Susan Higginbotham: TRACS service lacking

In the midst of all of the back-patting about the Triangle’s high rankings in various livability and business surveys, let us pause to consider TRACS, the transportation system for disabled persons in Wake County’s outlying areas.

My son, who is autistic, uses TRACS to get home from his job (using it to get there is not an option, as TRACS is not timely enough). To schedule a ride, my husband and I must begin calling at 7 a.m. and often spend a half hour redialing until we reach an operator. Once we reach one, there’s a good chance we’ll be told that the roster is full. (Pick-ups cannot be scheduled online or more than one day in advance.)

If we are lucky enough to schedule a pick-up (which costs $4 each way, considerably more than a bus), there is no guarantee that the driver will actually show up. Three times during the past month, TRACS has canceled my son’s ride.

Once, we were told the driver could not find my son’s workplace. Another time, TRACS was short a driver. Another day, a summer rain threw TRACS into chaos.

Can’t Wake County do any better than this for its disabled residents?

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Susan Higginbotham: TRACS service lacking."