Special Transport Network of
TOKYO |
Special Transport Network of TOKYO (STNT) consists of voluntary
organizations and groups of volunteers that provide transport services to
disabled and elderly people.
In Japan, voluntary organizations and
groups mainly working for the disabled began to provide special transport
services with accessible vans in 1975, and this move spread over the whole
country in the former of 1980’s. In 1990’s, this sector has grown so rapidly and
now there are about 700 schemes in Japan. They are run mainly by voluntary
organizations, councils of social welfare (organizations providing social
services) and independent living centers. However, the way they provide
transport services is very different from one organization to
another.
In Tokyo several organizations and groups began to exchange
information among themselves in 1986 and this network has developed into STNT.
STNT is engaged in the following activities;