Hello. I am Olivia Holler. I live with Muscular Dystrophy and use a wheelchair to conserve my energy. I was diagnosed in middle school at the age of 13. Once a month, I will be sharing about my experiences, barriers and challenges I have faced. I hope these posts will help you understand the disability community a little bit more and the importance of individuals with disabilities perspectives and experiences.
Recently, I moved to Kansas City with my boyfriend in December. Though it’s been fun living independently and learning new things. There have also been some challenges I have faced such as transportation. I haven’t driven since high school due to my fatigue and anxiety driving, since then I have always had difficulty getting around independently. Before moving to KC, I had to rely on my family to get me around and now I rely on my boyfriend to get me around. I am able to get around after my boyfriend gets off work but when I want to be independent it becomes tough.
Here’s where the challenge lies, KC has tons of accessible transportation options BUT for people on SSDI, SSI, Medicaid/Medicare. I don’t qualify for those programs. The one transportation that didn’t use those programs doesn’t service my area anymore. It has been an endless loop and something that’s a challenge everywhere, not just here. I should be able to get access to transportation through private pay or my insurance. I want to be able to get around, I want to be able to go into the office. But I’m limited to remote jobs and being in the apartment every day all day.
We have tried to hire people independently to drive our accessible van but it is a catch 22 and adds layers of additional complications. I hope one day accessible transportation will become available to everyone who needs it regardless of program qualifications, having a disability should be enough to qualify and be able to pay in whatever way you are able.
What are your thoughts about accessible transportation? What other resources are available for accessible transportation around the area? Let’s start a much needed conversation about this!
