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Practices in No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies for ADA Paratransit (2005)

Chapter: Chapter Five - Features to Consider When Developing No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Five - Features to Consider When Developing No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Practices in No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies for ADA Paratransit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13856.
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Page 33
Suggested Citation:"Chapter Five - Features to Consider When Developing No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Practices in No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies for ADA Paratransit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13856.
×
Page 33
Page 34
Suggested Citation:"Chapter Five - Features to Consider When Developing No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Practices in No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies for ADA Paratransit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13856.
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Page 34

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The following features of no-show and late cancellation policies are provided to assist agencies in setting up or evaluating their own programs and policies. These fea- tures were identified from the agency survey done for this synthesis and the review of the program description pro- vided by transit agencies. The features are divided into three areas: • Policy development, • Policy content, and • Policy implementation. POLICY DEVELOPMENT The following possible features of no-show/late cancella- tion policy development identified from agency survey results may assist transit agencies that are developing and reviewing their own policies. • Establish a public process to review and comment on the no-show policy. – Educate customers and caregivers about the effect of customer no-shows and late cancellations and what they can do to minimize no-shows and can- cellations. • A “pattern or practice” of missed trips involves inten- tional, repeated, or regular incidents. – Review ADA regulations and FTA letters of find- ing for guidance. – Define when a late cancellation is considered the functional equivalent of a no-show. – Define a pattern or practice of no-shows (and late cancellations). • Missed trips related to sudden emergencies that make it impracticable for riders to keep scheduled pick-ups or to call and cancel in a timely manner are to be con- sidered “beyond the rider’s control.” – Review the ADA regulations for guidance. – Work with the public to develop a list of “excused” no-shows. • Missed trips caused by scheduling errors or vehicles arriving late for pick-ups should not be held against the rider. 32 • Consider developing an alternative approach based on frequency of use rather than absolute numbers of no-shows and/or late cancellations. • ADA paratransit eligibility and the administrative pro- cess used in imposing sanctions should provide ade- quate due process. – Before sanctions are imposed for no-shows and late cancellations, notify riders in writing and list, in detail, the no-shows that have been recorded against them. – Provide an informal hearing process for riders to dispute the no-shows recorded or to offer reasons that the missed trips were beyond their control. – Provide transportation to this hearing, if needed. – After this informal hearing, if sanctions are to be imposed, notify riders in writing of the sanctions and give the specific reason(s) for the decision. – Allow riders to request a formal appeal (under appeal procedures similar to those used when applicants are denied eligibility). – Continue access to the ADA complementary para- transit service through the hearing and appeal processes. • Develop realistic expectations about passenger and driver behavior. – Educate customers about what drivers can and can- not do (e.g., wait time and on-time pick-up and drop-off windows). – Educate drivers about what is realistic to expect from passengers—especially passengers who may be developmentally disabled, vision impaired, or have other disabilities that make it difficult to use the system in the first place. – Understand that imposing sanctions on this popu- lation must be done with due process and concern for individuals who may rely on ADA paratransit as their only source of transportation. • Determine the operational effect of late cancellations at various times to decide what would fairly consti- tute a late cancellation that is the functional equiva- lent of a no-show for a particular system. • Identify the costs of various options for establishing a no-show/late cancellation policy. CHAPTER FIVE FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING NO-SHOW AND LATE CANCELLATION POLICIES

33 – Identify the cost of not establishing and enforcing a no-show/late cancellation policy to determine the benefits that will be realized. POLICY CONTENT The following possible features of no-show/late cancella- tion policy content may assist transit agencies when devel- oping and reviewing their own policies. • Incorporate a reasonable sanction for customers com- mensurate with the level of the no-show infraction. – Consider what length of suspension appears to be fair given the population served and the incidence of the no-shows and/or late cancellations. – Note that ADA regulations do not specify fines and other financial penalties as a remedy for excessive passenger no-shows. – FTA has indicated that it is not appropriate to pub- lish a restrictive no-show policy even if it is not enforced. • Include incentive programs such as free ride coupons for passengers with exemplary records (e.g., passen- gers who have zero no-shows during a 6-month period). • Develop a manual of internal operating procedures for handling no-shows and late cancellations. – Record operating procedures particularly with respect to dispatch and drivers on how to declare an apparent passenger no-show (based on wait time, scheduled pick-up time versus actual arrival time, and so on). – Include detailed directions for contacting passengers. – Use positive not demeaning language. • Include a written procedure for determining excused no-shows based on consistently applied criteria. – Communicate that procedure to passengers. • Do not automatically cancel subsequent trips on the same day as an apparent passenger no-show. – Establish a procedure for determining whether the remaining trips will be taken. – Establish an internal procedure for identifying and handling those trips. • Develop an appeals process that is consistent with ADA regulatory requirements as described previously. – Allow passengers to continue to use the service during the appeals process. – Provide an independent review board, such as the eligibility appeals board. • Establish a way to monitor no-shows and late cancel- lations on an on-going basis and to impose suspen- sions at the appropriate time. – Use a software vendor’s no-show/passenger sus- pension module. – Or create your own customized no-show/passenger suspension module. • Include as much automation as possible for collecting information and generating notices to passengers about apparent no-shows on a regular—perhaps daily—basis. – Be sure staff keeps current and is able to educate passengers about the no-show policies. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION The following possible features of no-show/late cancella- tion policy implementation may assist transit agencies when developing and reviewing their own policies. • Measure customer satisfaction of both those who could benefit by the reduction in the number of no- shows and late cancellations by the fellow customers and of those who have incurred excessive late can- cellations and no-shows. – Make reasonable policy adjustments based on feedback from customers. • Continue passenger education and outreach efforts. – Use door hangers to notify customers of a no-show. – Educate by means of passenger brochures, bul- letins, and newsletters. – Pay particular attention to educating new cus- tomers who may not understand the issue of no- shows and late cancellations. • Acquire technologies that will expedite the collection of accurate information and produce reports that facilitate analysis. – Acquire computer-assisted or automated schedul- ing and dispatching. – Use MDTs, AVLs, and other technologies. – Incorporate IVR and accessible on-line access to trip reservations, confirmations, and cancellations. – Employ smart cards for data collection and track- ing passenger use of the system. • Identify alternative ways for passengers to notify the transit agency about late cancellations, particularly after hours. – Answering machine. – Accessible on-line trip management. – IVR. • Develop a means to collect good documentation based on a reliable, consistent method of recording no-shows and late cancellations. – Ensure that drivers accurately record their times and locations in the event of an apparent passenger no-show. – Ensure that late cancellations are handled quickly and efficiently to give the dispatcher time to make real-time schedule adjustments. – Encourage dispatchers to actively manage their drivers, particularly if they have access to AVL and MDTs, which allow for dynamic dispatching throughout the day.

• Contact passengers about apparent no-shows and late cancellations on a daily basis. – Research excused no-shows. • Investigate operating failures to distinguish between passenger no-shows and carrier failures. • Manage the appeals process established by the no- show policy. • Document the actual costs of a no-show, trip refusal (at the door), late cancellation (and how it is defined), and advance cancellation (and how it is defined). 34 • Measure the cost of managing a no-show policy. SUMMARY Although most transit agencies would not be able to employ all of the ideas for no-show policies that are listed in this chapter, there are many items to consider and they are included here. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and may likely change over time as new interpretations and additional policy clarifications become available.

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 60: Practices in No-Show and Late Cancellation Policies for ADA Paratransit examines current and innovative practices of U.S. transit agencies in the development 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). The report reviews the administration, community response, and effectiveness of policies in small, medium, and large transit agencies. The report addresses policies as a way to improve system productivity, efficiency, and capacity, and as a means to better service riders with disabilities who may experience difficulties with the advance reservation aspect of most ADA complementary paratransit operations.

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