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Yesterday, police were looking for the driver of a white van that hit a 71 year old pedestrian at Boston Road and Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. And now it turns out the white van was one from Access-A-Ride, the MTA-administered service (private companies are contracted to operate vans) that shuttles people with disabilities who are unable to use the subway or buses.
Juan Rodriguez was crossing the street at 5PM when a van driven by Lamont Weiters hit him. A witness saw the accident and called the police with the van's license plate number. The police found the abandoned van and arrested 31 year old Weiters, charging him with assault and leaving the scene of an accident. Rodriguez is still in critical condition at St. Barnabas Hospital.
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I have always thought that most Access-A-Ride drivers are awful and downright dangerous. Speeding sharply around corners, shifting lanes in an almost haphazard fashion. Wait, I caught myself and I just described 75% of the drivers in NYC. Actually, I'm surprised we don't hear about more accidents involving Access-A-Ride vans.
I always figured the access a ride vans would be responsible for a multi-car pileup, not a hit and run. They are extremely careless drivers and I always make sure to avoid being anywhere near them on the road. I don't want to be in the lane next to one when it starts weaving.
To begin with, those vans are at least as wide as NYC traffic lanes and add obviously careless drivers to the mix and I'm surprised they don't leave a trail of destruction in their wake.
I know it's a little after the fact now, but someone seriously needs to clean up the access a ride program. Either that or we should all start taking note of their reckless driving and start taking down their van numbers and complaining. I'm going to be the first to take my own advice.
these access-a-ride guys are the worst f-ing drivers in brooklyn. and that's saying something. this is not a surprise.
Anything in a white van = bad driver.
Access-a-Ride drivers are the most unprofessional, downright dangerous drivers on the road, whether or not they passengers in their vehicles. Watch for them the next time you are on a city highway or street... they will speed, run yellow and red lights, tailgate and generally disobey traffic regulations. It's a wonder that these guys are allowed to transport the elderly disabled, paraplegics etc... or that they have licenses at all.
besides bad driving. they are a waste of money, it would be cheaper for the city just to pay taxi's to ferry people around. those mini buses are not necessary. they are huge and ferry up to one person per trip!!!!! i mean come on waste of city money.
These Access-A-Ride drivers are maniacs - even worse than those jerk-off's that drive towncars -
I've almost been hit by an access-a-ride, like, five times. f-ers.
I'm surprised to find myself in the position of defending them - they are terribly slow and unreliable for thier passengers - but all of the Access-A-Rides I've taken (while accompanying a disbled relative) were reasonably courteous and law-abiding. The vans do carry more than one passenger per trip, which sucks because if you're trying to get from Manhattan to Queens, you may have to pick up/drop off several other fares en route. Their trip routing is not the most efficient.
Cabs don't necessarily have the same accessibility as the vans. They will authorize use of a cab if the van is very late (or doesn't show at all) but that's not really useful if your legs don't work or bend properly.
As a surface transit rider, I'd much prefer to have the Access-A-Ride vans than having MORE wheelchairs, etc. trying to board the bus. It takes 90 minutes to go 7.5 miles as it is.
It's so surprising to me that Acccess-a-Ride drivers are so terrible considering that MTA bus drivers are generally excellent drivers. As a frequent bicyclist and motorist, I always pay special attention to those Access-a-Ride vans, because I have had so many close calls with them in the past.