A Sunrise resident is frustrated with Broward County’s TOPS buses repeatedly blocking her driveway, sparking a dispute over accessibility, property rights, and public service obligations.
Dr. Shernette Dunn, a communications specialist at Eerie University and professor at Florida Atlantic University, has owned her Sunrise home since 2005. However, she began living there full-time again last summer after selling another property in Tamarac.
Since then, she has repeatedly encountered TOPS (Transportation Options Program) buses parking in front of her driveway or even backing into it to turn around.
“They didn’t see a car parked in my driveway for a while, so they thought it was okay to use it,” Dunn said, noting that the issue began in July 2024 and has persisted despite her complaints.
Operated by Broward County Transit (BCT), the TOPS service provides shared-ride transportation for individuals with disabilities who cannot use the fixed-route bus system. Dunn’s next-door neighbor is a program participant, requiring frequent pickups and drop-offs at the end of the driveway of their adjoining townhouses.
To clearly mark her side of the lot, Dunn planted a hedge at a cost of $300. But, she says, drivers continued to park in front of her property. “It just never stops – sometimes they block one car, sometimes both,” she said.
After Dunn threatened to “poke the tires” of the buses, they finally stopped turning in her driveway. “That’s something they are mad about,” she said. “Telling me I ‘threatened to destroy government property’ – but that’s what got them to stop trespassing on my private property.”
Dunn, who is on the Broward County Consumer Protection Board, said she reached out to TOPS about the issue multiple times.
In October 2024, a safety representative from TOPS visited Dunn’s property during a hurricane check-in and assured her that drivers had been instructed to avoid blocking the driveway. “One of the drivers even confirmed to me that they had received an email about it,” Dunn said. However, she believes some drivers either did not see the message or ignored it.
Dunn’s concerns go beyond mere inconvenience. She works remotely to be available for her neurodivergent son, who has ADHD, and worries that a blocked driveway could delay her from reaching him in an emergency. “The thought that I might not be able to leave my house quickly is very stressful,” she said.
She has recorded multiple incidents on her Ring cameras, showing buses idling in front of her home. While some drivers respond politely when asked to move, others are dismissive.
Her primary frustration is the time it takes for each pickup. “They wait for the lady – she is never ready. It takes 10-15 minutes. Then, to get her on the bus and situated can take another 5-10 minutes. Sometimes, after they drop her off, they sit on the bus afterward – maybe doing paperwork,” Dunn explained.
In a comment to Talk Media, Paul Strobis, Director of Paratransit at BCT, acknowledged Dunn’s complaints but emphasized that the transportation service the TOPS provides must balance the needs of all customers, particularly those with disabilities.
“We had numerous communications with the complainant and understand her concerns. We have instructed drivers to pull up as far as possible while still ensuring the safety of the passenger,” Strobis said.
According to BCT records, Dunn’s neighbor has been picked up 69 times in the past six months, with an average wait time of 10 minutes, 31 seconds per pickup, and 5.5 minutes per drop-off. The customer can walk to the bus with an assistance device but requires a lift-assist vehicle, which also takes a few minutes.
“Our responsibility under the ADA is to provide door-to-door service to individuals with disabilities. Expecting them to walk a longer distance from their front door could be a burden and a safety risk,” Strobis explained.
While he assures that a bus will be moved if Dunn needs to leave, he notes that her property setup complicates the situation. “The adjoined townhouses share a walkway from the front door, which merges into the concrete strip that also serves as a driveway. When the bus pulls up, it could be blocking either home,” he said.
Strobis said TOPS provides nearly 4,000 trips around Broward County daily and rarely receives complaints about driveway access. “Not every pickup location is ideal, but we provide a critical service to the vulnerable population and try our very best to minimize the impact on surrounding areas,” Strobis said.
Dunn remains frustrated by what she sees as a lack of enforcement. “They need to train the drivers and educate them,” she said. “It has just been annoying. I am a property owner, I pay my taxes, and this is stress I don’t need.”
Strobis maintains that BCT has been responsive and will continue to work within its operational limits. “We will continue to listen and do what we can. We will never intentionally block Dr. Dunn in. If a specific driver does not follow protocol, we have an internal process to address it,” he said.
On January 2, Dunn’s car accidentally rolled backward into a stopped TOPS bus in front of her home. She asked the driver to move forward as she was trying to leave, but they didn’t, and as she stepped out to signal again, her car reversed into the bus. A passenger was taken to Florida Medical Center for evaluation, and Dunn reported minor leg pain.
Footage from Dunn’s Ring camera captured the crash. No citations were issued, and Strobis declined to comment due to potential legal concerns.
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