Therese has been using the transport pass for eight years, with which she goes from A to B with the help of the regional taxi. “I usually go to Emmen once a week with my mobility scooter to do some shopping,” says the Aaldense woman. But that’s not the only thing. Also the visits to the hospital, the psychologist, the church, she does it all by taxi. “I can’t do this kind of thing with a walker because I can’t walk more than 100 meters,” she explains.
Wolthuis lost her lower leg due to an accident when she was 9. Due to the deformity of her spine and a broken hip, she experiences a lot of pain every day. Eight years ago she decided to purchase a mobility scooter. “I remember that first ride so well: I came into a store, had a chat and was able to shop for a while without pain.” She sighs. “My life is not always easy and at those moments you have the feeling that you are independent.”
For Wolthuis, the tightening of the rules not only means that she must leave her mobility scooter at home if she wants to use the taxi, but also that she must from now on keep an eye on the kilometers driven. “With the kilometers I am now allowed to drive, I can only go to the hospital, church and psychologist. If I want to visit acquaintances on top of that, that is not allowed.”
“The new measure is intended to keep the taxi available to everyone,” says a spokesperson for the municipality of Coevorden. According to the spokesperson, the new policy mainly has to do with space and availability of transport. “The mobility scooter takes up three spaces, it takes a lot of space and time to take a mobility scooter with you, so fewer people can come along,” the spokesperson said. “The idea of a mobility scooter is to not need a taxi for short to medium distances.”
He adds that the municipality of Coevorden was one of the few municipalities that facilitated the taking of the mobility scooter. In the municipality of Coevorden, a total of 14 people were allowed to take the mobility scooter. “I understand that this is drastic. We are therefore referring her to the Wmo desk to look for a tailor-made solution.”
Wolthuis finds the municipality’s arguments insufficient. “If they said that the buses are too full, I would understand that. But I often sit alone in the taxi. They don’t say it, but in the end it is just a cutback.” According to Wolthuis, other solutions are also possible, such as improving the reservation system. “I can now reserve a ride up to an hour in advance. But isn’t that possible longer in advance? Then we can plan better.”
Wolthuis has now spoken to a WMO consultant, but that did not provide the hoped-for solution either. “I currently pay 21 euros per month for the Wmo, which is for the taxi pass and domestic help. I asked the municipality if I could pay more so that I can use the taxi, but they did not respond.” Yet she remains undeterred. “I continue to resist it.”
