Report to the community
Spring 2001
Access to recertify customers
Accessible Services soon will begin recertifying everyone who is now eligible for King County Metro's ADA paratransit program - Access Transportation.
Because we will begin implementing conditional eligibility in the next few months, we need to make sure we have the most current information on all registrants. We want to ensure that paratransit van service meets each rider's transportation needs as appropriate.
The Americans with Disabilities Act's regulations recommend that everyone eligible for paratransit service be recertified every three years to help transit agencies provide the most appropriate service.
Metro is beginning this process for the first time and is establishing a three-year recertification cycle. The regulations require that the same process be used with all customers.
 We will contact you by mail. You don't need to contact us now, unless you move or you need to inform us that your physical or cognitive condition has changed. We will get in touch with you when it is your turn.
Recertification is required. If you want to continue using Access Transportation, you must be recertified. Once we mail you a recertification packet, you will have 90 days to return it to us. We'll send you one reminder after the first 30 days. If we don't hear from you by the end of 90 days, we'll assume you no longer need Access Transportation and remove your name from our list of eligible riders.
Please watch for your recertification packet in the mail. If you don't ride very often, you might not hear from us for a year or two. About 26,000 people are registered for Metro's ADA paratransit service, so it will take us three years to complete this process with all of you. After that, we'll require recertification every three years. And please remember, you can reapply at any time you believe your condition has changed.
Public meetings provide opportunity to discuss special topics
Our public meetings include an open discussion with you on a featured topic. At our May meetings, we will ask riders to tell us what qualities they value most in customer service.
At our January meetings, we asked riders to tell us what they thought about subscription trips (also called standing rides). The meeting attendees said they thought Access Transportation should continue to treat all subscription-trip requests the same way, regardless of the purpose of the trip. They also thought riders who frequently cancel subscription trips should not be allowed to have that trip continue to be a subscription trip.
Implementing conditional ADA eligibility
Americans with Disabilities Act regulations require ADA paratransit van service for people with physical or cognitive conditions that prevent them from using the regular bus some or all of the time.
Under federal ADA regulations, applicants may:
- Qualify for paratransit service for all trips;
- Qualify for some paratransit service because they can sometimes use bus service (conditional eligibility); or
- Not qualify for paratransit service because they can use the bus at all times.
During 2001, Metro will begin to implement the trip-by-trip screening of ride requests for riders who are conditionally eligible.
We will implement this conditional eligibility program gradually. We will contact every rider affected by this new process before making any changes to your transportation requests.
If you are one of the riders who will be affected, here's what will happen. First, we will contact you to make sure we have accurate information; we will recertify riders before we begin reviewing their trip requests (see accompanying article). Then, when you call for a trip, we will review your request on a trip-by-trip basis. If the conditions that prevent you from riding the bus are present for a specific trip you are requesting, you may use Access Transportation. If the conditions are NOT present, we may not provide that trip on Access Transportation.
For example, a rider may be unable to take a particular trip by regular bus when, because of his or her disability, uneven terrain on the way to the bus stop prevents getting to that stop. Or perhaps the rider needs the bus lift to board, and the lift can't be used at the bus stop where the rider is going. These riders would be given these trips on Access Transportation. For other trips, those same riders may be able to travel by Metro bus.
Sometimes we will offer an Access Transportation ride to the bus. For instance, if your disability means you are prevented from reaching the bus stop because of steep hills or lack of sidewalks, Access Transportation may provide a ride to and from the bus stop where you can catch a regular bus.
If you are conditionally eligible and disagree with a particular trip-by-trip decision, you will be able to appeal that decision. You will receive additional information, including how to appeal our decision about a particular trip, before any changes are made to your service.
New service provider beginning service in May
In May 2001, MV Transportation will begin providing service as an Access Transportation contractor. It joins ATC Transportation and Seattle Personal Transit as the service providers who were just awarded contracts for our King County service area.
MV Transportation is a privately owned California corporation founded in 1975. It provides contracted paratransit service in Portland, Oregon, and a number of other locations nationwide. Those communities supplied excellent recommendations about MV Transportation.
Metro's goal is to have a smooth transition for all riders from Laidlaw, whose contract ends in June, to the new contractor. Drivers and staff who now work for Laidlaw have been encouraged to apply for MV Transportation positions and continue serving Access Transportation customers.
Metro celebrates 100 million passenger trips
For the first time in Metro's 28-year history,more than 100 million passenger trips were taken aboard its buses, vanpools and Access transportation vans in 2000.
"This amazing milestone is a tribute to the quality and reliability of the service that Metro puts out on the streets day in and day out," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "To retain our current riders and keep on attracting new ones says we're doing something right to get the service out where customers want it, the way they want it."
Since 1973, Metro service has grown at more than three times the rate of population growth in King County. It is the 10th largest system in the United States, while the metropolitan Seattle area is ranked the 18th largest urban area in the country. Overall satisfaction with Metro has remained high. In 1999, 92 percent of Metro passengers said they were satisfied with their service.
Reminder to Pay Your 50-cent Fare Share
Access Transportation isn't free. However, the King County Executive and Council recently considered fare increases for Access Transportation and Metro riders, and decided that no changes will occur at this time.
Anytime you use any Access Transportation services, you need to pay a fare. Fares can be paid in cash, by showing a fare pass, or by using a combination of cash and a reduced-fare permit with a fare sticker.
Access listens to customer feedback
Access Transportation receives about 12.5 rider comments and commendations each day - about 2.5 rider comments per 1,000 trips. One quarter of these comments are commendations. The feedback indicates that riders would like to improve on-time performance, call taker accuracy and driver professionalism.
Other methods of feedback are quarterly meetings (such as the meetings in May) and surveys of riders (see chart) You can also contact us using any of our customer-service feedback tools.
Metro Accessible Services also receives feedback and recommendations from King County's Accessible Services Advisory Committee. This committee supports transportation service improvements for people with disabilities and seniors. The committee has up to 15 representatives of the community. Recently, the committee issued recommendations on paratransit policies, procedures and customer service issues. We are working with the committee to review and implement their suggestions wherever possible.
In response to feedback, customer-service training for drivers and call taker staff will be a priority. Technology improvements will complement improved staff training. Access Rideline, an automated telephone system, will allow riders to confirm trips, cancel trips or hear recorded information almost 24 hours a day. Access Rideline started in area code 206 in April 2001 and will expand to serve all Access Transportation riders later this year. You will receive a letter about Access Rideline when it becomes available to you.
Thanks for your feedback. It helps Access Transportation meet its goals to ensure safety, improve reliability and provide high-quality, customer-centered service.
Access Transportation trip data
October through December 2000
- Number of rides: 242,622
- Safety: 2.44 accidents per 100,000 miles
- On-time trip delivery: 91%
- Number of calls taken: 222,730
- Percentage of calls handled within 3 minutes: 93%
- Trips with no-shows or cancellations: 78,043 (26% of 320,665 scheduled trips)
- Percentage of trip requests met: 98.6%
Rider feedback about Access Transportation service*
- Amount of service available 95% satisfied
- Safety: 94% satisfied
- On-time performance: 81% satisfied
- Driver's helpfulness: 92% satisfied
- Call taker accuracy: 91% satisfied
- Service is a good value for what you pay: 97% satisfied
*From a survey of 250 riders for October through December 2000
Access Transportation changes
The Access Transportation service area and hours match the service area and hours of Metro buses with regular routes and timetables. Metro Transit revises its regular bus service three times a year. In 2001, minor changes are planned for June. More significant changes are planned for September 2001. Service changes can result in bus routes being added, eliminated or changed. Your call center will be able to tell you if this means a change for you.
For more information and to give feedback
King County Metro's Accessible Services:
Phone: 206-263-3113
TTY: 206-263-3116
E-mail: Access.CustomerService@kingcounty.gov
Accessible Services Web site
Fax: 206-263-3101
Mail: King County Metro
Accessible Services, EXC-TR-1240
821 Second Ave., Suite 10
Seattle, WA 98104-1598
If your mailing address has changed, please contact the Accessible Services Office.
All Access Transportation printed materials (including this newsletter) are available in braille, on audio tape cassette, in large print and on computer diskette. Call 206-263-3113 (voice) or 206-263-3116 (TTY).
Produced by Transportation Community Relations.
Published April 2001.
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