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3BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this synthesis report is to document current and innovative practices of U.S. transit agencies in the develop- ment and implementation of passenger no-show and late cancellation policies for paratransit programs operated under the regulatory requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). This topic is of interest to transit agen- cies that are responsible for providing ADA complementary paratransit that is efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to customer needs. This topic also is of interest to the disability community and other stakeholders who are concerned about having access to transportation services that are efficient, cost- effective, and appropriate for customer needs. U.S.DOT regulations implementing ADA address the issue of no-show policies in ADA complementary paratransit service programs, specifically, 49 CFR 37.125(h), which states that The entity may establish an administrative process to suspend, for a reasonable period of time, the provision of complementary para- transit service to ADA paratransit eligible individuals who estab- lish a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips. In addition to documenting regulatory requirements, this synthesis includes a summary of recent regulatory guidance and interpretations provided by FTA. This report also describes how existing no-show/late cancellation policies are adminis- tered, the community response, and the effectiveness of these policies in selected small, medium, and large transit agencies surveyed throughout the United States. The synthesis examines no-show and late-cancellation poli- cies both as a way to improve system productivity, efficiency, and capacity, and as a way to better serve riders with disabili- ties who may experience difficulties with the advance reser- vation nature of most ADA complementary paratransit opera- tions. The report highlights no-show/late cancellation policies that meet the intent of the ADA regulations and that have been developed with full and meaningful local public participation. SCOPE AND METHODS The synthesis report includes a comprehensive overview of the regulatory requirements of ADA. The regulatory overview is supplemented by a review of the findings pub- lished by the FTA Office of Civil Rights in recent ADA com- pliance reviews and in response to formal complaints filed with that office. Telephone interviews were conducted with FTA staff to clarify issues related to FTA findings and inter- pretations. This synthesis also includes a review of relevant literature and resources. A detailed on-line survey was conducted to gather feed- back from U.S. transit agencies that are responsible for pro- viding ADA paratransit services. A total of 134 surveys were completed of the 283 distributed, for a return rate of 47%. The survey included questions covering organizational structure; reservations, scheduling, and dispatching practices; no-show and late cancellation policies; public involvement and out- reach efforts; technologies used to manage the service; and operating statistics. Based on the survey results, topical case studies were developed to highlight specific policies and practices. REPORT ORGANIZATION The synthesis report is composed of six chapters, including the introduction provided in this chapter. Chapter two presents an overview of current federal regu- lations, along with a summary of recent guidance and inter- pretations relevant to the discussion of ADA complementary paratransit no-show/late cancellation policies and practices. First, relevant sections of the regulations are presented. Next, federal guidance and interpretations drawn from recent ADA complementary paratransit compliance reviews are described. The chapter concludes with a brief description of other resources that were identified during the literature review. Chapter three includes the results of an on-line survey of 134 U.S. transit agency ADA coordinators and managers. The survey was intended to identify current no-show and late can- cellation policies and practices employed by ADA paratransit programs. The information gathered through the survey also helped to identify innovative policies and practices for moni- toring and managing no-shows and late cancellations. Chapter four includes highlights of the no-show and late can- cellation policies that were submitted by survey respondents. Chapter five includes a description of features that transit agencies might want to consider when developing or review- ing the no-show and late cancellation policies. Chapter six includes a summary of findings and identifies outstanding issues and future research needs. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
