The Ohio State University is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff with disabilities can freely and actively participate in all facets of University life; to providing and coordinating support services and programs that enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential, and to increasing the level of awareness among all members of the University. Through the Office for Disability Services and Transportation & Parking Services, the University believes that services provided comply fully with, and in many cases exceed, the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Services Provided for Students, Faculty, and Staff With Disabilities:

Handivan: Monday through Friday has door-to-door pick-up from 6:45 a.m. to Midnight. Services only disabled students, faculty, and staff, on request, within a two-mile radius of campus. This provides services to a broader geographical area than are available to non-disabled students. There are 259 registered users of the services, almost all of whom are students.

Handivan provides additional service during peak-demand hours Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:30 p.m. until Midnight for disabled students to travel off campus for shopping/eating/other recreational activities.

Fixed-route bus service for all students, faculty, and staff, Monday through Friday, runs 6:45 a.m. until Midnight. Total fleet of 23 buses, 10 of which are equipped with lifts to support disabled students. Also, all new bus purchases do include lifts.

Weekend service: For all students, faculty, and staff, a lift equipped bus continuously runs a fixed campus route (between north and south campus) from Friday at Midnight until Monday at 6:45 a.m. Also, one lift-equipped bus runs between Buckeye Village from 7 a.m. until Midnight.

Avenues for Service Feedback:

Ohio State/COTA Advisory Committee: Has met on a regular basis since the Summer of 1997. Allows input from any member of the campus community regarding transportation services provided by COTA. Many issues have been addressed via the Advisory Committee. The next meeting of the Advisory Committee is Thursday, February 4, 1999, at 4 p.m. in Room 101, Student Affairs, 33 West 11th Ave.

Handivan Rider Quarterly Meeting: Riders meet with drivers and supervisors to provide input and suggestions for improved services.

Handivan Rider Survey: As a follow-up to the recent CABS survey about fixed-route bus service to the campus community, the University has initiated a Handivan survey in alternate formats (i.e., Braille, audio, etc.) to be distributed to all registered Handivan riders by February 12, 1999. Riders will have up to 30 days to respond, and results will be tabulated soon thereafter with the intent to begin implementing appropriate changes. A specific focus of the survey is on weekend service needs. All information derived from the survey will be shared with COTA and any other interested parties.

In response to an expressed need during this transitional period, the University will offer an enhancement on a trial basis of weekend Handivan service. Handivan Saturday service will begin January 30th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Effective February 5th, this service will be extended to include Friday evening from Midnight until 1 a.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. until 1 a.m. Sunday; and Sunday 8 a.m. until Midnight. This trial service will continue and may be modified in accordance with ridership needs and information derived from the rider survey.

Driver Training: Office for Disability Services provides sensitivity training to all CABS vehicle operators on an annual basis. All 70 drivers have participated in this training.

Communications with COTA: The Office for Disability Services and Transportation and Parking Services have met with COTA Mainstream staff in order to further enhance communication and service for Ohio State students, faculty, and staff. Discussions with COTA on how to improve service to the Ohio State community are continuing.

Contract negotiations between Ohio State and COTA for an extension of services are continuing.

Contact:
Sarah Blouch, Director, Traffic, Parking & Transport, 614-292-9800;
Patrick Hall, Acting ADA Director, 614-292-0748