"The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia""The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia"Home > Services > Transportation Program
Transportation is one of the foremost concerns for people with disabilities throughout West Virginia.
Transportation is provided by Mountain State Centers for Independent Living (MTSTCIL) for all consumers to activities in the Huntington and Beckley areas as well as outside Huntington or Beckley for special events. Transportation to activities such as Fair Shake Network meetings, the Disability Caucus, and to the Capitol are provided to all consumers who participate in those activities. Transportation to these events is also available to the general public at a cost of $4.00 per person, although priority is given to MTSTCIL consumers.
Due to the very limited public transportation available in Beckley, MTSTCIL has wheelchair accessible vans in order to provide transportation to consumers participating in activities at the Center. The vans are available to transport any consumer living in the service area, which includes all of Raleigh County to the Green Sulphur exit in Summers County and to Oak Hill in Fayette County. If you are interested in transportation to attend an activity at the Beckley Center or for more information on our transportation services in the Raleigh County area, please call 304-255-0122.
In Huntington, if consumers live within The Transit Authority's (TTA) bus routes and Dial-A-Ride service, they will need to use TTA to travel to activities at the center. MTSTCIL can assist consumers in filling out the necessary paper work for Dial-A-Ride or teach them how to ride the bus. The MTSTCIL vans are available to provide transportation to center activities for consumers who live outside TTA's service area in Cabell and Wayne counties. If activities take place after TTA hours, then consumers who usually use TTA will be able to use MTSTCIL transportation.
If you are interested in transportation to attend an activity at the Huntington Center or for more information on our transportation services in the Cabell and Wayne County area, please call 304-525-3324.
In addition to providing transportation, MTSTCIL staff continue to work on general transportation issues. Staff serve on numerous committees that address transportation, as well as keep abreast of any transportation issues that might affect people with disabilities.
It is the responsibility of all of our citizens to keep the state and federal government informed of the transportation concerns facing West Virginia. Government officials need to understand that maintaining an independent life style can be hampered by not having adequate transportation to shopping, medical and employment sites.
If you have a concern about transportation in your area, please contact our Center at 1-866-687-8245 and one of our advocates will help you contact local and state officials as well as your federal congressional representatives so that you will be able to access available transportation in your living area. If you have a complaint about an existing transportation service, you need to let that provider know of your concerns. If you don't receive a response, then you need to know how to file an appropriate complaint.
And if you receive good service from an existing transportation provider, you need to thank them for that, also! So often we only choose to complain, but when we find people doing good things, we need to let them know, so they will continue.
If you need help in filing a complaint, writing a letter of thanks to a transportation provider, or contacting government officials, MTSTCIL advocacy programs can provide you with skills training workshops on letter writing, self-advocacy skills, and filing complaints.
Contact the West Virginia Center for Independent Living nearest to you for more information on transportation.
