metrol resource n - ride metro · average trip distance and duration ... reference in the report,...

DECEMBER 2014

METROLIFT

RESOURCE NOTEBOOK

PREPARED FOR THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY

BY THE

TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE (TTI)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1

2. ADA Complementary Paratransit Requirements ................................................................................... 2 ADA Paratransit Eligibility .......................................................................................................................... 2 Complementary Paratransit Service Requirements .................................................................................. 2

3. METROLift Operating Characteristics .................................................................................................... 3 Service Area ............................................................................................................................................... 3 METRO System Reimagining Service Area Comparison ............................................................................ 5 Span of Service .......................................................................................................................................... 6 METRO and Contractor Responsibilities ................................................................................................... 7 Eligibility Process ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Advanced Scheduling and Same‐Day Changes .......................................................................................... 8

4. METROLift Customer Profile .................................................................................................................. 9 Number of Unique ADA‐Eligible Customers .............................................................................................. 9 Active Customers ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Customer Locations ................................................................................................................................. 10 Average Household Income and Age ...................................................................................................... 11 Use of Mobility Devices ........................................................................................................................... 13

5. METROLift Passenger Trips .................................................................................................................. 14 Where Customers Are Traveling ............................................................................................................. 15 Average Trip Distance and Duration ....................................................................................................... 18 Trip Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 18

6. METROLift Fares .................................................................................................................................. 20 ADA Paratransit Fare—Pass Discount ..................................................................................................... 20 METRO Discounts for People with Disabilities on Fixed Routes ............................................................. 21 Greater Houston Regional Transit Agency Fares ..................................................................................... 22

7. METROLift Performance Measures ..................................................................................................... 23 On‐Time Performance ............................................................................................................................. 23 No‐Shows and Late Cancellations ........................................................................................................... 24 Service Effectiveness ............................................................................................................................... 26 Cost‐Efficiency and Cost‐Effectiveness ................................................................................................... 28 Paratransit Cost per Passenger Trip ........................................................................................................ 30 Components of Cost for METROLift ........................................................................................................ 30

8. METROLift Moving Forward Community Outreach ............................................................................. 32 Service Area Considerations .................................................................................................................... 33 Fare Considerations ................................................................................................................................. 35

9. Peer Research in November 2014 ....................................................................................................... 37 Service Area ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Fares for ADA Paratransit and Premium Service ..................................................................................... 43

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. METROLift Service Area (2014) ...................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2. METROLift Service Area for METRO System Reimagining. ............................................................ 5 Figure 3. Unique Customers Who Make at Least One Trip on METROLift Each Month ............................... 9 Figure 4. METROLift Customer‐Provided Addresses (September 2014) .................................................... 10 Figure 5. METRO 2011 Customer Survey Results—Average Household Income ....................................... 11 Figure 6. METRO 2011 Customer Survey Results—Average Passenger Age .............................................. 12 Figure 7. Percent of ADA‐Eligible METROLift Customers by Age Group (2014) ......................................... 13 Figure 8. METROLift Total Passenger Trips (FY 2008–2014) ....................................................................... 14 Figure 9. Projected Increase in Demand for METROLift by 2020 ............................................................... 15 Figure 10. Origins within and Destinations outside ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer .................................. 16 Figure 11. Origins outside and Destinations within ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer .................................. 17 Figure 12. METROLift On‐Time Performance ............................................................................................. 23 Figure 13. No‐Shows and Late Cancels per Month Since New Policy Effective June 1, 2014 ..................... 25 Figure 14. METROLift Service Effectiveness Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013) .......................... 27 Figure 15. METROLift Cost‐Efficiency Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013) .................................... 28 Figure 16. METROLift Cost‐Effectiveness Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013) ............................... 29 Figure 17. METROLift Operating Expenses by Category ............................................................................. 31 Figure 18. Is Service Area for ADA Complementary Paratransit Greater than 3/4 Mile of Fixed Routes? . 39 Figure 19. Local Fixed‐Route Base Fare Compared to ADA Paratransit Base Fare for METRO and Peer Agencies ...................................................................................................................................................... 44

LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Data Sources and Dates .................................................................................................................. 1 Table 2. METROLift Service Area and Subareas 2014 ................................................................................... 4 Table 3. METROLift Service Area and Subareas (2014) Compared to METRO System Reimagining ............ 6 Table 4. Percentage of Passenger Trips within/outside ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer ............................ 15 Table 5. Average METROLift Passenger Trip Duration (Excludes MSP) ...................................................... 18 Table 6. Trip Purpose on ADA Paratransit for Peer Agencies: DART and FWTA ......................................... 19 Table 7. METROLift Current Fare Structure and Use .................................................................................. 20 Table 8. Transit Agencies That Offer a Discounted Multi‐ride Pass for ADA Paratransit ........................... 21 Table 9. METRO Regular and Discounted Fares on Local Fixed‐Route and Park‐ & Ride ........................... 21 Table 10. Use of METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card (2014) ............................................................................. 22 Table 11. Greater Houston Area Public Transit Agencies and Relevant Fares ........................................... 22 Table 12. Number of No‐show and Late Cancel Warnings and Suspensions Since June 1, 2014 ............... 25 Table 13. ADA Paratransit Service Effectiveness Comparison (2013)......................................................... 26 Table 14. ADA Paratransit Cost‐Efficiency Comparison (2013) .................................................................. 28 Table 15. ADA Paratransit Cost‐Effectiveness Comparison (2013) ............................................................. 29 Table 16. Purchased Transportation for Van Service Contractor’s Cost per Category of Expense (2013) . 31 Table 17. Peer Research Agencies (November 2014) ................................................................................. 38 Table 18. Is the Service Area for ADA Complementary Paratransit Greater than 3/4‐Mile Fixed Route? . 39 Table 19. When Did Agency Adopt the Policy for Paratransit Service Area 3/4 Mile of Fixed Route? ...... 40 Table 20. Local Fixed‐Route Fare Compared to ADA Paratransit Fare for METRO and Peer Agencies ...... 43 Table 21. Santa Clara VTA Fares for Paratransit Trips (Effective October 1, 2009) .................................... 45 Table 22. Santa Clara VTA Results of Fare Strategy for Premium Fares for Paratransit Service ................ 45 Table 23. Discounts for People with Disabilities on Local Fixed Routes for METRO and Peer Agencies .... 46

INTRODUCTION 1. The purpose of this document is to summarize background information provided to members of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) Board of Directors for discussion of the METROLift Moving Forward areas of interest: fares and service area. This document describes the requirements for ADA complementary paratransit and provides information about METROLift for the following topics:

Operating characteristics.

Customer profile.

Passenger trips.

Fares.

Performance measures, including peer comparisons.

Moving Forward community outreach.

Peer comparisons for service area and fare policy.

Data are reported from the most recently available and accurate source. Table 1 documents the data reference in the report, the source and date for the data, and a brief explanation of why this is the most recently available and accurate source.

Table 1. Data Sources and Dates

Data Point Source and Date Explanation

METROLift service area and span of service

METROLift policyNovember 2014

Current METROLift policy

METROLift number or ADA‐eligible customers

METROLift customer databaseSeptember and October 2014

Most recent data points reported at time of research

METROLift customer location METROLift customer database September 2014

TTI recent effort to geocode and analyze addresses

METROLift customer demographics (income and age) for comparison to local bus and rail

METRO passenger survey 2011

Most recent passenger survey data available

METROLift customers by age group and use of mobility devices

METROLift customer databaseOctober 29, 2014

Data retrieved from METROLift customer database

METROLift customer trip patterns by fare medium (ticket, 10‐ticket book, monthly pass, annual pass); METROLift customer location

METROLift customer database and scheduling software information for actual trips October 2012

TTI analyzed October 2012 trips as part of METROLift Moving Forward, the analysis is extensive and not easily replicated

METROLift average passenger trip distance

METROLift scheduling software information for actual trips FY 2013 and FY2014

METROLift annual data summary –calculated as total passenger miles divided by total passenger trips

METRO Q fare card taps Fiscal year (FY) 2014 data from Office of Management and Budget

Most recent METRO Q fare card data available

METROLift no‐show and late cancellation data since change in policy

Monthly METROLift data for May – November 2014

Recent data for before (May) and after change in policy (June – November)

METROLift performance measures Data for FY 2013 Most recent complete and verified fiscal year data available; TTI analysis prepared July 2014

METROLift expense data Data for FY 2012 and FY 2013 TTI analysis of METROLift records

Peer data for comparison Current Policy Performance data for FY 2013

TTI data collection July 2014 and November 2014 for most recent comparable data available

ADA COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT REQUIREMENTS 2. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush and amended with changes effective January 1, 2009. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, public transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.1 The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is responsible for regulations to implement ADA provisions for public transportation. The ADA and FTA regulations require public transit agencies that provide local fixed‐route transit service (bus and rail) to operate complementary paratransit service for people with disabilities who cannot use the fixed‐route bus or rail service because of a disability.2

ADA PARATRANSIT ELIGIBILITY The ADA specifically defines the population of customers who are entitled to complementary paratransit as a civil right:

People whose disability prevents them from using the fixed‐route service.

People with disabilities who can use the fixed‐route service but the fixed‐route vehicle or the bus stop is inaccessible.

People whose disability prevents them from traveling to or from the bus stop or train station due to obstacles that impede them.

COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS A transit agency must ensure complementary paratransit service meets the following minimum service characteristics for the service to be equivalent to local fixed‐route service:

Operate during the same days and hours as local fixed routes.

Accept a reservation at least a day in advance.

Operate within a 3/4‐mile corridor of local fixed routes, around stations and transit centers.

Serve requests for all trip purposes.

Charge a fare no more than twice the base non‐discounted adult fare for fixed route.

Operate without capacity constraints (e.g., untimely pickups, missed trips, excessive trip lengths, and excessive telephone hold times).

1 Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Chapter 126 Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities. 2 Title 49 CFR Part 37 Transportation Services for Individuals with Disabilities.

METROLIFT OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS 3. METROLift paratransit service began on April 12, 1979, operating within a 50‐square‐mile service area and transporting 36,000 passenger trips per year. Thirty‐five years later, METROLift service is now available for people with disabilities in a service area of over 750 square miles. METROLift delivered more than 1.8 million passenger trips in FY 2014.

SERVICE AREA Figure 1 illustrates the current METROLift service area.

Source: METRO

Figure 1. METROLift Service Area (2014)

The METROLift service area includes the following subareas:

METROLift service is available in corridors within 3/4 mile of all weekday local fixed routes (bus and rail) and around stations and transit centers within the METRO jurisdictional boundary. The corridors are the 3/4‐mile buffer.

Between 2000 and 2002, the METRO Board approved METROLift service for areas beyond the required 3/4‐mile buffer in Clear Lake, Humble, Missouri City, Kingwood, Copper Field, and the State Highway 6 area/Bear Creek. This larger area is the extended service area.

METROLift service is also available in the 3/4‐mile buffer outside the METRO jurisdictional boundary for specific routes that extend to the perimeter of the METRO jurisdiction (e.g., 121–Northshore Flyer, 44–Acres Homes Montgomery, 45–Chimney Rock, 75–Sagemont, 15–Settegast, and 65–Homestead Greens).3

Table 2 identifies the approximate size of each subarea.

Table 2. METROLift Service Area and Subareas 2014

METROLift Service Area and Subareas Current Area in Square Miles

Within ADA‐required 3/4 mile for METRO weekday local fixed routes inside the METRO jurisdiction

530

Extended service area beyond ADA‐required 3/4 mile inside the METRO jurisdiction

221

Subtotal 751

Within 3/4 mile for METRO weekday local fixed routes but outside the METRO jurisdiction

24

Total 775

Source: Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) estimate based on Figure 1 The METROLift service area does not change by day of the week or time of day to reflect changes in the local fixed‐route span of service. Estimates of how much larger the METROLift expanded service area is than the required 3/4‐mile buffer are as follows:

29% of the METROLift service area is beyond the ADA‐required 3/4 mile of the local fixed routes on weekdays (221 divided by 751 = 29%).

Approximately 50% of the METROLift service area is beyond the ADA‐required 3/4 mile of local fixed routes on weekends.

3 49 CFR 37.131. An entity is not required to provide paratransit service in an area outside the boundaries of the jurisdiction in which it operates if the entity does not have legal authority to operate in that area.

METRO SYSTEM REIMAGINING SERVICE AREA COMPARISON METRO System Reimagining is a community‐focused long‐range plan designed to improve regional connectivity with an emphasis on sustainable options. The long‐range plan will build upon the existing METRO system. Figure 2 illustrates the ADA‐required service area for the proposed METRO System Reimagining local fixed routes and compares that area to the current METROLift service area.

Source: METRO

Figure 2. METROLift Service Area for METRO System Reimagining.

Table 3 compares the approximate size of each subarea for the current METROLift service area to the possible METRO System Reimagining comparable subareas.

Table 3. METROLift Service Area and Subareas (2014) Compared to METRO System Reimagining

METROLift Service Area and Subareas Current Area in Square Miles

METRO System ReimaginingSquare Miles

Within ADA‐required 3/4 mile for METRO weekday local fixed routes inside the METRO jurisdiction

531 540

Extended service area beyond ADA‐required 3/4 mile inside the METRO jurisdiction

220 211

Subtotal 751 751

Within 3/4 mile for METRO weekday local fixed routes but outside the METRO jurisdiction

24 25

Total 775 776

Source: TTI estimate based on Figures 1 and 2

SPAN OF SERVICE METROLift’s 531 square mile ADA‐required service area encompasses areas within a 3/4‐mile corridor of local fixed routes, around stations and transit centers. The times for METROLift service within this area are comparable to local bus and rail times:

Monday through Thursday 3:40 a.m. with last drop off by 2:10 a.m.

Friday and Saturday 3:40 a.m. with last drop off by 2:50 a.m.

Sunday 3:40 a.m. with last drop off by 1:50 a.m.

METROLift also provides paratransit service in a 220 square mile expanded service area beyond the 3/4‐mile requirement. The times for METROLift service within the expanded service area are as follows:

Monday through Friday 5:00 a.m. ‐ 11:00 p.m.

Saturday 7:00 a.m. ‐ 12:00 a.m. (midnight)

Sunday and Holidays 7:00 a.m. ‐ 11:00 p.m.

The METROLift Subsidy Program (MSP) service is available before and after the hours listed above for customers who require late night or early morning service (see further discussion of MSP on page 8).

METRO AND CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES METRO staff manages the METROLift program and is responsible for customer service, reservations, scheduling, and dispatch.

METROLift service is currently provided using two private transportation contractors—one operating METRO‐owned vans and one operating contractor‐owned sedan vehicles. The current van contractor is MV Transportation, Inc., and the current sedan contractor is Greater Houston Transportation Company (Yellow Cab).

METROLift also offers a non‐ADA subsidized taxi voucher program for ADA‐eligible customers to travel the same day throughout the entire METRO service area. The subsidized taxi voucher program is known as the METROLift Subsidy Program (MSP). Customers call the taxi providers directly to arrange a ride. METRO pays up to $8.00 for an MSP trip based on the distance of the trip.

ELIGIBILITY PROCESS METROLift serves ADA‐eligible persons whose physical or cognitive disability prevents them from independently using the fixed‐route service, or the individuals’ disability prevents them from navigating a natural or architectural barrier when traveling to/from a bus stop or station.

The METROLift eligibility process includes two steps: an application and an in‐person interview. METROLift customer service personnel review customer applications to ensure the application is complete and the applicant meets ADA requirements. Applicants who submit a complete application are required to come to METRO headquarters for an in‐person interview. METROLift staff may conduct a functional assessment to confirm an individual is ADA eligible.

The nationally recognized best practice is to use appropriate professionals such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, or orientation and mobility specialists to conduct the functional assessment.4 METROLift will introduce healthcare professionals to conduct functional assessments to confirm an individual is ADA eligible in FY 2015.

Source: METROLift 2014 records

4 Easter Seals Project ACTION, Determining ADA Paratransit Eligibility: An Approach, Guidance and Training Materials, 2003. http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/uploads/resource/3102_filename.

ADVANCED SCHEDULING AND SAME‐DAY CHANGES FTA regulations state ADA paratransit service must be scheduled at least one day in advance. While transit systems are permitted to use real‐time/same‐day scheduling, same‐day scheduling is not required. METROLift provides three types of same‐day changes:

Send back: METROLift will send back a vehicle for a customer that was not ready at the scheduled pickup time.

Hold trip: METROLift allows a customer to put a return trip on hold and call when ready to return.

Address change: On an exception‐only basis, METROLift allows a customer to change the address of a pickup or drop‐off on the day of service.

The customer does not pay a premium fare for same‐day changes.

METROLift same‐day changes impact about 5% of total daily passenger trips:

Send backs represent 2.4% of total same‐day changes.

Hold trips represent 1.95% of total same‐day changes.

Address changes represent the remaining 0.65% of total same‐day changes.


METROLIFT CUSTOMER PROFILE 4. This section presents METROLift customer demographics in terms of the number of ADA‐eligible customers, customer location, household income, average age, and mobility device use.

NUMBER OF UNIQUE ADA‐ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS METROLift reported 16,538 individual ADA‐eligible customers in September 2014 and 16,554 individual ADA‐eligible customers in October 2014, representing a one‐month increase of 0.1% (annualized 1.16%). The growth in individual ADA‐eligible customers is calculated as current customers plus new customers that are ADA eligible, less the customers who are inactive. An inactive customer has not used METROLift in the past six months.

ACTIVE CUSTOMERS METROLift customers are taking more trips. Figure 3 provides the trend line for the number of ADA‐eligible customers who make at least one trip each month. The number of active customers increased from 7,644 in October 2011 to 8,722 in September 2014, an increase of 14% in 36 months, or about 0.39% per month.

Source: METROLift

Figure 3. Unique Customers Who Make at Least One Trip on METROLift Each Month

7,644

8,722

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

Un

iqu

e M

ET

RO

Lif

t C

ust

om

ers

Month and Year

CUSTOMER LOCATIONS Figure 4 is a map showing the addresses of ADA‐eligible METROLift customers (16,538 as of September 2014). ADA eligibility for paratransit does not depend on where the customer lives. People who live outside of the paratransit service area can still apply to be eligible for ADA paratransit, and the transit agency must review the application. An eligible customer must come into the service area to access paratransit services. Based on the METROLift customer‐provided personal addresses for September 2014, customer locations are distributed as follows:

Within 3/4‐mile ADA‐required service area 15,176 91.8%

In the Extended Service Area 757 4.6%

Beyond the Extended Service Area 605 3.6%

Total as of September 2014 16,538 100.0%

Corrected 12/12/14

Source: TTI analysis of METROLift data

Figure 4. METROLift Customer‐Provided Addresses (September 2014)

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND AGE Based on data from 2011 passenger surveys, about 81% of METROLift customers have a household income of less than $16,000 as compared to about 37% of METRO local bus customers and 24% of METRORail customers. Figure 5 illustrates the relative income of METRO customers by mode for local fixed‐route bus and rail as compared to METROLift. Ninety‐five percent of all METROLift customers responding to the 2011 survey reported a household income less than $32,000 annually.

Source: METRO passenger surveys

Figure 5. METRO 2011 Customer Survey Results—Average Household Income

24%

37%

81%

19%

27%

14%

21%

19%

<5%

17%

9%20%

7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

METRORail METRO Local Bus METROLift

< $16,000 $16,000 to $31,999 $32,000 to $53,999

$54,000 to $80,999 $81,000 >

Based on data from the 2011 passenger surveys, the average age of METROLift customers was 60 years old as compared to about 39 years old for METRO local bus customers and about 40 years old for METRORail customers. Figure 6 illustrates the relative age of METRO customers by mode for local fixed‐route bus and rail as compared to METROLift.

Source: METRO passenger surveys

Figure 6. METRO 2011 Customer Survey Results—Average Passenger Age

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

METRORail METRO Local Bus METROLift

Years of Age

Figure 7 illustrates the percent of ADA‐eligible METROLift customers by age (in five‐year increments). More than half (51%) of all METROLift‐registered customers are 65 years of age or older.

Source: METROLift data

Figure 7. Percent of ADA‐Eligible METROLift Customers by Age Group (2014)

USE OF MOBILITY DEVICES Approximately 30% of METROLift customers use a wheelchair.


0.03%

0.02%

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%

Under 5 years

5 to 9 years

10 to 14 years

15 to 19 years

20 to 24 years

25 to 29 years

30 to 34 years

35 to 39 years

40 to 44 years

45 to 49 years

50 to 54 years

55 to 59 years

60 to 64 years

65 to 69 years

70 to 74 years

75 to 79 years

80 to 84 years

85 years and over

METROLIFT PASSENGER TRIPS 5. FTA regulations state that a transit agency cannot place any constraints on capacity or service availability for ADA paratransit service. METROLift must serve all trip requests from ADA‐eligible customers for paratransit to complement fixed‐route transit.

As shown in Figure 8, demand for METROLift passenger trips (excluding MSP) increased approximately 26% from 1,334,000 in 2008 to 1,682,000 in 2013, an average of 5.2% per year. The number of passenger trips increased 7% in one year from 1,682,000 in 2013 to 1,800,800 in 2014. Passenger trips include ADA‐eligible customers, personal care attendants (PCAs), and companions. Based on analysis of METROLift data for 2013, about 83.8% of passenger trips are ADA‐eligible customers and 12.6% are PCAs. The remaining 3.6% are companions.

Source: METROLift records

Figure 8. METROLift Total Passenger Trips (FY 2008–2014)

As shown in Figure 9, the annual METROLift passenger trips will increase to 2.7 million by 2020, assuming a 7% increase in demand per year (as actual 2013 to 2014). The demand for passenger trips in 2020 will be almost double the passenger trips on METROLift in 2008. The annual passenger trips are increasing because there are more ADA‐eligible customers registered with METROLift, more customers are actively riding METROLift, and customers that are riding METROLift are scheduling more trips.

‐

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

An

nu

al P

asse

ng

er T

rip

s

Total MSP ADA Paratransit

Source: METROLift records

Figure 9. Projected Increase in Demand for METROLift by 2020

WHERE CUSTOMERS ARE TRAVELING Approximately 89% of passenger trips had both the origin and destination within the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile buffer for local fixed routes. The remaining 11% of passenger trips had either the origin or the destination (or both) outside the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile buffer but inside the METROLift expanded service area. Of the 11% of passenger trips, 10% had either the origin or the destination outside the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area but within the expanded service area, and 1% of passenger trips had both origins and destinations outside the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area. Table 4 provides the statistics for origins and destinations within/outside the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile buffer. Figure 10 and Figure 11 illustrate the trip origins and destinations.

Table 4. Percentage of Passenger Trips within/outside ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer

Destinations within

3/4‐Mile Buffer

Destinations outside

3/4‐Mile Buffer

Total

Origins within 3/4‐Mile Buffer 89% 5% 94%

Origins outside 3/4‐Mile Buffer 5% 1% 6%

Total 94% 6% 100%

Source: TTI analysis of October 2012 METROLift records

1,865,000 FY14

‐

250,000

500,000

750,000

1,000,000

1,250,000

1,500,000

1,750,000

2,000,000

2,250,000

2,500,000

2,750,000

3,000,000


Figure 10. Origins within and Destinations outside ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer


Figure 11. Origins outside and Destinations within ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer

AVERAGE TRIP DISTANCE AND DURATION The average passenger trip distance on METROLift was 11.8 miles in FY 2013 and 11.4 miles in FY 2014. Distance is calculated by dividing total passenger miles for the fiscal year by total passenger trips.

With two exceptions, the average duration of a METROLift passenger trip (minutes on the METROLift vehicle) is similar whether the passenger is traveling within, outside, or between the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area and the METROLift extended service area, ranging from 50 to 52 minutes per trip on average, as show in Table 5.

Table 5. Average METROLift Passenger Trip Duration (Excludes MSP)

Destinations within 3/4‐Mile Buffer

Destinations outside 3/4‐Mile Buffer

Origins within 3/4‐Mile Buffer 51 minutes 52 minutes

Origins outside 3/4‐Mile Buffer 50 minutes 50 minutes

Source: TTI analysis of October 2012 METROLift records The two exceptions are in Clear Lake and Kingwood. The average duration of a METROLift passenger trip in the Clear Lake or Kingwood service area is 20 minutes. METROLift applies specific restrictions on service within Clear Lake and Kingwood. These restrictions are permissible because both communities are beyond the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service corridors for local fixed routes. METROLift service in Clear Lake and Kingwood is restricted to origins and destinations within each zone and feeder service to the METRO Park & Ride facility within each zone. For the zoned areas of Clear Lake and Kingwood where customers can travel only within the zone, the average trip duration is 20 minutes.

TRIP PURPOSE METROLift must serve requests for all trip purposes. FTA regulations state that a transit agency may not place restrictions or priorities based on trip purpose when scheduling and providing ADA complementary paratransit. For this reason, METROLift staff does not track trip purpose.

TTI researched published reports to identify documentation for a profile of paratransit trip purposes for a peer transit agency. One reference is Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 158: Improving ADA Paratransit Demand Estimation: Regional Modeling (2012). The model presented in this report is based on analysis of a survey of 800 users of ADA paratransit service operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA), combined with the regional travel demand model of the North Central Texas Council of Governments and U.S. Census tract data for the same area. The survey obtained detailed information about actual trips made by ADA paratransit riders. Table 6 extracts the results of the survey for trip purpose on ADA paratransit operated by DART and FWTA.

Table 6. Trip Purpose on ADA Paratransit for Peer Agencies: DART and FWTA

Trip Purpose Percent of Trips

Medical/Dialysis 32.8%

Work 23.5%

Personal Business 12.2%

Shopping 8.5%

Recreation 7.9%

Adult Daycare 7.5%

School 5.9%

Social Visit 1.7%

Total 100.0%

Source: TCRP Report 158 (2012) based on a sample of 800 customers

METROLIFT FARES 6. The METROLift base fare for a one‐way ticket is $1.15, established in 1991.

The current METROLift paratransit fare structure includes discounts for a 10‐ticket book, monthly pass, and annual pass. Table 7 illustrates the percentage of passenger trips and unique riders by fare type for FY 2013. The average fare that a METROLift patron pays per trip is $0.974, representing an average 18% discount and 4% fare recovery.

Table 7. METROLift Current Fare Structure and Use

Fare Category Price Per‐Trip

Fare

Percent

Passenger

Trips

Percent

Unique

Riders

Single‐Ticket Fare $1.15 $1.15 6% 7%

10‐Ticket Book $9.75 $0.975 72% 85%

Monthly Pass $38.60 $0.919 18% 6%

Annual Pass $347.00 $0.940 4% 2%

METROLift Average Fare $0.974

Percent Fare Recovery 4%

Source: TTI analysis of 2013 METROLift records The METRO Board has not changed the fare for METROLift service in 23 years since 1991. As points of comparison, the consumer price index has risen 73% since 1991 (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics accessed November 2014), and the cost of a stamp has increased 69%, from $0.29 to $0.49 for a first class letter (source: U.S. Postal Service).

ADA PARATRANSIT FARE—PASS DISCOUNT About 2% of METROLift riders use an annual pass and take 4% of passenger trips. About 6% of METROLift riders use a monthly pass and take 18% of passenger trips. Therefore, 8% of riders use a pass and take 22% of passenger trips.

METRO prices the monthly pass based on a 1991 Board resolution that assumed 42 rides per month times a $1.15 base fare less a 20% discount, for $38.60 per month. METRO prices the annual pass based on a 1994 Board resolution that assumed $38.60 per month times 12 months less an additional 25% discount, for $347.00 per year.

Most transit agencies do not offer a discount for the ADA paratransit fare. TTI researchers identified three peer transit agencies in addition to METRO that offer a discount pass for ADA paratransit fares, as illustrated in Table 8.

Table 8. Transit Agencies That Offer a Discounted Multi‐ride Pass for ADA Paratransit

Peer Agency Base ADA

Paratransit Fare Pass Price for Pass

No. of Trips before Pass Discount

METROLift $1.15 Monthly $36.80 33

Annual $347.00 301

Austin Capital Metro* $1.75 Monthly $46.50 27

Portland TriMet $2.50 Monthly $74.00 30

Annual $888.00 355

Atlanta MARTA $4.00 30‐day $128.00 32

*Austin Capital Metro fare effective January 11, 2015 Source: Transit agency websites, November 2014

METRO DISCOUNTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON FIXED ROUTES METRO offers discounts for people with disabilities (and seniors) on local fixed‐route and Park & Ride as documented in Table 9.

Table 9. METRO Regular and Discounted Fares on Local Fixed‐Route and Park‐ & Ride

Service Type Regular Fare

Discounted Fare

Local Base Fare $1.25 $0.60

Day Pass $3.00 $1.50

Park & Ride

Zone 1 $2.00 $1.00

Zone 2 $3.25 $1.60

Zone 3 $3.75 $1.85

Zone 4 $4.50 $2.25

Source: METRO In addition, some passengers may ride for free on local fixed route and Park & Ride:

Seniors 70 years of age or more ride free.

METROLift passengers who were eligible for free fare on fixed route prior to 2008 (when the 50% fare was first introduced) and remain an active METROLift customer are grandfathered to continue riding for a free fare on fixed routes. To remain grandfathered, a customer must keep eligibility for METROLift and not let activity lapse more than 60 days.

The METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card allows METROLift patrons to board and ride METRO’s fixed‐route bus and rail service for a reduced cost of 50% of the regular fare. To take advantage of this service, the eligible passenger taps the METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card on the Q Box when boarding a transit service.

Table 10 summarizes use of the METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card in FY 2014. The METRO record shows customers used the METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card for 482,241 taps, or 0.8% of the 57.9 million total Q Fare Card taps for all METRO local and Park & Ride fixed routes in 2014. The 482,241 METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card taps on fixed routes is 25.9% of the 1,865,167 passenger trips on METROLift in 2014.

Table 10. Use of METROLift ADA ID Q Fare Card (2014)

Local/Rail Q Fare Card

Taps

Park & Ride Q Fare Card

Taps

Total Q Fare Card

Taps

METROLift Discount 280,293 2,071 282,364

METROLift Free* 197,734 2,143 199,877

Total METROLift 478,027 4,214 482,241

*METROLift free includes grandfathered and one‐year Freedom Pass Source: METRO

Using the variable cost of $25.81 per METROLift passenger trip (2013), the 482,241 passenger trips on fixed routes using the Q card would cost more than $12.4 million if METROLift provided the trips instead.

GREATER HOUSTON REGIONAL TRANSIT AGENCY FARES Other transit agencies in the region operate demand‐response transit and ADA paratransit. Table 11 documents the fare for each transit agency by type of service. Fare ranges reflect a distance‐based fare, fare defined by destination, or fare to cross a jurisdiction (county).

Table 11. Greater Houston Area Public Transit Agencies and Relevant Fares

Agency Type of Service Riders* Fare to Rider for One‐Way Trip

METROLift ADA Paratransit A $1.15

Harris County

Shared RIDE L $3.00 to $24.00

Same‐Day Taxi RIDE L 50% of meter up to $24 fare

ADA Paratransit A $2.00 Baytown/La Porte/Crosby

Fort Bend County Demand Response G $1.00

Colorado Valley Demand Response L $2.00–$5.00

Brazos Transit Demand Response G $3.50–$5.50

Connect Transit

Demand Response G $1.00–$3.50

ADA Paratransit A $2.00 Texas City/La Marque Lake Jackson/Angleton

*Riders: A = ADA Eligible G = General Public L = Limited Eligibility: ADA, Seniors, Low Income

Source: TTI research (July 2014) and agency‐reported fares

None of the peer transit agencies offers monthly or annual passes with unlimited rides.

METROLIFT PERFORMANCE MEASURES 7.

Transit agencies track and measure certain effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of service measures in measuring ADA paratransit performance. This section includes information about METROLift and the following performance measures:

On‐time performance (OTP).

No‐shows and late cancellations.

Service effectiveness.

Cost‐efficiency.

Cost‐effectiveness.

This section also documents the elements of cost for METROLift.

ON‐TIME PERFORMANCE On‐time performance measures the reliability of the system—whether the vehicle arrives for a pickup and delivers the passenger when scheduled. METROLift has committed resources to improve on‐time performance from 85% in FY 2013 to 87% in FY 2014, as shown in Figure 12. The METROLift goal is to achieve 90% on‐time performance by the end of FY 2015 (September 2015).


Figure 12. METROLift On‐Time Performance

85% 87% 90%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2013 Actual 2014 Actual 4th Q 2015 Goal

NO‐SHOWS AND LATE CANCELLATIONS When a customer fails to show up for a scheduled demand‐response trip or cancels after it is too late to schedule another customer in his or her place, the transit agency has spent resources on a wasted trip. Transit agencies also lose schedule productivity (trips scheduled per hour of service) when customers cancel after the schedule has been optimized the night before.

METROLift revised the no‐show and late cancellation policy on June 1, 2014. The major revisions of the policy are as follows:

A No‐Show occurs when the vehicle arrives within the 30‐minute on‐time window at the scheduled location, but the customer and driver do not connect and the driver leaves without the customer.

Late Cancellation occurs when a customer cancels less than two hours before his or her scheduled pickup time.

Each month, the number of no‐shows and late cancellations are added together. If the monthly total equals five or more and represents at least 5% of the customer’s trips for that month, the customer is in violation of the policy. Each month’s trips are calculated separately.

Penalties are: o 1st month in violation: warning letter. o 2nd month in violation: 5‐day suspension. o 3rd month in violation: 10‐day suspension. o 4th month in violation: 15‐day suspension. o 5th month or more in violation: 20‐day suspension.

An appeal can be processed for any suspension.

Penalty progression starts new each calendar year.

The impact of the new policy is a lower no‐show and late cancel rate. Prior to the new policy, over 7% of trips were no‐shows. Since the start of the new policy, no‐shows averaged 4.4% of trips in October 2014 and 4.5% of November, as shown in Figure 13. The number of warnings and suspensions for no show and late cancels are down since implementation of the new policy. See Table 12 for the number of no‐show and late cancel warnings and suspensions since implementation of the new policy in June 1, 2014.

Source: METROLift 2014 data Figure 13. No‐Shows and Late Cancels per Month Since New Policy Effective June 1, 2014

Table 12. Number of No‐show and Late Cancel Warnings and Suspensions Since June 1, 2014

Source: METROLift 2014 data

7.6%

5.4% 5.2%

4.5% 4.4% 4.4% 4.5%

0

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

12,500

15,000

May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov

Number of Late Can

cels/N

oShows

Late Cancels

No‐Shows

Percent of Passsenger Trips

SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS The number of passenger trips per revenue hour measures the productivity of the system. Productivity captures the ability of the system to schedule and serve passenger trips with similar origins, destinations, and time parameters, using the least number of in‐service vehicles and revenue hours. Factors that affect productivity include the size of the service area, distribution of residential areas and destination areas, and passenger trip patterns. For example, if a transit agency serves a significant number of group trips on paratransit, the passengers per revenue hour will be higher when compared to peers that do not serve as many group trips. Other factors that can affect service effectiveness are no‐shows, late cancellations, scheduling efficiency, dispatcher skills, the ability to schedule trips in real time, and vehicle operator experience and familiarity with the service area and the operating environment including traffic and the roadway network.

METROLift ADA paratransit productivity (excluding MSP) in 2013 was 1.74 passenger trips per revenue hour and falls in the middle when compared to peer ADA paratransit systems,5 as shown in Table 13 and Figure 14.

Table 13. ADA Paratransit Service Effectiveness Comparison (2013)

Agency Annual

Passenger Trips Annual

Revenue Hours Passenger Trips

per Revenue Hour

Denver RTD 685,096 551,813 1.24

Dallas DART 755,402 523,315 1.44

King County Metro 1,158,467 680,837 1.70

METROLift 1,681,933 964,510 1.74

Austin Capital Metro 601,651 314,474 1.91

San Antonio VIA 1,059,084 485,975 2.18

Santa Clara VTA 732,793 287,569 2.55

Source: TTI peer research (July 2014) and agency‐reported data

5 TTI conducted peer research in July 2014 for the specific purpose of comparing METROLift service effectiveness, cost‐efficiency, and cost‐effectiveness to comparable peer paratransit systems. TTI collected detailed performance and cost data for FY2013 from the following six peer paratransit systems: Austin Capital Metro, Dallas DART, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), King County Metro (Seattle), San Antonio VIA, and Santa Clara (California) Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).


Figure 14. METROLift Service Effectiveness Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013)

1.24 1.44

1.70 1.74 1.91

2.18

2.55

-

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

DenverRTD

DART KingCounty

METROLift CapitalMetro

VIA SantaClara VTA

Pas

sen

ger

Tri

ps

per

Rev

enu

e H

ou

r

COST‐EFFICIENCY AND COST‐EFFECTIVENESS The operating cost per revenue hour is a cost‐efficiency measure, reflecting the financial resources needed to produce a unit of service. The operating cost per passenger trip is a cost‐effectiveness measure combining cost‐efficiency with productivity.

Cost‐Efficiency METROLift’s FY 2013 cost per revenue hour of $46.86 was the lowest of the ADA paratransit peer agencies reviewed, as shown in Table 14 and Figure 15.

Table 14. ADA Paratransit Cost‐Efficiency Comparison (2013)

Agency Annual

Revenue Hours Total Paratransit Program Cost*

Cost per Revenue Hour

King County Metro 680,837 $60,105,316 $88.28

Austin Capital Metro 314,474 $23,124,756 $73.53

Santa Clara VTA** 287,569 $19,620,757 $68.23

Denver RTD 551,813 $36,014,951 $65.27

San Antonio VIA 485,975 $29,154,846 $59.99

Dallas DART 523,315 $25,548,118 $48.82

METROLift 964,510 $45,200,288 $46.86

* The total paratransit program cost includes the cost of taxis for paratransit backup but excludes the expenses for subsidized taxi programs, if any

** Costs may include agency indirect and overhead Source: TTI peer research (July 2014) and agency‐reported data


Figure 15. METROLift Cost‐Efficiency Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013)

$46.86 $48.82

$59.99$65.27 $68.23

$73.53

$88.28

$0.00

$10.00

$20.00

$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

$60.00

$70.00

$80.00

$90.00

METROLift DART VIA DenverRTD

Santa ClaraVTA

CapitalMetro

King County

Cost‐Effectiveness METROLift’s FY 2013 cost per passenger trip was $26.87. METROLift’s cost‐effectiveness compares favorably to peer transit systems, as shows in Table 15 and Figure 16.

Table 15. ADA Paratransit Cost‐Effectiveness Comparison (2013)

Agency Annual

Passenger Trips Total ParatransitProgram Cost*

Cost per Passenger Trip

Denver RTD 685,096 $36,014,951 $52.57

King County Metro 1,158,467 $60,105,316 $51.88

Capital Metro 601,651 $23,124,756 $38.44

Dallas DART 755,402 $25,548,118 $33.82

San Antonio VIA 1,059,084 $29,154,846 $27.53

METROLift 1,681,933 $45,200,288 $26.87

Santa Clara VTA** 732,793 $19,620,757 $26.78

* The total paratransit program cost includes the cost of taxis for paratransit backup but excludes the expenses for subsidized taxi programs, if any

** Costs may include agency indirect and overhead Source: TTI peer research (July 2014) and agency‐reported data


Figure 16. METROLift Cost‐Effectiveness Compared to Peer Transit Agencies (2013)

$26.78

$26.87

$27.53

$33.82

$38.44

$51.88

$52.57

Santa Clara VTA

METROLift

VIA

DART

Capital Metro

King County

Denver RTD

PARATRANSIT COST PER PASSENGER TRIP Paratransit service is a higher cost per passenger trip than other modes of transit because each trip is origin‐to‐destination (anywhere in the expanded service area) and the number of passengers transported per revenue hour is lower than other modes.

A transit agency operating ADA paratransit must serve all requests for trips in the service area and during hours that are comparable to local fixed routes. ADA does not permit capacity constraints, Factors that affect the demand for paratransit trips include the following: Service area population demographics. Availability of other transportation options. Fixed route accessibility. Lower fares/multi‐ride discount passes. A reason paratransit service is a higher cost per passenger trip is because the service is origin‐to‐destination. Factors that affect the cost of an origin‐to‐destination paratransit trips include the following: Service area size. Span of service. Duration of average trip – service hours to meet demand. Shared rides – productivity per revenue hour of service.

Performance standards for quality of service can also impact the cost per passenger trip. For example, more resources are required to maintain a higher standard for on‐time performance. Achieving a higher standard for on‐time performance can generate more demand, which will increase the resources required to deliver paratransit service without capacity constraints.

COMPONENTS OF COST FOR METROLIFT METROLift’s FY 2013 operating cost per revenue hour was $46.86 (see Table 14). The following percent

breakdown of METROLift operating costs is illustrated in Figure 17:

12% METROLift in‐house labor and benefits to support reservations, dispatch, customer service, support services and general management

6% Fuel and lubricants purchased by METRO to support Van service

1% METRO expenses for materials, supplies, and services

81% Purchased transportation

Purchased transportation includes four types of contracted service:

42% Sedan

32% Van

6% Taxicab backup

1% MSP


Figure 17. METROLift Operating Expenses by Category

The contract for Van service provides sufficient detail to show the cost by expense category as listed below. The majority of any paratransit provider expense is the cost of labor, including payroll and benefits, as shown in Table 16.

Table 16. Purchased Transportation for Van Service Contractor’s Cost per Category of Expense (2013)

Van Contractor’s Cost by Category of Expense

Percent of Cost by Category of

Expense

Labor Including Benefits 72.1% Utilities, Supplies, Services, and Miscellaneous 8.6% Leases, Rentals, and Depreciation 6.7% Casualty and Liability 3.9% Corporate Overhead and Profit 8.7% Total Contractor Expense 100%

Source: METRO contract for Van Service

Labor & Benefits12%

Fuel & Lube6%

Materials, Supplies, Services

1%

METROLift SubsidyProgram

1%

Van32%

Wheelchair Accessible Minivan42%

Taxi Backup6%

Purchased Transportation

81%

METROLIFT MOVING FORWARD COMMUNITY OUTREACH 8. METROLift Moving Forward is a community outreach effort to gain feedback from the public on METRO’s policies and practices to balance METROLift quality of service and sustainability.

METROLift riders, transit riders who use other METRO services, and members of the public who may not use transit participated in 12 community outreach workshops March through May 2013. The purpose of the community outreach effort was to gauge public opinion on nine areas of interest that could contribute to service quality and sustainability. About 334 participants contributed to the discussions at the workshops or provided input using an online workbook.

The METROLift Moving Forward community outreach effort was designed for METRO to inform the public, listen to feedback from the public, consider public input and acknowledge concerns, and share the next steps. METRO has addresses four of the nine areas of interest to date:

On‐time performance.

No‐show and late cancellation policy.

Eligibility program.

Curb to curb.

The five remaining areas include:

Fares.

Service area.

Same‐day changes.

Fixed‐route accessibility.

Feeder service/travel training.

This section summarizes community feedback on fares and service area. Complete documentation for community feedback on all areas of interest is available at http://www.ridemetro.org/Services/Lift/MovingForward.aspx.

SERVICE AREA CONSIDERATIONS Statements for Public Comment Two statements about the METROLift service area were presented for public discussion during METROLift Moving Forward community outreach workshops:

METRO should consider reducing the METROLift service area to the ADA‐required service area (within 3/4 mile of local fixed routes and around transit centers and rail stations).

If the METROLift service area remains the same, METRO should consider charging a premium (higher) fare for trips outside the ADA‐required service area.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Agencies that operate fixed‐route service must provide ADA paratransit service comparable to that available on the local fixed‐route system. Comparable means paratransit service must be provided within a 3/4‐mile corridor on either side of local bus routes and around transit centers and rail stations. Transit agencies may choose to provide ADA paratransit service beyond the 3/4‐mile buffer when a fixed route is not operating in those areas. Transit agencies may charge a premium fare for service beyond the required 3/4‐mile buffer.

METROLift Current Policy and Practice METROLift provides ADA service beyond the 3/4‐mile requirement (the extended service area), specifically:

29% of the METROLift service area is beyond the ADA‐required 3/4 mile of the local fixed routes on weekdays

Approximately 50% of the METROLift service area is beyond the ADA‐required 3/4 mile of local fixed routes on weekends.

METROLift provides service to origins and destinations beyond the 3/4‐mile requirement. More than 11% of 99,950 weekday passenger trips in October 2012 were beyond the ADA‐required 3/4 mile of the local fixed routes.

Impact on METROLift Service Quality and Sustainability ADA regulations require transit agencies that operate fixed‐route transit to also provide ADA complementary paratransit service within the same service area as the fixed routes, which generally includes a 3/4‐mile corridor on either side of local bus routes and around transit centers and rail stations. Providing service beyond the ADA‐required service area gives a larger number of individuals access to METROLift and a greater number of destinations (quality). Providing service beyond the ADA‐required area also requires more resources in terms of service hours, vehicles, staff, and maintenance (sustainability).

Public Outreach Outcomes Statement 1: METRO should consider reducing the METROLift service area to the ADA‐required service area (within 3/4 mile of local fixed routes and around transit centers and rail stations).

Comments Summarized by Category Number

Expand service area 24

If expand service area, need to increase fare to pay for larger service area 12

METROLift should not operate outside ADA‐required service area 8

Expand area but only to serve trips for medical trip purposes 5

Leave METROLift service area as is 4

Other 6

Look at service area status of customers

Concerned outlying counties are not providing service

Total* 59

* Some participants offered multiple comments; general comments listed for both statements

Statement 2: If the METROLift service area remains the same, METRO should consider charging a premium (higher) fare for trips outside the ADA‐required service area.


Charging higher fare for expanded service area seems appropriate policy, as long as the premium is reasonable

40

No, do not charge higher fare because people who need METROLift service do not have money

5

Increase in fare acceptable if tied to improvement in service quality or an increase in service

4

Charge more for METROLift service but do not change the service area 1

Other 5

Why not increase regular METRO fares

It seems I am being punished because I am outside METROLift service area

Total* 55

* Some participants offered multiple comments; general comments listed for both statements

8% 7% 6% 27% 52%

Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree

25% 31% 10% 16% 18%


FARE CONSIDERATIONS Statements for Public Comment Two statements about fares were presented for public discussion during the METROLift Moving Forward community outreach workshops:

METRO should consider increasing the METROLift fare to cover a higher percent of the operating cost.

METRO should consider eliminating METROLift discounted tickets and passes and instead charge a standard fare per passenger trip.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The fare for paratransit cannot exceed twice (two times) the non‐discounted adult fare for a similar trip at the same time of day on the regular fixed‐route system. A personal care attendant (someone who assists the ADA‐eligible rider) shall not be charged a fare. The fare for a companion is the same as for the ADA‐eligible paratransit rider.

METROLift Current Policy and Practice The METROLift fare is $1.15 per passenger trip, 10 cents below the METRO adult base fare of $1.25 for local bus and rail. METROLift also offers discounted fares: a 10‐trip ticket book at $9.75, a monthly pass at $38.60, and an annual pass at $347.00. Riders using a discounted pass pay less than $1.00 per passenger trip. METROLift fares have not changed since 1991. METROLift fares cover about 4% of METROLift operating costs.

Impact on METROLift Service Quality and Sustainability A transit agency charges the customer a fare to cover a portion of the cost of providing the service (sustainability). In 2012, the average cost of providing METROLift service was $24.33 per passenger trip, as compared to $4.97 per passenger boarding for the fixed‐route bus. The METROLift fare is $1.15, approximately 4% of the operating cost per passenger trip, whereas the non‐discounted adult fare for the METRO local fixed route is $1.25, about 25% of the operating cost per passenger boarding for the fixed‐route bus.

Public Outreach Outcomes Statement 1: METRO should consider increasing the METROLift fare to cover a higher percent of operating costs.


Do not increase fare, puts burden on individuals with lowest , fixed income 25Yes, but a small increase only 18Increase in fare acceptable if tied to improvement in service or increase in service 15Fare for METROLift should be based on income of the rider 12Increase fare but only if discount fares are available 12Fare at least equal to METRO bus 6Implement Q card for METROLift 4Fare double METRO bus base fare 3Other Comments 11 Provide service for necessary trips only, not bingo I am out of area, willing to pay more for service Phase in increase over time (3 to 5 years) Raise METRO fare instead of METROLift fare Tie increase to cost of living increase in Social Security Discounts are too generous Total* 106* Some participants offered multiple comments; general comments listed for both statements

Statement 2: METRO should consider eliminating METROLift discounted tickets and passes and instead charge a standard fare per passenger trip.

Comments Summarized by Category Number Number

Do not eliminate discounted fares, individuals with lowest income and individuals with fixed income need discount fares, passes help people who ride METROLift the most

36

Keep discounted fares but include a small increase 6Eliminate discounted fares 3Other Comments 6 Possibly have different passes to pay more for additional options Keep passes but eliminate ticket books The government provides certain percentage to provide service Total* 51* Some participants offered multiple comments; general comments listed for both statements

15% 24% 5% 22% 34%


9% 6% 8% 25% 52%


PEER RESEARCH IN NOVEMBER 2014 9. METRO staff requested that TTI research current national practice related to ADA paratransit service areas and fares.

TTI identified peers using a two‐step process. The first step was to identify peer transit agencies using the methodology recommended in TCRP Report 141.6 This methodology references data from both the National Transit Database (NTD) and the U.S. Census Bureau to develop a “likeness” score for possible peer agencies. In the second step, TTI identified peers of interest based on previous research for METROLift Moving Forward.

The two‐step process resulted in a list of 32 possible peer transit agencies. TTI then researched the name and contact information of someone who would be knowledgeable about fare policy for each transit agency.

TTI worked with METROLift staff to develop a request for information in a survey format. The request included information about ADA paratransit policy and practice for service area and fare structure. TTI sent an individualized email to each peer agency contact, requesting a quick response to the survey in order to report information back to METRO in December. TTI followed up with reminder emails. Twenty‐three of the 32 transit agencies responded by November 21, 2014. Two of the 23 responses were from agencies with regional responsibility and were not directly responsible for ADA paratransit.

Table 17 displays the final peer group of 21 agencies that provide or contract for ADA paratransit service, listed in alphabetical order by state and transit agency.

6 TCRP Report 141: A Methodology for Performance Measurement and Peer Comparison in the Public

Transportation Industry, http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_141.pdf.

Table 17. Peer Research Agencies (November 2014)

Agency Principal City State Short

Reference

Access Services Los Angeles CA Access LA

North County Transit District San Diego County CA North County

Orange County Transportation Authority Orange CA OCTA

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency San Francisco CA SF MUNI

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit* Oakland CA SF BART

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority San Jose CA Santa Clara VTA

Denver Regional Transportation District Denver CO Denver RTD

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Washington DC WMATA

Palm Beach County, PalmTran, Inc. West Palm Beach FL PalmTran

Pace Suburban Bus Division Arlington Heights IL Pace

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Boston MA MBTA

Metro Mobility Minneapolis MN Metro Mobility

New Jersey Transit Corporation Newark NJ NJ Transit

Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon Portland OR TriMet

Port Authority of Allegheny County Pittsburgh PA Access Pittsburgh

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Austin TX Capital Metro

Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas TX DART

Fort Worth Transportation Authority Fort Worth TX The T

VIA Metropolitan Transit San Antonio TX VIA

Utah Transit Authority Salt Lake City UT UTA

King County Metro Transit Division Seattle WA King County

* San Francisco BART provides ADA paratransit in partnership with Alameda‐Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit)

SERVICE AREA TTI asked peer transit agencies about the service area for ADA complementary paratransit: Does your agency operate ADA paratransit service in an area greater than the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile buffer? Table 18 and Figure 18 summarize the responses from the 21 transit agencies who responded.

Table 18. Is the Service Area for ADA Complementary Paratransit Greater than 3/4‐Mile Fixed Route?

YES – Greater than 3/4‐Mile NO – Not Greater than 3/4‐Mile ADA Service Area Is Greater than 3/4 Mile

ADA Service Area Is Equal to Required 3/4 Mile (Not Greater)

Santa Clara VTA Access LA PalmTran North County MBTA OCTA Metro Mobility SF MUNI DART SF BART The T Denver RTD King County WMATA Pace NJ Transit TriMet

Access Pittsburgh Capital Metro

VIA UTA

Source: TTI peer research (November 2014) and agency‐reported data


Figure 18. Is Service Area for ADA Complementary Paratransit Greater than 3/4 Mile of Fixed Routes?

Agencies That Do Not Provide ADA Paratransit beyond the ADA‐Required 3/4 Mile of Fixed Routes The transit agencies that do not provide ADA paratransit beyond the required 3/4 mile of fixed routes provided additional information about local policy (see also Table 19).

Table 19. When Did Agency Adopt the Policy for Paratransit Service Area 3/4 Mile of Fixed Route?

ADA Service Area Equal to Required 3/4‐Mile Buffer

When Did Agency Adopt Policy for 3/4‐Mile Service Area (ADA 1990)?

SF MUNI 1990 Access LA At inception of the Access LA service Pace 1992 Denver RTD 1993 NJ Transit 1993 SF BART 1996 OCTA 2005 VIA 2009 Capital Metro 2010 UTA 2010 Access Pittsburgh 2012 TriMet 2012 North County NA WMATA NA

Source: TTI peer research (November 2014) and agency‐reported data Six transit agencies reported changing the service area since 2005: OCTA, VIA, Capital Metro, UTA, Access Pittsburgh, and TriMet.

Did the Transit Agency Grandfather Current Riders When the Service Area Changed?

The one response to this question was from Capital Metro. In 2010, when the agency adopted a policy to reduce the ADA complementary paratransit to the required 3/4‐mile corridor for local fixed routes, Capital Metro grandfathered all existing riders (outside the 3/4 mile) for 90 days to allow riders to find alternative arrangements.

Is There a Subsidized Taxi Service Available to Customers That Need to Travel beyond the ADA‐Required 3/4‐Mile Corridor for Local Fixed Routes?

Denver RTD provides a subsidized taxi voucher. The passenger pays the first $2.00 and any amount over $14.00 on the taxi meter, regardless of distance.

Capital Metro offers a stored value card. The registered ADA customer can pay the taxi company up to $20.00 per month to receive a smart card with $80.00 of value (Capital Metro pays 75% of the cost of the smart card up to $60.00). This program is short term and will expire at the end of FY 2015. Capital Metro determined the program benefitted less than 4% of paratransit customers and the subsidy is too high.

Agencies That Do Provide ADA Paratransit beyond the ADA‐Required 3/4 Mile of Fixed Route The transit agencies that do provide ADA paratransit beyond the required 3/4 mile of fixed routes provided additional information about local policy.

Why Does the Agency Offer Paratransit Service beyond the Required 3/4 Mile of Fixed Route?

Santa Clara VTA provides ADA paratransit beyond 3/4 mile in response to community requests; however, VTA charges a premium fare for the expanded service area. See further discussion below. The ADA paratransit service area is 346 square miles.

PalmTran in Palm County, Florida, explained that the nature of county geography and the State of Florida program for the transportation disadvantaged called for ADA complementary paratransit beyond 3/4 mile. The ADA paratransit service area was not given.

Metro Mobility is subject to a state statute that requires the Metropolitan Council to provide “special transportation service” within the “geographic coverage area of the...transit taxing district, as defined as of March 1, 2006.” The ADA paratransit service area is 1,100 square miles.

DART provides ADA paratransit to the 13 member cities regardless of distance from rail or bus routes. DART prefers to have a consistent paratransit service area. Bus routes are modified frequently, so the 3/4‐mile limit would be in a constant state of flux. The ADA paratransit service area is 696 square miles.

King County passed an ordinance in 1999 to provide expanded service in the urban growth boundary. “Transit Now” passed in 2006 to provide expanded service to rural areas mid‐day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The ADA paratransit service area is 819 square miles.

No answer was given for MBTA or The T.

Does the Agency Charge a Premium Fare for Paratransit Service beyond 3/4 Mile of Fixed Routes?

Santa Clara VTA charges a premium fare for the expanded paratransit service area beyond 3/4 mile of fixed routes. Effective October 1, 2009, Santa Clara VTA charges a premium fare for ADA paratransit service beyond the 3/4‐mile buffer: $16.00 (four times the ADA complementary paratransit base fare of $4.00). Santa Clara VTA also charges a premium fare ($16.00) for same‐day service changes and other premium paratransit services. See further discussion on page 51.

MBTA charges a premium fare for the expanded paratransit service area beyond 3/4 mile of the fixed route. The agency adopted the policy for premium fare January 6, 2014. The MBTA one‐way fare for premium non‐ADA trips is $5 per registered passenger or guest. This applies when the trip origin and/or destination is greater than 3/4 mile from MBTA bus or subway service and outside the core areas, or for same‐day trip requests or changes. The ADA paratransit base fare is $3.00 for a trip origin and destination within 3/4 mile of the MBTA bus or subway.

Does the 3/4‐Mile Service Area Change with Fixed‐Route Service by Day of Week or Time of Day?

Access LA changes the 3/4‐mile service area by time of day to reflect local fixed‐route coverage.

SF BART shares a paratransit obligation with AC Transit in the shared area. The paratransit required 3/4‐mile service area changes by time of day to reflect AC Transit local fixed routes.

Denver RTD changes the 3/4‐mile service area by the day of the week and time of day to reflect local fixed routes.

Pace changes the 3/4‐mile service area by the day of the week and time of day to reflect local fixed routes.

NJ Transit shadows the local fixed‐route buses and light rail stations. When the service on fixed routes or light rail changes, the paratransit service area changes.

TriMet changes the service area to reflect the fixed routes on the outskirts of the service area. Changes in frequency of service do not affect paratransit.

Capital Metro changes the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area for paratransit every hour to reflect the actual fixed routes. This is accomplished through time‐based polygons for fixed routes that Capital Metro maintains in the automated scheduling system.

UTA changes the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area for paratransit for days‐of‐operation and time‐of‐day changes (early morning and late night).

The following agencies replied that the 3/4‐mile service area for paratransit does not change by the day of the week or time of day:

North County.

OCTA.

SF MUNI.

WMATA.

Access Pittsburgh.

VIA.

FARES FOR ADA PARATRANSIT AND PREMIUM SERVICE TTI asked peer transit agencies about the fare for ADA complementary paratransit and how that fare compares to the adult, non‐discounted base fare for local fixed routes. Table 20 and Figure 19 summarize the responses from the 21 transit agencies that responded and provide a comparison to METRO fares.

Houston METRO has the lowest paratransit base fare as compared to the agencies responding to the peer survey.

Table 20. Local Fixed‐Route Fare Compared to ADA Paratransit Fare for METRO and Peer Agencies

Agency (Sorted by

Paratransit Fare)

Local Fixed‐Route

Base Fare

Paratransit Fare

Last Fare Change

Paratransit Less than

Fixed Route

Paratransit Equal to

Fixed Route

Paratransit More than Fixed Route

Paratransit Twice (2X) Fixed Route

Denver RTD $2.25 $4.50 2011 X Santa Clara VTA $2.00 $4.00 2009 X Metro Mobility $2.25 $4.00 2008 X SF BART* $2.10 $4.00 2011/2014 X UTA $2.50 $4.00 2012 X OCTA $2.00 $3.60 2013 X PalmTran $2.00 $3.50 2013 X North County $1.75 $3.50 2011 X WMATA $1.75 $3.50 2014 X Access LA $1.75 $3.50 2014 X The T $1.75 $3.25 2012 X Access Pittsburgh

$2.50 $3.15 2012

X

DART $2.50 $3.00 2010 X MBTA $2.10 $3.00 2014 X NJ Transit $1.50 $3.00 2008 X Pace $1.75 $3.00 NA X TriMet $2.50 $2.50 2014 X SF MUNI $2.25 $2.25 2014 X VIA $1.20 $1.95 2013 X Capital Metro (1) $1.25 $1.75 1/2015 X King County (2) $2.50 $1.75 3/2015 X METRO $1.25 $1.15 1991 X Count Includes METRO (Total 22) 2 2 12 6

* AC Transit base local fare 1) Capital Metro will increase the local base fare from $1.00 to $1.25 and the paratransit fare from $1.50 to $1.75 in

January 2015 2) King County Metro will increase the adult off‐peak base fare from $2.25 to $2.50 and the paratransit fare from $1.25

to $1.75 in March 2015. Source: TTI peer research (November 2014) and agency‐reported data

So

urce

: TTI

pee

r res

earc

h (N

ovem

ber 2

014)

and

age

ncy-

repo

rted

dat

a

Figu

re 1

9. L

ocal

Fix

ed-R

oute

Bas

e Fa

re C

ompa

red

to A

DA P

arat

rans

it Ba

se F

are

for M

ETRO

and

Pee

r Age

ncie

s

Does Your Agency Charge a Premium Fare for Service That Exceeds Minimum ADA Requirements? Some agencies reported using premium fares (see the previous discussion of premium fares for paratransit service to origins or destinations outside the ADA‐required 3/4‐mile service area):

Santa Clara VTA charges a premium fare for ADA paratransit service beyond the 3/4‐mile buffer, or $16.00 per trip (four times the ADA complementary paratransit base fare of $4.00).

MBTA charges $5.00 for a non‐ADA trip beyond the 3/4‐mile buffer ($1.00 premium over the ADA complementary paratransit base fare of $4.00).

Metro Mobility in Minneapolis offers premium same‐day service. ADA‐certified riders can take a taxi trip at a discounted rate.

Santa Clara VTA also charges a premium fare for same‐day service changes and other premium paratransit services. The Santa Clara VTA regular paratransit one‐way trip fare is $4.00, or two times the adult base fare ($2.00) for VTA bus and light rail services. Table 21 lists standard and premium trip fares. Table 22 documents the outcomes of the Santa Clara VTA change in fare policy October 1, 2009.

Table 21. Santa Clara VTA Fares for Paratransit Trips (Effective October 1, 2009)

Paratransit Service Fare Formula Fare

One‐Way Standard Paratransit Trip 2x VTA Adult Base Fare ($2.00) $4.00

Companion* Equal to One‐Way Trip $4.00

Open Return Trip 4x One‐Way Trip $16.00

Second Vehicle Sent 4x One‐Way Trip $16.00

Same‐Day Trip 4x One‐Way Trip $16.00

Same‐Day Trip Companion 4x One‐Way Trip $16.00

Extended Service Area 4x One‐Way Trip $16.00

* PCAs and service animals may accompany any eligible customer at no additional charge Source: Santa Clara VTA website

Table 22. Santa Clara VTA Results of Fare Strategy for Premium Fares for Paratransit Service

Paratransit Service Measure FY 2009

(Prior to Fare Policy)2011 2013

Premium Fare Trips 18,859 8,958 8,085

Total Paratransit Trips 1,067,115 824,813 732,793

Total Operating Costs $29,403,409 $22,070,493 $19,620,757

Cost per Trip $27.55 $26.75 $26.78

Farebox Recovery 9.77% 12.11% 14.8%

Source: 2009 and 2011 data from Premium Paratransit Fares prepared for Michigan Department of Transportation; 2013 data from TTI peer research (July 2014) and agency‐reported data

Metro Mobility offers “Premium Same Day Service.” ADA‐certified riders can take a taxi trip at a discounted rate. The rider is responsible for paying the first $7 of the cab fare and all costs over $20. Metro Mobility will pay up to $13 of the taxi fare.

What Discounts Are Available for ADA‐Eligible Paratransit Riders on Local Fixed Routes? Most transit agencies offer discounted fares for people with disabilities to ride fixed routes. Some agencies offer free fare on fixed routes (for example, PalmTran in West Palm Beach, Florida; Pace Suburban Transit near Chicago; and Access LA for the Los Angeles metro area). Two agencies provide specific discounts for ADA‐eligible paratransit customer. OCTA offers a $0.25 fare for ADA‐eligible customers to ride the fixed route, and DART will provide an ADA‐eligible customer a ride to a light rail station or bus transit center for $0.75; the ADA‐eligible customer can then access fixed‐route service for a discounted fare of 50% of the local base fare, or $1.25. Table 23 details discount fares for people with disabilities to use fixed‐route transit.

Table 23. Discounts for People with Disabilities on Local Fixed Routes for METRO and Peer Agencies

Agency (Sorted by

Paratransit Fare)

Local Fixed‐Route Base Fare

Discounts for People with Disabilities on Local Fixed Route

Paratransit Fare

Denver RTD $2.25 $1.10 $4.50 Santa Clara VTA $2.00 $1.00 $4.00 Metro Mobility $2.25 $0.75 $4.00 SF BART/AC Transit $2.10 $1.05 $4.00 UTA $2.50 $1.25 $4.00

OCTA $2.00 Seniors/disabled $0.60

ADA $0.25 $3.60

PalmTran $2.00 Free $3.50 North County $1.75 $0.75 $3.50

WMATA $1.75

Local bus Half the regular(rush hour) fare

$3.50 (2X rail fare, max $6.50)

Access LA/LA Metro $1.75 75¢ Peak

35¢ Off Peak ADA Free Fare Program

$3.50

The T $1.75 $0.85 $3.25 Access Pittsburgh $2.50 $1.25 $3.15

DART $2.50 $1.25

Paratransit to station or transit center = $0.75

$3.00

MBTA $2.10 $0.80 $3.00 NJ Transit $1.50 $3.00

Pace $1.75 $0.85

Free for Transit Benefit Program $3.00

TriMet $2.50 $1.00 $2.50 SF MUNI $2.25 $0.75 $2.25 VIA $1.20 Free $1.95 King County (3/2015) $2.50 off‐peak $1.00 $1.75 Capital Metro (1/2015) $1.25 $0.75 $1.75 METRO $1.25 $0.60 $1.15


What Discounts Are Available for ADA‐Eligible Paratransit Fares? Most transit agencies do not offer a discount for the ADA paratransit fare. TTI researchers identified three peer transit agencies in addition to METRO that offer a discount pass for ADA paratransit fares: Capital Metro, TriMet, and Atlanta MARTA (see Table 8). In addition, METRO and Denver RTD sell a 10‐ride ticket book with a 10% discount. Santa Clara VTA regional employer pass holders receive a 50% discount on the regular paratransit fare. Does the Agency Provide for Means Testing to Offer a Reduced Fare for Paratransit Service? No respondent to the peer survey reported any means testing to offer a reduced fare for paratransit service. Four transit agencies described other types of programs to assist low‐income customers. Means testing refers to confirming customer income (means) before confirming eligibility for a reduced fare.

King County will introduce a specific fare for low‐income riders on fixed route. The following fare changes will take effect March 1, 2015:

Fares will increase by 25 cents per trip in all current fare categories—adults, youth, seniors, and people with disabilities—for all regularly scheduled transit services. The new regular base fare will be $2.75 for the 1‐zone peak period, $3.25 for the 2‐zone peak period, and $2.50 for the off‐peak period.

A new reduced fare of $1.50 per trip will be introduced for qualifying riders who have low incomes. The reduced fare will be available to adult riders with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level—about $23,000 in annual income for an individual. King County will work with local and state service providers to determine the most accessible and cost‐effective way to verify program eligibility. Eligible individuals will requalify for the fare program every two years. The reduced fare will be $1.50.

The fare will increase by $0.50 per trip for Access paratransit service. The new paratransit base fare will be $1.75.

King County Metro 2015 Fare Changes Effective March 2015

Category Current Fare New Fare Difference Adult 1‐Zone Peak $2.50 $2.75 +$0.25 Adult 2‐Zone Peak $3.00 $3.25 +$0.25 Adult Off Peak $2.25 $2.50 +$0.25 Adult Low Income NA $1.50Youth $1.25 $1.50 +$0.25 Senior/Disabled $0.75 $1.00 +$0.25 Access Paratransit $1.25 $1.75 +$0.50

The fare changes are intended to strike a balance between generating revenue that will support Metro service and keeping bus trips affordable for people with low incomes. Fares were last changed in 2011. Fares were also increased in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Santa Clara VTA contracts with a broker to provide paratransit service. The broker is a social service agency that also assists low‐income customers. The broker collects donations and other community support to assist low‐income customers to pay their paratransit fares.

TriMet provides fares to nonprofits and community‐based organizations at a lower cost or at no cost, which they then distribute to their low‐income clients. The fare assistance program has more than 40 participating organizations and provides fares to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations at a 20% lower cost.

Denver RTD’s Non‐Profit Agency Reduced Fare Program offers reduced fares to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit or governmental community/social service organizations that provide assistance to low‐income individuals.

Pace Suburban Bus cooperates with the Illinois Department of Aging to sponsor the Ride Free Transit Benefit Program. Seniors and persons with disabilities who qualify for the Ride Free Transit Benefit Program may ride free on Pace local fixed‐route transit services. The Ride Free Transit Benefit Program does not apply to paratransit services. The income limits to qualify for the Ride Free Transit Benefit Program are $27,610 for a household of one, $36,635 for a household of two, and $45,657 for a household of three.

metrol resource n - ride metro · average trip distance and duration ... reference in the report,...

Documents