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Capital Area Metropolitan Transit Authority
Access Advisory Committee
April 7, 2010 Draft Minutes
314 W. 11th Street, Ned Granger Building

Members Present

  1. Dave Patterson, Vice Chair Access Committee, Chair Fixed Route Subcommittee
  2. Boone J. Blocker, Secretary Access Committee, Member Fixed Route Subcommittee
  3. Jane Lansaw, Member Fixed Route Subcommittee
  4. Sandy Seekamp, Member Fixed Route Subcommittee
  5. Ann Nelson, Member MetroAccess Subcommittee
  6. Mary Ellen Sanchez, Member MetroAccess Subcommittee
  7. Charles Shavers, Member MetroAccess Subcommittee
  8. Queen Walker, Member Fixed Route Subcommittee
  9. Michael Zitz-Evancih, Reserve Member, Access Associate

Members Absent

  1. Diane Bomar-Aleman, Chair Access Committee, Member MetroAccess Subcommittee (Pat Bartel acting as her proxy)
  2. Malcolm Graham, Chair MetroAccess Subcommittee

Capital Metro Staff Present

  1. Rafael Villarreal, Assistant Director of Paratransit
  2. Dianne Mendoza, Director Business and Community Relations
  3. Meredith Highsmith, Planning
  4. Olivia Jones, Assistant Manager of Operations for Star Tran
  5. Marcus Horton, Internal Auditor
  6. Divi Cheetum, Internal Auditor
  7. Terry, Transportation/Field Supervisor
  8. Brad, Transportation/Field Supervisor

Guests Present

  1. Kathy Jackson
  2. Carlos Aleman
  3. Pat Bartel
  4. Patty Timmerman

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:32 pm by Vice Chair David Patterson.

Citizen’s Communication

Carlos Aleman again voiced his frustration with the 30 minute pickup window, and stated that although the policy had been implemented, he hoped the issue wasn’t dead. He said that the 30 minute pickup window is a scheduling nightmare and creates problems for the riders, drivers and the reservationists and that he would keep speaking out about it.

Approval of Minutes for March 3, 2010

Approval of the March 3, 2010 Access Committee Meeting Minutes was tabled.

Announcements

Vice Chair Patterson reported that the next Customer Service Advisory Committee (CSAC) Meeting was Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 323 Congress from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

The National Federation of the Blind Meeting is the 4th Saturday of every month at 810 Guadalupe Street at 10:30 am.

The American Council of the Blind Meeting is the 3rd Saturday of every month at the Lighthouse from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Access Committee Reports

Secretary Boone Blocker reported on the last meeting of the Urban Transportation Commission (UTC). Two members of the UTC, including Blocker, were appointed to a temporary Taxicab Taskforce to address issues brought up by the public in regards to vehicles for hire.

During the March Austin Mayor’s Committee For People With Disabilities (AMCPD) Meeting, Inez Evans answered questions from the Committee and relayed what everyone had learned at the recent NTI conference. The Committee also passed a resolution that stated they were opposed to the possible merger of the Capital Metro Access Advisory Committee and the Customer Satisfaction Advisory Committee (CSAC).

During the March Metro Mobility Working Group (MMWG) Meeting, Inez Evans stated that Capital Metro was removing the financial penalty for no-shows and that a suspension in MetroAccess service would be the only punitive measure taken for a person who accrues 4 no-shows. However, this measure still has to be approved by the Capital Metro Board of Directors. A motion was passed by a 4-3 vote recommending that wheelchair users be granted open returns just as the rest of MetroAccess riders are eligible for. A motion was also passed 4-3 stating that people who were injured in the hospital or rehab center and would be getting out and needing MetroAccess services, be granted immediate certification so they wouldn’t have to wait so long for the approval process.

Vice Chair David Patterson announced at the March MMWG Meeting that Capital Metro intended to change to having a 3rd party verify eligibility, instead of doctors, nurses, physical or occupational therapists or social workers. Jane Lansaw of the Access Committee asked what criteria that those who would be the official certified orientation and mobility specialist responsible for training those with temporary MetroAccess eligibility would be using in the training of such riders. Inez Evans also stated at the MMWG Meeting that those who were at a public meeting, play or similar event would not be charged a no-show if the meeting or event ran late or something happened that was beyond the MetroAccess user’s control.

Recently, Access Committee Chair Diane Bomar-Aleman and Pat Bartel had met with Inez Evans and Chad Ballentine to go over the new draft of the MetroAccess application. Chair Bomar-Aleman and Bartel were able to recommend a few changes, but expressed their apprehension because the application had been written before the recent National Transit Institute (NTI) conference attended by Chair Bomar-Aleman, Bartel and Inez Evans and Chad Ballentine of Capital Metro.

During the March Capital Metro Board of Directors Meeting, Mark from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) read a resolution from the group stating their displeasure with changes to MetroAccess and threatening legal action if the problems were not made right.

Vice Chair Patterson gave a report about the last CSAC Meeting. There is one new member of the Committee and 2 existing members of the Committee have recently put more energy into the group’s efforts.

Fixed Route Subcommittee Chair Patterson gave a report about the last meeting at which the proposed service changes were discussed.

Capital Metro Staff Reports

Meredith Highsmith gave a presentation on the proposed fall 2010 service changes. Several Access members asked if the Board of Directors was set to approve the changes in April or May. Vice Chair Patterson stated that he had recommended the Board take the month of April to mull over the changes and to put forward whatever changes are approved in the month of May.

Pat Bartel, asked about the effect the proposed changes would have on MetroAccess customers who would then be outside of ¾ of a mile of an existing fixed route bus stop. Meredith Highsmith said that Capital Metro had considered these ramifications, and that 15 registered MetroAccess clients on Route #243 would be ineligible if the changes went through. Several Access Committee members expressed their concern over this and asked if the clients who would lose their service as a result of service changes be grandfathered in to receive MetroAccess services.

Sandy Seekamp voiced her opinion that a senior apartment center that was currently serviced by a fixed route bus stop would not be by the proposed changes.

After Highsmith and the members of the Access Committee looked at the maps that accompanied the presentation, it was determined that the senior apartment would still be serviced by fixed route bus service. Seekamp also asked if the #7 route was being changed to accommodate the Wal-Mart just on the other side of Interstate 35, which takes an hour to access on a fixed route bus from her apartment complex. Meredith Highsmith stated that while Capital Metro had inquired about the feasibility of making this change, Wal-Mart did not want a fixed route bus stop all the way up in their parking lot near the store front.

Old Business

Vice Chair Patterson proposed a resolution/motion that people would not be charged with a no-show if they left a pickup location in fear of their safety or health. The motion passed unanimously.

New Business

A discussion was had about entities that had previously been in the Capital Metro service area and had since withdrawn. The discussion was ended early and more input is needed from all parties involved.

Adjournment

Ann Nelson moved and Secretary Blocker seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 7:34 pm.

The next Access Advisory Committee Meeting will be held May 5, 2010 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at 314 W. 11th, the Ned Granger Building- Travis County Commissioner’s Courtroom, 1st Floor.


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2910 East 5th Street | Austin, Texas 78702 | (512) 389-7400
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