PDI to provide bus service to people with disabilities

As part of its commitment to help the community, the Pacific Development Inc. will assist the Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council in serving people with disabilities by improving their access to transportation.

PDI has agreed to handle the operations of the two vans to be purchased by the Council early next year for the use by people with disabilities on the island.

Thomas J. Camacho, executive director of the Council, said the federal community land grant has agreed in principle to provide $100,000 for the purchase of the vans. However, he said, the Council has yet to determine who would shoulder the maintenance cost since this will not be covered by the federal funding.

With its long-term commitment to the community, PDI agreed to operate the vans for the Council since it will also be used to service tourists with disabilities, said Yoichi Matsumura, PDI general manager.

“We have tourists from Japan with disabilities so servicing them will help subsidize the operation,” he said. The Council will help in training drivers to make them more sensitive to the needs of passengers.

Without available accessible public transportation services, the independence of people with disabilities is hampered as well as their advancement and livelihood, said Camacho.

“This will allow them to be included in various social gatherings on the island too,” he added.

Recently, PDI has expanded its bus service by catering to members of the community and not just to tourists. With a fixed route system, the PDI buses go as far as airport, Chalan Kanoa commercial center, Garapan commercial area, Commonwealth Health Center, La Fiesta Mall, Marianas Resort and even Kagman area.

The bus service has allowed them to go to the Northern Marianas College for their vocational courses, hospital or shopping.

For only $1 fare, people with disabilities who want to be picked up by the buses from their homes can call up the PDI office so that the drivers can include them in their route, said Leuta Masina, manager of the bus operation.

“While transportation services are available to tourists with disabilities who visit out islands, it failed to realize the need of residents. While accessible transportation is available to citizens with disabilities and the aging offered by specific agency program or on short-term services, destinations and hours are very limited,” said Camacho.

Taxi services on the island are available but very expensive for the local citizens in general. Aside from this, the vehicles cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

Five percent of the total CNMI population are persons with disabilities, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Of this, 4.5 percent do not own vehicles or have access to transportation.

Based on a study conducted by the Department of Public Health, some 2,000 individuals with diabetes are living in the CNMI. Almost 600 people are with disabilities, according to the 1995 household population survey.

Some 7.1 percent of those surveyed need transportation but do not have access to it, the report said. Due to lack of transportation, 7.2 percent are currently having difficulty in getting services and 2.9 percent cannot have employment. Twenty-five percent of those surveyed find transportation facilities inaccessible.