Progress Center urges the Illinois State legislature to fully fund public transportation and restore Paratransit services. Contact your State Senator and State Representative and tell them funding is needed to keep people with disabilities engaged in the community and work.

Lack of reliable and affordable transportation is often a barrier to employment for all Illinois residents, but especially for those with disabilities. We have been dealing with route reductions of mainline transportation services, lack of Paratransit bus availability at times needed and often long and unpredictable routes to our destinations, and more recently, drastic cuts to the PACE RAP (Rideshare Access Program) and TAP (Taxi Access Program) from 240 trips a month down to just 30.

Thousands of Illinois residents rely on the RAP and TAP programs as a more reliable alternative to other Paratransit services wrought with issues. Thirty one-way rides a month are not enough even to go to work and back home, let alone other essential trips to medial buildings, merchants, relatives’ dwellings, and community venues to keep people with disabilities healthy and active in the economy, family, social and community networks, and work.

This month we mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In honor of all who have in history and today advocate for disability and independent living rights, call and email your State legislators before the October 28 veto session and tell them to fund Paratransit, restore reductions in services, and stop fare increases. Contact Progress Center at 708-209-1500 or dkaras@progresscil.org for your State Senator’s and State Representative’s contact information.

Progress Center for Independent Living