LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lextran Wheels is a paratransit program for people with disabilities who may not be able to use fixed-route bus services. For long-time customers like Mike Caudill, who is a diabetic and double amputee, the service is essential.
"A lot of people don't have another choice. I mean, I can go into a manual chair, or I can go into a power chair. But where Wheels has been real late here lately, I’ve just been bringing my power chair, that way if I had to jump on the city bus, I can get on it," says Caudill.
For the last 40 years, the Wheels program had been operated through the Red Cross. As of October 1, the service has been taken over by a France-based company RATP Dev. So far, Caudill says he's not been pleased with the transition, saying he's been left waiting after dialysis.
"When you come out of dialysis, you're already weak, and that's one thing you don't want, you do not want to have to sit here six hours waiting on your way home,” says Caudill.
Lextran's Wheels services anywhere between 15,000 and 17,000 customers each month and Lextran General Manager Jill Barnett says they are looking to hire more people to continue serving customers.
"With any transition, of course you expect some bumps in the road, and we have had those. There are a lot of things we are learning along the way. We are bringing on new operators — some additional operators that will help ease this transition and smooth things through. We are also hiring for one reservationist which is a call taker — to help people as they call in. Also in the next week, we will be unveiling a telephone line and app that will tell people, ‘Where’s my ride?,'" says Barnett.
In addition to new hires, Barnett says customers can expect to hear some of the same voices when they call and see some of the same drivers they've known. Prices also remain the same, ranging from $1.60 to $2.00.
"I do believe our service is going to get better. It will take some time as we manage this change, but I do think some better days are coming," says Barnett.
Caudill says he appreciates the services but wants to see improvements. “I hope they get respect for the customers. I hope that this will light a fire underneath their butt and that we can get better service all around,” says Caudill.
Lextran's Barnett does apologize to customers who have experienced delays. Again, she says she does believe that with more time the service will improve.
