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1
AGENDA PACKET AC TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AAC) REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 1:00 P.M.
INDEX OF ATTACHMENTS 1.
Minutes from September 10, 2013
2.
Fare Change Proposal
3.
2013 AAC Top Priorities
4.
ADA Complaints Comparison
5.
Lift/Ramp Road Call Report
6.
MCI Fleet Lift Report
7.
Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report – MCI (6000 Series)
8.
Transit Correspondence
MEETING LOCATION AC TRANSIT 1600 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor Board Room 1:00 P.M. Oakland, California 94612 For additional information about the Accessibility Advisory Committee contact Tammy Kyllo, Secretary to the Committee, at 510-891-7175
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AGENDA ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AAC) AC TRANSIT 1600 FRANKLIN STREET, OAKLAND, CA 94612 1:00 P.M., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 REGULAR MEETING Teleconference: Jim Gonsalves, AAC Member 1714 Franklin Street, #100-316, Oakland CA 94612 AAC MEMBERS: JANET ABELSON SHIRLEY CRESSEY STEVE FORT YULI JACOBSON JAMES ROBSON DEBORAH TAYLOR MARINA VILLENA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
SCOTT BLANKS, VICE CHAIR PAMELA FADEM, CHAIR JIM GONSALVES DON QUEEN WILL SCOTT HECTOR VARELA HALE ZUKAS
Roll Call and Introduction of Staff Members and Guests Order of Agenda Approval of Minutes for September 10, 2013 [Attachment 1] Review Fare Change Proposal (Nathan Landau) [Attachment 2] Brainstorm action items for the 2013 AAC Top Priorities [Attachment 3] Staff report on ADA Complaints [Attachment 4] Chair’s Report Board Liaison Report Review of Lift/Ramp Road Call Report [Attachment 5] Review of MCI Fleet Lift Report and Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report–MCI (6000 Series) [Attachments 6 & 7] Service Review Advisory Committee (SRAC) Report (Janet Abelson) ACTC PAPCO Report (Hale Zukas) Public Comments Transit Correspondence [Attachment 8] (Informational Only) Member Communications and Announcements Staff Communications and Announcements Set Next Agenda & Meeting Date Adjournment
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ATTACHMENTS: Meeting Minutes: September 10, 2013 Fare Change Proposal 2013 AAC Top Priorities ADA Complaints Comparison Lift/Ramp Road Call Report MCI Fleet Lift Report Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report Transit Correspondence
[Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Attachment 5] [Attachment 6] [Attachment 7] [Attachment 8]
Staff to the Accessibility Advisory Committee: Mallory Nestor-Brush, Accessible Services Manager Kim Ridgeway, Accessible Services Specialist Tammy Kyllo, Administrative Coordinator
(510) 891-7213 (510) 891-7261 (510) 891-7175
ALTERNATIVE FORMATS: AC Transit will provide written agenda materials in appropriate alternative formats, or disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in public meetings. Please send a written request, including your name, mailing address, phone number and brief description of the requested materials and preferred alternative format or auxiliary aid or service to Linda Nemeroff, District Secretary, AC Transit, 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612. Written requests will be honored for the calendar year in which the request was made, but must be renewed after January 1 for the next calendar year with the same information listed above. SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER: A sign language interpreter will gladly be provided for persons with a hearing impairment. If an interpreter is needed for a specific meeting, please call (510) 891-7175 at least five days prior to the meeting. NO SCENTED PRODUCTS: Please refrain from wearing scented products at the meeting, as there may be persons present with environmental illnesses. PUBLIC SPEAKERS: Speakers wishing to address subjects not listed on this agenda will be invited to address the committee under the “public comments” section of the agenda. Speakers who wish to address a specific agenda item will be invited to address the committee at the time the item is being considered. Time limitations: Individuals addressing the committee should limit their comments to three (3) minutes.
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ATTACHMENT 1 DRAFT MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF THE AC TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AAC) SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 Meeting came to order at 1:07 p.m. 1. Roll Call and Introduction of Guests AAC members present: Janet Abelson Scott Blanks, Vice Chair Pam Fadem, Chair Steve Fort Don Queen James Robson Will Scott Deborah Taylor Hector Varela Marina Villena Hale Zukas AAC members absent: Shirley Cressey (excused) Yuli Jacobson (excused)
Jim Gonsalves (excused)
Staff:
Mallory Nestor-Brush, Accessible Services Manager Tammy Kyllo, Administrative Coordinator H.E. Christian Peeples, Board of Directors
Guests:
Patrick J. Forte, Commissioner on Aging, City of Oakland Karen Smulevitz, Commissioner on Aging, City of Oakland Danielle Roundtree Chris Mullin
2. Order of Agenda The order of the agenda was approved. 3. Approval of Minutes The minutes from the July 9, 2013 meeting were approved with the following amendment: Item #6 “Chair’s Report”, Chair Fadem requested another AC Transit Board Liaison be appointed to the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) due to the current Board Liaison, Mark Williams, not attending any of the AAC meetings. Chair Fadem will send a letter to AC Transit Board of Directors requesting the change of the Board Liaison. MOTION: Varela/Fort approved the July 9, 2013 AAC meeting minutes. 9 Yeas. 2 Abstentions.
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4. Review of Draft 2013 AAC Top Priorities The AAC reviewed the Draft 2013 AAC Top Priorities and after the committee discussion proposed to approve the following Draft 2013 AAC Top Priorities: • Advocate for the most equitable and accessible AC Transit service and equipment, and encourage AC Transit to be an industry leader in accessibility. • Advocate for increasing State and Federal funding for public transit. • Support and participate in driver training to ensure drivers are proficient, sensitive to the needs of seniors and people with disabilities, and help create an atmosphere that is welcoming to all riders. • Support and engage in activities to increase ridership of seniors and people with disabilities on the fixed route transit system. This includes general education to increase the public’s knowledge and understanding of the needs of seniors and people with disabilities and a commitment to removing barriers throughout the transit system. Motion: Varela/Taylor Approve the Draft 2013 AAC Top Priorities 11 Yeas. Motion carries unanimously. 5. Review of Quarterly ADA Complaints Mallory Nestor-Brush, Accessible Services Manager, reported that the ADA-Conduct/ Discourtesy, ADA-Priority Seating Issue and ADA-Pass Up complaints were significantly higher compared to the same quarter last year. The Committee requested that Staff provide details on the ADA-Priority Seating for the next meeting. Abelson asked if complaints regarding wheelchairs can be identified. Staff will check with Customer Service on wheelchair identification. Taylor requested a comparison between the first year of ADA complaints database and current year. 6. Chair’s Report Chair Fadem shared her letter to the AC Transit Board of Directors requesting the change of the Board Liaison to the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) due to the current Board Liaison, Mark Williams, not attending any of the AAC meetings. Chair Fadem announced that Director Peeples has been appointed as the new Board Liaison. 7. Board Liaison Report Director Peeples reported that: • Board of Directors Meeting agenda items for September 11, 2013: o Inner East Bay Comprehensive Operations Analysis Urban Trunk Toolkit o Proposed revision of the District’s fare structure • The District is continuing to negotiate with ATU to avoid an AC Transit strike. Labor issues are ongoing with BART and there is a strong possibility of a BART strike on October 10, 2013.
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8. Review of Lift/Ramp Road Call Report Mallory Nestor-Brush, Accessible Services Manager, reported that in the period of June 23, 2013 – August 24, 2013, there were 32 lift/ramp road calls. Of these 32 roadcalls, 11 were chargeable, or had mechanical issues. The Committee requested that route numbers be added to future reports. Taylor requested a onetime report for all road calls in the fleet to be compared to Lift/Ramp Road Calls. 9. Review of MCI Fleet Lift Report and Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report – MCI (6000 Series) Mallory Nestor Brush, Accessible Services Manager, reviewed the MCI Fleet Lift Report and Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report, which is a result of the settlement agreement regarding MCI fleet maintenance and pre-trip lift/ramp cycling by operators. 10. Service Review Advisory Committee (SRAC) Report Abelson reported that the SRAC met on Tuesday, September 3rd and three members, Yvonne Dunbar, Robert L. Kearney Jr., and Patricia Affonso, were seated or reseated. Officer elections were held and Janet Abelson and Don Queen were re-elected Chair and Vice Chair respectively. Chair Abelson also reported that the Paratransit Broker’s office is moving a few doors down on Broadway and the new space will have a lovely meeting room and an area for Central Dispatch. There was also an update on the Mobility Resources Inventory Survey and a summary report on the 2013 Customer Satisfaction Survey. 11. ACTC PAPCO Report Zukas reported that the Alameda CTC 10th Annual Senior and Disabled Mobility Workshop will be held on Monday, October 7, 2013 from 9:30am – 3:30pm at Ed Roberts Campus. 12. Public Comments • Patrick J. Forte, Commissioner on Aging, City of Oakland, asked how many times drivers cycle the lift/ramp before leaving the yard. Mallory Nestor-Brush replied that each driver must cycle the lift/ramp once before leaving to make sure it is in working order. • Chris Mullin asked how to get information on bus stops that are temporarily closed due to construction. Director Peeples suggested signing up for eNews to receive that information. • Karen Smulevitz, Commissioner on Aging, City of Oakland, commented on how vital seating is for seniors at bus stops and on the bus. 13. Transit Correspondence This is an informational item for the committee.
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14. Member Communications and Announcements • Deborah Taylor, would like to have a button that the drivers can push for an announcement to say “please give up your seat for seniors and people with disabilities”, as a reminder for passengers. • Jim Robson commented that buses are showing improvement in cleanliness. • Marina Villena shared that the Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF) invites people with disabilities to join them and experience the wide variety of cultural and recreational activities San Francisco has to offer by giving away free tickets. 15. Staff Communications and Announcements None. 16. Set Next Agenda & Meeting Date The next AAC Meeting will be held Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 1:00 pm in the 2nd Floor Board Room of 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland. Agenda items include Review Fare Change Proposal and Brainstorm action items for the 2013 AAC Top Priorities. 17. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 3:10 pm.
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8 ATTACHMENT 2 Fare Change Proposal Report No: Meeting Date:
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
13-240A September 25, 2013
STAFF REPORT TO:
Finance and Audit Committee AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM:
David J. Armijo, General Manager
SUBJECT:
Amended Report Concerning Fare Structure Revision
ACTION ITEM RECOMMENDED ACTION(S): Consider amending the parameters for the public hearing set for October 23, 2013 for revision of the fare structure to introduce a day pass and eliminate transfers, to create Clipper discounts on local cash fares, to reduce the price of 31 day adult local passes, and to increase the price of the youth/senior/disabled pass, effective July 1, 2014, as set forth in Attachment 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This report resubmits staff report 13-240 concerning fare structure revision, with the following amendments: 1. The Transbay thirty one day pass price is maintained at $151.20, rather than reduced to $150; 2. To recommend that Dumbarton Express fares and transfer regulations be adjusted in accordance with changes in AC Transit fares and transfers; and 3. To advise the Board that the proposed fare adjustments are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act provided certain findings are made and incorporated into the public record. This proposal is primarily designed to improve the efficiency and convenience of AC Transit’s fare payment system by eliminating transfers and instituting day passes. It also proposes action to create incentives for passengers to use Clipper, and proposes changes to local 31-day pass prices. These actions are a follow-up to the Board’s April 14, 2013 deferral of a fare increase that was scheduled for implementation on July 1, 2013 (Staff Report 13-099, Resolution 13-022, attached). At that time, staff proposed returning to the Board with a proposal that could include elimination of transfers and the introduction of a day pass. Both of these actions are in keeping with standard industry practice, as shown in the attached summary of fare products (Attachment 4). Few American transit agencies now use paid transfers. To passengers, transfer payments are an additional fare for trips which have the inconvenience of requiring two or more buses. For AC Transit, transfers are time consuming and costly to handle, fail to adequately compensate the District for rides, and
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have the potential for fraud. These fare structure changes will decrease boarding/dwell time for enhanced operations as well as encourage increased patronage. BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT: This section of the report will discuss anticipated budgetary and fiscal impacts on AC Transit. Cost changes and impacts for passengers are discussed in the Background/Rationale section. Switching from transfers to day passes will all but eliminate the District’s revenue from transfers, as well as reduce revenue from local cash fares. The day passes will represent a new source of revenue. Based on the experience of other transit agencies, staff anticipates that 15% of local adult fares would be paid with day passes, while 5% of youth and senior fares would be paid with day passes. However, in our financial calculation we have assumed a 10% take up rate, so as not to overestimate the impact of the passes. The lower youth/senior percentage would result from the fact that monthly passes for youth and seniors are priced so low, and therefore a higher percentage of youth/senior passengers would use monthly passes. This analysis makes the conservative assumption that the number of passengers riding the system will not change. However, it is anticipated that the convenience and improved access provided by the day pass will attract additional passengers. FY15 Projected Farebox Revenue With Proposed Day Pass and Other Changes Fare Category Single Ride:
Multi-Ride:
Transfers: Day Pass:
Current Fares
Fare Type Adult – Local Adult – Transbay Youth/Senior/Disabled – Local Youth/Senior/Disabled - Transbay Adult Local 31 Day Pass Adult – Transbay 31 Day Pass Senior/Disabled Monthly Pass Youth 31 Day Pass Transfers – Local
Local Adult Day Pass Youth/Senior/Disabled - Local Total from all fare categories
FY13 Revenue (actual)
Proposed Fare
FY15 Projected Rev. With Day Pass (Eliminate Transfers)
2.10 4.20 1.05 2.10
30,006,729 4,505,183 4,852,222 135,155
2.10 4.20 1.05 2.10
80.00 151.20 20.00 20.00
4,179,990 1,994,792 2,551,112 2,284,387
75.00 151.20 23.00 23.00
3,918,741 1,994,792 2,933,779 2,627,045
0.25
52,978
Eliminated
0
5.00 2.50
7,144,459 577,646 52,209,182
50,562,547
% change over FY13 Revenue
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24,005,383 * 4,505,183 4,367,000 ** 135,155
3.26%
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Assumptions: 1. No change in ridership 2. Local vs. Transbay ratio stays close to 1:2 3. No elasticity calculation due to no change in current fares for single rides 4. *Day Pass usage is calculated at 10% of total Local Adult (reduced local adult rev for round trip) = total 20% reduction in Local Adult Fare Revenue **Day Pass usage is calculated at 5% of total Local Y/S/D (reduce Y/S/D rev for round trip) = total 10% reduction in Local Y/S/D Fare Revenue As of 9/17/13
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE: Process Beginning in late summer of 2012, AC Transit staff embarked on an analysis of the fare structure. The analysis included: o Assessing new fare strategies o Charging a Fare per Boarding o Eliminating Transfers o Increasing Clipper Use o Introducing a Day and a 7 Day Pass o Expanding the Retail Sales Network o Reducing the Cost of the 31 Day Pass Additionally, the analysis attempted to determine potential financial impacts, ridership impacts, and potential Title VI implications. The AC Transit Board was briefed on the analysis at its retreat on March 13, 2013 and took action to defer a fare increase scheduled for July 1, 2013 at its April 14, 2013 meeting. Since that time, staff has continued to evaluate and deliberate about how to best manage the fare structure in keeping with the goals of the fare policy (Simplicity, Appropriateness, Equity, Transparency, Policy Supportiveness, and Affordability). Attention was focused especially on a fare per boarding, elimination of transfers, introducing a day pass, and increasing Clipper use. Changes in fares would also be applicable to the Dumbarton Express, which was unintentionally omitted from the initial Staff Report. Transfers and Day Passes This fare structure change centers on shifting from a fare and transfer system to a day pass system for local fares. It represents a shift in longstanding AC Transit practice, but it is a shift which numerous transit agencies have made. These include Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), Regional
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Transit (Sacramento), Metro (Los Angeles), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Metropolitan Transportation System (San Diego), and Regional Transportation Commission (Las Vegas), among others. Shifting from transfers to day passes is beneficial for both passengers and AC Transit. Passengers gain a single convenient fare instrument which is valid for a whole day, not simply two hours. With a day pass, passengers can take additional trips beyond their daily commute at no additional charge. The day pass eliminates the uncertainty (and sometimes conflict) about whether a transfer is valid for a given trip. As a convenient to use, conveniently priced fare product, the potential for marketing the day pass is strong. At the same time, passengers who only take one or two bus riders per day can continue to pay cash fares at no additional cost (although some may opt for day passes simply for convenience). Day passes would be available from the farebox. They would be paper media with a magnetic strip and on Clipper. On Clipper, passengers using a day pass would be charged $2.00 for their first ride, $2.00 for the second ride, $1.00 for their third ride, and any subsequent rides would be free. This is known as an accumulator. The goal is to transition passengers from buying day passes at the farebox to buying them through Clipper. To make this a convenient option will require an expanded network of Clipper vendors and/or mechanisms for Clipper users without credit cards to autoload the card. The change from transfers to day passes has numerous advantages to AC Transit. There will be fewer transactions at the farebox, where one purchase of a day pass can easily replace four transactions. Dwell times will be reduced and travel times speeded up. The District will have fewer coins and fewer materials to handle. An entire class of potential disputes between drivers and passengers will be eliminated. Issuing transfers through the Trim unit has reduced fraud; eliminating transfers should result in a further reduction of fraud. Cost of Using the Day Pass Depending on their riding pattern, passengers should experience little or no cost increase from this change. A small number will experience a decrease. The 2012 MTC survey of AC Transit passengers found that 56% do not transfer on their trip, 36% transfer once, and 9% transfer two or more times. (The numbers cannot be precisely equated to the use of two or three buses because they include out of system transfers, staff is researching bus-specific transfers.) Passengers using two buses each way on their commute (and not already using a pass) now pay $4.70 per day, $2.10 fare +25 cents for a transfer each way. These passengers will experience a fare increase of 30 cents per day, or 6% of their existing fare. If the 2011 fare recommendation of $2.25 fare and 25 cents transfer had been implemented, these passengers would be paying exactly $5.00. Passengers using one bus each way will presumably not buy a day pass, unless they wanted to take additional rides on a given day.
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Youth/Senior/Disabled Day Pass To assure that fare products are available to the widest range of passengers, we propose creation of youth/senior/disabled day pass costing $2.50 per day. We expect less usage of this pass, because the price of the monthly youth/senior/disabled pass is so low. Some agencies which offer day passes do not offer a reduced price youth or senior/disabled day pass. Transfer Products Retained Interagency transfers, primarily to BART and on the Dumbarton Express, will be retained under this proposal, as there is not a unified regional fare instrument. Similarly, in the absence of a Transbay day pass, free Transbay to local transfers, used by only a few dozen people per weekday, will be retained. Cash Fares and Clipper Incentives This proposal maintains cash fares at their current levels, neither raising nor reducing them. This approach should help maintain our fare revenues. At the same time, we seek to move cash paying passengers onto Clipper. Clipper fare collection is cheaper for the district and greatly reduces bus dwell times while passengers pay their fares. In order to provide an incentive for cash payers to switch to Clipper, we propose a 5% discount on the local adult and youth/senior/disabled fare, including Dumbarton Express fares. The local adult fare with Clipper would be $2.00, the local youth/senior/disabled fare would be $1.00. A number of transit agencies provide discounts on fare products on their smart cards as an incentive to use the smart card. Increasing Clipper use is an objective that the District will also pursue through marketing campaigns and any other avenues that may be appropriate. Staff anticipates returning to the Board in the future to propose potential additional financial incentives to passengers opting to use Clipper. Until the Clipper network is expanded in the East Bay, the District’s ability to move passengers to Clipper will be constrained. Staff will continue to work with MTC on an ongoing basis to increase Clipper vendor coverage in the East Bay. Local and Transbay Pass Prices This proposal would make modest changes in some pass prices. Policy 328 sets a target that passes should cost 36 times the applicable cash fare. The 36 figure was the national average, and provides a discount for a monthly user. Under this proposal, the local adult monthly pass would drop from $80—a price grandfathered in to the 2011 policy—to $75, which is 36 times the $2.10 cash fare. The Transbay pass price, which is already at 36 times the cash fare of $4.20, would remain at $151.20 Youth/Senior/Disabled Pass Staff recognizes that the price of the youth/senior/disabled pass has attracted passionate concern. It has been a focus of discussions of transit affordability. At the same time, staff feels that if the price of that pass is too low, it reduces revenue to the District, constraining
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our ability to provide service to everyone (including youth). If the youth pass price is disproportionately low, it also raises questions of equity among our passengers. The disparity is also an incentive to fraud. This proposal would raise the youth/senior/disabled pass to $23 per month. Policy 328 developed a multiyear schedule to gradually raise the youth/senior/disabled pass price to 36 times the youth cash fare, in parallel with other passes. Currently the $20 pass price, among the lowest in the country, is only 19 times the fare. Under that policy, the price of the pass would go to $26 this year. This proposal is half as large an increase. At 36 times the cash fare, the youth pass price would be $36 per month. Staff believes the $23 figure moderates the impact of the increase while still moving towards the District’s fare structure goals. At $23, AC Transit would still have one of the cheapest monthly youth passes in the country. Seven Day Pass The 2011 fare policy included the creation of a seven day pass, which a number of systems nationally have. The seven day pass was intended to be a more affordable multi-ride pass for passengers unable to pay the full cost of a monthly pass at one time. The implementation of a seven day pass was determined to not be appropriate at this time. After a meeting in May between the General Manager and the Executive Director of MTC, it was agreed that, if implemented, AC Transit would be the only agency in the Bay Area with such a fare instrument which would cause additional programming time and costs with the Clipper contractor. Since the seven day pass is already in the policy and has been through the public hearing process, it is recommended that it remain a potential future fare media product. Public Outreach Plan Staff will develop and coordinate outreach to riders and the general public about the proposed changes. Community meetings have been scheduled for the October 7, 2013 to October 18, 2013 time frame in Richmond, Berkeley, Downtown Oakland, Fruitvale, Hayward, and Fremont. Staff will also meet with several rider committees and groups, including the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Transbay Taskforce, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE). Printed materials will include onboard car cards and multi-language brochures, the latter being stocked on all buses and sent to community organizations and public sites. All information will be posted to the website and will include an online comment form. A range of electronic communications—eNews messages, e-mails to community contacts and elected officials, social media posts, and public access television calendar listings—will direct the public to the website and publicize the meetings. Display ads will run in selected newspapers, including Spanish- and Chinese-language publications. Required legal notices will be published in the appropriate newspapers, and press coverage in advance of the public hearing will be cultivated. Holding the Public Hearing on October 23 will meet the 28 day notice requirement of Board Policy 163.
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Title VI Under AC Transit policies which implement federal guidelines, all fare changes must undergo Title VI review. This review is to make sure that the changes do not impose disparate impacts or disproportionate burdens on low income and minority populations. Staff will undertake Title VI analysis and will solicit input on Title VI issues as part of overall outreach on the proposal, and report back to the Board. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Compliance Section 21080(b)(8) of the Public Resources Code and Section 15273 of the CEQA Guidelines exempt from the provisions of CEQA the proposed fare changes provided the District makes the required written findings justifying the use of the funds, as outlined in these sections, and the written findings are incorporated into the record. The exempt purposes for exempting a fare adjustment include: meeting operating expenses, including employee wage rates and fringe benefits; purchasing or leasing supplies, equipment, or materials; meeting financial reserve needs and requirements; obtaining funds for capital projects, necessary to maintain service within existing service areas; or obtaining funds necessary to maintain such intra-city transfers as are authorized by city charter. A draft resolution authorizing the fare changes will be prepared for the Board’s consideration for the October 23rd meeting and it will include the required written findings which are applicable to the District. Longer Term Fare Policy If the Board ultimately wishes to approve these changes, it would need to decide how to treat Policy 328, which set out a long term schedule of fare increases. The Board could link the approval of this proposal to repeal of the policy. On the other hand, the Board could treat approval of this proposal as simply responding to the planned 2013 step of those fare increases, not necessarily affecting future fare increases. This decision does not need to be made at this time. ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES: The advantage of the proposed fare structure is that it provides a simple, appropriate, fair, transparent policy, both supportive and affordable in accordance with the Board Policy 328 goals as identified above. The elimination of transfers and focusing on prepaid fare media including day passes will speed up boarding and reduce fare payment conflicts. The disadvantage is that the current fare structure, especially with the use of transfers, is a long standing practice and it may be difficult for passengers to adjust and gain familiarity with the new structure. While the proposal is designed to minimize impacts on passengers, it is inevitable that a small group of passengers will experience cost increases, most of them small (e.g., from $4.70 per day to $5.00 per day). An extensive community outreach and education program will help mitigate this to some extent and some leniency during the implementation period should be considered.
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ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: Staff considered proposals concerning fare policy which we do not recommend. One such alternative was seeking to implement the fare and pass price increases set forth under the 2011 policy. However, such an action would have seemed contradictory to the Board’s April action. Implementing that increase would not have dealt with transfer issues nor reduced the high local adult pass price. For these reasons, staff does not recommend this course of action. Another alternative would be leaving all fares and pass prices as is. Again, this (in)action would not have dealt with transfer issues, nor responded to pass prices that are currently at inappropriate levels. For these reasons, staff does not recommend this course of action. PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTIONS/POLICIES: Board Policy No. 328 – Fare Policy: Fares, Fare Structure, and Fare Increases: Adopted 6/11/12 Resolution 13-022 ATTACHMENTS: 1:
Notice of Public Hearing
Prepared by:
John Haenftling, Director of Project Controls & Systems Analysis Nathan Landau, Senior Transportation Planner Sue Lee, Treasurer Victoria Wake, Marketing Manager
Department Head Approval: Reviewed by:
Thomas Prescott, Chief Performance Officer David Wolf, General Counsel Lewis Clinton, Chief Financial Officer Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development and Marketing
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16 ATTACHMENT 3 2013 AAC Top Priorities
The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) has developed its draft of top priorities for 2013. The AAC approved the following as Top Priorities at the September 10, 2013 meeting: • Advocate for the most equitable and accessible AC Transit service and equipment, and encourage AC Transit to be an industry leader in accessibility. • Advocate for increasing State and Federal funding for public transit. • Support and participate in driver training to ensure drivers are proficient, sensitive to the needs of seniors and people with disabilities, and help create an atmosphere that is welcoming to all riders. • Support and engage in activities to increase ridership of seniors and people with disabilities on the fixed route transit system. This includes general education to increase the public’s knowledge and understanding of the needs of seniors and people with disabilities and a commitment to removing barriers throughout the transit system.
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17 ATTACHMENT 4 FY 2003/2004 and FY 2012/2013 Customer Relations ADA Complaints Comparison
Complaint 80 ADA-KNEELER 81 ADA-SECUREMENT ISSUE 82 ADA-CALL STOP ISSUE 83 ADA-PRIORITY SEATING ISSUE 84 ADA-CONDUCT/DISCOURTESY 85 ADA-LIFT/RAMP ISSUE 86 ADA-DISCOUNT FARE DISPUTE/SHOW ID 87 ADA-PASS UP 88 ADA-REFUSED ACCESS 89 ADA-GUIDE/SERVICE ANIMALS 90 ADA-CARRIED BEYOND STOP 91 ADA-BOARDING AND ALIGHTING ISSUE 92 ADA-HAZARDOUS OPERATION 93 ADA-RELATED EQUIPMENT OR SIGNAGE 94 ADA-PARATRANSIT POLICY CONCERN 95 ADA-OTHER Totals
*** Note that total complaints does not equal total tickets. Tickets can have multiple codes. So the total number of complaints will always be higher than the total number of tickets.
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FY 2003-2004 21 0 36 0 124 52 24 72 59 8 30 0 0 0 4 145 575
FY 2012-2013 0 15 7 35 141 45 33 134 66 23 15 16 14 5 1 16 566
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18 ATTACHMENT 5 Lift /Ramp Road Call Report September 29, 2013 – October 26, 2013
Coach Series
Coach Line # #
Operator Length of Service
Date
3100 (Lift-U)
Lift
9/24/13
3112
73
60+ mos.
STUCK LIFT
3100 (Lift-U)
Lift
10/16/13
3109
47
60+ mos.
STUCK LIFT
3100 (Lift-U)
Lift
10/17/13
3165
1
0-6 mos.
NO PROBLEM FOUND
4000 (NABI)
Lift
10/5/13
4073
98
60+ mos.
LIFT WON'T STOW B.O. SUSPENSION, BUS RIDING LOW
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/15/13
1014
72R
60+ mos.
STUCK LIFT
BEND RAMP ARM*
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/9/13
1016
72R
60+ mos.
RAMP NOT WORKING
NO PROBLEM FOUND
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/10/13
1021
14
60+ mos.
OPERATOR ERROR
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/21/13
1027
51A
60+ mos.
DRAWER WON'T OPEN RESTRAINT WON'T RETRACT
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/13/13
1029
51A
60+ mos.
DRAWER KNOB MISSING
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/11/13
1036
51A
60+ mos.
LIFT PROBLEMS
TWISTED BELT BROKEN LATCH (VANDALIZED) HYDRAULIC POWER UNIT B.O.*
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/24/13
1065
88
60+ mos.
B.O. RAMP
NO PROBLEM FOUND
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/22/13
1070
88
1000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/4/13
1086
52
1300 (Ricon)
10/6/13
1338
F
Ramp
Problem Reported
Problem Found
Type
25-60 mos. DAMAGED DRAWER INTERLOCKS WON'T 60+ mos. RELEASE BUS STALLED/RAMP 60+ mos. BUZZER ON
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* Indicates Chargeable
OPERATOR ERROR W/CHAIR PASS. ACTIVATED SENS. EDGE.
KNEELER VALVE B.O.*
BROKEN LATCH * NO PROBLEM FOUND PROXIMITY SWITCH OUT OF ADJUST.*
NOVEMBER 12, 2013 Coach Series
Type
Date
19 Coach Line # #
Operator Length of Service
Problem Reported
Problem Found * Indicates Chargeable
Ramp
10/8/13
1345
51B
60+ mos.
2000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/2/13
2002
1R
60+ mos.
2000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/1/13
2202
NL
60+ mos.
TAPE PROTUDING FROM RAMP RAMP ICON ON, BUS WON'T MOVE KNEELER B.O., UNABLE TO USE RAMP
2000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
9/30/13
2210
40
60+ mos.
RAMP WON'T WORK
NO PROBLEM FOUND
2000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/24/13
2218
40
60+ mos.
KNEELER NOT WORKING
DID NOT FAIL FOR TECH
2000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/21/13
2223
40
60+ mos.
5000 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/7/13
5004
11
0-6 mos.
KNEELER NOT WORKING RAMP NOT STOWING FLAT
DID NOT FAIL FOR TECH DEBRIS UNDER RAMP, RAMP OK
5100 (VH-Ricon) Ramp
10/18/13
5133
217
60+ mos.
STUCK LIFT
OPERATOR ERROR
1300 (Ricon)
RAMP CHECKED OK DRIVER ERROR COULDN'T MAKE RAMP/KNEELER FAIL
Operator Length of Service Totals: 0-6 Mos: 2 Operator; 7-12 Mos: 0 Operators; 12-24 Mos: 0 Operators; 25-60 Mos: 1 Operators; 60+ Mos: 19 Operators (47) (38) (27) (163) (987)
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NOVEMBER 12, 2013
20 Road Call Statistics (all Road Calls) September 29, 2013 – October 26, 2013
Lift/Ramp All Other Total
Series 1000 1200 1300 1900 2000 2100 3000 3100 4000 5000 5100 6000 FC
Chargeable 5 320 325
Non Chargeable 17 212 229
Year Added 2003 2008 2013 1996 2003 2006-2009 1998 1998 2000-2002 2006 2009 2000-2003 2010
Type True Low Floor Standard (40 ft) True Low Floor Standard (40 ft)
Standard Low Floor (40 ft) Gillig Standard High Floor Articulated (60 ft) True Low Floor Articulated Suburban Articulated Standard High Floor (40 ft) Standard High Floor (40 ft) Standard Low Floor (40 ft) Low Floor Standard (30 ft) Low Floor Standard (30 ft) Commuter Coaches Fuel Cell Standard (40 ft.) Total * Please note the 7200’s are classified as 4000 series buses.
AC TRANSIT
Total 22 532 554
Qty 102 27 65 6 56 33 46 52 68 51 39 77 12 634
NOVEMBER 12, 2013
21 ATTACHMENT 6
MCI FLEET LIFT REPORT – OCTOBER 26, 2013 Listed below is the weekly report of the MCI wheelchair lift status at All Divisions. Total All Divisions Lifts
77
Working Lifts
76
B.O. Lifts waiting repair
1
P.M. inspections remaining
2
P.M. inspections complete
5
Roadcalls
0
B.O. by Division Emeryville E. Oakland Hayward 1 0 0 Repaired by Division Emeryville E. Oakland Hayward 5 4 1 P.M. Inspections Due by Division Emeryville E. Oakland Hayward 0 0 2 P.M. Inspections Completed by Division Emeryville E. Oakland Hayward 1 1 3
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NOVEMBER 12, 2013 ATTACHMENT 7
Wheelchair Lift Cycling Report September 29, 2013 – October 26, 2013 Date
Number of Lifts Cycled
Percentage of Fleet
9/30/13 10/1/13 10/2/13 10/3/13 10/4/13 10/7/13 10/8/13 10/9/13 10/10/13 10/11/13 10/14/13 10/15/13 10/16/13 10/17/13 10/18/13 10/21/13 10/22/13 10/23/13 10/24/13 10/25/13
143 140 145 144 142 147 149 144 141 138 145 138 146 143 138 140 136 142 137 144
93% 91% 94% 94% 92% 95% 97% 94% 92% 90% 94% 90% 95% 93% 90% 91% 88% 92% 89% 94%
Note: This report is for the MCI fleet only (77 active vehicles). Coaches are put into service twice a day. This report is only for vehicles in service on dates listed. MCI’s Operate only Monday – Friday.
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NOVEMBER 12, 2013 ATTACHMENT 7 Transit Correspondence Wrong Question About a Dog Leads to Discipline for a Driver Disciplinary action was given to a bus driver in Rochester, MN, who was confused over the "two questions" she was allowed to ask before letting a rider bring a dog onto the bus. The driver first asked, appropriately, whether the dog was a service animal. However instead of asking the permitted second question: “What work or task is the animal is trained to perform?” the driver asked for the service animal’s identification, a question not permitted under ADA regulations. The driver then turned the passenger away. The passenger, who has limited vision, promptly notified officials of Rochester Public Transit and later filed an ADA complaint with the FTA. The driver was given a three-day suspension and sent for eight hours of ADA retraining before returning to service. The civil rights office concluded in a finding that the transit agency had taken "sufficient corrective action." LA Metro Agrees to Tell Riders The Upshot of ADA Complaints LA Metro promised in a court settlement to advise riders of the outcomes of their disability-related complaints. The previous settlement states that LA Metro will make use of data obtained from complaints, without requiring individual responses to the complainants. Under the new agreement, an ADA complainant will receive a response with a tracking number, "preferably via telephone," within three to five working days from receipt of the complaint and a written status update within 90 days from receipt of the complaint. If the investigation is still ongoing, the complainant will eventually receive confirmation of the "final resolution" of the investigation in which the complainant will be told "that the complaint was either founded or unfounded and, if necessary, that appropriate action was taken (without specifying such action)." In a 2011 court action, known as the "Gaddy" case, LA Metro agreed to an improved training program for drivers, institution of a Mystery Rider program for internal monitoring and reporting, and development and implementation of a "tether strap" program for mobility devices. The Gaddy settlement however, did not include a provision for responding to complaints individually. L.A. Metro Tweaks Bus Layout To Reserve Wheelchair Spaces LA Metro is taking steps to free up securement positions on buses for wheelchair users. The 40’ low floor buses ordered by LA Metro, planning to go into service January 2014, will have the following new accessibility features: • Signage designating wheelchair spaces as "reserved" for mobility devices. • Designation of the first forward-facing row as the "priority seating" area for seniors and persons with disabilities who are ambulatory. • Distinctive upholstery and signage for the priority seats. • Dedicated spot for a walker.
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NOVEMBER 12, 2013 • 3-Point Q’POD securement system • Rear-facing option, without securement. • 1:7 ramps. LA Metro also changed its policy for wheelchairs from "board first and alight last" to "alight first and board first." The bus signage will state: • Make it a safe trip for everyone. • Let riders in wheelchairs board first and exit first. • Please move from reserved and wheelchair seating areas if requested. • Bus operators will assist with wheelchair securement; it only takes a moment. Thank you for your patience. LA Metro considers securement of wheelchairs to be optional. Drivers are instructed to let the passenger know the driver will be securing the wheelchair. If the customer indicates that he/she does not desire assistance and/or does not wish to be secured, the operator must permit the customer to ride unsecured. If the operator is to proceed with securement, instructions continue with rules for lap belts and shoulder belts, both of which are optional. Operators are cautioned, though, that the lap and shoulder belt "must not be used if the wheelchair is not secured." FTA Applies Its Current Rules On Big or Heavy Wheelchairs The FTA has been advertising rules for accommodation of oversized or overweight wheelchairs, which states that bus operators must transport bigger or heavier wheelchairs “if the lift and vehicle can physically accommodate them." At a minimum, transit vehicles must have lifts that can accommodate an occupied wheelchair weighing 600 pounds and devices that are 30” x 48” as specified in 49 CFR Section 38.23. A transit agency has no obligation to transport an occupied device that is heavier than the vehicle lift design load. An operator may only deny transportation if carrying the wheelchair and its occupant would be inconsistent with legitimate safety requirements, such as a wheelchair is so large it would block an aisle or interfere with the safe evacuation of passengers in an emergency. Problem Deploying Bus Ramp Dismissed as an Isolated Error The FTA Office of Civil Rights dismissed a complaint in which a passenger deployed the ramp by himself, after the operator was unable to deploy the ramp manually, an "isolated operational error." The passenger filed an ADA complaint against Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) in Tampa, FL stating that when the bus arrived the operator tried unsuccessfully to manually deploy the ramp and asked the passenger to wait for the next bus. The passenger then asked if he could try to lower the ramp himself, did so successfully, and was able to board the bus. The FTA decided not to take further action, responding to the passenger stating, “FTA’s enforcement priority is on failures to comply with basic requirements and "pattern or practice" kinds of problems, rather than on isolated operational errors.”
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