Shuttle-UM drivers are being directed to stop assisting disabled students from their specially-equipped van to the students’ location, Director of Transportation Services David Allen said.

Although Transportation Services announced in May that drivers would no longer be allowed to escort passengers from the van to their destination, the policy was implemented this month, leaving at least 25 disabled students without the escorts once provided by bus drivers.

Drivers had previously taken the initiative to assist disabled passengers, but would often need to leave the vehicle they were driving parked in traffic lanes as they helped students to their buildings. Although Allen said Transportation Services never had a policy in place for drivers to help students, they “now have the policy not to do it.”

The policy was implemented after Transportation Services realized students were depending on drivers rather than signing up for a Disability Support Services aide to accompany them to and from classes. He said it would be students’ responsibility to contact DSS for assistance.

Allen recalled an incident when a driver drove a passenger to McKeldin Library, then left the bus to escort the passenger to the library and up the elevator. Such practices are now prohibited because the drivers are not trained for such work, the vacant bus causes traffic jams and the time spent escorting passengers makes drivers late for their next pickup.

Allen said Transportation Services has enough vans to handle the current list of registered passengers, but is not responsible for training drivers to help students.

“We added a bus last spring to go from 2 to 3 so we’re accommodating people at this point,” he said.

Transportation Services has recently streamlined the process of asking for a specially-equipped ride, according to Allen. Instead of e-mailing Transportation Services their requests for a ride a week in advance, passengers can now sign up through the Transportation Services website.

The paratransit van is available to any permanent or temporarily disabled faculty, staff and students, though only the students are currently registered to use the service, Allen said.

Contact reporter Brendan Lowe at lowedbk@gmail.com.