TOLEDO, Ohio — Two incidents in which a passenger with dementia wandered off after the end of a trip on the Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service (TARPS) occurred within six weeks.

Although the passenger was brought home safely both times, one incident resulted in a driver being reprimanded and the other in an investigation, Jon Elston, director of paratransit services, TARPS, told The Blade.

Elston added that such incidents are rare, even with 57% of the agency’s clients having some level of cognitive disability. He also pointed out that transporting these riders is challenging because they cannot be left briefly without supervision while the drivers assist other passengers and can be resistant to directions. For the full story, click here.