ATLANTA — A longtime MARTA Mobility rider says a change in how drivers handle canceled appointments could put passengers in potentially unsafe situations.
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Matthew Smith, who has relied on MARTA Mobility for 20 years, says he was left waiting for three hours earlier this week after his doctor’s appointment was canceled while he was already on his way.
Smith says that in the past, drivers would take him back home if an appointment was canceled mid-trip. But this time, he says the driver told him that wasn’t an option and dropped him off at his scheduled destination.
Smith says he had to wait three hours for another ride.
“The whole dropping somebody off at a location and waiting three hours just sitting around in a random location, you might not know, you’re alone, that can be scary for a lot of people,” Smith said.
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Smith says Mobility riders are a vulnerable population.
“They really have to do better. It’s not just inconvenient, but it can be downright unsafe for a lot of people,” Smith said.
MARTA says its policy has not changed, but the way it is being enforced may be different.
In a statement, MARTA said,
“MARTA Mobility has not changed its policies. If an appointment is cancelled mid-trip, standard procedure is to drop the Mobility passenger off at their scheduled destination, unless the location is closed. If the location is closed, the operator will return the rider home at the first available opportunity according to their schedule.
Under ADA guidelines, MARTA is not required to make same-day trip adjustments as long as the passenger is not left stranded (having a booked return trip means they are not considered stranded). However, if a Mobility customer wants to book an earlier return trip home, dispatch will accommodate the request as soon as service capacity and availability allow."
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