What is Title VI?
Your rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:
Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq, was enacted as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal mandate for all agencies providing public services. Title VI applies to all aspects of the services provided by CapMetro, which are required to be provided without regard to race, color or national origin. In addition, agencies must also comply with Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency."
CapMetro is required to comply with Title VI by evaluating major service changes and their Title VI impacts on minority and low-income groups. (This evaluation is called a service equity analysis, and it helps CapMetro determine if the effect of a service change is discriminatory.
When a change disproportionately affects minority populations, it is called a disparate impact.
When a change disproportionately affects low-income populations, it is called a disproportionate burden.
CapMetro’s Title VI goal is for minority and low-income populations to receive at least their share of the benefits in the case of a net service increase, and no more than their share of the adverse effects, in the case of net service reductions.
Proposed Updates to Title VI Policy
As recommended by a consulting team after a peer review, CapMetro is proposing to update our Service Equity Analysis process, effective August 1, in the following ways:
Clarify that, where feasible, demographic analysis should be based on current on-board survey data rather than Census data
Update the analysis to include the service area average as the baseline for determining potential adverse impacts.
For example, if CapMetro were changing the frequency of a route from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, using the service area average as a baseline could make the analysis more likely to result in a disparate impact or disproportionate burden finding. The following graphic shows how the previous and proposed analyses differ for this example:
In the existing methodology, the comparison occurs only between the people affected by the service change. Since both minority and non-minority groups are affected equally, there is no disparate impact finding. In the proposed methodology, the comparison occurs between the minority population affected by the service change and the average minority population in the service area. Because the route being affected by the service change is more than 2 percentage points above the service area average, a disparate impact occurs.
Watch our policy update presentation: English | Spanish
Read our FAQ: English | Spanish
Engage with Us
Thank you for sharing your comments with us on the proposed Title VI policy update. View all recorded comments.
The community had an opportunity to comment on the proposed service changes during a public hearing on April 10 at CapMetro Headquarters. View the recording here.
Have additional comments? Sign up to speak at a board meeting on May 20 by emailing boardofdirectors@capmetro.org, or by calling (512) 369-6040 and leaving a message with name and telephone number. The deadline to sign up is 9 a.m. on May 20. Instructions on how to participate virtually will be provided via email or phone just after 9 a.m. on May 20.
If you need any specific accommodation, please contact us. We can provide various services, including effective communication and language access services, such as Spanish and ASL. To facilitate your requests, kindly contact us at engage@capmetro.org at least 72 hours in advance.
CapMetro and Title VI Compliance
CapMetro's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion integrates program requirements when implementing fare and service changes, as well as any other areas requiring Title VI compliance. Learn about CapMetro's Title VI policy and processes below:
CapMetro Official Title VI Notice
CapMetro is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color or national origin as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (“Title
VI”).
View Title VI Notice
If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination under Title VI, you may file a complaint with CapMetro or get more information —
via mail: Title VI Complaints, 2910 E. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78702
via e-mail:
titlevicomplaints@capmetro.org
via phone: (512) 474-1200