The end of a Tallahassee transportation service for people with disabilities is leaving some riders struggling to get to work and live more independently, after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $6 million (line item 2054-1 on page 13) i n state funding for the program that supported it.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: Local transportation service stops after funding cutiEnable provided affordable door-to-door rides for people with disabilities with a 15-minute pickup window.The service was supported through the Innovative Service Development Grant Program, but after DeSantis vetoed $6 million for that program in this year's state budget, i-Enable's transportation service ended July 1.For riders like Matt Blair, finding another option hasn't always been easy."I was really upset. I was really mad," Blair said.Blair says the alternatives don't always meet his needs as someone who relies on transportation to get to work."With Dial-A-Ride or StarMetro they're always late, and I can't be late for work. Like for example, one day I was late for work on a Sunday. I almost got in trouble with my boss out that Sunday," Blair said.Blair says iEnables 15-minute pickup window made his commute much more predictable than the waits he experiences with other services.Another rider, Walker Bullington, says other options can also come with a higher price."Especially on a Sunday morning when StarMetro doesn't run till 10:30, and it's like my Uber ride yesterday was like $37," Bullington said.Blair says the cost of alternatives is a burden for people with disabilities."That's the issue. Ubers are really expensive. Why so expensive? Like for people, especially people with disabilities like us, like they should be for free," Blair said.Amanda Lewis, a co-owner of Future Pathways, a Tallahassee organization helping people with disabilities find jobs and build independence, said losing iEnable has created new challenges for some of her clients."Some of the difficulties have been just learning a new program like Dial-A-Ride. So they had to go through an application, that took a while. So some of them had a gap in transportation, and I mean they have jobs in the community. So if their parents are working all day every day, how are they going to get to and from work?" Lewis said.I reached out to iEnable for a response to the funding cut and the impact on people who relied on the service. The organization provided a written statement saying in part:"Through our experience with the Innovation and Service Development Grant, i-Enable has seen firsthand that Florida and some of its most vulnerable residents would benefit from a secondary transportation option specifically designed to meet the unique transportation needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities."Riders said they hope iEnable will return, or that another affordable and reliable transportation option will become available through state funding, because for some, getting to work depends on having a ride that fits their needs and their schedules.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less