Using Lynx with a wheelchair

[goofieslonglostsis]

Hi guys,

I'm curious what your experience has been using Lynx with a wheelchair. I've already checked out their website and know public transportation should be very duable in the US (when will our knuckleheads finally learn? ) but I'm curious about real life experiences.

What are your do's and dont's, tips and heads up?

At the moment, the plan is to catch the 111 and check out the Florida Mall. (read; do some serious damage to my bankaccount ). Since we're staying at SSR, it would probably make more sence to hop on and off the bus at the DTD Westside, not at TTC.

We'll also be hitting a Walmart supercentre, not sure yet how we'll do that. Knowing our habits, the return would be easier with a cab. Unlike the bus where I'll take along my powerchair, we tend to do cabs with my manual chair. It means decreased mobility for me, but for Walmart that's ok and we prefer the option of using basically any cab versus needing to book one accessible for my powerchair in advance. I mean; we're shopping, who knows when we're done?

Not sure yet about other malls we'll be hitting. Any experience with other malls etc. in combo with Lynx is also very welcome!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

About a year ago I talked with a person in Mears' management about accessible cabs. He said they had 21 taxis that were accessible and the cost was just the same as regular taxicabs. He did suggest that calls be made in advance to cut down on wait times.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

About a year ago I talked with a person in Mears' management about accessible cabs. He said they had 21 taxis that were accessible and the cost was just the same as regular taxicabs. He did suggest that calls be made in advance to cut down on wait times.

That's why* we've always decided to resort to using my manual chair -which taken apart fits in any trunk- when using a cab. It gives us that bit more flexibility with not having to plan in advance and/or spend more valuable time waiting.

As long as I can still manage something like Walmart with a manual chair, this works out OK for us and means somebody else that doesn't have the choice can use one of the 21 available cabs.


*Have to add though that I am beyond spoiled with my home cab service of always having an accessible cab on hand with the driver waiting on site for me to finish whatever I'm doing to take me back after I'm finished without a wait. And yet this nutcase is serious about also using public transportation and exited about it.

 

[pugdog]

We took a wheelchair taxi from CSR to walmart. Never waited more then 20 minutes both ways.

Using Lynx was also very easy.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Hi guys,

I'm curious what your experience has been using Lynx with a wheelchair.

I used Lynx five years ago or so to go the Super Walmart out past Celebration.

Worked OK. The bus had a lift at the front door so access was easy. You have to make a sharp turn behind the driver, so it might not be easy in a scooter. The driver didn't tie me down. That particular Super Walmart was set back down a side road some distance from the bus stop. Because there was no sidewalk on the side road, I had to ride in the road. Of course, there might be a sidewalk now.

Florida Mall is a long ride from Disney, even in a cab. The 111 would take even longer!

I used wheelchair cabs extensively in September last year. One cab driver told me that Mears has changed the rules for wheelchair pick-ups making far more wheelchair taxis available on site at Disney. As you may know, Mears owns all of the taxi companys in Orlando (5 or 6 of them), but they have divided Orlando into zones, with each company allocated an operation zone. Only one company was allowed to pick up from Disney. The new rules allow any wheelchair cab to pick up at Disney, so the available wheelchair cabs jumped from 7 to 21! Much much better.

I also found that cab drivers were keen to give you their business cards, inviting to to phone them direct on their mobiles rather than the cab company. That way, there is a very good chance your cab will be waiting for you, or failing that, the driver will tell you when he will arrive.

Andrew

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Pugdog, Andrew, thanks for both of your postings!

Andrew, we know it's a bit of a distance to Florida Mall, but we don't mind. When using the DTD Westside busstop, it's about 30 minutes of a bus drive. It saves a lot of time not having to hop onto the 111 at the TTC (and being at SSR, thus being pretty close to DTD Westside). The 30 minutes or so isn't too bad for us.

Good to know it's a sharp turn after entering the bus. Not a problem at all with my powerchair, but good info to know anyway (and those that can't make sharp turns).

Not tying down the chair? Yeiks.

Do you happen to know which line you took to get to the Supercenter Walmart?

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Do you happen to know which line you took to get to the Supercenter Walmart?

Lynx 56

Andrew

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Lynx 56

Andrew

Thanks!