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TABLE 8
RANGE OF PEAK PARATRANSIT FLEETS AMONG RESPONDENTS
Peak Fleet Size <25 25 to 99 100 to 199 200
% of Respondents 65% 27% 4% 4%
Question 24--Who Is Responsible To seek out possible trends, each question on policies and
for the Following? practices was studied in two ways: (1) in summary form and
(2) cross-tabulated by average weekday total paratransit trips,
Table 9 presents a distribution of responsibility among in-
as reported by the respondents in Question 15. Average week-
house, broker, other contractor, or a combination. Responsi-
day total paratransit trips is a gauge of an operation's size,
bility for eligibility determination, customer information, and
which can be viewed as having an important influence (more
vehicle ownership are overwhelmingly handled in-house. Only
so than age or geography) over the decisions an agency makes.
2% to 7% of respondents reported broker responsibility for
any paratransit function. On the other hand, 15% to 43% of
respondents reported that paratransit functions are handled Analysis of Policies and Practices for More
by other contractors, with the training, hiring, and supervision Effective and/or Efficient Paratransit Service
functions garnering the highest rate of response. Because
questions about responsibilities allowed respondents to check Question 25--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service
more than one answer, the survey found that nearly 20% of Make Use of Any of the Following Eligibility
Policies or Practices?
respondents reported multiple responsibilities for customer
information and for training of other paratransit staff. Question 26--Please Include Any Comments
on Your Eligibility Responses Here.
PARATRANSIT POLICIES AND PRACTICES USED Table 10 shows that the majority of all respondents use con-
BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS ditional eligibility (68%), periodic recertification (69%), and
Introduction travel training (56%) as eligibility policies and practices in
their ADA paratransit services.
Participants were asked a number of questions concerning
the following six areas of ADA paratransit service: Table 10 also shows that the use of these three policies
and practices is especially high among respondents of the sec-
1. Eligibility policies and practices, ond largest size (large weekday total paratransit trips): 87%,
2. Trip reservation policies and practices, 93%, and 87%, respectively. Travel training is a highly used
3. Daily operations, practice as well (88%) among the largest respondents (more
4. Use of taxis, than 1,000 total weekday paratransit trips).
5. Coordination with social service agencies, and
6. Management and administrative programs. On the other hand, the table shows a deviation from the
summary majority response regarding travel training among
Of the 124 unique survey responses received, 21 respon- the smallest respondents (fewer than 250 weekday total para-
dents did not answer the questions on paratransit policies and transit trips). The responses from this group indicate that a
practices used; therefore, the tables that follow cover the majority of these agencies (58%) do not have travel training
responses received from the remaining 103 agencies. programs. Also showing a reversal from the summary trends is
TABLE 9
PARATRANSIT RESPONSIBILITIES AMONG RESPONDENTS
Other Multiple
Responsibility In-House Broker Contractor Answers
Eligibility Determination 88% 4% 19% 11%
Customer Information 89% 7% 25% 19%
Trip Reservations 69% 5% 32% 5%
Vehicle Scheduling 69% 4% 32% 6%
Vehicle Dispatching 67% 4% 35% 6%
Vehicle Ownership 93% 2% 15% 10%
Vehicle Maintenance 67% 4% 36% 7%
Driver Hiring and Supervision 65% 3% 39% 6%
Driver Training 68% 2% 43% 13%
Training for Other Paratransit Staff 76% 3% 39% 18%
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TABLE 10
ELIGIBILITY POLICIES AND PRACTICES USED IN ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE
(by weekday paratransit trips)
Overall Small Medium Large Very Large
Policy/Practice Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
Conditional Eligibility 68% 32% 60% 40% 71% 29% 87% 13% 71% 29%
Trip-by-Trip Eligibility 39% 61% 38% 62% 33% 67% 60% 40% 29% 71%
Periodic Recertification 69% 31% 58% 42% 62% 38% 93% 7% 88% 12%
Feeder Service to/from Fixed 37% 63% 34% 66% 33% 67% 53% 47% 35% 65%
Route
Travel Training 56% 44% 42% 58% 62% 38% 87% 13% 65% 35%
Other Eligibility Policies and 33% 67% 28% 72% 29% 71% 47% 53% 41% 59%
Practices
the use of eligibility practices, trip-by-trip eligibility, and feeder Question 30--Please Include Any Comments
service to/from a fixed route among the "Large" respondents on Your Daily Operations Responses Here.
(500 to 999 average weekday total paratransit trips). A major-
ity of transit agencies in this group reported that they employ Table 12 shows that the most common type of innovative
trip-by trip eligibility (60%) and feeder service (53%). practices among the survey respondents was use of tech-
nology and flexible staffing (both 40%). The majority of
Question 27--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service the "Large" respondents use innovative practices in vehi-
Make Use of Any of the Following Policies cle scheduling (53%); technology (67%); flexible staffing
or Practices for Trip Reservations? (53%); and allocation of drivers, vehicles, or other resources
(60%). A majority of the "Very Large" operators responded
Question 28--Please Include Any Comments
on Your Trip Reservations Responses Here.
that they have innovative practices in use of technology
(65%).
Table 11 shows that a slight majority of all respondents offer
on-demand or same-day reservations (54%) and that the Question 31--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service
"Small" and "Medium" operations are more likely to do so Make Use of Taxis in Any of the Following Ways?
than the "Large" and "Very Large" operations. Only 10% of
Question 32--Please Include Any Comments
all respondents use the Internet for trip reservations. Chapter
on Your Taxi Responses Here.
four reviews some of the respondents that are testing this
method of receiving trip requests.
Table 13 shows that a majority of all respondents do not use
Question 29--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service
taxis in their ADA paratransit services. Although this is true
Use Special Policies or Practices in Any of for all respondent groups, the use of accessible taxis, taxis as
the Following Elements of Daily Operations? regular contractors, taxis as overflow contractors, and taxis as
TABLE 11
TRIP RESERVATION POLICIES AND PRACTICES USED IN ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE
Overall Small Medium Large Very Large
Policy/Practice Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
On-Demand or Same- 54% 46% 54% 46% 62% 38% 53% 47% 47% 53%
Day Reservations
Internet Access for Trip 10% 90% 4% 96% 14% 86% 20% 80% 12% 88%
Requests, Changes,
Confirmations,
Cancellations
TTDs 59% 41% 54% 46% 43% 57% 80% 20% 76% 24%
Multi-Lingual Call 50% 50% 40% 60% 38% 62% 73% 27% 71% 29%
Takers
Other Trip Reservation 41% 59% 48% 52% 24% 76% 40% 60% 41% 59%
Policies and Practices
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TABLE 12
INNOVATIVE DAILY OPERATIONS POLICIES AND PRACTICES USED
IN ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE
Overall Small Medium Large Very Large
Policy/Practice Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
Vehicle Scheduling 36% 64% 40% 60% 14% 86% 53% 47% 35% 65%
Dispatching 37% 63% 42% 58% 19% 81% 40% 60% 41% 59%
Feeder Service 16% 84% 16% 84% 14% 86% 27% 73% 6% 94%
Use of Technology 40% 60% 28% 72% 29% 71% 67% 33% 65% 35%
Flexible Staffing 40% 60% 46% 54% 24% 76% 53% 47% 29% 71%
Allocation of Drivers, 36% 64% 40% 60% 24% 76% 60% 40% 18% 82%
Vehicles, or Other
Resources
Other Daily Operations 26% 74% 30% 70% 5% 95% 33% 67% 35% 65%
Policies and Practices
same-day contractors is significantly higher among the largest Question 35--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service
respondents (47%, 41%, 47%, and 29%, respectively). Only Have Any of the Following Special Management
or Administrative Programs?
6% of all respondents said that they used taxis as other pre-
mium service contractors. Question 36--Please Include Any Comments
on Your Management/Administrative Program
Question 33--Does Your ADA Paratransit Service Responses Here.
Coordinate with Social Service Agencies in Any
of the Following Ways? Table 15 shows that service monitoring was the only type of
management or administrative program in which a majority of
Question 34--Please Include Any Comments
on Your Coordination Responses Here.
the survey respondents (57%) reported that they were doing
something innovative. In addition, a large portion of the "Very
Table 14 shows that a majority of all respondents generally Large" operations (76%) reported that they had some innova-
do not coordinate with social service agencies in running tive service monitoring policies or practices.
their ADA paratransit services. The exception to this rule is
the practice of coordinating program schedules for more Although no other management or administrative program
efficient schedules, for which half of all transit agencies was reported to be in use by the majority of respondents over-
responded in the affirmative. When broken down by size, all or by the majority in any subcategory, a closer examination
the respondents who average fewer than 250 weekday of this question reveals a few interesting variations. Respon-
total paratransit trips are slightly more likely to coordinate dents from the "Very Large" operators used incentive pro-
program schedules for more efficient schedules (54%), grams for riders somewhat more frequently than respondents
whereas the "Medium," "Large," and "Very Large" sys- in other groups, but used alternate sources of revenue far less
tems were somewhat less likely to do so. In addition, other frequently than respondents in the other groups. Respon-
coordination policies and practices received a particularly dents from the "Large" operations used creative budgeting
high positive response rate (59%) among the "Very Large" (as defined by the respondents) significantly more than respon-
respondents. dents in other groups.
TABLE 13
TAXI POLICIES AND PRACTICES USED IN ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE
Overall Small Medium Large Very Large
Policy/Practice Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
Accessible Taxis 17% 83% 6% 94% 10% 90% 27% 73% 47% 53%
Taxis as Regular 16% 84% 8% 92% 5% 95% 27% 73% 41% 59%
Contractors
Taxis as Overflow 21% 79% 10% 90% 19% 81% 33% 67% 47% 53%
Contractors
Taxis as Same-Day 12% 88% 6% 94% 5% 95% 20% 80% 29% 71%
Contractors
Taxis as Other Premium 6% 94% 4% 96% 0% 100% 13% 87% 12% 88%
Service Contractors
Other Uses of Taxis 15% 85% 16% 84% 5% 95% 20% 80% 18% 82%
