Effectiveness of Todays ADA Facilities (for Disabled)

I don't ride transit that often so I haven't had many chances to observe persons using wheelchairs. When I do ride (mainly Boston's MBTA) I see numerous instances of doors closing before people can get off. I would expect that older but post 1970 light rail systems with wheelchair lifts would be more "handicapped friendly" since the operator, having loaded someone in a wheelchair, will know where that person wants to get off and escort him/her accordingly. On the most modern systems with stepless boarding, the operator is less aware of persons in wheelchairs and it is left to nearby passengers to help anyone who is more infirm. (If I am near the door I will hold the door for persons alighting but not for persons boarding.)

Could problems of this kind be discouraging transit use by persons using wheelchairs?

Frankly in New York City I see very few disabled people riding the subway. I can't even remember the last time I saw one. Mostly I see them on the buses. In fact I have gotten so used to it I hardly notice them anymore. The bus operators do a great job. I praised one in a letter to the MTA -- I had to, he went 'above and beyond' -- and to my surprise they notified me they were giving him a commendation. Nice!

On commuter rail the disabled -- especially in wheelchairs or blind -- are also pretty rare, at least in New York. Occasionally I'll hear a crew member say over the intercom, "We got a wheelchair."

I recall a couple years ago while visiting Boston a lady in a wheelchair arrived to catch a Boston-bound MBCR train. I think it was at Beverly. She had to wait all by herself at the end of the platform, up on the high-level ADA platform. When she was about to wheel herself up the ramp she called to me and asked would I make sure the conductor knew she was there. She seemed sorta sad and lonely and I naturally said I'd be glad to help. Not easy for people getting around in wheelchairs.

The crew saw her as they arrived (probably the engineer spotted her first and alerted the train crew). They stopped at the ADA platform first and put her on the train before making the regular station stop. It was nice to see the crewmen put her at ease.

Reminded me of that line from a Tennessee Williams play about "being dependent on the kindness of strangers."