DC ParaTransit attended the MetroAccess sub-Committee meeting of the RAC, which met on Wednesday March 15. We felt that, since the agenda for this meeting allowed time for public comment, it was the next logical step after the public fora held on March 13. The community’s voices were heard - now what was going to be done with the issues that were raised?
The meeting was somewhat more relaxed than other “formal” meetings that we have attended at Metro HQ. In addition to the RAC MetroAccess subcommittee members - Christian Kent (Director of WMATA’s MetroAccess department), Inez Evans (Vice President/General Manager of MV Transportation/MetroAccess Service), Nikki Frenney (Director of Communications for MV Transportation) and Kirk Wilkie (President of MV Transportation’s East Coast Operations) were in attendance. As a result of the small number of participants and attendees, spirited discussion of the major MetroAccess issues raised at the past Monday’s fora began almost immediately and continued for the entirety of the hour and a half meeting.
DC Para Transit Info compiled an information packet for the RAC MetroAccess subcommittee which included a printed copy of our suggestions and observations. The information packet contained in-depth information on underlying issues affecting the implementation of any of the solutions that might be formulated by the subcommittee for submission to WMATA. It also contained some possible means of implementing solutions to the identified agenda issues.
It is important to note that when this article refers to MetroAccess it is not referring specifically to MV Transportation, but to the entire entity of MetroAccess from the office in WMATA on down to the smallest subcontractor employed through the contract. Some rider concerns fall under policy issues that are covered in the contract between WMATA and MV, others are personnel issues that are attributable to subcontractors and others to MV. DC ParaTransit did not feel that it was our place to attempt to sort out what concerns fell to which group in the entirety that riders view as being “MetroAccess”.
Directly affecting any implementation of any policy or practice are the following:
- FTA guidelines specifically the portion concerning origination to destination rather than “curb to curb” (and also applies to driver assistance to customers)
- The “reasonable accommodations” clause of the ADA
The first three rider concerns raised in the March 13 meeting directly relate to the requirements of the FTA guidelines governing a spirit of origin-to-destination customer service: Driver Manifest Special Needs Indicators, Driver Assistance to Customers, and Driver Notification by Entering Residences/Buildings.
DC ParaTransit Info feels that MetroAccess cannot look to only coming into compliance with the ParaTransit clause of the ADA, it is also still subject to the rest of the ADA including the “reasonable accomodations” clause. We suggested to the subcommitee that where driver assistance and entering buildings issues are reasonable accomodations, MetroAccess should double-man the vans. It was pointed out that this can be done with no extra expenditure as MetroAccess already has driver trainers and driver trainees working as teams and that these teams can be assigned for such escort duties. If MetroAccess implements on-the-road training for supervisors and schedulers, these teams would also gain useful experience by assisting those with special needs. Since all personnel would benefit from periodic retraining, some level of double manning will be an ongoing result.
Concerns from the MetroAccess representatives were voiced regarding the level of need in the DC Metro area for a double manning scenario. It should be pointed out that MetroAccess conducts a medical assessment to qualify for registration for the service thus the data for estimating the need for service beyond “curb to curb” is available. It is also important to note that, even when exceptions should be made, the service can (under the FTA guidelines) remain primarily curb to curb. Only those individuals who warrant assistance need to be given a reasonable accomodation for their specific disabilities.
Some improvements to rider notification and assistance that have resulted from a policy change on the part of WMATA and have been implemented by MV Transportation include:
- IVR confirming a scheduled ride the day prior to the reservation
- IVR which calls a contact number to announce the arrival of the transport
- putting the customer contact phone number back on the drivers’ manifests
- adding a “Notes section” which allows the reservationist to communicate important information (pick up in back of the church, for instance)
The IVR definitely needs work as it is still not as detailed as was envisioned by MV Transportation. Activating IVR as an improvement in service was slated to be implemented this coming summer. MV Transportation, seeing the overwhelming need for communication with the customers, made implementing at least preliminary vestiges of the IVR service a priority. MV Transportation representatives assured the subcommittee and the attendees that the current IVR will be updated with improvements by the summer-time target.
Early Arrival Policy/Issues were next on the agenda. The early arrival policy -must- be enforced so that the 10 minute dwell time begin at the beginning of the 30 minute window given at the time of booking, -not- from the time of a driver’s arrival. MetroAccess needs to emphasize this in order to stop the practice of trying to fudge making up lost time by having the dwell time start on arrival (if early) as rider testimony reveals has been occurring repeatedly. MV drivers and, especially, subcontractor drivers need to be monitored on this issue.
The Complaint process was another problem the subcommittee discusssed. Complaints and how they are processed has long been problematic where MetroAccess is concerned. Since the complaint process for MetroAccess is considered outside of WMATA’s other Metro operations (MetroBus and MetroRail) there is a perception on the part of the riders that filing a complaint is almost a pointless exercise. Unless a rider specifically requests a response no attempt is made (from WMATA’s side of the process) to inform the rider about any resolution.
DC ParaTransit Info pointed out that many service organizations (utility companies and Internet Service Providers for example) have geographically distributed structures and there are ways to handle the complaint procedure using software that allows for tracking complaints from intake to resolution. This software also enables the ability to check progress on a specific item. A number is given to the customer and all activity in researching and resolving the complaint is recorded in a central location. Tracking numbers allow customers the ability to check the progress of their complaint. The software also tracks the complaint resolution process and would allow each complaint to be assigned to the part of MetroAccess best able to research and resolve it.
This software is available at no charge and has been used in a number of large sized organizations. The following software was recommended by DC ParaTransit Info to the subcommittee as reliable and suitable for the purpose of tracking customer complaints:
At the very least there -must- be a documented systematic complaints procedure adopted which will track complaints wherever they are received and by whomever is tasked to research and resolve them. We also suggested that the complaint follow up procedure needs to include sending out a survey form to close out any complaint to ensure quality control and organizational accountability. Additionally, including survey feedback into the complaints procedure would assist in fine tuning the process.
The discussion closed with the subject of the Cancellation Policy and the possibility of WMATA reviewing it based on the current level of technology. Currently the No Show/Late Cancellation Policy in the MetroAccess Customer Guide states:
If riders need to cancel their trips, they must call no later than 4:30 p.m. on the day prior to the scheduled trip.
–Six late cancellations in a 30-day period will result in a two-week suspension of service.
A passenger is considered a “no-show” when the vehicle arrives within the designated pickup window, waits ten minutes and the passenger fails to meet the vehicle.
–Three no-shows in any 30-day period will result in a two-week suspension of service.
Additional no-shows and late cancellations will result in longer suspensions of service.
DC ParaTransit Info queried if this policy could come under review, noting that the phone system now allows riders to cancel their own rides using the interactive rider account system (along with a push-button type phone) and the Ranger system (onboard GPS) is integrated into this system. Since phone cancellations are nearly instantaneous with the Ranger system, perhaps a more appropriate cancellation could be modelled along the lines of the MTA/Mobility policy that Baltimore paratransit operates under.
Using the MTA/Mobility model no penalty would be given to a rider giving MetroAccess the courtesy of telling them they can release a ride for other trips in a timely fashion. (For more in depth details - a copy of the policy may be found here) Given the DC Metro area traffic problems and the (at times) volatile weather conditions, it would seem logical that there are times when having a lower than anticipated number of rides might actually help improve the over-all performance of the MetroAccess system.
The RAC MetroAccess subcommittee definitely has an uphill battle ahead of them. As a rider, it is a hopeful sign that we have been heard and some consideration is being given to the problems we have voiced. Implementing resolutions to these problems quickly - be they problems at the policy level or at the operational level - will take a level of commitment from the parties which make up the MetroAccess system that has not been seen in the 11 years since MetroAccess’ inception. Under the previous WMATA leadership there was a prevasive attitude which stifled change and resulted in problems being “swept under the rug”. We hope that the new leadership seen so far from interrim WMATA CEO, Mr. Tangherlini, will result in positive changes for the WMATA customers who use MetroAccess.
