HomeMy WebLinkAbout6 15 22 TAB Staff ReportPlease contact the Transit Advisory Board at TAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns
TRANSIT ADVISORY BOARD
STAFF REPORT
June 15, 2022
PUBLIC COMMENT
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
OLD BUSINESS
new Business
1. Presentation on Route 10 current performance and alternatives
Winnebago County is a major funding partner for Route 10. They have informed us that
they are no longer able to fund Route 10. We hired SRF Consultants to study Route 10
and present us with options and alternatives. We are looking for board input on this.
2. GO Transit Paratransit Program Ride Scheduling Policy Change
Currently, GO Transit’s program provides service beyond the minimum requirements by
allowing rides to be scheduled same day and providing 24/7 service. This is causing
unacceptable service levels and unrealistic customer expectations. Please see below the
required service criteria for ADA complementary paratransit services. (Source: National
Rural Transit Assistance Program - https://www.nationalrtap.org/Toolkits/ADA-
Toolkit/Service-Type-Requirements/ADA-Complementary-Paratransit-Requirements)
Service Criteria
ADA complementary paratransit service must be comparable to the fixed route bus
service in terms of six service criteria specified in Section 37.131. Note that under the
ADA, paratransit functions as a “safety net” for persons whose disabilities prevent them
from using the fixed route system; it is not intended to provide a comprehensive level of
mobility that meets all of the travel needs of all persons with disabilities at all times. As
such, the service criteria are intended to mirror the level of service provided by the fixed
route system. While neither the ADA nor the U.S. DOT implementing regulations
prohibit the provision of service to individuals beyond those that meet the eligibility
criteria or to provide additional service beyond the minimum requirement, doing so may
lead to oversubscription and overuse, and interfere with an agency’s ability to meet the
basic service requirements.
The six criteria for ADA complementary paratransit are:
1. Hours and days of service – ADA complementary paratransit service must be
provided on the same days and during the same hours as the fixed route service for the
comparable trip [Section 37.131(e)].
2. Service area (geographic area of service) – ADA complementary paratransit service
must be provided within ¾ mile on either side of each fixed route as well as a ¾-mile
radius at the end of each fixed route, and within a ¾-mile radius of rail stations. Within
the transit agency’s core service area, small areas that are surrounded by the fixed route
corridors must also be served by paratransit [Section 37.131(a)]. Additional discussion on
geographic coverage and rural road conditions is provided later in this section of the
toolkit.
3. Response time – The transit agency must schedule and provide paratransit service to
any ADA complementary paratransit eligible person at any requested time (on a
particular day) in response to a request for service made the previous day (i.e., next-day
service). The transit agency must accept reservations during normal business hours on all
days preceding a service day. This includes accepting reservations during general
weekday business hours on Sundays for Monday service and holidays preceding service
days. Reservations may be taken by staff or by mechanical means, such as voicemail or
email. Transit agencies may use real-time, same-day scheduling as well as accepting
advanced reservations [Section 37.131(b)].
4. Fare – The one-way paratransit fare may be no more than twice the full fixed route fare
for a similar trip, exclusive of discounts. A rider’s personal care attendant (PCA) may not
be charged a fare. Regardless of whether a PCA accompanies an eligible rider, at least one
additional accompanying individual must be permitted to board and can be required to
pay the same fare as the rider; additional companions may accompany the ADA-eligible
customer on a space-available basis) [Section 37.131(c)].
5. Trip purpose – There may be no restrictions or priorities based on trip purpose. Service
must be provided regardless of the nature of the trip [Section 37.131(d)].
6. Capacity constraints – Entities must plan, budget, and implement their paratransit
systems to meet all of the anticipated demand. The transit agency must have enough
paratransit vehicles, drivers, reservations staff, and reservations capacity available to
ensure that eligible demand for service does not exceed supply of service on a regular
basis. Constraints on capacity are prohibited [Section 37.131(f)]. A transit agency cannot
limit the availability of complementary paratransit to eligible riders through waiting lists,
significantly late trips or other specific practices that result in limiting service.
Currently, our contractor is struggling to maintain acceptable performance for scheduled
and subscription trips. Providing same days trips puts extra pressure on their system
and detracts from the service level expected. There is a national and local labor shortage
which also affects the ability to provide the serviced that our customers expect.
Additionally, riders expect the same level of service for same day trips as scheduled and
subscription trips and do not understand the different levels of service for each.
Historically, riders have had a hard time comprehending the $1 convenience fee for same
day trips as well.
Almost all transit systems, require paratransit rides to be scheduled in advance.
Therefore, due to these factors, in order to provide the level of service we and our
customers expect, it is necessary to require paratransit rides to be scheduled in advance in
accordance with the ADA service standards. Will Call Trips will still be accepted. A will
call trip is when a rider schedules a ride to a doctor appointment and does not know
when they will be finished.
We are looking for board support for this policy change.
STAFF STATEMENTS
1. Board Vacancies
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
ADJOURNMENT