Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 30-47
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From page 30... ...
The materials in this section are designed to stimulate a logical thought process to ensure that what has been planned -- formally or informally -- is put into operational practice to achieve the stated purpose and goals of the commingled services. This document is not intended to provide a step-by-step guide to operating paratransit services; there are many other resources that provide that type of information, some of which are documented in Appendix C
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From page 31... ...
Calculate marginal cost/trip Changes needed No changes needed Same policies for ADA and non-ADA Decision to implement commingled ADA & non-ADA service Continue to monitor ADA & Non-ADA service performance Establish rider eligibility processes: - ADA paratransit rider eligibility - Non-ADA paratransit rider eligibility Develop operating policies Develop cost-sharing policies Document operating policies and procedures Different policies for ADA and non-ADA Develop billing procedures for nonADA programs Calculate fully allocated cost/trip Calculate cost/trip for commingled non-ADA service Negotiate agreements with non-ADA programs Assess changes needed for technology Document reporting requirements Develop information and marketing materials Design monitoring and evaluation program Assess performance of ADA and non-ADA service Meets ADA regulatory service criteria? Adjust performance as needed OPERATING POLICIES COST ALLOCATION PASSENGER ELIGIBILITY TECHNOLOGY MARKETING & EDUCATION MONITORING Procure needed technology Develop detailed reporting procedures REPORTING Separate program info Combined program info Meets other performance criteria?
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From page 32... ...
This section describes the basics of eligibility determination and discusses the importance of accurate eligibility determination, particularly when riders may be eligible both for ADA and non-ADA paratransit service, depending on the trip. ADA Paratransit Eligibility ADA is civil rights legislation that requires transit agencies operating fixed route bus and rail service to provide ADA complementary paratransit service for individuals who cannot use fixed route service for some or all of their trips.
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From page 33... ...
Non-ADA Paratransit Rider Eligibility Non-ADA services will have their own eligibility requirements and determination processes, based on the particular non-ADA riders who are being commingled. The non-ADA riders may be sponsored or affiliated with a particular human service agency or funding program, or they may be non-sponsored or unaffiliated, generally meaning they are part of the general public.
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From page 34... ...
Operating Policies A useful way to begin is to compare the ADA paratransit service requirements with non-ADA service requirements for the programs that will be commingled with the transit agency's ADA 34 Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders
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From page 35... ...
Comparable fares are required for ADA paratransit, which means they may be no more than twice the base, non-discounted adult fare for fixed route services. In contrast, many human service transportation programs do not allow a fare to be charged, although donations may be accepted (e.g., Medicaid and Title III of the OAA)
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From page 36... ...
• Non-ADA minimum program requirements and how they will be attained (e.g., allowable trips, any trip purpose restrictions) 36 Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders
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From page 37... ...
Those agencies that provided ADA service to an area beyond the ADA-required minimum, such as an entire city or county and also served non-ADA riders, tended to use the same service area for their ADA and non-ADA riders. More specifically, the survey showed that the majority of commingling transit agencies provide their ADA paratransit service only within the required 3⁄4-mile corridors (60%)
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From page 38... ...
Trips for ADA riders only will be provided outside these hours if there is comparable fixed route service at those times and only for trips where the origin and destination are within the 3⁄4-mile ADA fixed route corridor. The remaining agencies operate the same hours/days for all their paratransit service.
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From page 39... ...
The workbook is designed to help human service organizations identify expenses related to the provision of transportation services. Understanding the true cost of providing transportation will help to facilitate the discussions needed when human service agencies and transit agencies are looking to consolidate services.
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From page 40... ...
A transit agency may decide to use a com40 Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders
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From page 41... ...
Performance statistics use the base data collected by service delivery statistics to calculate outcomes, which are measured against the service policies that have been set for on-time performance, productivity, travel time, and the like. Finally, billing and invoicing statistics are derived from the service delivery statistics, as well as information from billing codes attached to each trip (i.e., funding sources such as Medicaid, Title III or transit agency funds for ADA service)
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From page 42... ...
A summary of the factors to consider includes the following: • Ascertain program reporting requirements • Review non-ADA program requirements in terms of standards set in previous section 42 Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders
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From page 43... ...
The large majority of transit agencies participating in the case study research use some form of advanced technology, most Operations Decision Process 43 Technology ADA + Other Same Vehicles N=52 ADA + Other Separate Vehicles N=9 Scheduling and dispatching software 89% 100% Mobile data terminals/computers 48% 67% Automatic vehicle locator 42% 67% Electronic recordkeeping and billing 25% 0% Interactive voice recognition 0% 22% Internet access for passengers for scheduling 6% 11% Electronic fare payment 2% 11.1% None 8% 0% Other 17% 22% Table 2-1. Technologies used for paratransit service.
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From page 44... ...
Marketing and Education Program Transit agencies sometimes express concerns about "marketing" and "promoting" the use of paratransit services, which are expensive on a per trip basis when compared with fixed route, but agencies will acknowledge that it is important to educate riders and stakeholders about the availability of the service, who is eligible to use it for what types of trips, and how to use the service. Education is particularly important for commingled systems where it may be confusing for riders 44 Resource Guide for Commingling ADA and Non-ADA Paratransit Riders
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From page 45... ...
But if the transit agency has a small contract to provide service to a small group of sponsored riders traveling to and from a senior center program, for example, then less marketing information may be required for the small group of riders. In Olympia, Washington, Intercity Transit operates commingled paratransit services and has separate marketing and public information materials for the individual programs that are commingled, as the programs have differing service requirements, policies, and procedures.
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From page 46... ...
Remember ADA paratransit is a civil rights program that must afford unrestricted access to service for eligible trips. Transit agencies that commingle services must be sure to monitor the following six key ADA service criteria: • Service area -- sometimes fixed route service areas change; do not forget to make adjustments as needed • Service days/hours -- service may need to be adjusted if fixed route service changes.
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From page 47... ...
Information gathered and trends that are tracked through service monitoring can be very beneficial for supporting and informing planning decisions as well as providing realistic estimates of service growth or patterns of change. Operations Decision Process 47
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