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

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APPENDIX A Survey Questionnaire [Note: The on-line survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey. Some questions in the print version were numbered and formatted differently; however, the order and content are the same.] TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM SYNTHESIS PROJECT J-7, TOPIC SB-11 PRACTICES IN LATE CANCELLATION/NO-SHOW POLICIES FOR ADA PARATRANSIT 42 Survey Questionnaire for ADA Paratransit Manager or ADA Coordinator Purpose: The objective of this synthesis is to document current policies and practices of U.S. public transit agencies concerning passenger late cancellations and no-shows for ADA complementary para- transit service. The synthesis will survey transit agencies based on a list provided by the Ameri- can Public Transportation Association (APTA). For the purposes of this study, ADA paratransit is defined as “comparable transportation services that must be provided for individuals with dis- abilities who are unable to use fixed route systems,” in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The final results will be summarized in a report that will be available from the Transportation Research Board (TRB). You can learn more about the project at http://www4.nas.edu/trb/synthsis.nsf/All+Projects/Synthesis+SB-11. Special Note: The survey is being provided in an on-line format through “SurveyMonkey.” If respondents are unable to complete the survey on-line, they may contact the project manager to obtain a paper copy or complete it via telephone interview. Submission Instructions Please complete the online survey by Friday, November 19, 2004, following the instructions provided on the transmittal e-mail. We also are asking you to provide copies of your written no-show/late cancellation policies, as well as any public information you provide to customers (including sample letters). Please e-mail or mail them to the project manager at the address below. Rosemary G. Mathias TranSystems Corp. PO Box 629 Norwich, VT 05055 802-649-5294 or e-mail rgmathias@transystems.com I. System and Contact Information Name of transit agency: _____________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________ State: ____________________ Zip code: ________________ Contact person: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Title: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (______) _______________-___________________ Fax: (______) _______________-___________________ E-mail address: ____________________________________________________________________________________

II. Reservations and Scheduling 1. Please indicate what types of paratransit services are provided by your transit agency: (check one). □ ADA complementary paratransit only □ ADA complementary paratransit service AND other paratransit services provided using the SAME vehicles □ ADA complementary paratransit service AND other paratransit services provided using DIFFERENT vehicles Please answer all remaining questions with respect to ADA complementary paratransit service only. 2. Which of the following best describes the trip reservation and scheduling process for your ADA complementary para- transit service for initial reservations (not will call/call when ready trips)? (Check one.) □ Trip requests are taken 1 or more days in advance and scheduled with customer on the phone □ Trip requests are taken 1 or more days in advance and then batch scheduled later □ Trip requests are taken and then same-day dispatched (real-time scheduling) □ Other (please describe): _______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What is the maximum number of days in advance that trip requests can be made? (Check one.) □ same day □ 7 days □ 1 day □ 14 days □ 3 days □ more than 14 days □ 5 days □ other (describe) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the normal cutoff time to place a reservation? (Check one.) □ Same day □ 4 p.m. day before trip is scheduled □ 5 p.m. day before trip is scheduled □ 6 p.m. day before trip is scheduled □ Other (describe): ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. As part of the reservations process, are passengers routinely called back to confirm their scheduled pick-up times? □ Yes □ No If yes, please describe the process: __________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Does your system allow “will calls”/ “call when ready” requests for return trips when the passenger is not sure when she/he will be done? □ Yes □ No 7. How is your pick-up window defined? (e.g., 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after negotiated pick-up time) □ Not applicable ________ minutes BEFORE negotiated pick-up time to ________ minutes AFTER negotiated pick-up 8. Has your system established designated paratransit pick-up locations at large facilities (such as hospitals or shopping malls)? □ Yes, we have designated pick-up locations WITH signs □ Yes, we have designated pick-up locations WITHOUT signs □ No, customers may request any pick-up location in the service area □ Other 43

9. How long are drivers required to wait for a passenger at the pick-up location assuming the driver arrives WITHIN the stated pick-up window? (e.g., 5 minutes, 3 minutes) Driver must wait _____ minutes □ Not applicable 10. If a driver arrives after the end of the pick-up window and the passenger cannot be located, would a passenger be considered a no-show? □ Yes □ No □ Sometimes If so, please describe circumstances: _______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ III. No-Shows and Cancellations Please define the following terms as they are used by your system. If you do not use a particular term, please indicate that it is not applicable. 11. An “Advance Cancellation” is defined as (select the one answer that best reflects your system): a. a trip that is canceled more than ____ HOURS before a scheduled trip b. a trip that is canceled more than ____ DAYS before a scheduled trip c. other please describe: ________________________________________________________________________ d. not applicable 12. A “Cancellation” is defined as (select the one answer that best reflects your system): a. a trip that is canceled at least _____ HOURS before a scheduled trip b. a trip that is canceled at least _____ DAYS before a scheduled trip c. other please describe: ________________________________________________________________________ d. not applicable 13. A “Late Cancellation” is defined as (select the one answer that best reflects your system): a. a trip that is canceled less than _____ HOURS before a scheduled trip b. a trip that is canceled less than _____ DAYS before a scheduled trip c. other please describe: ________________________________________________________________________ d. not applicable 14. A “Same Day Cancellation” is defined as (select the one answer that best reflects your system): a. a trip that is canceled _____ HOURS or more before a scheduled trip on the same day b. a trip that is canceled _____ MINUTES or more before a scheduled trip on the same day c. other please describe: ________________________________________________________________________ d. not applicable 15. A “Passenger No-Show” is defined as (select the one answer that best reflects your system): □ When a passenger cannot be located at the specified pick-up location □ When a passenger cannot be located at the specified pick-up location OR refuses a trip □ Other (please describe): ______________________________________________________________________ □ Not applicable 16. If a passenger is a no-show for the first trip of the day, what happens to any remaining trips booked for that day? (Check the one description that best describes your policy.) □ Remaining trips are automatically canceled □ Remaining trips are left on the schedule unless the customer calls to cancel □ An attempt is made to contact the customer and if she/he is not contacted, the remaining trips are canceled □ An attempt is made to contact the customer and if she/he is not contacted, the remaining trips are left on the schedule □ Other (describe): ___________________________________________________________________________ 44

17. What procedures are followed in the event of an apparent passenger no-show? Describe driver procedures, service mon- itors, dispatchers, and other personnel. a. Drivers: ___________________________________________________________________________________ b. Dispatchers: _______________________________________________________________________________ c. Service monitors: ___________________________________________________________________________ d. Other personnel: ____________________________________________________________________________ 18. In the event of a passenger no-show or late cancel, are you able to make use of the opening in the schedule? □ Yes □ No □ Sometimes If so, describe process: __________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 19. Do you have a written passenger no-show/late cancellation policy? □ Yes □ No (If no, skip to Question 25; if yes, please e-mail or mail a copy of the policy to the project manager.) a. Does your policy include suspensions or fines for excessive no shows? (Check all that apply.) □ Fines □ Suspensions □ No If so, describe the length of suspensions or amount of fines applied: __________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Describe how “excessive no-shows” are defined (e.g., number/percentage of occurrences, period of time): ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ c. Does your policy specifically include provisions for no-shows that are “beyond the rider’s control”? □ Yes □ No If so, how is “beyond the rider’s control” defined? ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ d. Does your policy include suspensions or fines for excessive late cancels? (Check all that apply.) □ Fines □ Suspensions □ No If so, describe the length of suspensions or amount of fines applied: __________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ e. Describe how “excessive late cancels” are defined (e.g., number/percentage of occurrences, period of time): ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ f. Does your policy include advance notification or warnings prior to suspensions or fines being assessed? □ Yes □ No If yes, please describe process: _______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ g. Does your policy include incentives for passengers who have low rates of no-shows/late cancellations? □ Yes □ No If yes, please describe process: _______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 20. How would you describe the enforcement of your no-show/late cancellation policy during the past year? (Check one.) □ The policy has been actively enforced □ The policy has been enforced to some degree □ The policy has not been enforced □ Other (describe): ___________________________________________________________________________ 45

21. Who monitors your no-show/late cancellation policy compliance? (Check one.) □ Transit agency staff □ Broker □ Contract operator □ Other (describe): ___________________________________________________________________________ □ Not monitored 22. How was your no-show policy/late cancellation policy developed? (Check all that apply.) □ The policy was developed with input from a citizen advisory committee □ The policy was developed with public input from other meetings □ The policy was developed internally by staff □ Other (describe): ___________________________________________________________________________ 23. How is information about your no-show and/or late cancellation policy provided to passengers? □ The policy is described in the eligibility determination materials □ The policy is described in rider brochures □ The policy is described in newsletters and/or passenger bulletins □ The policy is described in the transit system’s Internet website □ Other (describe): ___________________________________________________________________________ 24. Please describe your appeals process in the event a customer contends his/her suspension or fine. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Software/Technology Information 25. What technologies do you currently use? (Check all that apply.) □ Computer scheduling/dispatching software Software Name____________________ Version No. ________________ □ Automatic vehicle location (AVL) □ Mobile Data Computers (MDCs) or Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) □ Other, please describe: _______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ □ Not applicable (skip to Question 28) 26. How are these technologies used to help reduce the impact of no-shows and late cancellations? □ Not applicable ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 27. Does your software program include a module to track no-shows and/or late cancellations? □ Yes □ No □ Don’t know a. If yes, do you use this module? □ Yes □ No If yes, please describe how you use this module: ______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 46

V. Service Characteristics 28. Please indicate for each function if it is performed by transit agency employees, contracted broker employees, or contracted operator employees. Transit Agency Contract Broker Contract Operator a. Initial trip reservations/advance cancellations/changes □ □ □ b. Same-day cancellations □ □ □ c. “Where’s my ride?” calls □ □ □ d. “Will calls” or “call when ready” returns □ □ □ e. Scheduling □ □ □ f. Dispatching □ □ □ g. Vehicle operation □ □ □ h. Customer comments/complaints □ □ □ 29. If you use a contractor for vehicle operations, are contractors reimbursed for passenger no-shows? □ Yes □ No □ Not applicable a. If yes, how are they paid for passenger no-shows? □ per hour □ by mile □ per trip b. Is the reimbursement amount different from a completed trip rate? □ Yes □ No c. If yes, please describe the difference: ____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 30. What level of driver assistance is provided for ADA complementary paratransit service? (Check all that apply.) □ Curb-to-curb □ Door-through-door □ Door-to-door □ Other 31. Paratransit trip statistics Check one: □ FY 2003 □ FY 2004 Check if an Estimate a. Number of ADA certified customers __________ □ b. Percentage who are regular riders (i.e., ride at least once a month on average? _________% □ c. Total one-way ADA trip requests scheduled (do not count PCAs or companions) __________ □ d. Trips canceled same day of trip __________ □ e. Passenger no-shows __________ □ f. Carrier no-shows (missed trips) __________ □ g. Total annual one-way trips provided (g  c  d  e  f) __________ □ VI. Finally 32. Do you think your system has developed a good way of handling ADA complementary paratransit no-shows and/or late cancellations that might be helpful for other systems to learn more about? □ Yes □ No 33. If so, would you be interested in serving as a “best practices” case study example as part of this project? □ Yes □ No □ Not applicable Please mail or e-mail copies of your no-show/late cancellation policy and any related information that you distribute to customers (including sample letters) to the project manager listed at the beginning of the survey. Please submit your survey by November 19, 2004 Thanks very much! 47