Eugene weekly., December 28, 2017, Page 7, Image 7

NEWS
B Y M I R A N D A D AV I D U K
Congratulations, MaryAnn!
PAW PRINTS
LTD launches pilot program to facilitate
approval of service animals on public transportation
A
lmost everywhere he goes, veteran Robert Hendrix of Eugene brings along his
longhaired Chihuahua. Although Little Man is a service dog, Hendrix often gets
stopped, questioned and sometimes even harassed for having a dog with him.
“I don’t have an apparent disability, and he doesn’t look like a service dog,”
Hendrix said.
This has made daily life, including public transportation use, challenging. Although
Hendrix knows many Lane Transit District drivers, before boarding each bus he is asked
the same two questions: Is this service animal required because of a disability? And what
work or task has this animal been trained to perform?
Over the past five years, LTD has witnessed increased frustration from passengers re-
peatedly answering service animal questions, according to Cosette Rees, LTD customer
and accessible service manager. Motivated by his experiences with Little Man, Hendrix
contacted Rees to find a solution.
Beginning Jan. 1, LTD will launch a voluntary pilot program to benefit passengers with
service dogs. Anyone who participates will meet with LTD customer service representa-
tives and, upon satisfactorily answering the two questions, will receive a paw-print sticker
on their LTD card. The agency says the program will increase boarding speeds and elimi-
nate time drivers spend questioning passengers with service dogs.
Some riders have to answer the questions two or three times a day if making transfers or
taking multiple trips on an LTD bus. As a veteran and spokesperson for Eugene’s Veterans
Advocacy Council, Hendrix worries that frequent questioning could trigger post-traumatic
stress disorder episodes for veterans with service animals.
Service dogs are permitted to accompany someone with a disability anywhere the pub-
lic is normally allowed. Though each state is required under federal law to permit service
animals on public transit, Rees said Lane County’s pilot program is unique and hopes it can
serve as an example for other transit districts.
Pets and emotional support dogs are allowed on LTD buses provided they are in a pet
carrier.
The American with Disabilities Act became a law in 1990 and sought to address disabil-
ity discrimination and accessibility. Back then, according to Hendrix, service dogs were
primarily associated with hear-
ing or visually impaired persons.
Though no one is likely to protest
a physically impaired person with
a service dog, Hendrix said, those
with non-apparent disabilities of-
ten face scrutiny.
Funding for the program came
from an Oregon Department of
Transportation grant and stipulates
— ROBERT HENDRIX, VETERAN
that a survey be conducted after
the program to learn if anyone felt
his rights were violated, as well as
to garner general feedback on the
program. LTD will then share the
information with other national transportation agencies.
“LTD does a lot of unique things, so we get a lot of grants and funding because we’ve
been recognized as relatively innovative in the services we provide,” says Therese Lang,
LTD’s public information officer.
Passengers needing special assistance, including those with service animals, are eligible
for half fare. Current cards will be expiring. All passengers with an Easy Access card will
be asked to visit the LTD customer service counter to get a free replacement. This will al-
low LTD to ask if passengers want to be part of the service animal pilot project.
“One of the things we are trying to do is make a simpler, easier and more efficient vol-
untary option for our regular riders with service animals,” LTD accessible service specialist
John Ahlen says.
Prior to the program’s launch, all bus operator, public safety officers and LTD employ-
ees who interact with customers will be specially trained to understand the program and
that it is entirely voluntary. During training, LTD is also emphasizing that there are no
breed or weight restrictions for service animals and encouraging employees to contact a
supervisor if ever unsure about a situation.
“It’s a good thing for the customer, and it takes the pressure off the bus operator to have
to ask the questions,” Rees says.
“People who don’t have obvious disabilities don’t want to advertise them and having a
service animal is an identifier,” Lang says. “This program is a step in the right direction to
make it easier for people to get on the bus without calling attention to themselves.”
Lang said she hopes the pilot program will be a model on the national level to better
accommodate passengers with disabilities.
Hendrix says he appreciates how receptive LTD’s customer service department has
been in accommodating accessible needs passengers. “I’m so excited about this program,”
he says. “It won’t solve everything, but it will make things a lot easier for everyone.”
‘I don’t have an apparent
disability, and he doesn’t
look like a service dog.’
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eugeneweekly.com • December 28, 2017
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