70% of Americans with disabilities actually reduce their daily travel because of their disability. Partially due to this lack of travel, people with disabilities are less likely to work full-time jobs, leave their homes less frequently, and are more dependent on others to get where they want to go.

Driving personal vehicles can be liberating, especially in places where public transportation is either unreliable or nonexistent. The freedom of going somewhere independently can open up new opportunities that can help uplift the overall community.

But even if they do have their own means of getting around, driving as a person with a disability can come with challenges, like expenses for adaptive vehicles, driving lessons that specialize in specific disabilities, and internalized negative feelings about driving in the first place.

These challenges don’t stop once a driver with a disability is on the road. Dealing with infrastructure, like gas stations, that was not designed for people with disabilities can be frustrating and time-consuming.

Although there are laws in place that designate help for people with disabilities at gas stations, their honorable intent doesn’t always find its way to practical application. There are many reasons for this, but frankly, these laws are often simply ignored or inapplicable as many gas stations lack the staffing and infrastructure to accommodate folks who need a helping hand at the pump.

“The fact that I can’t get gas in my car is the main reason–the only reason–why I haven’t bothered to get my driver’s license yet. I’ve never had luck at a location when I was with somebody who had a disability,” says Jennifer Kumiyama, a resident of Long Beach. “And when we did have luck, we were there for more than 30 minutes just waiting to get gas in the vehicle.”

At Booster, we believe there is a way to help alleviate the fueling burden for drivers with disabilities. That’s why we are a part of Californians for Smart Fueling, a coalition led by people with disabilities and non-profit organizations to advocate for laws that allow for accessible, equitable mobile fueling to grow in California.

“We are doing this [advocating for mobile fueling] for the disabled people who need it now, but also for the many people that will become disabled at any time in their life,” says Anastasia Somoza, international disability rights speaker and advocate.

As the leading mobile energy delivery service in America, we have the ability to help bring some independence to Californians with disabilities by delivering fuel directly to their tanks, removing the gas station from the fueling equation altogether. Although our service is available in hundreds of cities, current legislation is stunting our growth.

One force we can rely on to open a more universal world of accessibility is strength in numbers: we need more people on our side to speak up to change the law and create a more accessible future.

This year, an assembly bill (AB 2563) was introduced to the California legislature that would allow for mobile fueling services to grow throughout the state. The passage of this bill would be a huge step toward making driving more accessible for people with disabilities.

If you are a legislator, you could get involved by co-sponsoring the bill. If you work for a legislator, encourage them to do so. If you care about this issue, become an advocate and work with us to build a future worthy of our values and not our inaction.

Together, we can ensure that our state presents opportunities for every Californian to thrive.

The post Let’s Make California Better for Drivers with Disabilities appeared first on BOOSTER.

The ADA set many standards to improve access and independence, including infrastructure requirements to make buildings and services more accessible. While this landmark legislation set a precedent, much is still needed to make the world a more inclusive and equitable place.

One area still lacking solutions is the accessibility to fueling for drivers with disabilities. As the leading mobile energy delivery service, our customers and partners have experienced firsthand the difficulties faced at gas stations. Unless you live in Oregon or New Jersey, full service stations are nearly non-existent. Those that do exist charge more for the service. The ADA requires gas stations to provide reasonable accommodations to drivers with disabilities, but it isn’t always enforced.

At gas stations, drivers in wheelchairs can find themselves unable to reach the key pad, or note that the button to call for assistance is taped over, painted in, or simply broken. Many times, no one is staffed at the station to come out for help, even when the button functions properly. Even when drivers with disabilities can fuel their vehicles at a gas station, it can be a huge burden to fuel it themselves or have to plan and wait for attendants to do it for them.

We believe the disability community needs a better solution for fueling their vehicles, and mobile fueling is a great and accessible alternative. With the goal of supporting and uplifting the communities that we operate in, Booster has joined, along with numerous disability advocacy groups, the Californians for Smart Fueling Coalition (CSFC). The CSFC was established to promote independence for drivers with disabilities, advocate for accessible refueling options, and to push for legislation that promotes accessible mobile fueling.

Although this coalition started in California, we hope to share this issue countrywide. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois noted that there are approximately “15 million drivers with disabilities in the United States [that] are unable to easily access gas.” This is a persistent problem with a solution that can be made available today, and we won’t stop until all drivers with disabilities have accessible alternatives to stay moving and independent.

Follow & support the Californians for Smart Fueling Coalition:

Facebook

Twitter

A special thanks and shoutout to the disability advocacy groups we work with:

California Foundation for Independent Living Centers

Muscular Dystrophy Association

National Council on Independent Living

NorCal SCI

Paralyzed Veterans of America

United Spinal Association

VetsFirst

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To reach these goals, the California legislature must act on every opportunity to pass laws that will help reduce harmful emissions. One such proposal is AB 905, a bill that would give the California Air Resources Board (CARB), one of the strictest environmental regulators in the world, the authority to regulate mobile fuel delivery.

Mobile fueling is a service that, when delivered responsibly, eliminates air- and water-polluting fuel transfers and spillage. By using licensed and certified employees, responsible mobile fueling significantly reduces the 4 million gallons of gasoline spilled annually at traditional gas stations and reduces vehicle miles traveled to procure fuel. This energy delivery model will also play a major role in making alternative fuels more available to California residents and in decarbonizing last mile delivery.

Recently, however, the Assembly Committee on Transportation refused even to consider AB 905 due to objections by certain air districts, many of which have failed to develop rules for the industry. The failure to regulate has resulted in rogue services whose operations are 20 times worse for the environment than even traditional fuel stations. These vehicles refuel cars near schools and playgrounds, exposing children to carcinogenic substances. In other words, the air districts are opposed to regulation that would ensure the highest standards of operations for everyone.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which regulates air quality in and around Los Angeles, is opposed to the concept of mobile fueling. The ostensible basis for their objection is environmental – despite the fact that SCAQMD is poised to miss its air quality attainment goals and has failed to rein in the rogue operators. California will suffer more pollution in the absence of the law.

In 2019, SCAQMD collected more than 30% of its $327 million reported budget from permitting and fees. Air districts wield their considerable power in the Assembly to keep collecting that money, despite the fact that they earn it in direct proportion to how much they allow companies to pollute their jurisdictions. SCAQMD has a perverse incentive to collect fees from dirty operations rather than actually improving air quality.

In refusing to bring the mobile fueling bill to a vote, the California Assembly has co-signed the actions of the air districts whose lack of action has created perverse incentives that will result in health risks to communities.

Sacramento should advocate the swift adoption of technologies that will ease the transition to renewable energy, reducing emissions and helping California reach its attainment goals.

The mobile fueling bill will do just that, creating reasonable environmental and safety standards for all.

The post California Legislature Must Act to Regulate Mobile Fueling and Support Public Health appeared first on BOOSTER.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) executive order — the first of its kind in two decades — validated Booster technologies, giving Californians more definitive access to mobile fueling in most counties, and making Booster’s high standards for emissions reduction the benchmark for the industry.

Booster leads the field in mobile fueling because of its sterling safety and environmental records, and because it readily took a seat at the table when regulators were creating and adopting industry codes. Booster’s licensed and certified service professionals go through rigorous training in spill prevention, safety and hazardous materials handling.

Further, Booster technology prevents pollution — to the tune of 1.1 pounds of CO2 emissions per boost. The service is also carbon neutral, eliminates the use of underground storage of gasoline, and even improves vehicle efficiency by filling up drivers’ tires.

Since CARB is known to be one of the strictest environmental regulators in the country, this certification could serve as a template for other states seeking to meet decarbonization and similar sustainability goals, as alternatives to traditional refueling can help reduce transportation sector emissions. The average gas station spills 40 gallons of fuel annually and emits harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Ultimately, the CARB order enables communities to offer an alternative to traditional refueling. And as mobile fueling expands across the state, consumers and businesses of all sizes will gain access to a more environmentally friendly mobile gas station on demand.

The post California Air Resources Board Certified Booster Technology appeared first on BOOSTER.

Resources:

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Participate in the 2020 census

The post Do Your Part: Fuel Democracy! appeared first on BOOSTER.

Six years ago, Booster Fuels started to reinvent the way energy is delivered, beginning with the more than 100-year old fuel delivery supply chain.  One of the most immediate benefits of centering the supply chain around the customer is making fuel not only more convenient, but truly accessible to those living with a disability.

Every day, many of the 15 million+ drivers with disabilities still have trouble getting gas at traditional fuel stations.  The ADA required all service stations to provide refueling assistance upon request, but for people living with disabilities, this seemingly simple task can be a difficult, demeaning and frustrating chore.

Safe & Empowering

Booster provides a gas station on wheels solution where no one ever needs to ask for help to get fuel.  Mobile fueling on-demand (MFOD) is growing rapidly, in part because of the freedom it offers people with disabilities.  The contactless service gives people the ability to get fuel with a tap of an app on their mobile phone.

“The service is easy to use and saves me time & stress. Great idea for someone like me who has some movement disability. Thank you!!!” – Eve

Additionally, MFOD affords people with chronic illnesses and the elderly added protection during disease outbreak.  71% of gas pump handles have high levels of contaminants. The ability to skip the pump and use MFOD provides a healthier, more streamlined, economical, and environmentally safe option for fueling.

On this anniversary, we want to celebrate the accomplishments made possible by the ADA over the past 30 years.  Because of the ADA, people can use readily accessible wheelchair accommodations, find signs in Braille, turn on closed captioning and so much more.  However, there is still more to do.

The Corporate Challenge

We’ve partnered with United Spinal Association, the largest non-profit organization representing people living with spinal cord injuries and disorders, to raise awareness of what companies can do to be more accessible for people with disabilities.  There are six questions in United Spinal Association’s Roll On 30 Corporate Challenge to ask within your organization to see if you are creating an inclusive workplace.  Need inspiration? View Coca-Cola’s corporate challenge video, and then submit your own.

Thanks to everyone who advocates on behalf of those with disabilities. Congratulations on how far you’ve come.  We’re excited to see the next 30 years of achievements.

The post Americans with Disabilities ActCelebrates 30 Years of Equal Access appeared first on BOOSTER.