When I first started writing for Odyssey back in March, one of my first articles was of issues in dealing with paratransit. People who either know me or know the way paratransit is would figure out a way in dubbing the system a different name. Even with an article talking about some of the hatred towards paratransit, it doesn’t give the full picture of lessons acquired from commuting via paratransit. The lessons that I have learned in the five years of taking SCAT (Suffolk County Accessible Transportation) are as follows:

1. Keeping up with them

All the technology loving commuters are sick of this, including myself. We live in a time when we are so used to the ease of access going online, getting text notifications, getting emails, etc. Paratransit uses the method from the old days, and is still using that method: calling via telephone. Even though relay is the saving grace for me to communicate with SCAT in booking reservations and finding where my bus is to pick me up, it’s honestly a pain having to wait on them, keeping up with them, and figuring out a schedule to call them.

2. Being limited in where they go

SCAT is a paratransit company that only runs in Suffolk county. If any paratransit commuter wanted to go somewhere in Nassau county, or even Queens and further out, there is the hectic process of having to switch buses to get to where you want to go. If I wanted to go out somewhere, I have to plan so far in advance and be sure that where I go is specifically in Suffolk county/have plans in the afternoon.

3. Being limited in how long they run

Recently, there was an eruption on my high school class reunion page because some people brought up ideas and issues that should have been brought up a long time ago. I got the inspiration to give a full view about paratransit after someone told me that I should look into Lyft, Uber, etc. when I mentioned having to take SCAT with services cutting off at a specific time. I take SCAT because it is extremely accessible and I have methods from the back of my hands that are useful. SCAT ends services at exactly 8:30, and they only continue if you are someone who has late appointments for dialysis. In all the times I wanted to take night classes or do something at night, I am limited because of this rule and I would always need to ask someone to drive me home.

4. Scheduling in advance

In statement #3, I do mention having methods from the back of my hands. It’s true. I have to schedule so far in advance because you never really know who are going to get picked up or who are going to get dropped off. When I was commuting to college, I made the mistake my first semester calling an hour in advance considering how my college is only 30 minutes from where I live. After that, I figured that an hour and a half works better. With physical therapy being 10-15 minutes away, I schedule an hour in advance. Also with getting picked up to either go home or go to work, I give myself 30 minutes to go to the bathroom and also to get outside/find a comfortable spot. SCAT also requires paratransit commuters to call five days in advance, you basically have to know your schedule ahead of time.

5. Expect to be early/late

I absolutely hate this the most because you honestly never know what is going on. Every time I have had super early classes (8:00/8:30), it is so overbearing considering the fact that I just woke up/do not have the energy to go anywhere yet. SCAT shows up far too early that sometimes I have to skip breakfast and coffee just so I could get to where I need to be. SCAT can also show up extremely late that it makes me extremely impatient/irritated that I would have to call the dispatcher to find out where the bus is/how much longer to keep waiting.

6. Issues with no shows

Being treated as a no show sucks, and the same goes for every commuter. There is a specific time frame for commuters to prepare themselves to be ready to go on the bus. SCAT has a 30-minute window to wait at a specific location to pick someone up before automatically putting a person in as a no show. Even if you’ve been waiting for a long time and have to go to the bathroom, prepare yourself to risk being put down as a no show regardless of how long you have been waiting.

7. Blaming clients who have to commute

Paratransit tends to love playing the blame game, and they would easily get away with anything. This is most frustrating because even if we are where we have to be on time, paratransit does not bother trying to look for us and will make excuses. With me, this has definitely happened a few times. One time, I was at college at the time construction was going on and SCAT knew that they would have to go around to a side of the campus. Despite how security guards was telling the bus driver that day to go to the side where I was waiting, the bus left me on campus and I had to wait another half hour for another bus to pick me up

8. Difficulty with weather related issues

This is partly an issue with paratransit, and also with the college or business where clients have to be. There have definitely been days where it would be snowing, and my college decides to close their doors in the middle of the morning instead of doing that earlier. Because my college tends to alert the population in the middle of the morning, everyone who has to take SCAT to get home has to wait hours for a bus to come. The wait at my college can be extremely long that by the time SCAT gets there, it is an extremely dangerous and slow trip to get home safe.