Hi Pulseline! This is in regarding PTVA Transit that is needed for the town of Southwick. In Southwick there are a lot of seniors and persons who have disabilities who don’t have transportation, who don’t have a car or can’t drive who need to get to doctor’s appointments or just get shopping and are in need of transportation. You seniors out there and you people that have disabilities that can’t get around should start calling your elected officials and town selectmen so we can get a PTVA transit buses to come out to our town. Southwick is the only town that does not have PTVA transit for seniors or persons with disabilities, even though they have it in the surrounding towns, such as Westfield, Feeding Hills, etc. When I spoke to somebody at the senior center in Southwick, they have a van but only for limited hours and limited days. They have to be home, if they take the senior bus from the Southwick senior center, they have to be home by 12:00. They have to be back in Southwick by 12:00 and it only goes certain days. So if you have to see a doctor in Springfield or go to the hospital for a test you can’t be sure by getting out by or be home by 12:00 for them to pick you up. So, you’re able to not get an appointment only in the morning, if you’re lucky and you know how hard it is to get doctor’s appointments or to have tests at hospitals. But the PTVA transit you can use at any time as I understand it if you call the day before. They drop you off. They’ll pick you up. And it runs five days a week from morning to 5:00 at night or 6 p.m. as I understand it. Many people in this town need this transit. We have many people with disabilities and many seniors here that can’t drive. We have many people who could use this service. But our town officials have refused for years to contract with PTVA to come out into Southwick, telling one senior years ago, “Why don’t you move?” When you have no transportation, when you have to go somewhere, you are desperate that you have to go, but you can’t. So, you’re pretty well isolated here. If more seniors called their elected officials in the town of Southwick and stopped staying quiet and griping behind closed doors, maybe we can somebody to address this issue of why we are the only town which does not have PTVA transit bus and we’re not able to get the transportation needed. The Southwick senior center that I contacted, like I said, their buses are very limited and run only certain times and you have to be picked up early in the morning at 8:00 and be home by 12:00. Well, I’m sorry. If your appointment is at 10:00 you can’t get out by 12:00, out of a hospital for a test and you can’t get picked up at 8:00 and hang around a doctor’s office all that time. Especially people with disabilities. So, wake up, town of Southwick! We need PTVA in this town. We need to have our seniors be able to get rides five days a week during the day, a ride to and from where they have to go. And I think its about time somebody addressed this problem. So, all you seniors or persons with disability that can’t get transportation or are having a hard time and feel isolated please call your town officials, call your selectmen and also call your representatives and your senators and let’s see if we can get something done. I’d like to hear from you. Thank you.
Yes, this is in response to Tuesday’s PulseLine with the glass on the bike trail and the senior citizen blowing their tire. I hope they find these kids who did it. Make them repair the senior citizen’s tire and make the parents clean the glass up.
Hi! I’d like to thank you guys for printing The Westfield News on Columbus Day and these other half-holidays. I really miss it when I don’t have the Westfield News to read. Thank you.
