1. Transportation Professionals Advisory Committee
Access to Work
Program Update
Transportation Professionals Advisory Committee
May 11th, 2017
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Today I am here to share with you an update on Access’ Access to Work Program after almost five and a half years of service.

2. Background
FTA Job Access Reverse Commute (Sec. 5316) Grant designed to:
Modify traditional Access trips for work-based paratransit
Trips designed get to work by “start time”
Two grants awarded for this program (2010, 2012)
Capital (50 Vans / vans) $5.6 million
Operations $4.7 million
The Access to Work Program is funded principally through the FTA’s JARC or Sec program. Access secured funding for this program in 2010 and 2012
Access to Work – service designed to provide reliable transportation for persons to reach work. Designed trips around “Start Time” instead of pickup.
The grants requested both capital and Operating funds,
Capital: $5.6 million for Capital (50 vans in the first grant and between 65 and 75 in the second grant).
Operating: $4.7 million

3. Program Features
Designed for Access customers with low income to reach employment & job training before work start.
Enhanced service to reliably reach employment
Service available throughout all six Access regions
Schedule trips to work start time
Flat $2 discounted fare
No Wait List
95% On-Time Performance
Access to Work vehicles can be used for traditional Access trips
ATW designed for customers with low income (150% poverty level) to reach places of employment and job training in a reliable manner.
Features of the ATW program include (READ LIST):

4. Current Program Status
Service started January 2012
Customers enrolled – 336 eligible customers
Average monthly trips – 1,700 to work (3,500 total)
Average On Time Performance – 94%
Average monthly costs - $87,000
The first trips for ATW launched in January 2012 – almost 5 ½ years ago,
There are currently 336 customers eligible for ATW trips
ATW is providing an average of 1,700 trips to work (3,500 total as ATW covers both trips to and from work).
This past year, OTP was between 93.3 and 94% which was quite good as demand for traditional Access has continued to grow.
On Average, operating the service costs approximately $87,000, however, under the current grant 50% is paid with Federal 5316 (JARC) funding and the other half by toll credits.

5. Next Steps Access submitted new JARC grant with Metro April 2017
Replace original 48 Access to Work minivans (200K miles)
Requested: $4.97 million (incl. $775K local match)
Extend program operations to late 2020
Requested: $3.28 million (incl. $1.64 million Local match)
This program has been a success and Access would like to continue this program.
Access recently submitted a new 5316 (or JARC) grant to Metro requesting both funding to replace the original 48 Access to Work vehicles which are on average already at 181,000 miles and due for replacement when and if grant funding is awarded.
If Access were to receive all requested Capital and Operating funds, Access would be able to continue the program through late 2020.

6. Program Findings
Customers say they have no other transportation to work
Very valuable program for persons relying on Access to reach employment
Traditional paratransit not as reliable for persons to reach work on time (pick-up base scheduling)
Modifications to Standing Order service
Access conducted customer satisfaction surveys in 2014 and again in 2016, In 2014, 74.7% said they Strongly agreed with the statement that would not have another reliable source of transportation without Access to Work; 87% either strongly agreed or Somewhat agreed. In % either Strongly or somewhat agreed (54% said Strongly agreed) while 28% somewhat agreed.
Through the ATW program, staff has come to realize that traditional paratransit does not work well for reliably reaching places of employment.
However, with some modifications to Standing Order trips, this becomes a great way for Access customers to reach their work-sites.