HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 6, 2008 K-01AGENDA ITEM I" I
CITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TM
AGENDA TITLE: Adopt Resolutions Approving Paratransit Service Policy and Implementing
Proposed Changes to Existing Dial -A -Ride Services
MEETING DATE: February 6,2008
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt two resolutions approving the Paratransit Service Policy and
implementing proposed changes to existing Dial -A -Ride services.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City of Lodi currently provides transit service as described in
Table 1 (attached). In accordance with the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) requirements under the Americans with
DisabilitiesAct (ADA), the City is required to offer Paratransit
(Dial -A -Ride, DAR) services for those unable to access the fixed route system. While the current system
serves those transit riders who are unable to ride the fixed route, the system does not require riders to be
certified ADA eligible (who would be given priority over other Dial -A -Ride passengers). The FTA is
requiring that the City have a certification process.
During the last FTA Review, the reviewers found that the City of Lodi needs to develop and implement an
ADA Paratransit system capable of certifying ADA eligible patrons and tracking their ride requests
(Attachment 1). The existing Dial -A -Ride service can be offered in addition to the ADA Paratransit
service but is not required. Staff is concerned that by adding the ADA certification process along with the
associated ride priority, the regular Dial -A -Ride service will be adversely impacted and wait times will
increase. This impact can be mitigated by increasing the use of advance reservations. Thus, staff is
recommending that the Dial -A -Ride service continue, but that the fare structure be amended to include a
surcharge for same day service. The surcharge would be double the price of an advance reservation.
Staff conducted a public meeting at the LOEL Center on January 25th to present the revised
recommendations, answer questions and receive comments. In addition, staff met with Terri Whitmire
and Ann Areida-Hintz at Hutchins Street Square and Tracy Williams at LOEL Center to receive their
input. The policy is shown in the attached resolution, and the procedures generally are:
Upon request, passengerswill receive a ParatransitApplication and Physician's Verification
form. Passengerswill complete the application and have their physician sign the verification
form.
Passengerswill submit the application and medical professional's verification form to the City
of Lodi Public Works Department, Transportation Division. (Note, the original proposal
requiring a physician's verification has been modified to allow other medical professionals.)
Staff will review the application, confirm the medical professional's verification by telephone,
and issue an eligibility letter and card to those who are certified.
APPROVED:
Blair Ki Manager
KIWPITRAN51T1CPH ADAFeb doe 21112008
Adopt Resolutions Approving Paratransit Service Policyand Implementing Proposed Changes to Existing
Dial -A -Ride Services
February 6,2008
Page 2
If Council approves adoption of the new policies and procedures, staff anticipates an effective date of
April 1, 2008. Staff is also recommending a 30 -day grace period for the surcharge to allow riders who
call for demand service to be informed of the surcharge but not have it imposed. The double -fare
surcharge would then begin to be charged for demand responseservice beginning May 1,2008.
FISCAL IMPACT: The addition of the Paratransit service is not expected to significantly affect
ridership or costs. The proposed surcharge for demand response travel for
Dial -A -Ride should increase efficiency, allowing the City to provide service
to the same passengerswith a reduction in revenue service hours billed by
the contractor.
FUNDING AVAILABLE: None required at this time
�"Won�
Richard C. Prima, Jr.
Public Works Director
Prepared by Tiffani M. Fink, Transportation Manager
RCPrFMF/pmf
Attachments
KAWPITRANSITICPH ADAFeb.doc 2/1/2008
Table 1
Existing Schedule of Services
Service Type
Weekday
Saturday
Sunday
Fare
Operating
Operating
Operating
(General Public/
Hours
Hours
Hours
Senior -Disabled -Medicare)
Fixed Route
6:15 am-
7:45 am-
7:45 am-
$1.00/ $0.50
6:54 pm
3:09 pm
3:09 pm
Dial -A -Ride
6:15 am-
7:45 am-
7:45 am-
$5.00/ $1.50 ($6.00/$2.50
(Reservations)
9:00 pm
6:00 pm
4:00 pm
outside of Lodi)
Dial -A -Ride
8:00 am-
8:00 am-
8:00 am-
$5.00/ $1.50 ($6.00/$2.50
(Demand)
9:00 pm
5:00 pm
3:00 pm
outside of Lodi)
* Reservations available the day before, no reservations taken on Holidays.
Proposed Schedule of Services
Service Type
Weekday
Saturday
Sunday
Fare
Operating
Operating
Operating
(General Public/
Hours
Hours
Hours
Senior -Disabled -Medicare
Fixed Route
6:15 am-
7:45 am-
7:45 am-
$1.00/ $0.50
6:54 pm
3:09 pm
3:09 pm
VineLine
6:15 am-
7:45 am-
7.45 am-
$1.50 (No General Public)
(New ADA
7.00 pm
3:15 pm
3:15 pm
Service)
Dial -A -Ride
6:15 am-
7:45am-
7:45 am-
$5.00/ $1.50 ($6.00/ $2.50 outside
Reservations
9:00 pm
6:00 pm
4:00 pm
of Lodi
Dial -A -Ride
8:00 am-
8:00 am-
8:00 am-
$10.001$3.00 ($12.001$6.00
(Demand
7:00 pm
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
outside of Lodi)
Response)
Dial -A -Ride
7:00 p.m.-
3:00 pm-
3:00 pm-
$5.00/ $1.50 ($6.00/ $2.50 outside
(Demand
9:00 P.M.
5:00 pm
4:00 pm
of Lodi)
Response)
* Reservations available the day before, VineLine passengers will be able to make next
day service requests on Holidays.
Note: Changes shown in bold italics.
K:\WP\TRANSIT\C—ADA—Tablelrev.doc
Attachment 1
Federal Transit Administration Review Findings for ADA
Basic Requirement: Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
provide that no entity shall discriminate against an individual with a disability in
connection with the provision of transportation service. The law sets forth specific
requirements for vehicle and facility accessibility and the provision of complementary
paratransit service.
Findings: During this Triennial Review of the City of Lodi, deficiencies were found
with the FTA requirements for ADA.
The City of Lodi, through its third party contractor, MV Transportation, operates a Fixed
Route service and Dial -A -Ride. The City's public information refers to Dial -A -Ride as
an open to the general public, demand response transit system. The City does not have an
eligibility process to ensure only persons who meet the regulatory criteria are regarded as
ADA eligible. Further, the City has not developed an appeals process. A review of the
City's public information does not contain information sufficient to describe its ADA
complementary paratransit service and the requirements to determine eligibility.
Corrective Action and Schedule: Within 30 days, the City is to submit a letter to the
FTA Region IX Civil Rights Officer (CRO) expressing its intent to comply with the
Federal Department of Transportation's requirements to provide paratransit service.
Within 60 days, the City is to provide the CRO with a draft management plan on how it
will come into compliance with the DOT requirements for paratransit service. At a
minimum, the plan should address how the City will:
• Implement eligibility and appeals processes
• Communicate to the public its paratransit and eligibility requirements
• Develop internal management controls to ensure the provision of service, service
area, response time, fares, days and hours of service, trip purpose and subscription
service are in accordance with the ADA Complementary Paratransit service
requirements
• Develop procedures to ensure the City has adequate capacity to meet demand
• Develop procedures to ensure the City has adequate oversight of the contracted
paratransit services
Within 120 days, the City is to submit to the CRO evidence of its eligibility and appeals
processes, public information and management procedures.
K:\WP\TRANSIT\C ADA Attachl.doc
RESOLUTION NO. 2008-16
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY
COUNCIL APPROVING PARATRANSIT
SERVICE POLICY
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the
City of Lodi is required to offer complementary paratransit services for those unable to
access the fixed -route system; and
WHEREAS, during the last Federal Transit Administration Triennial Review, the
reviewers found that the City of Lodi needs to develop and implement an ADA
paratransit system capable of certifying ADA eligible patrons and tracking their ride
requests; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends that the proposed ADA complementary
paratransit service be implemented for the City of Lodi within the applicable service area
with an anticipated effective date of April 1, 2008.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council does hereby
approve the Paratransit Service Policy, as shown on ExhibitA attached hereto.
Dated: February 6, 2008
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2008-16 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held February 6, 2008, by the following
vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS —Hansen, Hitchcock, Johnson, Katzakian,
and Mayor Mounce
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
�NNIFE M. PERRIN
Deputy City Clerk
2008-16
COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT POLICY
February 6,2008
INTRODUCTION
Exhibit A
This policy regarding Complementary Paratransit services by the City of Lodi (under
agreementwith our operator) applies to service which, in accordance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990, is required by all operators of Fixed Route service, which
includes the City of Lodi.
POLICY
The City of Lodi shall offer Complementary Paratransit services during all hours in
which the City of Lodi Fixed Route service is in operation.
II. Complementary Paratransit services shall be offered in accordance with all
Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Transit Administration requirements in
regards to access, fares and service level
III. Fares for service will be as set from time -to -time by the City Council by resolution.
IV. The City's Public Works Department Transportation Division shall oversee the
submittal of applications, their review and any and all approvals. All monitoring
data in accordance with Federal Transit Administration requirements shall be
provided by the operations contractor and monitored by Transportation Division
staff. Appeals cf PublicWorks Department's decisions shall be to the
City Manager.
V. Any visitors presenting an ADA eligibility card issued by another transit system
shall be eligible to utilizethe City system for up to 30 days.
VI. Reservation Only — Reservations must be received by close of businessthe day
priorto the requested service day.
CADocvments and Settingsl perrinUcal SettingsUemporary Internet Files IOLKC41Policy__ComplementaryParatransd.doc
RESOLUTION NO. 2008-17
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY
COUNCIL APPROVING IMPLEMENTATION
OF CHANGES TO EXISTING DIAL -A -RIDE
SERVICES
WHEREAS, the City of Lodi currently provides Dial -A -Ride services to the
residents of the City of Lodi and has approved implementation of Americans with
DisabilitiesAct (ADA) complementary paratransit service; and
WHEREAS, to increase efficiency with the Dial -A -Ride service, encouragement
of the reservations -based system is warranted; and
WHEREAS, staff understands the desire for same day service requests and,
therefore, recommends a surcharge for same day requests at a rate of double the
posted fare.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council hereby
approves the changes to the existing Dial -A -Ride services, which shall be implemented
on April 1, 2008, with the imposition of the double -fare surcharge for demand response
service on May 1, 2008, following a 30 -day grace period.
Dated: February 6, 2008
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2008-17 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held February 6, 2008, by the following
vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Hansen, Hitchcock, Johnson, Katzakian,
and Mayor Mounce
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS— None
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS—None
`W11- A
NIFER PERRIN
Deputy City Clerk
2008-17