ATLANTIC COUNTY — Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson says the county has received numerous complaints about New Jersey's Access Link transportation service, after a local disability advocate described continuing difficulties getting reliable transportation.
The issue surfaced Tuesday on Talking with Anne on WOND, when Jacob Hackett, an advocate for people with disabilities, joined host Anne Baker to discuss barriers facing residents who depend on accessible transportation.
Hackett identified transportation as perhaps the most significant problem.
“Number one, most certainly number one, is the difficulty of being transported in efficient amounts of time,” Hackett said.
He also cited inaccessible buildings as a major concern but said transportation is the issue he most wants government officials to address.
“Something needs to be done in our state when it comes to transportation,” Hackett said.
Access Link is NJ Transit's complementary paratransit service for people with disabilities who are unable to use local fixed-route buses for some or all of their trips.
Hackett describes problems getting where he needs to go
Hackett told Baker that riders can encounter difficulties arranging trips and making sure dispatchers have the correct destinations.
He also described the experience of a friend in Mays Landing who he said lives just outside Access Link's service area.
According to Hackett, the woman has difficulty traveling independently and obtained a doctor's note requesting that Access Link pick her up at home.
“Her house is two blocks out of the service radius,” Hackett said. “And now she's fighting with Access Link for them to honor the doctor's note, which I think is absolutely ridiculous.”
That particular account was Hackett's description on the program and was not independently verified during the interview.
Hackett encouraged residents encountering similar difficulties to contact their local elected officials and ask for help obtaining adequate transportation.
Later in the program, he described his own difficulties arranging rides, prompting Baker to ask whether Levinson could join the conversation.
Within minutes, the Atlantic County executive was on the air.
Levinson offers county transportation as an alternative
Levinson emphasized an important distinction: Access Link is a state-operated service, while Atlantic County operates its own transportation program.
“We have county transportation,” Levinson said. “Access Link is a state-run transportation system.”
Levinson said Atlantic County's transportation program takes county residents to medical appointments as well as shopping, recreational activities and other destinations.
“You may want to contact us rather than Access Link,” Levinson told Hackett.
Hackett, who lives in Absecon, told Levinson he needs transportation for “a little bit of everything.”
“We transport within Atlantic County,” Levinson said. “We can take you where you have to go, and we can also pick you up.”
Levinson acknowledged that shared transportation can present scheduling challenges, particularly for medical appointments.
“If you have to be at the doctor's at 10 and someone else was late in the morning at 10:15 or 10:20, you get there late,” Levinson said.
Still, he encouraged Hackett to contact his office directly so county officials could determine what assistance is available.
“I want you to call my office and see what we can do, and we'll connect you with transportation,” Levinson said.
He provided Hackett with a county office telephone number and a specific contact.
“I don't know if we can help you because, of course, you're going out of county,” Levinson said, “but if we can, we're going to.”
‘I've gotten a lot of complaints’
The conversation broadened when Levinson addressed what he has heard about Access Link generally.
“Access Link, I've heard nothing but — well, I shouldn't say that,” Levinson said. “I've gotten a lot of complaints.”
Levinson said county officials themselves have encountered difficulties communicating with the service.
“We have problems when we call them, even getting a response from them,” Levinson said.
He acknowledged that Access Link operates statewide and may face challenges of its own.
“For whatever the reasons are, and I know it's statewide, so I guess they have their own problems,” Levinson said.
But he again told Hackett that Atlantic County would try to help.
“We'll take care of you, Jacob, if we can,” Levinson said.
County willing to work with state
Baker asked Levinson whether Atlantic County and the state could work together to improve transportation for residents with disabilities.
“We're more than available,” Levinson said. “We're cooperative.”
“If the state wants to contact us, we most certainly will listen,” he added.
But Levinson stressed that Atlantic County does not have authority over Access Link.
“We don't have power over Access Link,” he said.
Levinson said he was aware that Access Link had stopped serving some pickup locations, but he suggested residents experiencing problems with the state program also contact their state legislators.
“I wish I could say I could help you with Access Link, but that's a state-run facility,” Levinson said. “But call my office, talk to transportation, maybe we can help you out somewhere.”
A larger issue for residents with disabilities
For Hackett, the problem extends beyond his own transportation needs.
The 27-year-old told listeners he advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in Atlantic County and throughout New Jersey. His family also helped establish the South Jersey Field of Dreams, which provides opportunities for children and adults with disabilities to participate in baseball.
Hackett said transportation and physical accessibility can determine whether people with disabilities are able to work, attend appointments and participate fully in their communities.
When Baker asked what residents can do to help, Hackett's answer was to make elected officials aware of the problem.
“Go to your high levels of government, go to your mayors, go to your council people,” Hackett said, and ask: “Can you help me get adequate transportation needs, whatever the case may be?”
Tuesday's conversation produced at least one immediate result: Hackett left the program with a direct contact in Atlantic County government and a promise from Levinson that county officials would determine whether they could help.
“We have to work with certain parameters,” Levinson said. “And if we can help you out, we most certainly will.”
Before leaving the program, Levinson asked Hackett to keep him informed.
“Jacob, my very best to you,” Levinson said. “And let me know how you make out, please.”
About the Author
Scott Stephens
Scott has been an on-air personality, producer and newscaster for 30+ years. He has been a mainstay in the South Jersey Community and on the air across many different area stations. Scott can currently be heard on Kool 98.3 and News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.
