ADA and Access-a-Ride Fundamentals Board of Directors Operations and Customer Service Committee July 29, 2014

ADA Overview 1 Signed into law July 1990 Civil Rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in following areas: Employment Public Services, including transportation Public Accommodations Telecommunications Regulations guiding transportation developed by U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) published in 1991 Transportation regulations define requirement for provision of accessible services, accessible vehicles, and accessible facilities.

Requirements for Accessible Vehicles 2 Wheelchair lift platform size and design load. Placement of wheelchair securement locations on transit vehicles. Vehicles greater than 22 feet in length required to have public address system. Vehicles purchased after August 25, 1990, must be accessible (lift or ramp).

Requirements for Accessible Facilities 3 Incorporate accessibility features like ramps, easy-to-use door handles and sink hardware, curb ramps, lowered water fountains and light switches, and accessible restrooms. Telecommunications devices such as telecommunication display devices (TDD) for individuals with hearing impairments.

Requirements for Accessible Services 4 Service must be “equivalent” to service provided to individuals without disabilities. Public transit agencies that provide fixed- route bus service must provide paratransit service that is “comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the fixed-route system.”

Complementary Paratransit Service 5 Meant to be a “safety net” for only those individuals who cannot use the fixed-route system. ADA paratransit eligibility is not based on disability, but rather the functional inability of a disabled person to use the fixed-route system.

Complementary Paratransit Eligibility Requirements 6 Individuals who, because of their disability, cannot “navigate the system.” Individuals with disabilities who cannot use the fixed-route system because an accessible vehicle is not available. Individuals who are prevented from traveling to or from a bus stop because of their disability.

Paratransit Service Criteria 7 To be “comparable” the complementary paratransit service must meet the following six (6) criteria: 1.Service must be provided within corridors ¾ of a mile wide on either side of each non-commuter fixed-route bus route. 2.Agencies must accept reservations for paratransit service during normal business hours and on normal business days and up to the day prior to the day that the service is requested. 3.Fares cannot be more than twice the comparable fixed-route fare. 4.No restrictions or priorities can be placed on trip purpose. 5.Service must be provided on the same days and during the same hours as the non-commuter fixed-route service. 6.No limit or cap on the number of trips provided to any individual.

RTD Access-a-Ride Program 8 Designed to comply with ADA regulations. Developed in 1993 with assistance from an advisory committee (APAC) which included members of the disabled community. Established that RTD would adhere to the federal guidelines as stated previously. Policies are stated in the Access-a-Ride User’s Guide.

From the RTD Access-a-Ride User’s Guide 9 “Access-a-Ride provides door-to-door public transportation to riders who have a disability the prevents them from making some or all of their trips on fixed route buses. Access-a- Ride service operates in the same areas and during the same days and hours as the fixed route non-commuter bus service. The service can be used for any trip purpose.”

Access-a-Ride Service Structure 10 Contract with Easter Seals of Colorado to do eligibility certification Contract with First Transit to operate the Call Center Contract with four companies to provide services –Horizon Coach Lines –Via Mobility Services –MV Transportation –Veolia (Yellow Cab) – non RTD owned vehicles Agreements with Metro Taxi, Yellow Cab, and Union Taxi to provide Access-a-Cab service

Eligibility Elements 11 Unrestricted – full service for up to four (4) years Conditional – eligible for service under certain identified conditions –Temperature sensitive- Snow –Dawn to Dusk- Rain –Dusk to Dawn- Chronic Fatigue –Intermittent Fatigue- Episodic –Architectural Environmental Barriers Lifetime – after 3 rd recertification passenger qualifies for unrestricted eligibility for remainder of his/her life

Certification Process 12 Face to face interview Indoor assessment Outdoor physical assessment Eligibility is not based on a medical condition, but rather, on functional abilities.

First Transit Call Center 13 Process all Access-a-Ride and Access-a- Cab Reservations Schedule all Access-a-Ride Trips Dispatch all Access-a-Ride Trips

Service Providers 14 Responsible for hiring all operators, supervisors, mechanics and support staff Responsible for training all operators and mechanics Responsible for all vehicle maintenance

Access-a-Cab 15 Access-a-Cab provides service on the same day as requested Passenger pays first $2 and RTD subsidizes the next $12 Passenger is responsible for any balance exceeding $14

Access-a-Ride Operating Statistics vehicles square miles 552,000 annual revenue hours 9 million miles per year 685,000 passenger trips $35 million annual operating cost Over 500 drivers, mechanics and staff 88,000+ certified customers (15,000 active)

Access-a-Ride Revenue Hours Statistics , , % , , % * , % , % , % ,2290.1% , % , % *January 1, 2008 – Access-a-Cab subsidy increase from $7 to $12

Access-a-Cab Statistics 18 Ridership , , , ,614 *200852, , , , , ,884 Cost Savings = 2013 A-a-C costs were - $2,254,608. A-a-R would have cost $4,569,339 for the same # of trips. A savings of $2,314,731. *January 1, 2008 – Access-a-Cab subsidy increase from $7 to $12

Access-a-Ride/Cab Ridership 19 Access-a-RideAccess-a-CabCombined ,92655,003548, ,21249,734600, ,38445,044641, ,42033,614656,034 * ,62452,543734, ,63678,587751, ,214118,968832, ,664139,540834, ,470159,018866, ,096187,884872,980 *January 1, 2008 – Access-a-Cab subsidy increase from $7 to $12

Costs 20 A-A-R Certification A-A-C Total (Service & Call Center) 2004$16,476,040 $329,780$362,290 $17,168, $19,984,346 $339,630$348,124 $20,672, $23,261,028 $294,895$315,308 $23,871, $26,054,341 $286,437$239,120 $26,579, $27,408,946 $285,462$630,516 $28,324, $27,103,161 $249,229$930,648 $28,283, $28,001,123 $291,417 $1,427,616 $29,720, $29,300,339$288,986$1,576,150$31,165, $31,522,921$299,883$1,908,216$33,731, $31,280,356$308,682$2,254,608$33,843,646

Access-a-Ride and Access-a-Cab Costs 21 Total Percent Total PercentCost YearCostChangePAX ChangePer PAX 2004$17,168,110548,929 $ $20,672, %600, %$ $23,871, %641, %$ $26,579, %656, %$40.52 *2008$28,324, %734, %$ $28,283, %751, %$ $29,720, %832, %$ $31,165, %834, %$ $33,731, %866, %$ $33,834, %872, %$38.76

Current Access-a-Ride Service Model 22 Fleet of dedicated and non-dedicated vehicles used to provide service Vehicle deployments developed to attempt to match demand Using non-dedicated vehicles to relieve peak period demand Supplementary Access-a-Cab is requested by passengers

Vehicle Supply vs. Trip Demand 23

Mobility Enhancements 24 Via Mobility Services coordination of services in Longmont – using variety of vehicles to transport a mix of passengers Offering Call-n-Ride as an option for Access-a-Ride passengers Providing free rides for Access-a-Ride passengers on fixed route and Call-n-Ride buses Travel Training program provided by Via Mobility Services under New Freedoms Grant to encourage Access-a-Ride passengers to use fixed route buses Transit Accessibility Task Force working to remove barriers to using fixed route service Security cameras on board vehicles

Challenges 25 Driver Shortages Increased Demand Cost Technology Meeting Unrealistic (?) Expectations Increased Certification Requests

Looking Forward 26 Improve Customer Service Improve On Time Performance Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System Continue to Promote Travel Training Upgrade Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) New Vehicles Explore Variable Fleet Options

Questions? 27