Access A Ride

[Awibrandy]

Good morning to all.

What would you do if your senior citizen parents were put through the following?

My parents are 80 & 87 years young. They cannot take the subways any longer do to the many stairs involved. So I had them apply for access a ride for some of their travels because I cannot do it all for them.

This past Thursday they came out to visit us via Access A Ride. The trip back home is the one that I will speak of today.

They were picked up at 5:45 PM for what should have been a 45 minute trip back to their place. The trip ended up being a very long, and miserable 2 hours.

For starters I thought they would have a great ride home as they were picked up by a TLC vehicle because Access A Ride did not have a bus or car coming out to the Rock. TLC buses & cars do not have the smoothest rides.
Now here is what transpired:
First the driver was constantly on his cell talking with friends, wife, and his employer. This made my parents nervous because they felt the guy was not paying attention to the road.
Secondly, and the most disturbing to me is that he ran out of gas on Queens Blvd. He then pulled over to the side of the road (not really sure where. Did he pull over to the service road, or just on the shoulder). He then left my parents in the Van with windows closed, he walked away with a gas can. My parents although frighten did not call me. He came back 10 to 15 minutes later, poured the gas in the tank, and put the empty gas can in the back of the van. My mom had to ask him to please open the windows because they couldn't breath, and were feeling nausea's, and light headed. He did open the windows a bit for a little while.
Thirdly he missed their exit off of the FDR, which convinced my parents that the driver was in fact not paying attention.

The driver repeatedly asked my parents to "please don't call the office. Please don't file a complaint", before, and after he left them stranded in the van while he went to purchase gas.

My husband, and one of my sons want me to file a complaint against the driver. My mom says no. She worries that he is a young man with a baby, and wife (there was a baby car seat in the van). Mom does not want to cause him his job. My husband insist that he should be reported, and that reporting him will not cause him his job because he does not work directly for Access A Ride.
I feel like we don't have the whole story. We have no way of knowing if his vehicles gas gauge just went bad on him, and therefor he had no way of knowing that he was running out of gas. Secondly we have no way of knowing where exactly was it that he parked the van with my parents in it.
Was it on the service road, or on the shoulder?

Obviously now my step dad does not want to ride with Access A Ride.

What do you good folks think?

 

[thirty6]

Is this a service that you pay for?

I would call the company. It's clearly not the first time the diver was in such a situation and is nervous about a complaint. Running out of gas in nonsense, and the phone thing I easily loved w a blue tooth device..... If he has a child or family that depends on him. Shame on Jim for conducting himself in that matter and putting dependent people t a possible risk. I always thought people fired basically fired themselves by putting a boss in a situation that was unacceptable. I not men financial scenarios either, but lazy or incompetent or just stupid conduct

 

[dubs]

i would still file a complian maybe if this goes uncharted the next people inline will have worse experience just tell his office ur not trying to get him caned but still cart his activety and sorry for ur parents ordeal

 

[Awibrandy]

Is this a service that you pay for?

I would call the company. It's clearly not the first time the diver was in such a situation and is nervous about a complaint. Running out of gas in nonsense, and the phone thing I easily loved w a blue tooth device..... If he has a child or family that depends on him. Shame on Jim for conducting himself in that matter and putting dependent people t a possible risk. I always thought people fired basically fired themselves by putting a boss in a situation that was unacceptable. I not men financial scenarios either, but lazy or incompetent or just stupid conduct

Yes, this is a payed for service. I don't know if he had a blue tooth device or not. Thing with being on the phone be it with a blue tooth or hand held is that you can get distracted. I have had that happen a couple of times. So I now answer the call, make sure it is not an emergency, and tell the other person that I will call them back as soon as I can.
I hear you loud, and clear. I also think hubby is right that he will only loose the opportunity to work with Access A Ride seeing how he has TLC (cabby) plates. Meaning he won't loose his job altogether. I will explain this to my mom.

i would still file a complian maybe if this goes uncharted the next people inline will have worse experience just tell his office ur not trying to get him caned but still cart his activety and sorry for ur parents ordeal

That is what has had me post this here. I just keep thinking about the "what if".

Thanks for responding guys!! I really appreciate your input....:hug:

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

By filing the complaint you may save the life of the next person he may strand on queens blvd without his or her heart medication!!! Some people dont do there job so they should be removed so someone else can, i work in a hospital in queens and i see alot of these skells dropping off patiants and they look like ruffed up gypsy cab drivers !! Dont get me wrong i am certain that alot of them do the right thing , but there is no room for guys like the one that traumatized your parents!!! I mean who in gods name runs out of gas anymore these days.


He was pleading with them because he knew he was wrong........ Do yourself , your parents , and society a favor and pick up that phone ! Just dont tell your parents , but please dont let this injustice go on , cause im sure he went home that night and told his friends the story as if it was a big joke!!


P.s. Having a child seat in a work vehicle for personal use is a big no,no, ! Or maybe its for seniors who tote there grandkids!!.

 

[Awibrandy]

By filing the complaint you may save the life of the next person he may strsnd on queens blvd without his or her heart medication!!! Some people dont do there job so they should be removed so someone elses can, i work in a hospital in queens and i see alot of these skells dropping off patiants and they look like ruffed up gypsy cab drivers !! Dont get me wrong i am certain that alot of them do the right thing , but there is no room for guys like the one that traumatized your parents!!! I mean who in gods name runs out of gas anymore!,?

I hear you! I will be talking to my mom some more on this. I know how she feels about being the person who possible took a man's job away from him. But like you said I worry about the next time.
All I keep thinking about is that fact that I don't know where he actually parked. I have this nightmare of the van with my parents in it on the main road of Queens Blvd., and a Mack truck driver not realizing that it is not moving, and driving right into the back of the van.
To answer your "?". Well, if your gas gauge goes; it is possible.

I know I give people the benefit of the doubt to a fault at times. Guess I got that from my mom. Always look for the good in people!!

He was pleading with them because he knew he was wrong........ Do yourself , your parents , and society a favor and pick up that phone ! Just dont tell your parents , but please dont let this injustice go on , cause im sure he went home that night and told his friends the story as if it was a big joke!!


P.s. Having a child seat in a work vehicle for personal use is a big no,no, ! Or maybe its for seniors who tote there grandkids!!.

I have to tell them, because I have get their ID number from them. Arg That really would burn " told his friends the story as if it was a big joke!!"

Actually, I believe cabbies have to have child seats in their vehicle in case they pick up a passenger with a small child.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

Yes but good people are far in between , and the likelyhood of gas gauges going bad is highly unlikely , i applaude your open heart for the average working man , but in this instance your parents safety was at risk and its just not fare, and who knows how bad this guy operates on a daily!! I mean all that was missing was him smoking a cigar! ( scratch that last one i love cigars lol)

 

[Awibrandy]

Yes but good people are far in between , and the likelyhood of gas gauges going bad is highly unlikely , i applaude your open heart for the average working man , but in this instance your parents safety was at risk and its just not fare, and who knows how bad this guy operates on a daily!! I mean all that was missing was him smoking a cigar! ( scratch that last one i love cigars lol)

Thanks! I will be talking to my parents in depth about the situation!!!!

As to the cigar; that really would have taken the cake.lol But you forgot about the can of beer in the paper bag with the straw.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

This is true but i didnt want to seem so stereotypical lol , i hope it works out and im glad your parents are ok, it sometimes takes such harrowing situations to place life in perspective from time to time.

Good luck , and let me know what comes of it.

 

[Awibrandy]

This is true but i didnt want to seem so stereotypical lol , i hope it works out and im glad your parents are ok, it sometimes takes such harrowing situations to place life in perspective from time to time.

Good luck , and let me know what comes of it.

Hahahahaha

Will do!

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

A professional driver has the responsibility of driving safely, if your parents do feel that they are endangered, it should be reported.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thank you Wingo...:hug:

 

[skene]

I agree on all points. This person should be reported.
Cell phone driving - bad
Leaving vehicle unattended with passengers - bad
Leaving gas container in a vehicle with passengers - extremely bad

All of these are a recipe for disaster. There are too many what ifs if you leave it alone. Think about it... if no one said anything would they only be doing the right thing..? Or are they prolonging the inevitable and be glad they walked away unscaved... what should happen to the next passengers or any other future passengers due the incompetent behavior of this driver.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

Skene is dead on!!!!

 

[Awibrandy]

Yes, I know! Those are all the things I have been struggling with for the past 3 nights.

I just have to get my mom to understand this as well, and hope that she gives me my dad's ID number since it was with his card that they traveled out here with.

Thanks guys!

 

[rbtwo4]

Awi i understand your mom but id report him. you live and learn from your mistakes. whos not to say he does it again and causes a family to lose their mom and dad. i know times are rough but he should know better than to be on a cell phone in NYS. how long has the law been out???

 

[thirty6]

Don't tell your mother what you report, just say you advised the company you weren't happy with the service.... Somewhat the truth

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Report them Awilda.

As stated before not paying attention while talking on a cell phone. Missing exits, running out of gas. If the gauge wasn't working he should fill the tank at the beginning of each shift and top it off at the half way mark just to be safe.

Not to mention that when I was a fireman the last few years I was also an Engine Chauffer- pump operator and the worst drivers I saw on the road BY FAR were those access a ride vans. They act like they have the right of way over everybody and drive like complete morons. The only people I ever had intentionally not get out of my way while responding lights and sirens--guess who? them.

If he really cared about his job and the well being of his passengers none of what happened to your poor parents would have happened, including the gas can in the van with closed windows.

My feeling is this is the norm for him and he may be on his last chance with them but yet he can't straighten his act out then either? 1 complaint doesnt lose anyone their job, multiple do.

Hope your parents never have this hapen to them again and I'm sorry to hear it happened to them in the first place.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thank you guys!!!!

I spoke with my mom again, and explained it to her again. I also told her basically what all of you guys said, and she has now agreed to calling in the complaint.:happysad: Especially when I told her that she may possibly safe a life, and the fact that there would have to be more then her complain for him to be fired.
I know have my dad's ID number, so I will be calling the company tomorrow morning.

Jimmy, this was NOT an Access A Ride driver. It was a free lance TLC driver that AAR sent because all their AAR drivers were otherwise occupied. In the past they have sent them other free lance driver with no issues.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

AHH ok well I still have never been happy with what I've seen them do on the roadfs. Especially that it was a different driver Id follow through. best of luck with it all Awilda