FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Tuesday, October 17, 2000
(AUSTIN) -- The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) gave Capital Metro "Straight A’s" in its
triennial report on the agency’s compliance with FTA grant requirements. The
report released today tested a wide variety of Capital Metro’s facilities,
procedures, policies, and documentation, and found no deficiencies.
"The no-nonsense business expertise that
Chairman Lee Walker has brought to the Capital Metro Board is working,"
said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett. "With a new quality assurance effort and an
internal audit program, Capital Metro is now delivering what taxpayers are
entitled to expect."
Rep. Doggett presented the report today to
Capital Metro Board Chairman Walker.
Federal law requires the triennial review,
which covers 22 compliance areas. The report’s conclusion: the agency has no
deficiencies in any of the areas reviewed.
In an October 5, 2000, letter to Capital
Metro notifying it of the final report, Janet Lynn Sahaj, the FTA Acting Regional
Administrator, said: "You are to be commended for the improvements to your
program that were evident during our review. Your development of an in-house
quality assurance staff and internal audit program, as well as providing a 100
percent accessible fixed-route fleet, reflects a desire to procure quality
equipment and provide quality services to your customers."
In a written statement, Mayor Kirk Watson
also praised Capital Metro’s performance: "Three years ago the new Capital
Metro Board was faced with the challenge of turning around an agency and
rebuilding the trust of its citizens. Capital Metro has met that challenge.
They are a new and improved agency and the FTA has validated that. "This agency is rededicated to
achieving the highest levels of customer service and efficiency," added
Mayor Watson. "I congratulate Capital Metro for meeting our
challenge."
The initial draft of the FTA’s review found
seven technical deficiencies, all of which were corrected in the succeeding 30
days. None of the deficiencies concerned passenger safety or service. Rather,
they covered such issues as adding certain clauses to Capital Metro
subcontracts, notifying all Medicaid cardholders that they can ride half price
(in fact, they ride free on Capital Metro), and maintaining the mandated
quantity of reserve buses in the agency’s fleet. These issues were promptly
addressed and corrected.
The FTA found no problems with Capital
Metro’s public comment procedures, adherence to the Americans with Disabilities
Act, school bus procedures, security spending, Equal Opportunity Policy, and
financial security.
"Capital Metro is very proud of this
Straight-A report card," said Walker. "As this report shows, the
problems of the past are behind us. We are focused on the future, and our goal
of providing safe, efficient public transportation services to the residents of
the Austin area."
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