Published: December 31, 2007 10:58 pm         

Wheelchair-bound Enid man gets stranded while grocery shopping

Doug Legg knows how it feels to be left waiting and forgotten.

Legg, who uses a wheelchair, was taken by Enid Transfer to United Supermarket West, 4110 W. Garriott, Dec. 21 to do his grocery shopping. When he finished, a friend loaded his groceries into his car and took them to Legg’s apartment, while Legg waited for the Transfer to pick him up.

“When I was through, I called them about 4:15 because they close at 5 p.m., and the dispatcher said she had me down to be picked up,” he said.

As Legg waited at the store, he saw a Transfer bus leave Kmart, but it did not come to United to get him. He did not call Transfer again because he had been told he would be picked up, he said.

When no one had shown up by 7:15 p.m., he called Cimarron Taxi to take him home. Legg is perplexed about being left because he said Enid Public Transportation Authority usually is prompt. United employees spoke to him a number of times, and a manager also spoke to him, to check on him, he said.

Darla Druse, an EPTA secretary, checked the log book Monday for Dec. 21 and found Legg’s name. She said a call apparently was not dispatched out to pick Legg up.

“I don’t know why or how come. I will give it to the manager, and we will find out why not, although with the new routes starting this month it’s been crazy. But that’s not an excuse to overlook anybody,” she said.

Druse plans to present the information to manager Kim Watkins when he returns Wednesday, and they will determine what corrective action to take.

“I hate to be a complainer, but when you’ve done what you’re supposed to do and sit there all that time ...,” Legg said.