Do the Puyallup???

RantWoman does not apologize if the title is an out of date advertising slogan.

 Forget RantWoman's flirtation with the idea of a Friendly Neighborhood Center for Extreme Computing expedition to Burning Man.

Forget the biomedical fantasy of 3-printing new body parts to spec.

This week's task is, on short notice, consider a group trip to the Washington State Fair Events Center - Puyallup, WA (thefair.com) 

Today RantWoman only cares about the transportation piece. Can a group of people with wheelchairs and sundry mobility aids travel together, arrive not completely exhausted, have decent time to have fun at the fair, and get home at a reasonable hour?

Can RantWoman learn anything about such options from the fair website? Uhhhh, download an app and here are the instructions for PARKING. Also try Uber or Lyft.  No mention of bicycles. No mention of transit options let alone the transit stops.

Did RantWoman mention mobility aids?  Are Uber and Lyft known for reliable capacity to serve people with mobility devices? NO!!

So F+ about helping people with disabilities and other non-drivers make travel plans. Luckily RantWoman is persistent and has her fingers on many look up a routing options.

One website implied that there are special Sounder runs every 4 hours but RantWoman on first pass has not identified any such. Oh wait, maybe RantWoman needs to put the right date into the trip planner.

Both SoundTransit.org and FindARide.org/tripplanner suggest basically the same 3 bus routing as the simplest. Remmember, RantWoman is talking a GROUP of people with different mobility devices. RantWoman's experience: wheelchair accessibility on some SoundTransit coaches, especially the ones that serve intercity routes leaves a lot to be desired. Ideally for group travel, a driver might deploy the ramp once, get everyone onto the bus and secured and then take up the ramp. The thought of using a lift one at a time for more than about two wheelchair users per trip is just too painful to contemplate.

But wait: there MIGHT be a vehicle? Can it go outside of King County? Stay tuned.. 

In the meantime, add bus-sized autonomous flying carpets to innovations that might someday emerge from RantWoman and her neighbors.