-A-Ride Changes Could Leave Some Without A Ride

DENVER (CBS4) - Changes to Regional Transportation District's Access-a-Ride service could leave more than 100 people with disabilities without transportation. CBS4 consumer investigator Jodi Brooks started looking into the changes after several emails from worried customers.

Routes are changing for the Access-a-Ride program and it impacts Carmen Spielman.

"I am totally blind. I've been blind my whole life," Spielman said.

For nearly 10 years Spielman has been an Access-a-Ride customer. Before she bought her condo 18 months ago, she checked with RTD to ensure she would still get service.

"When I was told that it would be fine and they served this area I went through with the purchase," she said.

RTD says in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act it offers rides within a three-quarter mile distance to the closest standard bus stop. Now a computer system has helped them better pinpoint a customer's location.

"I live 9/10 of a mile from a bus stop," Spielman said.

That makes Spielman 15-hundreths of a mile outside of the service area.

"We're going to sit down with them to see what might work best," Scott Reed with RTD said.

RTD estimates 100 to 125 people are impacted by its tightening of service.

Spielman says she isn't mad, but she's scared. For 25 years she's lived independently, but she says losing her Access-a-Ride service will be life-changing.