Special Transit Service Review Policy Recommendations

CAPITAL METRO
SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICE REVIEW:
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

February 27, 2006

Presented by:
Ken Hosen
KFH Group, Inc.

SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICE REVIEW:
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

STS faces many of the same policy issues as other transit systems across the country as they struggle to contain costs while ADA paratransit continues to increase ridership:

• STS Service Strategy
• Eligibility Certification
• Service Area
• Passenger Pick-Up Window
• Premium Taxi Service

STS SERVICE STRATEGY

• What is the role of STS? STS needs a mission statement and a set of goals and objectives.
• Is STS only for persons that cannot ride fixed route within the ADA service zone, or;
• Does STS have a more expansive role in the community?
• How should taxis be used (if at all)? Is there a need for a premium service?

ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION

There are two basic approaches to conduct the eligibility certification of paratransit applicants. They are:

1. Self-Certification Approach - Review of written applications and where customers are only brought in for an in-person review when "necessary". Currently used by STS.
2. In-Person Interview Approach - Requires that all applicants appear in person for an interview. Many transit systems are now using, or are about to use, the in-person interview approach (Houston, Dallas and Corpus Christi).
   • Objective to ensure only those persons that cannot ride fixed route are eligible for STS.
   • The In-Person process can reduce applications (and STS eligible riders) by 20-30 percent.
   • The In-Person process can also reduce STS ridership and costs that would be very significant over 5 years.
   • The In-Person interview approach is recommended by Project Action.
   • Since this is a new approach, there is no reliable data on what happens to those that are not eligible for STS - most probably will use fixed route.

SERVICE AREA

The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a complimentary paratransit service be available for all trips within ¾ mile of a fixed route.

The key policy questions include:

• Does Capital Metro continue to desire to serve the entire Capital Metro service area with door-to-door service - beyond the ADA requirements and state law?
• If so, does Capital Metro want to provide the same level of service as the ADA portion, or continue on a formalized "space available" basis with a high denial rate?

  Options:

  1. Provide an ADA level of service within the entire service area.
  2. Provide a limited level of service - In this option, Capital Metro can set policies that provide for a lower level of service and/or a higher fare.
  3. Contract the service in selected areas outside the ADA zone using either Option 1 or 2. Note that Capital Metro is discussing this option in Cedar Park and Pflugerville.
  4. Cut off all paratransit service beyond the ADA zone and the opt-out cities. This would reduce costs marginally due to the need to continue much of the service.

  PASSENGER PICK-UP WINDOW AND DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE

  Pick-Up Window:

  • The time period in which the vehicle is scheduled to arrive and still be considered "on time".
  • The current STS pick-up window of 15-minutes is usually narrow. Thirty minutes is most common in the industry.
  • The 15-minute window reduces productivity in that it limits Scheduler and Dispatcher flexibility to move a trip by a few minutes.
  • The vast majority of transit systems in the country use 30-minutes.

  Recommendation: Move to the 30-minute window and eliminate the "call backs".

  Door-to-Door Service:

  • Most systems are curb-to-curb.
  • A strict door-to-door service increases liability and can lower productivity.

  Recommendation: Curb-to-curb service with door-to-door upon request.

  PREMIUM TAXI SERVICE

  • The first question: Does Capital Metro need a premium taxi service to give added flexibility in trip choices to customers?
  • There are few controls on the system as currently structured. There is a significant potential for fraud and billing errors:
    • Lack of control of in the tracking and monitoring of service.
    • Very labor intensive
    • Arrangements between customers and specific drivers
  • Premium service without a premium fare
    • Most systems charge a premium fare for this service.
    • This is not the case at Capital Metro
  • Most premium service include:
    • Added flexibility for ambulatory customers
    • Strong controls
    • Considerably higher fare
    • Limits on trip distance
    • Automated tracking of trips, invoicing and reporting

  
  Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
  2910 East 5th Street | Austin, Texas 78702 | (512) 389-7400
  Specific Route Information | (512) 474-1200 | (800) 474-1201