GASTONIA, N.C. — Rose Ruiz Ocana said independence is a luxury she cherishes the most now that she's reached a certain age.
“I don’t want to bother my family,” Ocana said.
Ocana said that’s why she uses the transportation app GoGastonia, a tool that she said enhanced her mobility — until it didn’t.
Ocana said she used the app to get to a location just fine. It was her return trip home where things took a wrong turn.
“I tried to use the app on my phone. It wouldn't work," she said. "It kept saying, 'App down.' When it finally came back online, I booked the trip."
Ocana said it took 15 to 20 minutes for a van to arrive, so she sat patiently. Her patience ran out after waiting over three hours.
“I’m in an electric wheelchair and I have insulin with me,” Ocana recalled.
She said it’s a similar story for many others, including her neighbors who were also left stranded.
“We are both in electric [wheel]chairs,” Ocana said.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to Gastonia’s transportation department, which said the hiccups are caused by high demand.
“The concern for a lot of people is being able to get somewhere, but then not being able to get a return ride,” Randi Gates, who works for the city's transportation department, said. "We're seeing, with the demand being so high, that there are times where it is saying there are no seats available."
The limitations now have city leaders searching for solutions.
“We are looking at ways to give priority to those passengers who are in a wheelchair, and we are also looking at adding additional fleets,” Gates said.
As Gastonia city leaders continue looking at the trends and work to meet the demand, they’re also planning to visit some residents to hear their concerns and possibly provide some answers.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.