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Warning About Accessible Transportation in Miami


kitty9
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For a recent cruise out of Miami, I researched for a company to provide transportation for me, my scooter and my sister from the airport to the Port of Miami. We agreed upon the pick up date and time, and the kind of vehicle I needed, which was a minivan with a ramp into the car. Everything worked out well, so I booked transportation with the same company at the end of the cruise. We were off the ship by 8:30 so we waited for our 9:15 pick up. He never showed up. I called the company, and during the first call, the man said the car and driver would be there in 10 minutes. Nope, no car. I called the office again, and they did not answer the phone, so I left 3 messages, with no response. I sent two emails, and again, nothing. We waited until 10:30 and finally had to call for an accessible taxi, which took 20 minutes to get there. Thankfully, our flight didn’t leave until 1:40, so we were ok on that end.

 

The company is iTransport Services. Beware of them.

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Our last taxi from the Port of Miami to the Airport was just one we waited in line for out front. The cab director had one for us in 10 minutes but all our luggage was in before I saw the back. It had a ramp but was not a deep enough space for my stand size Quickie manual chair. I had to remove my footrests and then the driver put my feet up on the area behind the back seat. He tied down all 4 areas but at the speed he took corners I went up on my right side wheel and caster twice. The first time he saw it and pulled over, checked his tie downs then yelled at me for undoing my brakes! Ah, no! I started looking for a seat belt then.

 

Between the taxis and the airport employees that do the carry on, carry off and about dislocated shoulders we are not flying through there again. Fort Lauderdale may be a drive but it is a safer one.

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Back in January, we had another cruise out of Miami and I told the taxi guy I needed an accessible taxi to the hotel. He refused to call for one and told me to get into the first taxi. I said I can't do a regular taxi, and he told me if I didn't get it to that car, I wasn't going to get into any one as long as he was working. My sister had to lift the scooter into the trunk, without any help from the driver, and I had to struggle into the small taxi.

 

Miami is a horrible airport.

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  • 1 month later...
Back in January, we had another cruise out of Miami and I told the taxi guy I needed an accessible taxi to the hotel. He refused to call for one and told me to get into the first taxi. I said I can't do a regular taxi, and he told me if I didn't get it to that car, I wasn't going to get into any one as long as he was working. My sister had to lift the scooter into the trunk, without any help from the driver, and I had to struggle into the small taxi.

 

Miami is a horrible airport.

 

That is absolutely shameful! Even in Cozumel the taxi drivers found someone to lift my scooter into the back of a van to take me to the beach. Totally unacceptable!

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I had a miserable experience in Miami last year. The night before the cruise, the hotel called for a wheelchair accessible taxi to arrive at 11. After waiting a half hour, we called taxi company. No answer. We started calling other taxi companies. Most had no answer while others couldn't promise when it would show up. 2 hours later and crying on the phone begging for someone to pick us up, a wheelchair taxi finally came to get me and my 2 kids. I will NEVER stay in Miami again before a cruise. More wheelchair taxis in Ft. Lauderdale and then I use the cruise line shuttle from airport. Less stress.

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Unfortunately the cruise line shuttles are not scooter friendly. Since I can’t climb steps, the cruise line buses are a no go.

 

RCCL , Princess and Disney have always provided me a shuttle with an accessible lift to accomodate my scooter.

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Carnival and Disney have buses from airports to cruise ships with lifts for wheelchairs or scooters. You have to call the cruise line to set up the bus. We have done 7 cruises without a problem.

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Back in January, we had another cruise out of Miami and I told the taxi guy I needed an accessible taxi to the hotel. He refused to call for one and told me to get into the first taxi. I said I can't do a regular taxi, and he told me if I didn't get it to that car, I wasn't going to get into any one as long as he was working. My sister had to lift the scooter into the trunk, without any help from the driver, and I had to struggle into the small taxi.

 

Miami is a horrible airport.

 

Please contact the ADA coordinator for the airport. This is against the law. You can also file a report with the DOT and the DOJ. if this happens.

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Another option is to book with SuperShuttle. The blue vans. They do have vans with a lift, but you may need to reserve quite a bit in advance. The national company has a strict ADA requirement of the franchise operators.

 

I had to file a complaint a couple of years ago when none of the drivers would transport my service dog in Atlanta. I called the corporate HQ and complained.

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