ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies (2022)

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65   Case Example Selection Of the 20 survey respondents, four were eliminated because the survey response included an indication that they did not wish to be considered as a case example. Summaries and rationales for the remaining 16 were developed; ultimately, 12 were suggested as case examples, with the remaining four serving as backups. These summaries and rationales were sent to the SG-19 Panel for approval. Each of the 12 were subsequently approached to confirm their willingness to serve as a case example. A total of 11 of the 12 agreed. Table 4-1 lists these 11 agencies. Their locations are mapped in Figure 4-1. DRT Service Types Reflected in the Case Examples Table 4-2 shows a matrix of the 40 DRT services provided by each of the case examples, by service type. Altogether, there are nine different service types reflected in the case examples. Brief definitions of the service types reflected in Table 4-2 are presented as follows. • ADA paratransit services. Under the ADA, transit agencies operating fixed-route transit service are obligated to provide, when and where their fixed-route transit services are provided, paratransit service to individuals who, because of their disabilities, are unable to use or access those fixed-route services. • Coordinated paratransit services. Paratransit services that provide ADA paratransit trips and other paratransit trips on the same service platform. These might include trips being made by seniors, other persons with disabilities, nonemergency medical-program clients, or clients of sponsoring HSAs. • Alternative services. An on-demand service offered to ADA paratransit customers using a different service platform than the one used for ADA paratransit and not controlled by the transit agency. Providers typically include taxi companies, TNCs, or other NDSPs already serving the community. • DAR—elderly and disabled (E&D). A DRT service provided to residents of a certain area who are seniors or have a disability, and who register for the service. • DAR—general public. A DRT service provided to residents of a certain area who register for the service. • NEMT services. Sponsored services that involve the transport of program-registered indi- viduals to and from covered nonemergency medical appointments. • HSA transportation. Sponsored services that involve the transport of HSA clients to agency programs. Such trips can be intermixed with other DRT services operated separately. • Microtransit. On-demand service provided to the general public. • Flex transit. Route-deviation or checkpoint-deviation service provided to the general public. Case Examples C H A P T E R   4

66 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Figure 4-1. Geographic locations of the case example participants. Location Transit Agency Abilene, TX CityLink Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA) Bend, OR Cascades East Transit (CET) Champaign-Urbana, IL Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) Columbia, SC Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) Frederick County, MD Transit Services of Frederick County Galveston and Harris County, TX Island Transit and Harris County Transit (HCT) Gaston County, NC Gaston County ACCESS Topeka, KS Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority (Topeka Metro) (Western) Ventura County, CA Gold Coast Transit (GCT) District Wenatchee, WA Link Transit Table 4-1. Case example locations and transit agencies.

Case Examples 67   Paratransit Service Models Reflected in the Case Examples Table 4-3 shows a matrix of the 40 DRT services provided by each of the case examples, by service model. Altogether, there are 10 different service types reflected in the 11 case examples. Brief definitions of the service models reflected in Table 4-3 are presented as follows. • All-in-house. All functions and assets are provided by the transit agency. • In-house plus an overflow provider (in-house + OFP). All functions and assets are pro- vided by the transit agency, except for a contractor’s (or contractors’) services and assets in serving trips that cannot be served by the transit agency. • Turnkey contractor (turnkey cont). The transit agency retains a contractor to provide all day-to-day functions and the supporting assets. • Turnkey contractor, with the transit agency providing all or some of the assets (turnkey cont + assets). • Turnkey contractor, with the transit agency providing all or some of the assets, with subcontractors (turnkey cont + OFP + assets). The turnkey contractor subcontracts with one or more service providers to handle overflow trips. Location ADA Para Coord Para Alter. Service DAR E&D DAR GP NEMT HSA Micro- transit Flex Transit Total Abilene, TX 1 1 1 3 Ann Arbor, MI 1 2 3 Bend, OR 1 1 1 1 4 Champaign- Urbana, IL 1 1 0.5 2 2 0.5 7 Columbia, SC 1 2 2 5 Frederick County, MD 1 1 2 Galveston and Harris County, TX 2 1 1 4 Gaston County, NC 1 1 1 3 Topeka, KS 1 1 2 West Ventura County, CA 1 2 3 Wenatchee, WA 2 2 4 Total 8 4 2 1 5.5 3 2 9 5.5 40 Table 4-2. DRT services reflected in the case examples—by service type.

68 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies • Multiple turnkey contractors. The transit agency contracts with more than one (parallel) contractor to perform all day-to-day functions. • Single service-delivery contractor [contracted (cont’d) delivery – 1]. The transit agency performs all call and control functions but contracts with one service provider for service delivery. • Multiple service-delivery contractors (cont’d delivery – 2+). The transit agency performs all call and control functions but contracts with more than one service provider for service delivery. • Mixed CCC functions. The transit agency performs some of the CCC functions, while the contractor performs the other functions, including service delivery. Location All in House In House + OFP Turnkey Cont Turnkey Cont + Assets Turnkey Cont + OFP + Assets Single Service Delivery Contractors Multiple Service Delivery Contractors Opera- tional Cont Mixed Call and Control Functions User- Side Subsidy Total Abilene, TX 2 1 3 Ann Arbor, MI 2 1 3 Bend, OR 2 1 1 4 Champaign- Urbana, IL 4 3 7 Columbia, SC 2 1 2 5 Frederick County, MD 1 1 2 Galveston and Harris County, TX 1 3 4 Gaston County, NC 2 1 3 Topeka, KS 1 1 2 West Ventura County, CA 3 3 Wenatchee, WA 1 2 1 4 Total 13 4 4 5 1 2 2 2 2 5 40 NOTE: Cont = contractor; OFP = overflow provider. Table 4-3. Paratransit services reflected in the case examples—by service model.

Case Examples 69   • User-side subsidy program. The transit agency loads riders’ fare card accounts with a sub- sidy. From there, riders request service directly from a participating taxi company, and the taxi company decrements the metered fare from the rider’s fare account. (Supply-side subsidy programs are covered under turnkey contractor.) Table 4-4 presents details of the 40 services reflected in 11 case examples. The rest of Chapter 4 is devoted to the case examples themselves, sorted alphabetically. Each case example includes the following: • A summary • A background section that includes a summary of the fixed-route service as context • A detailed discussion of each DRT service and its service model • A discussion of local sponsorship agreements and key details of the service-provider contracts • Asset provision • Technology • Benefits, challenges, and shortcomings • Lessons learned • Contact information Abilene, Texas: CityLink Plus Two Summary Faced with a severe driver shortage in 2018, CityLink in Abilene, Texas, turned to the private sector to diversify its service model. Its request for proposals (RFP) resulted in two different contractors: a taxi company and a nonprofit HSA. Together, these contractors, operating in a nondedicated fashion, are now serving one out of four trips of CityLink’s ADA and coordinated paratransit service. CityLink also operates two general-public on-demand microtransit services. The first replaced an underperforming route segment serving Abilene’s second medical area and a large Blue Cross Blue Shield office in the southeastern section of Abilene. This service does double duty in connecting to CityLink’s fixed-route service: it not only provides local riders access to downtown, but it also provides reverse commuters with access to jobs in the medical area. The service has been so successful that the service zone size was doubled to accommodate a second transit transfer point. The second microtransit service provides service throughout the service area up until midnight after the fixed routes stop for the day at 6:00 p.m. The focus of this service has been to accommodate work trips; accordingly, the design includes a less-expensive fare for work and school trips. In addition, trips with other purposes are accommodated only on a space- available basis. Background Abilene, Texas, located about 150 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, has a population of 124,200 (in 2019) over a 112-square-mile area. The city’s public transit service, called CityLink, provides eight weekday and six Saturday fixed routes that collectively cover about three-quarters of the city in a hub-and-spoke design, pulsing hourly at a central transfer station 15 minutes after the hour. The service hours are roughly 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A total of 15 30-foot and 35-foot El Dorado buses and two Chance trolleys accounted for the fixed-route transit fleet, though the trolley route was discontinued in 2017.

Res Sch Disp ETAs O1 O2 O3 O4 DV NDV O-D S-D N-D A-R Sub Veh Fac Tel SW VC GP ADA Srs PwD NEM HSA Other Paratransit Coord Para TA TA TA All TA Taxi HSA X X X 14 X All All TA TA All X X X On-Call Microtransit TA X X X X X Evening Service Dial-A-Ride TA X X 14 X X X A-Ride Coord Para TA/PC TA PC PC TA X WC X X X X X FlexRide Microtransit Cont X NightRide & HolidayRide Microtransit Cont X X X X X Bend Dial-A-Ride ADA Para Cont X X 14 X X Rural Dial-A-Ride Dial-A-Ride TA X X X X Route Deviation Flex Transit TA X X X NEMT NEM X X X X Cont TA TA TA Cont X ADA Paratransit ADA Para TA X X 14 X X Safe Rides Microtransit TA X X X Univ Half-Fare Cab Program Altern - SSS Taxi X X X X X West Connect Microtransit TA X X X X C-CARTS Flex / DAR TA X X X X X DSC HSA Program1 HSA1 X X X X X DRES HSA Program2 HSA2 X 1 X X X X DART ADA Para Cont Taxi X X X 7 X X Comet @ Night Microtransit Cont Uber Lyft X X X X X 7 X X Comet To The Market Microtransit Cont Uber Lyft X X X X X 7 X X Reflex Flex Transit Cont X 2 X 7 X X Reflex on Demand Flex Transit Cont X 2 X 7 X X TransIT-plus Coord Para TA X SA X 10 X X X Taxi Access Program Altern - USS Taxi1 Taxi2 Taxi3 X X Var X Var X X X Island Transit ADA Paratransit ADA Para (USS) Taxi1 X X X X X ADA Paratransit ADA Para TA Taxi1 X X X X X X NEM Program NEM (USS) Taxi1 Cont2 Cont3 X 2 X X X X RIDES E&D Para (USS) Taxi1 Cont2 Cont3 X 2 X X X X ACCESS Flex route TA X 3 X X Dial-A-Ride/Sub TA X 3 X X X X X NEM TA TA TA Cont Cont1 Cont2 Cont3 X 3 X Cont TA/C TA Cont Cont X East Flex Route Flex route TA X 3 X X X X The Lift ADA Para TA Cont X X X X X X Work GO ACCESS Coord Para Cont X Local X X TA Cont TA TA TA X X X Late Night Safe Rides Microtransit Cont X 1 X TA Cont TA TA TA X Clean Microtransit Microtransit Cont X X TA Cont TA TA TA X Link Plus ADA Para TA X SA X 7 X X Link Plus - Chelan ADA Para Cont X Cont Cont TA TA TA X Leavenworth DART Dial-A-Ride TA Taxi X X 20min X X X X X X X X X Chelan DART Dial-A-Ride TA Cont X X 1 X TA/C TA/C TA TA TA X X X X X X Wenatchee, Washington Link Transit Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency W. Ventura Co., California Gold Coast Transit District Contractor Contractor Contractor Topeka, Kansas Topeka MTA Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency and Taxi Taxi Company Gaston County, No. Carolina Gaston County Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Taxi Companies Galveston & Harris County, Texas Taxi Company Taxi Company Harris Co. Transit Taxi Company TA and Taxi Company Taxi Company Taxi Company Taxi Company Frederick Co., Maryland Transit Service of Frederick Co. Transit Agency Transit Agency Taxi Companies Transit Agency Para Contractor Transit Agency Columbia, So. Carolina The COMET Para Contractor TA/Taxi Transit Agency Para Contractor & TNCs Transit Agency, Contractor, TNCs Para Contractor & TNCs Transit Agency, Contractor, TNCs Para Contractor Transit Agency Transit Agency Human Service Agency 1 Human Service Agency Human Service Agency 2 Human Service Agency Champaign- Urbana, Illinois Champaign- Urbana Mass Transit District Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Taxi Taxi Company Transit Agency Transit Agency Bend, Oregon Cascades East Transit Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Various Contractors Ann Arbor, Michigan AAATA/TheRide Transit Agency Contractor Contractor Contractor Contractor Abilene, Texas City Link Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Transit Agency Service Mix Reservation Policies Asset Provision Rider EligibilityLocation Transit Agency Service Name Service Type Call and Control Functions Service Delivery NOTE: Coord Para = ADA/coordinated paratransit; SSS = supply-side subsidy program; USS = user-side subsidy program; PC = paratransit contractor; O1–O4 = number of service delivery providers; O-D = on-demand booking; S-D = same-day booking; WC = wheelchair; SA = space available only; Var = varies (among the providers); N-D = next-day booking; A-R = advance-reservation booking; Veh = vehicles; Fac = facilities; Tel = telephone system and equipment; SW = scheduling software; VC = voice communications. Table 4-4. Details of types of services provided by case example participants.

Case Examples 71   The base fare is $1.50, with various discount fares and day or monthly pass options avail- able. The fixed-route ridership in 2019 was about 310,000 trips, down from a peak ridership of 570,000 in 2008. CityLink management reports that it is exploring the use of mobile ticketing, but this has not yet been implemented. DRT Services and Service Models Coordinated Paratransit Service CityLink’s paratransit service might best be described as a coordinated service. In addition to serving ADA paratransit trips, the service is also available to other persons with disabilities and to clients of sponsoring HSAs outside the ADA paratransit service area. In addition, CityLink grandfathered in a few remote areas where fixed-route service is no longer provided. Also eligible are seniors served by the local senior citizen centers. All ADA paratransit and senior trips within the “primary” service area (defined by the ¾-mile corridors) have a fare of $2.00. All trips beyond the primary area have a fare of $3.00. The senior trips are partially funded by FTA Section 5310 funds and matched with funds from the Area Agency on Aging. For this service, CityLink employs a split management structure. CityLink is responsible for all CCC functions and for serving the majority of the trips. CityLink has used Routematch to support the service but will soon be replacing it with Ecolane. In 2019, of the 51,000 total paratransit trips, approximately 38,800 trips (76 percent) were served directly by CityLink at a productivity of 2.0 trips per RVH. CityLink’s paratransit fleet consists of 29 wheelchair-accessible body-on-chassis vehicles, though the peak pullout is closer to eight to 10 vehicles (from 2004 to 2010, the peak pullout was 18 to 22 cutaways). Because of driver shortage issues and in recognition of the fact that a volunteer driver program would not be reliable, CityLink released an RFP in late 2018. CityLink eventually entered into contracts with two additional service providers: Lynkup, a local taxi company that in 2019 served about 22 percent of the trips with six sedans, and Disability in Action, Inc. (DIA), an HSA that in 2019 served 2 percent of the trips with one Section 5310–funded, wheelchair- accessible body-on-chassis vehicle. All of these contractor-operated vehicles are provided on a nondedicated basis. On-Call Microtransit Service In 2018, CityLink launched a microtransit service called the OnCall Service to replace an underperforming segment of a fixed route that served the southeast quadrant of the city. This fixed route had been implemented in the mid-2000s and was funded through a Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) grant to serve the city’s second medical district, Cisco Junior College, and a large Blue Cross Blue Shield office. The microtransit service, operated by CityLink with a single accessible Type II (smaller) body-on-chassis vehicle, was launched in a 15-square-mile area to specifically serve these two key destinations, especially for reverse commuters. The service also serves certain pockets of residential areas that had been using the fixed route. In 2019, the size of the service zone was expanded to 25 square miles to include a second transit hub (Figure  4-2). With this expansion, CityLink has been exploring the use of a second vehicle. The OnCall Service is available during the same hours as the fixed-route service and may be requested on demand for immediate fulfillment with a 2-hour notice. Other same-day and next-day trips and subscription trips may also be requested. Routematch (soon to be replaced

72 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies by Ecolane) is used to support the service. Trips can be requested via a Routematch app or by calling into the CityLink call center. In 2019, 2,500 trips were provided by the OnCall Service at a fully allocated cost of $25.00 per trip. The fare for this premium service remains $3.00 per trip. During the pandemic, the OnCall Service was used to provide 125 trips to vaccination clinics. CityLink was also exploring the idea of transporting health professionals to residences (bringing vaccination shots to homes) when the pandemic began to subside. Evening Service Microtransit CityLink’s Evening Service is an extension of the regular public transportation services and is a continuation of an Access to Jobs program funded by FTA. It currently is funded with FTA Section 5307 funding. However, in the past, it was funded by Department of Health and Human Services grants and Community Development Block Grant funds. The intent of the service is to provide transportation for individuals to get to and from work or job training and school programs. However, the service is available for use by the general public for other purposes on a space-available basis after work transportation needs are met, though capacity is limited. For example, a number of dialysis patients use this service. CityLink operates this service in-house with a fleet of five body-on-chassis vehicles. The service operates Monday through Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Fares for work- related trips are $2.50; $6.00 fares are charged for any other trip purpose. Requests are called into the CityLink call center 1 to 14 days in advance, supported with Routematch (changing soon to Ecolane). Subscription trip requests are also accepted. Figure 4-2. OnCall service area.

Case Examples 73   In 2019, ridership on the Evening Service totaled about 9,800 trips, operated with a pro- ductivity of 1.8 and at a fully allocated cost of $25.26 per trip. Interestingly, ridership dipped to only the 9,000 level during the pandemic because many workers still needed to get to local food-processing plants. Local Sponsorship Agreements and Contracting Details HSA Sponsorship Agreements In partnering with the local senior citizen centers, staff there assist with annual certification and program eligibility for clients. The certification process is a requirement of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), which is a department of the West Central Texas Council of Governments. AAA provides match funding for this transportation service that is primarily funded by the FTA Section 5310 program administered by the Texas Department of Transportation. Lynkup Contract for ADA Paratransit Service The CityLink Lynkup contract has a 5-year term and provides for the provision of up to six nondedicated (and inaccessible) taxicabs. Because this contract covers ADA paratransit, taxi drivers were required to be ADA paratransit–certified, meaning that they needed to be trained to proficiency and participate in drug and alcohol testing. CityLink staff train the drivers and certify that the drivers meet the background and pre-employment requirements. CityLink staff also monitor the drug and alcohol testing program conducted by the contractor and review the results. While another taxi company expressed interest in the 2018 procurement, the taxi company did not want to meet the requirements necessary for ADA paratransit service. The taxi drivers follow paper manifests for their assigned passenger trips. Trip details are recorded by hand on the manifests and submitted to CityLink Dispatch for data entry and verification. Currently, the main source of communication between CityLink Dispatch and taxi drivers is by cell phone. The contract does require certain quality performance standards, much like ordinary para- transit service standards, and includes references to ADA and ADA paratransit require- ments. Any change in driver availability or a service disruption issue must be communicated immediately to reduce the impact on the passenger. In-vehicle video-recording cameras are required, and vehicles have certain safety-related standards that must be met. All vehicles in service are subject to CityLink inspection at any time. Liquidated damages are assessed to the contractor for late trips at a rate of 25 percent of the trip charge. CityLink pays 50 percent of the trip charge to the contractor in the event of a passenger late cancellation or passenger no-show. Payment is based on a sliding scale depending on the number of daily trips assigned to Lynkup, as follows (now in Year 3 of the contract): • Year 1: $11.00 per trip if 50 trips per day; $12.00 per trip if less than 50 trips per day. • Year 2: $11.75 per trip if 50 trips per day; $12.75 per trip if less than 50 trips per day. • Year 3: $12.50 per trip if 50 trips per day; $13.50 per trip if less than 50 trips per day. To be fully eligible for the higher trip rate, Lynkup must provide at least five certified drivers per day. If this requirement is not met, the lower trip rate is used regardless of the number of daily trips assigned.

74 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Disability in Action, Inc., Contract The DIA contract is similar to the Lynkup contract in relation to the contract term, general requirements, and payment schedule. Since DIA only provides one accessible vehicle, the pay- ment schedule defaults to the “under-50 trips” payment rate. Similar to this, the one vehicle is operated on a nondedicated basis. In essence, this means that it is available for the ADA paratransit service when it is not otherwise occupied by pro- viding DIA client transportation. Much as in the Lynkup contract, the DIA driver follows paper manifests for their assigned passenger trips. Trip details are recorded by hand on the manifests and submitted to CityLink Dispatch for data entry and verification. Currently, the main source of communication between CityLink Dispatch and the driver is by cell phone. Provision of Assets The City of Abilene provides all the facilities, vehicles, software, and supporting assets, with the exception of the vehicles operated by the contractors and Lynkup’s video-camera recording system and taxi dispatching system. Technology The main technology used to support all of the services has been Routematch. However, as noted, Routematch will soon be replaced by Ecolane. CityLink stated that this change was the result of two reasons: the unresponsiveness of technical assistance dating back to 2018 and the dynamic optimization capabilities of Ecolane, which will better serve both the para- transit service and the microtransit services. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Like many transit agencies across the United States, CityLink experienced a systemwide driver shortage in the last half of the 2010 decade. For CityLink, this was exacerbated by its proximity to high-paying jobs at oil fields less than 2 hours away. In 2018, the shortage became so severe that CityLink was forced to cut back portions of all its services and reduce ADA paratransit service to only life-sustaining trips. Management looked into the alterna- tive of supplementing its system with a volunteer driver program, but this alternative was thought to be too unreliable. Exploring how the private sector could help was CityLink’s only option, and this proved to be the answer. Both Lynkup and DIA have proven to be great partners, and together they are able to handle both ambulatory and nonambulatory trips that CityLink cannot accommodate with its in-house operation, though attracting drivers is still a battle. With the attractive rate structure, currently at $12.50 to $13.50 per trip, CityLink can provide trips on the ADA paratransit service at approximately half the cost of its own in-house component. CityLink did not have a collective bargaining agreement or a union representing any class of employee at the location, so there were no formal 13c collective bargaining issues. The delegation of assigned trips is primarily to the advantage of employees because they come first. Most of the trips that are beyond the ¾-mile boundary are assigned to the contractors, which sometimes includes trips to and from Dyess Air Force Base. Trips on this installa- tion usually take longer because of the slower-speed enforcement and security controls. This allows the in-house service-delivery system to operate more efficiently and places less stress on CityLink’s drivers.

Case Examples 75   The only limiting exception is that DIA provides the only outlet for overflow trips that require WAVs, and DIA’s one accessible vehicle is only available when it is otherwise not providing transportation to DIA’s own clients. An ongoing challenge confronting CityLink is the lack of attention from its current software vendor, with unanswered trouble tickets dating back 2 years. This and the lack of capabilities to handle true on-demand service (via a real-time dynamic optimization) for its microtransit services were the primary reasons why CityLink has turned to another vendor’s technology that will support both services well. Lessons Learned Bobby Sharpe, the general manager of CityLink, said, “We have learned two items early in the implementation of this service model: Establish a structured monitoring mechanism for the contractors in the beginning stages of the project. By doing so, it institutes the expec- tations from the beginning while limiting any misunderstandings and the creation of less than desirable habits. Secondly, we are exploring the use of tablets to electronically perform trips, collect trip data, and automatically download manifests. This will assist the dispatchers in performing their duties much more efficiently and will provide a much more productive and pleasant experience for the passenger. Manual entry of data and trip verification are labor-intensive and can lead to inaccuracies.” Contact Information Bobby Sharpe, general manager, is available at bobby.sharpe@abilenetx.gov. Ann Arbor, Michigan: A Trio of Service Models— Unpacked Summary The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA), branded TheRide, is the public transit agency serving the Ann Arbor (home to the University of Michigan) and Ypsilanti communities in southeastern Michigan. AAATA has been widely lauded in the national para- transit industry for providing an ADA paratransit service (ARide) that can regularly be requested on the day of travel. Less known is that AAATA has also used the ARide service platform to serve seniors as part of the GoldRide program, which has over the years contributed to systemwide productivity and helped improve the combined service’s cost per trip. Interestingly, ARide’s and GoldRide’s service model has changed three times over the last decade: • Model 1: This was a turnkey contract with AAATA providing WAVs (Figure 4-3 shows one of the vehicles). • Model 2: After contractor shortcomings were detected, AAATA put in a transitional service where AAATA directly performed the intake of the advance reservations function for all trips as well as same-day reservations for WAV trips, the scheduling and dispatching for and operation of the WAV fleet, the handling of service-day calls from WAV service riders, and road supervision of the WAV service. The contractor was responsible for same-day reservations and dispatching for and delivery of sedan trips, the handling of service-day calls from sedan riders, and road supervision for the sedan service. • Model 3: After a procurement of a new contractor, AAATA retained the intake and scheduling of all advance reservations and transmitting of ambulatory trips that did not fit the schedule

76 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies of its contractor. The contractor was responsible for same-day reservations; operation of the fleet of WAVs and sedans, all of which were operated in a dedicated fashion; all dispatching functions; handling of service-day calls from all riders; and road supervision. As a result of the pandemic, AAATA ceased its policy of allowing same-day requests for new trips. In concert with a new service-provider procurement, AAATA split ARide and GoldRide into two different services, each to be provided by a different contractor. The moti- vation for operating ARide and GoldRide as two distinct services was to ensure that AAATA was meeting its ADA paratransit obligations. Meanwhile, AAATA also implemented three microtransit services: FlexRide, NightRide, and HolidayRide. All three of these services are to be operated by the GoldRide contractor, although under a turnkey contract. Background AAATA is the public transit system that serves the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas of Michigan. Pre-pandemic, AAATA’s fixed-route system consisted of 30 routes, half serving Ann Arbor in a hub-and-spoke design centered on the downtown Blake Transit Center, and the other half of the routes serving Ypsilanti, also in a hub-and-spoke design, over an urban area totaling 35 square miles. In 2019, the fixed routes were operating on headways between 10 and 60 minutes, with service hours starting at 6:00 a.m. and extending to 11:45 p.m. on weekdays, to 10:45 p.m. on Saturdays, and to 9:00 p.m. on Sundays. During the pandemic, service has been reduced to about 65 percent of the service hours, but plans are afoot to restore service levels to their pre-pandemic service hours and levels, albeit with a few changes, in August 2021. The regular bus fare is $1.50, paid in cash or through the EZfare mobile ticket ing app. Discount fares and various passes are also available. Riding free are paratransit customers; University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff; and downtown employer-sponsored go!pass holders. In its family of services, AAATA operates the following: • Senior GroceryRide from several Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti senior housing communities to local grocery stores; • AirRide, which provides bus service between Ann Arbor and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport; • ExpressRide, which provides commuter bus service from Canton and Chelsea to downtown Ann Arbor; Figure 4-3. ARide vehicle.

Case Examples 77   • MyRide, a transportation brokerage for persons in the region who cannot access AAATA’s service; • VanRide, a vanpool program; • The University of Michigan–sponsored ExpressRide commuter buses from the communi- ties of Canton and Chelsea; and • Various event-related shuttles, notably for University of Michigan football games. AAATA began providing paratransit service, called ARide, in the early 1970s as a dial-a- ride program for the general public. By 1979, as fixed-route service was introduced, ARide’s eligibility was re-focused to include seniors and persons with disabilities. By the mid-1980s, same-day service was introduced. This coincided with AAATA beginning to use taxis to serve ambulatory trips while continuing to operate WAV service in-house. With the passage of the ADA in 1990, AAATA modified the service to ensure its ADA paratransit obligations but still offered same-day service and service beyond the ¾-mile corridors as premium services. Also, the same service platform continued to be used to provide senior trips under the re-branded program, GoldRide. That is, persons with disabilities and seniors continued to be comingled in the delivery of service. From 2004 through 2014, AAATA contracted out ARide and GoldRide as a turnkey contract to a taxi company called Select Ride. This is where the case example begins in the following section. Ridership on all these services totaled about 6.5 million trips in 2019. DRT Services and Models ARide and GoldRide: The Turnkey Contract Service Model (2004–2014) As mentioned previously, from 2004 to 2014 AAATA contracted with a taxi company, Select Ride, under a turnkey contract to provide trips for both ARide (AAATA’s ADA para- transit service) and GoldRide (its senior transportation program). The same service platform was used for both, and ADA paratransit and senior trips were regularly comingled on the same vehicles. The turnkey contract thus had Select Ride performing all call and control functions and service delivery. A noteworthy element of the service model design was that AAATA leased (for $1.00) a fleet of WAVs to Select Ride for it to operate and maintain. All vehicles operated by Select Ride for this service, including both the fleet of AAATA’s WAVs and Select Ride’s own sedans, were operated in a dedicated fashion. Select Ride used Trapeze to intake and schedule trips for the WAV vehicles, and a slot management system and dispatch system to intake and assign trips to its sedans. Under this turnkey contract, Select Ride was paid a per-trip fee. Requests for service could be made up to 7 days in advance. Same-day service (which constituted premium service for ADA para- transit riders) continued to be offered on a space-available basis only. But in reality, same- day trips were almost always accommodated. During this period, ARide was thus one of the few transit agencies in the United States where same-day requests for ADA paratransit service were routinely accommodated. The fare for both ARide and GoldRide riders was $3.00 for next-day and advance-reservation trips and $4.00 for same-day trips. In 2014, approximately 119,000 ADA trips and about 10,000 senior trips were provided at a combined cost per trip of $21.25. The Select Ride contract came to an abrupt halt in 2014 when AAATA discovered that Select Ride was not paying its drivers under the contractual guidelines; that is, they were paying the drivers more like independent contractors and not like employees. Moreover,

78 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies based on lingering unresolved rider complaints, it was suspected that contractual obligations related to service-quality performance were not being met. ARide and GoldRide: The Transition Model (2014–2015) In view of the lessons learned, AAATA wanted to move to a service model that gave the transit agency more direct control while also gaining the cost benefits of using a contractor. However, no prospective contractor was in a position to be that contractor with almost no lead time. Therefore, AAATA developed an interim transition model that would give the agency time to figure out exactly what that model would look like and time for a competitive procurement and ramp-up. The interim solution was to split various functions between AAATA and its new contractor, RideCorp, a division of Blue Cab. Under this interim service model: • AAATA directly performed: – The intake of advance reservations for all trips and same-day reservations for WAV trips. – The scheduling, dispatching, and operation of the 10-vehicle WAV fleet. – The handling of service-day calls from WAV service riders. – Road supervision for the WAV service. • RideCorp was responsible for: – Same-day reservations and dispatching and delivery of sedan trips. – The handling of service-day calls from sedan riders. – Road supervision for the sedan service. In addition, each entity performed its own vehicle maintenance on its respective fleet. So, all in all, it was a clean split between the WAV service and the sedan service, with AAATA also taking all advance reservation calls and assigning the ambulatory ones to RideCorp. Thus, AAATA opted for simplicity in using this clean split for this interim solution rather than trying to schedule ambulatory trips into holes in its WAV schedules to take advantage of resulting cost efficiencies. AAATA continued to use Trapeze for all of its functions, though there was no real-time linkage with RideCorp. While AAATA did forward the taxi list from Trapeze to RideCorp, RideCorp turned in its driver manifests to AAATA for entry into Trapeze. Lastly, RideCorp’s fleet of 20 sedans was operated in a dedicated fashion; accordingly, RideCorp was paid at a rate of $31.59 per RVH. Otherwise, the ARide and GoldRide policies from before, as related to same-day and advance-notice trips, fares, and the like, were mostly continued during this transition period. During AAATA’s 2015 fiscal year, 18,300 trips were directly served by AAATA at a cost of $56.00 per trip. Trips served by RideCorp totaled 79,500 at a cost of $24.59 per trip. Together, 97,800 ARide and GoldRide trips were served at a combined unit cost per trip of $30.47. ARide and GoldRide: The Split Management Structure (2015–2020) The eventual service model for ARide and GoldRide was a cross between the two forerunning service models. Under this service model: • The fleet consisted of 33 ARide and GoldRide service WAVs (12 minivans, six raised-roof vehicles, and 15 body-on-chassis vehicles). AAATA leased the WAV fleet to the contractor, RideCorp, while RideCorp provided the sedans. • AAATA directly performed the intake and scheduling of all advance reservations. The scheduling function, using Trapeze, included scheduling all advance trips onto WAVs while assigning ambulatory trips that could not fit onto the WAV runs onto a taxi run, which was then transmitted to the contractor.

Case Examples 79   • RideCorp was responsible for same-day reservations; operation of the fleet of WAVs and sedans, all of which were operated in a dedicated fashion; all dispatching functions; handling of service-day calls from all riders; and road supervision. All other policies for both ARide and GoldRide from previous years were continued. Interestingly, payment to RideCorp changed from a rate per RVH to a reimbursed time- and-materials-type contract. While there were contractual provisions for meeting service performance standards (e.g., a percentage of shared rides though AAATA-controlled schedul- ing had a lot to do with this), the penalty amounts proved not to be a particular deterrent to inefficient dispatching. Consequently, most of the trips served on the sedan fleet were single trips. One of the lessons learned was to include penalties of more consequence in the next contract if the same service model is continued. Thus, in 2019, pre-pandemic, 153,000 total trips were served at a cost of $37.74 per trip. ARide During the Pandemic (March 2020–July 2021) In March 2020, the GoldRide program was suspended, and same-day service for new trips (versus will-calls) was discontinued. By doing this, the service platform was refocused to provide only ADA paratransit service on a next-day and advance-reservation basis. The same service model used previously was continued, with the exception of RideCorp dissolving in August 2020 as a result of significant reductions in trips and the fact that the company was highly depen- dent on this contract. As a consequence, Blue Cab, RideCorp’s parent company, was retained to fill the void. Also, while many of the fixed-route service areas were reduced in size, AAATA did not change the ADA paratransit service area to reflect this, under the premise that the fixed- route reduction would be temporary. Post-Pandemic Plans As of August 2021, AAATA will resume its pre-pandemic level of fixed-route service. There will also be some fairly major changes on the paratransit front: • GoldRide will be reinstated but with some significant fare policy changes: the GoldRide fare will be increased from $3.00 to $5.00 for advance reservation trips, from $4.00 to $5.00 for low-income seniors making same-day trips, and from $4.00 to $20.00 for same-day trips made by non-low-income seniors. In addition, the GoldRide service area will be expanded to include Ypsilanti and parts of Ypsilanti Township. • The new service-delivery contractor for GoldRide will be Golden Limousine, a local carrier, which was selected in a competitive procurement. However, GoldRide will no longer be served on the same service platform as ARide. Golden Limousine will operate GoldRide under a turnkey contract. • At the same time, MV Transportation will be the new operator of ARide, with AAATA continuing to perform the reservations and scheduling functions. By splitting ARide and GoldRide, each of which will be delivered with different service models, AAATA thinks it will simplify its ability to ensure that ARide is meeting its ADA paratransit obligation. FlexRide Microtransit AAATA introduced its first on-demand, shared-ride general public microtransit pilot, called FlexRide, in 2017 as an expansion of public transit into a previously unserved 8-square-mile portion of Ypsilanti. The pilot was designed as a turnkey contract with Golden Limousine, which performs all functions using EverTransit (formerly known as DashRide) technology to

80 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies support the service. The area included two transit connections. The area was later expanded in March 2020 to include a third transit connection at the downtown Ypsilanti transit center to compensate for routes that were temporarily halted because of the pandemic. Figure 4-4 shows one of the FlexRide vehicles. At the time of the writing of this report, there were no plans to take away this expanded area and transit connection after the fixed routes have been reinstated in August 2021. This was a board decision, choosing to provide more options for AAATA riders rather than to avoid duplication, which was a previous goal. Service hours are weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the southeast Ypsilanti sub-area and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for the Pittsfield Township sub-area. Service may be requested on demand (for immediate fulfillment) as well as in advance by calling Golden Limousine, up until an hour before the end of the service day. The MODE app can also be used to request on-demand trips. Golden Limousine operates two dedicated minivans for the service. Neither can accommodate a wheelchair; however, a WAV can be dispatched to accommodate a trip as the need arises. The FlexRide fare is $1.00, with half fares available and free fares that mirror all the free fares available on the fixed-route system. Transfers onto the fixed-route service are free. The service has been generally successful in helping residents of a previously unserved area access the AAATA fixed-route system. In 2019, 4,000 trips were served on FlexRide, with an average response time of about 3 minutes and at a unit cost of $37.66 per trip. During that year, productivity exceeded 2.0 trips per hour. NightRide and HolidayRide Microtransit Another microtransit, NightRide, was implemented in 2004 and was one of the first transit- sponsored general public on-demand services implemented in the United States. As introduced, NightRide was basically available between the time when the AAATA fixed routes stop and when they resume again the following morning. Pre-pandemic, this was roughly Monday through Friday from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., and Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. A service-response time under 45 minutes was promised. The service model was similar to the FlexRide model, except the service was available throughout the fixed-route service area, and the fare charged is $5.00, noting that ARide and GoldRide customers pay a fare of $2.50. In addition, go!pass holders making trips to or from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development District pay a $3.00 fare. Also, a surcharge of $2.00 is added for on-demand trips between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Also, free fares are available to Figure 4-4. FlexRide vehicle.

Case Examples 81   those who can ride the fixed-route system for free. Another difference is that service is operated with one WAV and one minivan and is supported by other nondedicated vehicles as needed. When the service model was first implemented, Blue Cab was retained as the turnkey contractor, relying on its taxi dispatch system and being paid by the RVH. Toward the tail end of Blue Cab’s tenure, the per-hour rate was $34.00 per RVH for non-lift minivans and $46.00 per RVH for WAV service, with AAATA and Blue Cab jointly determining how many vans are in operation. Blue Cab also used nondedicated taxicabs to supplement the dedicated vans at the nonaccessible vehicle RVH rate, but it equated to about $17.00 per trip. Riders were able to request immediate service or make an advanced reservation by calling or by e-mailing Blue Cab. Response times generally ranged from 25 to 60 minutes. This service model remained in place until the service was temporarily halted in March 2020. During the hiatus, Blue Cab also dissolved. When NightRide was restored in September 2020, the new turnkey contractor retained (via a competitive procurement) was Golden Limousine, which was also paid on an RVH basis. Similar to the FlexRide service, the EverTransit technology is being used to support the service under the new contract, and riders have the option of requesting service through the app. This has already borne fruit: the average response time was reduced from 25–60 minutes to 5–25 minutes; the service area, at 27 square miles, is much larger than the FlexRide zone. NightRide ridership for fiscal year (FY) 2014 totaled 36,900 trips, 438 of which were taken by ARide customers. With revenue hours totaling 15,553 RVHs, the productivity worked out to 2.37 trips per hour and a unit cost of $19.66 per trip. In 2019, NightRide provided 22,500 trips at $23.28 per trip. Since the contractor change in September 2020, the cost of service has been $51.69 per trip. HolidayRide, implemented in 2004, is basically the same service as NightRide but operates during holidays when the fixed-route service is not operating. Fare and all other policies mirror those of NightRide. In 2019, HolidayRide provided 638 trips at $17.69 per trip. MyRide Mobility Management Services Implemented in 2014, MyRide is a mobility management service that provides information and assistance to transit-dependent individuals in Washtenaw County and select areas in Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne Counties. MyRide does not provide direct transportation services but does provide information on transportation resources in the area. AAATA has amassed a centralized repository of trans- portation resources. This database includes information on public transportation services, nonprofit HSA transportation providers, and private carriers. Currently, three service providers are in the network, but there have been as many as nine. Anyone may call MyRide to find information about these services and how to access them. MyRide’s information specialists and call-takers are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. via a toll-free telephone number. Services provided include the following: • Information, referrals, and trip planning assistance. MyRide’s information specialists and call-takers match each caller’s general or specific trip needs with specific services, can help with contact information for those services, and can help customers plan specific trips. • Scheduling assistance. MyRide’s information specialists and call-takers assist callers with scheduling trips on their behalf, using Trapeze as needed. To guarantee a ride and avoid an increased fare, customers are encouraged to schedule trips 24 hours in advance. Same-day

82 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies trips can be scheduled for a slightly higher fare, and rides are based on provider space and availability. • Trip fare assistance. The MyRide program currently uses JARC and New Freedom grant funding to subsidize a portion of transportation fares for specific types of trips taken by indi- viduals who are not able to use existing public transportation services. JARC funding assists low-income customers with access to transportation to work and other work-related services or activities. New Freedom funding assists individuals with a disability (physical, mental, sensory, and emotional) to access transportation for any trip purpose including work trips; however, NEMT trips are generally given priority. The amount of assistance provided is based on passenger income and the length of time such assistance is needed (trip subsidies are only available on a temporary basis). With the discontinuance of these grant programs, AAATA began using FTA Section 5310 funding for this program in FY 2016. • Travel training. Individuals or small groups of customers can learn how to access and use public and demand-responsive transportation services available in the county. Training also includes developing individual transportation plans to ensure customers have realistic plans to maintain their travel independence if they depend on public transit for long-term use. Approximately 18,700 trips were provided through MyRide in FY 2014 at a cost of about $390,000, which included administrative expenses and fare assistance. This worked out to $20.86 per completed trip. It is difficult to assess how many other callers received other services. In FY 2019, 10,500 trips were served by MyRide vendors. Currently, the JARC and New Freedom funding is dwindling, and the service provided by MyRide vendors is largely provided to work and work-related trips taken by persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Contracting Details Golden Limousine Contract AAATA’s contract term for FlexRide with Golden Limousine was a 1-year contract (from August 26, 2019, to August 25, 2020) with 4 option years and with payment based on the rate per RVH. The contract agreement for LateRide and HolidayRide is a 1-year contract from August 30, 2020, to August 29, 2021. Service standards include the following: • An average hold time of 30 seconds • A maximum 15-minute response time and a 95 percent on-time standard • Arrival calls and texts to the rider, which include a departure time if the rider is not present • A maximum onboard time of 45 minutes Arrival times at the transit connection points are to be coordinated with the bus schedule so that the FlexRide arrival is no later than 5 minutes before the scheduled bus arrival 97 percent of the time. MyRide Provider Agreements AAATA’s contract with MyRide service providers is for 1 year, with successive 1-year renewals if mutually agreed upon. The MyRide service-provider rate is based on mileage plus a boarding fee. The transportation providers in the network generally charge AAATA a board- ing fee of $3.00 (whether the trip is one way or a round trip) plus a mileage charge that ranges between $2.25 and $2.50 per trip. The mileage rate goes up $0.25 per mile for riders with dis- abilities requiring special assistance for customer safety.

Case Examples 83   Service standards include the following: • A definition for on-time (±10 minutes) and a missed trip. It is expected that the provider will achieve an on-time performance standard of 95 percent. A penalty of $5.00 is charged for each late arrival (after 10 minutes from the scheduled pickup time). • A penalty for missed trips of $15.00. • A same-day exemption for penalties (for same-day trips). • Will-call return trips to be served within 45 minutes of the call. • A maximum onboard travel time of 60 minutes, as well as a provision that states that no rider shall be onboard more than 30 minutes beyond the direct travel time. The contract also has detailed standard requirements for regulatory compliance, vehicle requirements, insurance and indemnification, driver qualifications, training, reporting, and responding to complaints forwarded to the provider by AAATA. Provision of Assets ARide/GoldRide All along, through the various reiterations of ARide and GoldRide’s service models, AAATA has provided the WAVs for the service, whether operated by the contractor or by AAATA drivers. AAATA has also provided the paratransit scheduling and dispatch system used by AAATA and its contractors. Otherwise, facilities and the equipment in those facilities that supported this combined service were provided by both AAATA and its contractors; that is, each entity operated out of its own facility. FlexRide, NightRide, and HolidayRide Microtransit Golden Limousine operates these services as a turnkey contract. Thus, all supporting assets, including vehicles, that support these microtransit services are provided by the contractor. Technology ARide/GoldRide and MyRide AAATA has used Trapeze for its ARide and GoldRide services since 2004. Early on, some of Trapeze’s scheduling functions were not fully used by SelectRide, but with AAATA taking over the scheduling functions, this quickly changed. Trapeze is also used to support the MyRide program for the intake and assignment of trips to the three service providers. FlexRide, NightRide, and HolidayRide Microtransit Golden Limousine uses the cloud-based EverTransit system to perform all functions that support the on-demand microtransit services. The system provides the following: • Automatic, continuous optimization per configurable algorithms • Mobile-app trip requests and fare collection • A driver app on both iOS and Android mobile devices (trips assigned, navigation, and data collection) • A full set of data analytics Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings ARide and GoldRide have been an important mobility option for Ann Arbor’s and Ypsilanti’s disability and senior communities. Combining these two services on the same service platform

84 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies has enabled more ridesharing opportunities, increased productivity, and ultimately contrib- uted to cost efficiencies. In addition, the opportunity to reliably request same-day trips for well over a decade, especially for ADA paratransit customers, has been a boon for the dis- ability community. This opportunity has never really been successfully duplicated elsewhere at AAATA’s ridership levels. Unfortunately, same-day requests for new trips were eliminated during the pandemic, and there are no immediate plans to reinstate this policy. AAATA has seen more service model changes for its combined paratransit service than most, owing to having to abandon contractors and economy-induced contractor dissolvements. But all along, there has been a commitment to provide service delivery (as much as possible) through local carriers, not only as a commitment to the local economy but as a cost-reducing measure (compared to the higher cost of in-house service delivery). For example, when AAATA was forced to transitionally operate the WAV service after having to terminate SelectRide’s contract, the cost per trip went from $21.25 per trip to a combined $30.47, with the in-house service at $56.00 per trip and the RideCorp service at $24.59 per trip. During this year, 18,300 trips were served by AAATA at a cost of $56.00 per trip, while trips served by RideCorp totaled 79,500 at a cost of $24.59 per trip. Together, 97,800 ARide and GoldRide trips were served at a combined unit cost per trip of $30.47. While it is possible that the planned split of ARide and GoldRide may result in a decrease in productivity and therefore an increase in cost per trip, AAATA felt that this split (and potential increase in unit cost) was necessary to ensure that it is meeting its ADA paratransit obligations. AAATA’s different types of microtransit services have been embraced by the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti communities as a beneficial addition to AAATA’s family of services. These services have made considerable contributions to the mobility of specific areas as well as evening and holiday travel. In addition, AAATA has been able to sustain these services despite the dissolve- ment of contractors. The microtransit services in Ann Arbor are operated as a turnkey contract, the most recent with Golden Limousine. Interestingly, the unit costs of the services have varied widely. For example, FlexRide’s unit cost in 2019 was $37.66 per trip in an 8-square-mile area of Ypsilanti. During this year, the productivity of this service was just over 2.0 trips per hour. In comparison, when NightRide was introduced in FY 2014 over a much larger area (27 square miles), the popularity of the service (36,900) contributed to a productivity of 2.37 trips per hour and a unit cost of $19.66. And even when ridership on NightRide dipped to 22,500 trips in 2019, the unit cost (at $23.28 per trip) did not rise significantly. However, with the contractor change in September 2020, the cost of service has increased to a lofty $42.81 per trip. In part, the increase was attributable to a higher rate per hour, which was commensurate with the exceptional service quality provided by the new contractor but also the lower productivity (at 1.2 trips per hour) that resulted from the service just restarting and a decreased demand because of the pandemic. Lessons Learned AAATA was fortunate enough to be in the position to take over a portion of the ARide/ GoldRide service when its contractor was not fulfilling its contractual obligations. With the understanding that AAATA wished to return to contracted service delivery, this temporary transitional service model got the system and its riders through to the point where AAATA could decide on the best service model to transition to and procure a new service-delivery contractor. In the new service model, AAATA also wished to take on more direct control over reservation intake and scheduling. During the transitional model, AAATA took on these functions for part of the service, and, according to Robert Williams, supervisor of call-taking

Case Examples 85   and paratransit scheduling, “This enabled us to better influence the balance between service quality and cost efficiency.” Williams also added, “From the early turnkey model, we realized that assigning the com- plaint management function to our contractor was not the best idea. In short, we were not convinced that all complaints were documented and responded to, nor were we getting an accurate picture of service quality. Beginning with the Blue Cab contract, we brought this function in-house.” Contact Information Bryan Smith, deputy CEO of operations, is available at bsmith@theride.org. Robert Williams, supervisor of call-taking and paratransit scheduling, is available at rwilliams@theride.org. Bend, Oregon: Taking Advantage of Cascading Funding Summary Cascade East Transit (CET) in Bend, Oregon, provides four different demand-responsive services: • A route deviation connecting a tribal reservation to services and shopping in a nearby town • Bend Dial-a-Ride, an ADA paratransit service that also provides trips to other eligible registrants • Rural Dial-a-Ride, a rural curb-to-curb, shared-ride public DRT service in adjacent rural areas • A regional NEMT brokerage There are also a few interesting facets to the Bend Dial-a-Ride and the Rural Dial-a-Ride service models, all having to do with funding opportunities. First, for its Bend-a-Ride service, CET contracts out its service-delivery function, while all other functions and all assets are pro- vided in-house. This contract is specifically to take advantage of a beneficial FTA Section 5310 funding match. By contracting this function out, the match is 90/10 percent. If the service instead were to be operated with CET drivers, the match would drop to 50/50 percent. In addition to FTA Section 5311 funding, FTA Section 5310 funding is also used for the Rural Dial-a-Ride program. Because of the contracting relationships with sponsoring municipalities, CET is able to operate the Rural Dial-a-Ride service in-house while taking advantage of the 90/10 percent match. Lastly, CET is in the process of reevaluating its brokerage functions because it is not clear whether some of the functions necessary are being fully covered financially. Background CET is the public transit agency serving Bend, Oregon, and adjacent rural areas. In 2009, the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC), a regional council of governments, acquired Bend Area Transit (BAT). The agency was then rebranded as Cascades East Transit. At this time, public transit service was also expanded beyond the city limits to adjacent rural areas. Local Fixed-Route Bus System In Bend, CET operates nine fixed routes (soon to be 11 in fall 2021), which have headways of 30 and 45 minutes depending on the route and which pulse at the Hawthorne Station

86 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies transfer point in downtown Bend. The pre-pandemic base fare for the Bend fixed-route system was $1.50, noting that discount fares and several pass options were also available. Fares have been temporarily suspended systemwide but will be reinstated in January 2022. There are 15 to 18 wheelchair-accessible buses used for the Bend fixed-route system. Fixed-route ridership in 2019 totaled 370,000. Beginning in June 2021, a new service-delivery contractor, MTM, began supplying the Bend transit services. Community Connector Fixed-Route Service CET’s Community Connector service connects Bend with La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (a Native American reserva- tion) (see Figure 4-5). Service is operated on weekdays and Saturdays on varying schedules. The base fare in $3.75, with discount fares and various pass options available. A fleet of 10 to 12 vehicles is used for this service. Ridership in 2019 totaled 115,000 trips. Other Services In addition to its DRT, CET operates a few transportation services that focus on the community’s love of outdoor recreational activities. One such service is called Ride the River, where CET operates a shuttle service for tubing along the Deschutes River. The fare for this service is $3.00, which covers the fully allocated costs. CET also operates shuttle services to a ski resort, Mount Bachelor, in the winter, and a summer service to Lava Butte at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. None of these are supported with federal or state funding but by fares only. DRT Services and Service Models CET provides four demand-responsive transportation services: • A CET-operated route-deviation service that connects a tribal reservation with a nearby town. • Bend Dial-a-Ride, an ADA Paratransit service that also provides trips to other persons with disabilities, low-income persons with disabilities, and low-income seniors. This service has a split management structure for the Bend Dial-a-Ride Service. The transit agency performs all the CCC functions and provides all the assets, while retaining a contractor for service delivery. • Rural Dial-a-Ride, a general public DRT service, managed and operated by CET. • An NEMT brokerage. Figure 4-5. CET’s Community Connector zone map.

Case Examples 87   Route-Deviation Service CET operates a flex-route service for the general public within and between Warm Springs (a tribal reservation) and Madras. This route operates Monday through Saturday. Riders may schedule next-day, ¾-mile off-route pickups and drop-offs at requested addresses by calling the Cascades East Call Center prior to 4:00 p.m. The fare is $1.00; a $0.50 discount fare for seniors and persons with disabilities is also available. Three wheelchair-accessible buses are used for this service. Ridership in 2019 on the route totaled 24,000 trips. Only 1 percent of these trips involved requested deviations. CET is planning to implement another route-deviation service in Redmond. CET anticipates more deviations to take place within this service than in the one for the tribal communities. Bend Dial-a-Ride Bend Dial-a-Ride is primarily used to meet CET’s ADA paratransit obligations; however, the service is also available for trips to other persons with disabilities, low-income persons with disabilities, and low-income seniors. All riders must first be registered with the service, and there are separate applications for each group. Figure 4-6 provides a map of the service area. With the exception of the service-delivery function, all functions and assets are provided by CET. The service-delivery contractor since the inception of the service has been Paratransit Services, Inc., which CET inherited from its predecessor, BAT, and has continued to use since 2009. Service is available on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. Figure 4-6. Bend Dial-a-Ride service, winter 2022.

88 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies to 5:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Advance requests up to 14 days in advance and subscription trip requests are accepted. Reservation hours are on weekdays only from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After-hours requests can be left via voice message. A limited number of will-calls for return trips from medical appointments are accepted. Fare is $2.50. The supporting scheduling and dispatching software that has been used since the inception of the service is Routematch, although CET has recently selected Passio/Ecolane to replace Routematch; this transition is scheduled to be completed by winter 2022. A fleet of 15 WAVs is used to operate Bend Dial-a-Ride. In 2019, Bend Dial-a-Ride served 38,319 trips. MTM replaced Paratransit Services, Inc., as the Bend Dial-a-Ride service-delivery contractor on June 30, 2021. Rural Dial-a-Ride CET provides a curb-to-curb, shared-ride general public DRT service to six rural communi- ties in central Oregon. These include the communities of La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, and Sisters. A shopper shuttle is also provided in Sisters. CET provides all functions and assets supporting the Rural Dial-a-Ride service. Service hours vary but are mostly on weekdays only. Depending on the community, service starts between 5:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and ends between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. As with the Bend Dial-a-Ride program, service requests can be placed from 1 to 14 days in advance. Reservation hours are weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Rural Dial-a-Ride service is operated with another 15 accessible vehicles. The Rural Dial-a-Ride served 46,300 trips in 2019. NEMT Brokerage CET also staffs a small brokerage service for the intake and assignment of NEMT requests sponsored by the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). The brokerage staff responds to requests by checking for rider and trip eligibility and confirms any specific trip needs (e.g., a WAV). If the trip is eligible, the brokerage assigns the trip to one of CET’s transportation services or to one of 13 qualified service providers under contract. Subsequently, the staff checks with health care providers to verify that the trip was taken (if the trip was served by a contractor), reconciles the data, and invoices, with supporting documentation, to the respective sponsoring organi- zation. Trips in 2019 that were processed through the brokerage totaled 125,000. Contracting Details Paratransit Services, Inc./MTM Contract The payment structure for Bend Dial-a-Ride’s service-delivery contractor is split into a monthly fixed amount covering Paratransit Services, Inc.’s fixed costs and a rate per RVH covering the contractor’s variable costs. This payment structure did not change when MTM replaced Paratransit Services, Inc., on June 30, 2021. The base term of the MTM contract is 2 years, with 3 option years. CET will continue to provide all CCC functions and provide all the supporting assets. Under the new MTM contract, performance standards associated with service delivery are established for on-time performance, customer service, and safety, with associated incentives and penalties related to attaining these service standards. MTM also took over the service-delivery function for the Bend fixed-route system. The payment structure is the same for this service. Bend fixed-route and Bend Dial-a-Ride drivers are outsourced because of the attractive match rate received from the state through Oregon Department of Transportation FTA Section 5310 funds.

Case Examples 89   Medicaid Sponsorship Agreement and Service-Provider Contracts As part of this brokerage, CET contracts with the Oregon Department Health Plan (Medicaid). As part of this agreement, CET reserves and executes the rides. CET then submits invoices to the state to get reimbursed for the cost of the contracted services and to cover the cost of brokerage-related expenses. Under the brokerage, CET contracts with 13 service providers to serve a portion of the trips that come through the brokerage and that cannot be otherwise served directly by CET’s DRT services. The payment structures of these contracts all have a base rate plus a mileage rate. These rates, having been fairly stable for years, increased on July 1, 2021. The providers sign a contract with COIC to adhere to guidelines related to licensing and certifications, vehicle standards, pricing and reporting, insurance requirements, indemnification, driver and service requirements, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance. Provision of Vehicles, Facilities, and Supporting Assets CET provides all assets for its Bend Dial-a-Ride and Rural Dial-a-Ride services. These assets include providing the CCC facility and telephone system, the operations and maintenance facility, the vehicles (revenue and nonrevenue), the scheduling and dispatching software, and the driver-dispatcher communication system and related vehicle hardware (driver tablets). CET does not provide the assets supporting the NEMT brokerage contractors. Technology The Routematch paratransit scheduling and dispatching system has been used to support the Bend-Dial-a-Ride and Rural Dial-a-Ride services since the inception of these services. On September 1, 2021, a new software, Passio/Ecolane, was installed to support these services and the route-deviation services. Previously, deviations on the route-deviation service had been handled manually; these will now be automated. Passio/Ecolane was selected as part of procurement that also included fixed-route (computer- aided design/automated vehicle location) software, which will be provided by Passio Technologies. Three of the reasons that Ecolane was chosen by CET are that the software • Features service-day dynamic optimization for DRT services; • Supports route-deviation services; and • Has the ability to support on-demand microtransit services, which CET has included in its planning efforts. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Funding The provision of assets, funded with federal dollars at 80/20 percent with the local share in large part provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation, is clearly one reason why CET provides virtually all of the assets for this service (Figure 4-7). CET contracts Bend Dial-a-Ride services because of the FTA Section 5310–purchased service funding received through Deschutes County, which has a match rate of 89.73/10.27 percent. If not contracted out, the match rates for operations of Bend Dial-a-Ride service would be 50/50 percent. There are other nonfinancial benefits, such as the reduced administrative burden of managing Bend fixed-route and Bend Dial-a-Ride services.

90 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Similar to Bend Dial-a-Ride, CET leverages the attractive match rates of FTA Section 5310– purchased services funding for its Rural Dial-a-Ride. However, the grantee for these funds is the municipalities within central Oregon, allowing for CET to be the purchased service provider. In addition to FTA Section 5310 funds, FTA Section 5311 funding is used to offset cost. CET and the regional council of governments are housed in the same building and share an administrative staff. This and the funding benefits associated with contracting arrangements alleviate much of the financial burden. Regarding general finances, CET operates effectively on the urban side of the agency (Bend’s fixed-route and DAR services) because of current FTA Section 5307 funds and general funds received from the City of Bend. However, this does not hold true for the rural side of the agency. Although CET is efficient with both its Community Connector system and rural on-demand service regarding rides per revenue hour, stagnant funding in FTA Section 5310 and FTA Section 5311 and no general funds coming from the cities leave little for service expansion and increases in driver wages. NEMT Brokerage The administrative verification process necessary to confirm that trips have and have not been served by CET’s contracted service providers is fairly costly and may be negating the ability of CET to cover its costs under the current sponsorship agreements. Moreover, the client and trip eligibility verification process can sometimes go awry with the lack of timely infor mation, often resulting in a refusal of the sponsoring agency to pay for a trip rendered. These are both reasons why CET has significantly reduced its contract with ModivCare (a PacificSource Health Plan contractor) to about 5 percent of the trips that formerly were requested by PacificSource customers. CET is currently undertaking a self-audit to identify from a financial perspective whether it makes sense to continue as an NEMT broker. Route Deviation Route deviation has proved to be an appropriate way to expand access to public transit from Warm Springs, a tribal reservation. Many riders in the tribal community do not request devia- tions because they do not have phone access. Nonetheless, the service has been a lifeline to needed services in Madras, about 15 miles from the reservation. Staff reports that in the case of a trade-off, staff will weigh coverage over on-time performance, and the tribal community Figure 4-7. Bend Dial-A-Ride service.

Case Examples 91   is appreciative of this. With the success of this service, CET is planning to implement a second route-deviation service in Redmond. Lessons Learned Andrea Breault, CET’s transportation director, mentioned that CET’s split management structure, while a somewhat unusual service model for a small transit agency, is a result of the attractive federal and state match rates for contracted purchased services. She also mentioned that while outsourcing service delivery somewhat yields day-to-day control of service quality, strategic contractual controls using service-quality-performance standards for on-time perfor- mance, customer service, and safety have brought about a level of service of quality appreciated by the community. Andrea also added, “CET is first and foremost a service provider to the community. We strive to meet the needs that are asked of us. However, without more local contributions, we can find ourselves in budget constraints. We are not a transit district and do not have a general funding pot to rely on. CET is looking at options to potentially become a transit district to ease some of the budgetary concerns.” Contact Information Andrea Breault, transportation director, is available at abreault@coic.org. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois: A Rocky-Road Approach Summary “It sure isn’t vanilla. It’s more like rocky road,” said Evan Alvarez, special service manager for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD). Indeed, MTD uses a “family-of- services” approach to meeting the transit and paratransit needs of its community, matching different types of services to different needs. In its rocky-road toolbox are the following: • MTD operates an in-house ADA paratransit service, supplemented in part with a subsidized on-demand taxi service that enhances the mobility of its riders. • MTD maintains a group of fixed-route drivers who have volunteered to be cross-trained for paratransit, thereby creating a leaner and more flexible joint extra board. • MTD operates an in-house, on-demand microtransit service, expanding access to its fixed- route service from an area not conducive to fixed-route transit. • Under contract to Champaign County, MTD operates a rural general public route-deviation and DRT service in the rural portion of Champaign, with the same vehicle providing these two different services at different times. As noted, all of these DRT services, except for the taxi subsidy program, are operated in-house. MTD believes that this not only provides it with day-to-day operational flexibility, but also provides MTD with more control over the balance between service quality and cost efficiency. Lastly, MTD funds the transportation programs of two local and regional HSAs that provide services to their clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities. In return, MTD claims these trips in its NTD reporting. Background MTD is the public transit provider for the Champaign-Urbana urbanized area, which includes the University of Illinois. The service area is roughly 35 square miles, with a service-area

92 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies population of 140,000, including 45,000 students at the University of Illinois when it is in session. Under contract, MTD also provides demand-responsive transportation service in outer Champaign County (about 964 square miles beyond the urbanized area). MTD provides school transportation services to both the Champaign School District and the Urbana School District. MTD operates fixed-route service over a network that includes 22 routes that meet up at a three-main-transfer point, where routes pulse at different times throughout the day: the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign; Lincoln Square in downtown Urbana; and the Round Barn Road transfer center in west Champaign. The routes themselves have varying schedules based on the day and time, including late- night service on Friday and Saturday; eight routes operate 7 days a week. Hopper service (increased frequency) is also operated along higher-demand segments of certain routes. The regular bus fare is $1.00, suspended since March 2020 with no reinstatement date planned. MTD uses a fleet of 114 buses (95 peak pull-out) for the fixed-route service. In 2019, fixed- route ridership totaled 11.5 million passenger trips. DRT Service Models MTD uses an all-in-house management structure for its ADA paratransit service: SafeRides late-night service, West Connect microtransit service, and the Champaign County Area Rural Transit System (C-CARTS) rural flex-route and DRT service. MTD also provides a Half-Fare Cab program, operated by Atlas Cab as a classic taxi subsidy program. In addition, MTD funds two services, Developmental Services Center (DSC) and Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES), focused on providing services to agency clients with intellectual or development disabilities. MTD also supports DRES with vehicle mainte- nance and service and drug and alcohol testing for DRES’s drivers. ADA Paratransit MTD’s ADA paratransit service is a curb-to-curb transportation service available to persons with disabilities who are unable to access or use fixed-route bus services. All assets are provided by MTD (Figure 4-8). All functions are provided with MTD employees. Some of the fixed-route operators who volunteer are cross-trained for paratransit; these drivers Figure 4-8. MTD paratransit vehicle.

Case Examples 93   serve as backup drivers if there is an unusually large number of drivers on vacation or who have called out sick. Advance reservations up to 14 days in advance and requests for subscription service are accepted. The base fare is $2.00. ADA paratransit customers who are making another trip (that does not qualify as an ADA paratransit trip) are charged $7.00. The ADA paratransit service is operated in-house with 14 wheelchair-accessible minibuses. MTD’s paratransit scheduling and dispatching software system, in use since 2001, is INIT’s ParaNet. In 2019, 20,500 trips were served at a unit cost of $41.37 per trip. This service is funded in part with Illinois Department of Transportation Downstate Operating Assistance Program (DOAP) funds available at a 65/35 percent match. SafeRides Late-Night On-Demand Service MTD operates a demand-responsive late-night service for University of Illinois students, faculty, and employees. During the school year, MTD operates up to four WAVs for this service. This decreases to one WAV when the university is not in session. The fare is $1.00. This service has been supported by Routematch since March 2019. SafeRides’ ridership totaled 60,000 trips in 2019. West Connect Microtransit In August 2020, MTD launched a new on-demand microtransit service called West Connect, in a recently annexed low-demand, higher-income area of the service area for which fixed- route service is not appropriate because of the number of cul-de-sacs in the area. This service may be described as a curb-to-curb, shared-ride service; it is operated in-house with one or two dedicated WAVs and is also supported by Routematch. Requests are same-day only, for immediate fulfillment, and are made through the Routematch app or by calling the MTD call center. The fare is $1.00. One of the motivations behind implementing this service was to expand access to MTD’s fixed-route system. Originally, the design was to include trips to and from two nearby transit centers (not in the zone) and for such first-mile/last-mile trips to be coordinated with the transit schedule; however, this has not been implemented (see also “Technology” in this section). Based on an average of 75 trips per month since its inception, the annualized ridership is estimated to be 900 trips for 2020–2021. C-CARTS Rural Transit Service Champaign County contracts with MTD to operate C-CARTS, a rural general public transit service that MTD operates under contract to Champaign County (Figure 4-9). The service consists of a mixture of four deviated routes and a demand-responsive transportation service, which provides trips to the general public beyond the urbanized area. A total of three of the four route-deviation services focus specifically on transportation of nearby workers commuting to various factories in the community of Rantoul, off Interstate 57 north of the urbanized area. The deviation aspect of the service focuses on reaching origins within smaller villages. The fourth deviated route connects Rantoul with Champaign for those working in the downtown area. Requests for deviations may be made with a minimum of 48 hours’ advance notice, called into the MTD call center. The regular fare is $2.00; there is a $2.00 surcharge for deviations. The four deviated routes are operated with four to five WAVs and mostly in the peak periods (5–8 a.m. and 3–6 p.m.). During the middle of the day, these vehicles convert to the rural DRT service where they join a set of four to eight WAVs that are dedicated to this service. The C-CARTS ridership totaled 31,000 trips in 2020; about two-thirds were served by the deviated routes and one-third was serviced by the rural DRT service. The unit cost for C-CARTS in 2020

94 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies was $24.67. Similar to the route-deviation service, requests may be made with a minimum of 48 hours’ advance notice. Fares are $5.00, with a discount fare of $2.00 for seniors and persons with disabilities. The CTS TripMaster system is used to support both services. Half-Fare Cab Program—Taxi Subsidy Program MTD makes available a taxi subsidy program for seniors 65 and over and for persons with disabilities (including ADA paratransit customers). While six taxi companies were invited to participate, only one taxi company (Atlas Cab) is partnering with MTD in this program. However, none of Atlas Cab’s taxicabs are wheelchair-accessible. Eligible riders must first get a DASH Card (good for 3 years), which identifies them as eligible to use the Half-Fare Cab and free fares on the fixed-route system. Service is restricted to trips with origins and destinations within the taxi district boundary. For such trips, the rider pays half the taxi’s metered fare in cash while also signing a voucher slip to prove that the trip was taken, while MTD subsidizes the other half. Upon handing in the signed vouchers to Atlas Cab, drivers are reimbursed for the subsidized amount. Atlas then submits the vouchers along with the cash equivalent of the half fares to MTD, which then reimburses Atlas Cab for the entire metered amount of each trip. MTD staff stated that no particular post-trip fraud checks or verifications are undertaken. In 2019, 13,900 MTD-sponsored trips were served by taxis at an average subsidy of $7.58. The staff reports that most of these trips are taken by seniors because of the lack of WAV taxicabs. The other trips are taken by individuals with disabilities who do not require a WAV. MTD’s subsidy for this program is funded through DOAP. DSC Client Transportation MTD supplies approximately $500,000 in DOAP funding to DSC, a local HSA that provides services (including transportation) to people with developmental disabilities. DSC reports to MTD the number of trips served, the results of the driver drug-testing program, and the like. These trips are included in MTD’s NTD reporting for DRT service. In 2019, MTD’s funding was used for 61,500 trips. This works out to $8.13 per trip. In addition, the time of any member of the MTD administrative and support team who provides service related to the DSC program is billed to the agency at that person’s (fully allocated) billable hourly rate. DRES Client Transportation Similar to the DSC service, MTD supplies $400,000 in DOAP funding to the University of Illinois’s DRES for the transportation of people with developmental disabilities. DRES supplies the drivers and vehicles. In addition, MTD supports the DRES program and charges DRES for this time and effort. For example, MTD is responsible for drug-testing DRES’s drivers and Figure 4-9. C-CARTS vehicle.

Case Examples 95   maintaining DRES’s vehicles and provides administrative assistance for which it charges DRES the specific person’s fully allocated billing rate. MTD claims these trips in its NTD reporting. In 2019, 19,100 trips were served at a cost per trip of $20.94. Local Sponsorship Agreements and Contracting Details C-CARTS Agreement In 2019, Champaign County contributed $767,700, reimbursing MTD for the cost of oper- ating C-CARTS, the rent for the office space that is dedicated to the C-CARTS CCC space, the parking spaces for the C-CARTS vehicles, and other related services. For example, MTD charges the county $45.00 per hour plus the cost of parts for vehicle maintenance, as well as the fully allocated rate for MTD management, support, and administrative personnel when supporting the C-CARTS program. In addition, the Village of Rantoul contributes $9,350 per month (or $112,200 per year) for operating C-CARTS services. Atlas Cab Contract The contract with Atlas Cab is more of an agreement where Atlas Cab agrees to transport riders with a DASH Card and charges them only 50 percent of the fare as long as the trip is taken within the taxing district. As described previously, Atlas Cab first submits the signed vouchers and the equivalent of the fare collected to MTD. MTD then pays Atlas Cab the entire amount of each fare. No other reporting is required. DSC and DRES Agreements The contracts with DSC and DRES involve MTD paying these agencies $500,000 and $400,000 per year, respectively, toward the operation of their client transportation programs. MTD uses DOAP funding at a 65/35 percent match for these contracts. In return, MTD claims the reported trips. MTD uses the Illinois Department of Transportation’s DOAP funding for both contracts. MTD also supports the DRES contract with preventive maintenance, other repairs and towing, and drug and alcohol testing, billing DRES for these services as rendered. In addition, the time spent on these contracts by MTD staff is billed to these agencies at the full allocated billing rates of the staff involved. Provision of Assets MTD provides all vehicles, facilities, and other supporting assets for all services, except the services provided by Atlas Cab and by DSC and DRES. Technology MTD has several different software applications supporting its DRT services, shown in Table 4-5. For the Half-Fare Cab program, Atlas Cab uses its own dispatch system. On INIT’s website, ParaNet is no longer mentioned as a product; MTD states that it is the only transit agency in the United States that still uses ParaNet. MTD is exploring replacing the software at some point soon, considering the recent advances in paratransit scheduling and dispatching, such as dynamic optimization. MTD is also planning to eventually use one technological platform that will accommodate its array of DRT services. Routematch is being used to support both of MTD’s on-demand services: the SafeRides late-night and the West Connect microtransit service. According to staff, the Routematch

96 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies software has its shortcomings. For example, SafeRides was to be designed so that university riders at locations within a bus stop catchment are not eligible; instead, these riders are directed to a bus stop for one of the MTD fixed routes serving the university campus. Because of the nature of the campus layout, these catchment areas are of different sizes and configurations. Routematch’s solution was to draw circles around each bus stop with a 650-foot radius. Instead, MTD needs to be able to draw a custom geo-fence for each bus stop. In addition, for the West Connect service, the Routematch technology specification was supposed to include stops at the two nearby transit connection points that would be coordi- nated with the bus schedules. This was to be done by linking the system with General Transit Feed Specification data. While specified, this linkage has not yet been developed since the inception of the service in August 2020. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Management Structure In its survey response, MTD noted that managing and operating service in-house enhances MTD’s ability to control the balance of service quality and cost efficiency. Family of Service MTD has many different DRT services, with specific services matched to the need. For example: • Using the same vehicle to provide C-CARTS’s peak-hour route-deviation service and the midday DRT service is a great example of matching the service to the need. The needs of Rantoul riders commuting to the factories and into Champaign during the traditional commuting period are met with a route-deviation service, while the off-peak riders are better served with additional vehicles providing DRT service. • While the ADA paratransit service provides transportation for ADA paratransit individuals with disabilities, the Half-Fare Cab program focuses on seniors. • The decision to fund—rather than directly operate—the two local agency transportation programs makes sense because the agencies can provide a higher level of attention to the riders than the level of service that would have otherwise been provided by MTD’s ADA paratransit. Yet, by funding (and supporting) these programs, MTD can reap the rewards of claiming these agencies’ trips in its NTD reporting. That said, C-CARTS is operated completely separately from the other DRT services in the urbanized area. MTD staff have expressed a desire to institute a way that vehicles, drivers, and other resources of one program could be used to back up the other program as needed. DRT Service Technology ADA paratransit INIT ParaNet SafeRides late night on-demand Routematch West Connect microtransit Routematch C-CARTS rural route deviation and DRT CTS TripMaster Table 4-5. Technology used for DRT service.

Case Examples 97   For Champaign County, having MTD operating C-CARTS has also been beneficial during occasional state shutdowns. Had C-CARTS been operated by the county, C-CARTS would have likely been hobbled if MTD had not been there to cover the stopgap funding. Potential Issues With DSC being a regional provider (where the region extends beyond the MTD service area), there are no real controls over whether all the trips the agency reports are claimable. For example, there is no way to tell based on the reporting requirements in the contract whether trips other than those that otherwise would have been served by MTD’s ADA paratransit service are being served by the agencies with funds provided by MTD. Accordingly, MTD is looking at ways to add some controlling aspects to its agreements. There are also several issues with the Half-Fare Cab program that MTD is in the process of addressing: • The first and foremost is service equivalency, which is a requirement of the ADA. While the program is available to persons with disabilities, there is no service equivalency by virtue of the fact that the one taxi operator, Atlas Cab, has no WAV taxicabs. • Were Atlas Cab to provide WAV service, there are currently no reporting requirements to provide evidence that response times for non-WAV trips and WAV trips are reasonably equivalent. • With only one taxi operator participating in the program, MTD must require that Atlas Cab’s taxi drivers participate in a drug and alcohol testing program. • Lastly, there are no fraud control efforts undertaken to confirm that the trips were actually taken. Examples of potential fraud include drivers making up trips, forging signatures, and receiving the subsidy portion of trips not taken; and riders colluding with drivers by signing vouchers for trips not taken and splitting the subsidy with the driver. MTD is exploring replacing the voucher system with a cashless fare-payment system in part to help control fraud. Lessons Learned With respect to the family-of-services approach, Evan Alvarez, MTD’s special services manager, stated, “While we love traditional fixed-route transit, there are diverse needs in our community for which fixed-route service is not a solution. Therefore, we’re really focusing on having a strong, diverse toolbox to address as many mobility needs as possible. We strongly believe that this approach provides additional mobility to our customers.” Alvarez noted that using the same C-CARTS vehicles to provide both route-deviation service and dial-a-ride service (at different times) is a great solution to serving intra-community travel needs in each period. Also, operating the service in-house (versus contracting) gives MTD more flexibility in the day-to-day changes that are associated with such an approach. Alvarez added that operating both the fixed-route system and the ADA paratransit service in-house allows MTD to cross-train the drivers for both services. Alvarez said, “Initially, MTD attempted to cross-train all the operators; however, the staff reports that keeping operators out training for an additional week during a time of driver shortage proved to be a challenge. So, MTD converted this from mandatory to a voluntary offer. This has resulted in around 20 being crossed [sic] trained, which has helped when backup drivers are needed and reduced the size of the collective extra board. A side benefit has been the focus of a higher level of customer attentiveness on the fixed-route side.”

98 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies When procuring microtransit technology for an in-house service, Alvarez also advised the MTD be as specific as possible about required software specifications, especially where those specifications need to be developed or customized, and to include penalties for missing con- tractual due dates for the completion of the development, testing, installation, and training of those new features and capabilities. Contact Information Evan Alvarez, special services manager, is available at ealvarez@mtd.org. Columbia, South Carolina: The COMET’s ReFlex-sive Actions Summary The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (better known as The COMET) is the public transit authority serving the Columbia, South Carolina, region. In addition to its extensive fixed-route service, The COMET provides five different DRT services: the first two are two different flex routes; the third is an ADA paratransit service. All three of these services are operated by a turnkey contractor with The COMET providing all the major assets to take advantage of FTA’s 80/20 percent match on capital expenditures. The COMET’s ADA paratransit service also benefits from an overflow taxi provider. The last two DRT services are both TNC-based microtransit services with different slants. The two flex transit services include ReFlex, a route-deviation service, and ReFlex OnDemand, a checkpoint-deviation service, both of which serve to bring riders outside the bus stop walkshed to the fixed-route transit system in urban and rural areas. The two services also serve intra- community trips. DART, The COMET’s ADA paratransit service, is provided with a mix of dedicated and nondedicated vehicles operated by the contractor and by a local taxi company, respectively. The use of the overflow taxi provider was specifically designed to keep the dedicated fleet productive and to avoid denials. During the pandemic, DART resources were also used to provide food delivery services and free vaccination trips to seniors and persons with disabilities. The last two TNC-based microtransit services, under the “The COMET On The Go!” brand, are provided via contracts with both Lyft and Uber. The two distinct services include (1) COMET @ Night, which provides a late-night service after the fixed-route transit service is no longer operating; and (2) the COMET To The Market, a daily service providing trips to and from fresh food markets. During the pandemic, Lyft and Uber were also used for free vaccination trips up to $15 through a partnership with The COMET. Background The COMET’s service area includes the urbanized and rural areas surrounding Columbia. By state policy, public transit authorities may not operate services in-house because of a law prohibiting public agencies from entering into collective bargaining agreements. This is the principal reason why The COMET contracts out for all of its services. Since July 21, 2020, The COMET’s main contract has been with a Paris-based company, RATP Dev, which operates and maintains urban and intercity transportation on four conti- nents (including the operation of the Metro in Paris). RATP Dev subcontracts the day-to-day operation of The COMET’s paratransit services to Transport Care Services (TCS).

Case Examples 99   With the exception of the overflow taxi provider and the TNC-based microtransit services, TCS operates all of the deviated fixed-route and DRT services, with The COMET providing all of the vehicles, facilities, and other supporting assets. Prior to contracting with RATP Dev, The COMET had contracted with Transdev since 2002. Transdev had subcontracts with TCS and Blue Ribbon Taxi since 2015 and 2020, respectively. The fixed-route system consists of 53 routes, largely designed as a hub-and-spoke system centered about the downtown transit hub, COMET Central, and also using 13 transfer points, called SuperStops, strategically dispersed about the service area. The base fare is $2.00. This system uses a fleet of about 89 buses. In 2019, the system had a ridership of about 2.6 million trips, or 9,900 trips per weekday. DRT Services and Service Models ReFlex and ReFlex OnDemand ReFlex and ReFlex OnDemand are two flex transit services designed as route-deviation services and checkpoint-deviation services, respectively. Both were implemented in October 2014 and are operated by TCS, with The COMET providing all the assets. The vehicle fleet consists of four minibuses and two larger buses. Requests for deviation service must be called in with at least 2 hours’ advance notice. These calls come into the CCC staffed by TCS and are handled using Trapeze. Descriptions of each of these services are as follows: • ReFlex consists of three deviated routes, operated with three vehicles, in rural portions of The COMET’s service area. These routes are designed to serve intra-area trips but also to connect rural riders to The COMET’s fixed-route system. Two of the ReFlex routes serve one SuperStop each as a scheduled stop. The other deviated route serves two SuperStops, also as a scheduled stop. For these three routes, off-route pickups are limited to ¾-mile deviations. In addition, the number of off-route deviations is limited so as to enable the bus to make it to the end of its vehicle run on time and to head back the other way on time. • ReFlex OnDemand is a checkpoint-deviation service, meaning that there is no scheduled route, only scheduled stops in between. Vehicles are permitted to travel anywhere to pick up or drop off riders per their request as long as the deviations do not impair a vehicle from making it to the next scheduled stop on time. TCS operates three point-deviation services. One is in an urban area, and the other two straddle the urbanized and rural boundary. The fare for riders getting on at scheduled stops is $2.00. Requests for deviations on either service cost riders an additional $2.00. DART ADA Paratransit Service DART is The COMET’s ADA paratransit service. TCS performs all CCC functions, service delivery, vehicle maintenance, and the like, and The COMET provides the vehicles, facilities, and all supporting assets, including Trapeze, the software system that supports DART. TCS operates the service with 17 dedicated vehicles and two nondedicated minivans, noting that RATP Dev subcontracts with Blue Ribbon Taxi to handle overflow trips that cannot be accommodated on TCS’s fleet. Blue Ribbon has a fleet of five taxicabs and two wheelchair- accessible taxicabs (Figure 4-10). Reservations are called into the TCS-managed CCC. Next-day requests, advance requests up to 7 days, and subscription trips may be made. If a taxi is to be sent, TCS will notify the rider.

100 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies The DART fare is $4.00. In 2019, DART, ReFlex, and ReFlex OnDemand provided 76,400 trips at a unit cost of $53.28 per trip. The COMET staff also estimated that the DART service mix (the percentage of trips served by TCS directly versus the trips served by Blue Ribbon Taxi) was about 95/5 percent. The COMET On The Go! The Comet On The Go! includes two TNC-based general public on-demand microtransit services that were first introduced in December 2018: • COMET @ Night, available 7 days per week, initially operated between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. When the service was first introduced, riders received up to a $5.00 discount and were responsible for any part of the fare over $5.00. As of January 1, 2021, COMET @ Night’s service hours were broadened to 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., while the subsidy was increased to $8.00. • COMET To The Market, also available 7 days per week, initially operated between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. for trips to and from designated fresh food markets, with the same $5.00 subsidy. As of January 1, 2021, service was broadened to include any trips within the fixed- route area, while subsidies were similarly increased to $8.00. At that time, the service’s hours were shortened by 2 hours, ending at 8:00 p.m. Both Lyft and Uber participate in The COMET On The Go!, collectively serving 98% of the trips. Lyft serves almost all of these trips (Lyft’s share is 95 percent, and Uber’s share is 3 percent). Collectively, these two TNCs have available approximately 60 sedans and three accessible minivans. The remaining 2 percent of The COMET On The Go! trips are non- ambulatory trips served by TCS with nondedicated accessible minibuses. Contracting Details South Carolina law prohibits government agencies from collective bargaining. Therefore, agencies that have union labor must contract out with a private operator to operate the transit services. This is the principal reason why all of The COMET’s services are contracted out. RATP Dev Contract The RATP Dev contract consists of a fixed monthly fee that covers relatively fixed expenses, plus a rate per RVH that covers variable costs. As of July 2021, the fixed fee was about $130,000 Figure 4-10. Blue Ribbon wheelchair-accessible taxicab.

Case Examples 101   per month, while the rate per RVH was $45.70. The contract includes performance standards and various requirements for service delivery and reporting. Blue Ribbon Taxi Subcontract RATP Dev pays its overflow taxi provider based on the meter rate. All of the same standards and requirements apply, including ensuring that Blue Ribbon’s drivers are trained to profi- ciency and are tested for drug and alcohol use. RATP Dev is responsible for monitoring the performance of Blue Ribbon Taxi. In addition, Blue Ribbon provides all the data needed for performance monitoring and for the NTD to RATP Dev. Provision of Assets As mentioned previously, The COMET provides the facilities, vehicles, supporting software, and other equipment to TCS for all the services that TCS operates to take advantage of the 80/20 percent match rate for FTA capital expense funding. Blue Ribbon Taxi provides all the assets for its operations and its own dispatching equip- ment. Blue Ribbon Taxi does not have tablets that connect to Trapeze. Technology TCS uses Trapeze to support both DART and the two flex transit services. For a while, Trapeze struggled with separating the service statistics for The COMET’s distinct DRT services, but this has apparently been resolved by the RATP Dev information technology manager. Uber and Lyft provide their own technology to support The COMET On The Go! services. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Regarding DART’s service model, the use of a dedicated fleet supplemented by an integrated nondedicated service provider (through the subcontract with the overflow taxi provider) was specifically designed to keep the dedicated fleet productive and to avoid denials. In 2019, The COMET combined all the flex-route and DART data together in Trapeze. In doing so, however, The COMET could not distinguish flex transit trips and costs for the purposes of this case example, nor could it identify the number of off-route deviations on the ReFlex service. During the pandemic, DART resources, as well as the TNCs participating in The COMET On the Go!, were used to provide food delivery services and vaccination trips to seniors and persons with disabilities (Figure 4-11). Lessons Learned John Andoh, former executive director of The COMET, described one of the lessons learned: “When we changed contractors, we thought that the new contractor fully under- stood how the two flex transit services worked and the differences between the two, but this turned out not to be the case. This resulted in requests not being accommodated . . . at first. When we realized this was happening, we provided more in-depth retraining, and this solved the problem.”

102 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Andoh also added an industry truism: “Project managers make or break a contract. So, make sure you get a good one, and put in all kinds of incentives and disincentives in the contract to ensure that the good ones stay and the bad ones get replaced.” Pam Bynoe-Reed, The COMET’s director of marketing and community affairs, stated, “It is important to stay nimble, but it is especially true in transportation. Changes can occur at a moment’s notice, and we just need to make the work happen for the benefit of the public. Communication is key to navigating issues that may occur. Having open and respectful conversations with your community riders and allies, your staff, your contractors, and, if applicable, your board can go a long way to the overall success of the organization. Of course, this is coming from a communications practitioner!” Contact Information John C. Andoh, former executive director/CEO, is available at john.andoh@catransit.org or 541-386-4202, extension 6. Pamela Bynoe-Reed, director of marketing and community affairs/ public information officer, is available at pbynoe-reed@thecometsc.gov. Frederick County, Maryland: Blending ADA Paratransit with E&D Dial-a-Ride Summary Frederick County Transit has adopted a service model where ADA paratransit service is provided by the same vehicles used to provide the county’s coordinated paratransit service for seniors, persons with disabilities, and medical assistance card holders. This has provided great flexibility for this county-operated service and has contributed to cost efficiencies by enabling ridesharing between ADA paratransit and other paratransit riders. Supplementing this combined service is a taxi-based subsidy program, open to all of the county’s paratransit riders (with some limitations), that reduces the cost of transporting these riders. Background TransIT is Frederick County’s bus service, managed and operated by the county and with the county providing all the vehicles, facilities, and supporting assets (Figure 4-12). For funding Figure 4-11. The COMET services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Examples 103   purposes, TransIT is split into (1) an urban transit system funded through FTA Section 5307 and (2) a rural transit system funded through FTA Section 5311. In addition, the countywide paratransit service is partially funded through the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Statewide Specialized Transportation Assistance Program. Urban Transit System The urban component, known locally as Connector Routes, consists of nine routes. A total of seven of these nine routes serve the downtown Frederick transit center, served by MARC, in a mostly hub-and-spoke design. Another two remote hubs (at two different malls) are served by the other two routes, which are designed as coverage routes. A total of six of these nine routes are designed as deviated routes, with 24-hour advance notice required for requested deviations for off-route pickups and drop-offs within ¾ mile of the route. Additionally, three commuter shuttle routes operate in the urbanized area. The one-way fare is $1.50, with half fares avail- able for certain populations, along with various passes. An additional $2.00 is charged for a requested deviation. Frederick County operates 23 full-sized buses and two cutaway buses to provide the Connector and the Urban Shuttle Routes. In 2019, ridership on the Connector and Urban Shuttle Routes totaled about 525,000, down from a high of 980,000 in 2016. Rural Transit System The rural component of TransIT consists of six fixed-route Shuttle Routes, five of which are full-fledged routes, while the sixth route connects downtown Frederick with the Point of Rocks station on the MARC commuter rail line for trains that bypass Frederick on their way to and from West Virginia. While the Shuttle Routes are mostly fixed route in nature, the county does allow a limited number of deviations as a courtesy if they fulfill the requested deviation and keep the bus on schedule. A fleet of six cutaway buses is dedicated to this service. The fare is $1.50; no additional surcharge is collected for an off-route deviation. DRT Services and Service Models TransIT-plus TransIT-plus is the name of the Frederick County–operated demand-responsive transpor- tation service that is provided to countywide seniors (60 years old and older) and persons with disabilities. Also, people with valid medical assistance cards who do not live near a bus route Figure 4-12. TransIT vehicle.

104 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies may use TransIT-plus for Health Department–approved medical trips only. In addition, TransIT- plus’s service platform is used to provide ADA paratransit for eligible trips within the ¾-mile corridors of all TransIT’s fixed and deviated-fixed Connector and Shuttle Route bus routes. Because both ADA paratransit trips and E&D trips are served with the same vehicles, schedulers and dispatchers ensure that there are no patterns of denials for ADA paratransit riders. Other trips are served on a first-come, first-served basis, such as trips requested by seniors and other persons with disabilities and with medical assistance cards making approved trips, or trips made by ADA paratransit customers that are not totally within the ADA paratransit service area or are beyond fixed-route service hours. Trips must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance of the day requested. Reserva- tions are accepted as many as 10 calendar days in advance, and subscription (dialysis-only) trip requests are accepted. Same-day and next-day trips can be requested as well, subject to avail- ability. Next-day trips are guaranteed only if ADA-related. Requests can be booked by calling or using an Internet-based scheduling interface called Passenger Portal. TripSpark’s NOVUS system supports the combined service, with NOVUS’s automated dynamic-optimization pro- cesses used to continuously optimize the schedule on the day of service based on changes (e.g., cancellations or a vehicle running behind schedule) after the scheduling process has been completed and throughout the service. The fare for ADA paratransit trips is $3.00. For other paratransit riders, cash fares are $2.00 ($1.50 with a multiride ticket) for approved medical trips and $3.00 ($2.50 with a multiride ticket) for nonmedical trips. Fares can be paid in cash or with a fare card. The TransIT-plus fleet consists of 19 vehicles, of which 14 are wheelchair-accessible cutaways and five are inaccessible minivans. Of the 14 WAVs, eight vehicles provide service throughout the county. The other six are assigned to either the urban area (three zip codes) or the rural area. In 2019, the TransIT ridership totaled 42,600 trips and were served at an operational cost of $32.00 per trip. Taxi Access Program Frederick County also sponsors a Taxi Access Program (TAP), a 24-7 on-demand taxi-based subsidy program. Program eligibility is restricted to all TransIT-plus customers (including persons certified as ADA paratransit customers) that have been registered with TransIT-plus for at least 3 months and have attempted to make three TransIT-plus trips. Taxi companies and their drivers participate in the TAP through a taxi broker, MJM Innovations, based in Baltimore, Maryland. Two taxi companies currently participate in the TAP; both have wheelchair-accessible taxicabs. This program uses a loadable EZTransport fare card system (also used by Harris County and discussed in the Galveston and Harris County, Texas, case example). Once a month, a rider living in one of the three urban zip codes is allowed to load $10 onto the rider’s fare account. When that occurs, the county loads an additional $50 onto that account. Other riders, because their trips tend to be longer, are permitted to load $20, and the county will contribute $100. Low-income riders on a limited budget are permitted to load half the amount (with half matches) twice a month. Riders are prohibited from loading more than the 1 month’s allotment. Service is on-demand for immediate fulfillment. While persons who require WAVs can also make same-day, if not on-demand, requests, next-day requests are suggested because of the limited capacity of the program. This is discussed later in this case example. The card is swiped at the beginning and end of the trip while the rider is onboard. If the balance is low and there is not enough balance to make the trip, service is refused. Unused balances do carry over to the next month. Thus, over a 12-month period, the collective meter

Case Examples 105   rates of rides taken by an individual cannot exceed $720 for urban riders and $1,440 for other riders. One of the benefits of the fare card is that it provides all the data Fredrick County needs for reporting. In 2019, the two taxi providers served 8,900 trips. Yellow Cab of Frederick provided 89 percent of the total trips, and Bowie Cab provided 11 percent of the total trips. The county’s average cost per trip in 2019 was $18.64. The cost of these trips was far under the county’s budget for this program. A new third provider joined the program in 2020 but dropped out because of the pandemic. Also in 2020, Yellow Cab of Frederick split into two standalone companies, Agniman and Fiesta. Contracting Details The county pays MJM $60,000 per year to broker trip requests from TAP riders and to provide program oversight. Under this contract, MJM loads funds onto participant cards (participant co-pay funds are directly deposited by MJM into a county bank account) and then passes through audited trip invoices to the county for payment directly to the taxi companies. This contract also provides for the use of EZTransport, which is owned by MJM. MJM transmits data to the county monthly, with deeper analysis quarterly and at the end of the year. Provision of Assets Frederick County provides all the supporting assets for TransIT-plus. MJM and the three participating taxi companies provide all the assets involved in the TAP. Technology TripSpark’s NOVUS TripSpark’s NOVUS system is the paratransit scheduling system that is used to support both TransIT-plus and Shuttle Routes. As mentioned previously, one of the capabilities of this system is continuous dynamic optimization. NOVUS also provides all the service- performance data needed by the county for monitoring purposes and reporting of the TransIT- plus service. EZTransport Fare Card System The EZTransport is MJM’s proprietary fare card. The web-based database management system that supports the TAP allows the county to load matching subsidies and provides data from cardholders and their trips for performance monitoring and reporting. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Blending the ADA paratransit service with TransIT-plus has resulted in cost efficiencies that would not have been possible had the two programs been served with two dedicated fleets. Under the blended system, ADA paratransit trips are regularly shared with trips being made by other riders on the TransIT-plus vehicles, which results in higher productivity and a lower cost per trip. The subsidy per trip of the TAP, with a cost of $18.64, clearly saves money for each trip (at an operating cost of $32.00 per trip) that would otherwise have been taken on TransIT-plus.

106 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Lessons Learned Roman Steichen, director of Frederick County Transit, believes that the blended approach to serving trips being made by ADA paratransit riders and other riders on TransIT-plus provides for great flexibility and results in cost efficiencies. “But the challenge with blending the services is data reporting,” he said. “ADA paratransit data needs to be reported separately. Miles and hours for the demand-response services and for the fixed-route services need to be separately reported. With all these blended together, data reporting is a challenge. It took quite a while working with TripSpark to get satisfactory reports by mode, and even now we still keep a paper copy of shuttle data to be safe.” Roman also added that “the Taxi Access Program provides our TransIT-plus customers with an additional mobility option while reducing overall costs for us.” Contact Information Roman Steichen, director, is available at rsteichen@frederickcountymd.gov. Gaston County, North Carolina: Deconstructing a Service Mix Summary Gaston County’s ACCESS Central Transportation provides general public transportation via a flex-route service and a DRT service. The DRT service also provides service for trips sponsored by various state transportation programs and Medicaid NEMT. Formerly, the DRT’s service-model design included a service mix, with the county operating the bulk of the service in-house and assigning overflow trips to three contracted service providers operating in a nondedicated fashion. However, in 2018, the county significantly altered its DRT service model. At this time, the county’s Medicaid revenue was not covering its expenses, largely as a result of the state brokers denying reimbursement for a significant portion of trips served. The way in which Medicaid trips were billed also changed. Consequently, the county, while still intaking trip requests from Medicaid recipients, carved out the service delivery of these trips, assigning these trips and only these trips to the three carriers. The change in billing pro- cedures effectively meant that these three service providers billed the state brokers directly. So, in making these changes, the county not only eliminated the loss exposure but, by carving out the Medicaid trips, increased the available capacity of its in-house service and was able to accommodate more of the latent general public demand. With some of the DRT vehicles, the county also operates an agency subscription service to and from two adult day centers, five congregate meal sites, and two HSAs. Background Gaston County, North Carolina, due west of Charlotte (Figure 4-13), is served by two transit systems: • Gastonia Transit, serving the urban portion of the county (2019 population of 77,000) • The Gaston County’s ACCESS program, serving the rural portion of the county (2019 popu- lation or 216,800) Gastonia Transit and ACCESS meet at key transfer points, allowing outer county residents to travel into Gastonia and Gastonia residents to access Gaston College, as well as fresh food stores and a farmers’ market that are beyond the Gastonia Transit service area.

Case Examples 107   DRT Service and Service Models Route-Deviation College Route ACCESS has been operating a deviated fixed route, called the College Route, since prior to 2005. The route, with requested deviation, takes an hour to run. Pre-pandemic, the service was operated on 1-hour headways on weekdays. Initially, the service ran from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the end time was subsequently extended to 5:30 p.m. in 2018. But with the reduc- tion of demand stemming from the pandemic, service was cut down to four runs per day at 7:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m., mimicking the College Route’s summer schedule. The fare is $1.00 with no surcharges for deviations. The route serves Gaston College (a local community college); various shopping venues, including grocery stores; a farmers’ market; and several apartment complexes. It coordinates with Gastonia Transit every hour at a transfer facility. Deviations of up to ¾ mile for off-route pickups and drop-offs are requested by calling the ACCESS call center. Off-route deviations must be called in at least 3 days in advance. Route- match, the scheduling system that is used to support the DRT service, is also used to support the scheduling of deviations on the College Route. In addition, before July 2021 riders getting on at regular on-route stops were required to call in 2 hours in advance because of on-vehicle social distancing requirements. When the requirements were relaxed, riders getting on at on-route stops no longer had to call in advance. It is anticipated that this will resume in July 2021. With the reduced schedule, the driver has 2-hour intervals between runs. During these intervals, the vehicle is sometimes converted to providing DRT service as long as the vehicle can make it back to begin the next run on time. Sometimes dispatchers are called upon to operate the service because of driver shortages. In these cases, the dispatchers resume their normal role during the intervals. The FY 2018 ridership on the College Route, operated by the county with one bus, totaled 8,400 trips. There are only a few off-route deviations in the course of a year; this is directly attributable to the DRT service that has the same 3-day advance notice for requests and rider preference for a service that would generally get a person to a destination in a more straight- forward manner. Rural General Public/Coordinated DRT Service The county has been providing ACCESS, a rural and general public/coordinated trans- portation service, since 1981 (Figure 4-14). In addition to general public trips, this DRT service Figure 4-13. Gaston County.

108 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies provides trips sponsored by North Carolina’s Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP), state employment and veterans’ transportation programs, local senior transportation programs, and Medicaid NEMT. This service is operated on weekdays from 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. as a curb-to-curb, demand- responsive transportation service. Requests for service are called into the ACCESS call center and must be called in 3 days in advance. Fares vary depending on the origin and destination. Some portions of the ACCESS service area lie within the urbanized area. ACCESS charges $2.00 fares for city-to-city and rural-to-city fares and $3.00 for rural-to-rural fares. The higher price for rural fares reflects the generally longer trips. Formerly, this service was operated as an in-house service. In 2009, American Alternative Services was retained to handle overflow trips because the in-house fleet was insufficient to accommodate the demand. In 2016, as demand increased, a second overflow carrier, Carolina Specialty Transportation, was added to provide additional overflow capacity. A third carrier, Connexion Transportation, was added in 2018. In September 2018, the State of North Carolina changed the way in which NEMT service providers were paid, centralizing payment through the new NCTRACKS system. In 2018, Gaston County changed its service model to avoid related revenue losses associated with its role as the fiscal agent for Medicaid trips. Instead of a service mix or (in-house) dedicated vehicles and (contracted) nondedicated vehicles, the county became the sole operator of the DRT service (less the Medicaid trips) and began using its three service providers to provide only the carved-out Medicaid NEMT trips. The ACCESS call center retained the function of intaking and assigning the Medicaid NEMT trips, in effect acting as a broker of trips, but with the service providers billing the NCTRACKS system directly. Currently, each of the three service providers is assigned about one-third of the Medicaid NEMT trips. The in-house fleet (including vehicles used for the College Route and subscription route services) consists of 29 vehicles, of which 25 are accessible. The FY 2019 ridership for the DRT system (including the subscription route service) was 67,900 trips, operated at a cost of $16.22 per trip. Medicaid NEMT ridership totaled 58,100 trips in FY 2019. Agency-Sponsored Subscription Service The county also operates an agency subscription service, providing trips to two adult day centers, five congregate meal sites, and two HSAs (Gaston Skills and Holy Angels) that provide services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During the pandemic, these vehicles were also used for food delivery. Of the 29 vehicles operated by the county, 12 are used to operate the subscription routes. When not being used for subscription routes, the vehicles become part of the DRT service. Figure 4-14. ACCESS vehicle.

Case Examples 109   Local Sponsorship Agreements and Service-Provider Contract Details Local Sponsorship Agreements Generally, for all the local sponsorship agreements, the county charges the local sponsoring agencies $1.55 per passenger-mile. If there is a shortfall, the county chips in. Service-Provider Contracts Formerly, when the three service providers were providing trips as overflow providers, their contract rate was based on a per-passenger-mile charge. However, since the county stopped having any fiscal relationship with the carriers, the contractual details that the service providers have with the state were not available. Provision of Assets With exception of the carved Medicaid NEMT trips, the county provides all vehicles, facilities, and assets for ACCESS Central Transportation. Technology Routematch supports the College Route, the DRT service, and the subscription route service and has been the technology of choice since 2007. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings The conventional wisdom associated with a coordinated service is that more trips, more shared possibilities, and more shared rides mean higher productivity; higher productivity means a lower unit cost per trip. This is the underlying reason why many systems in North Carolina have included Medicaid NEMT trips with their coordinated systems. However, in the case of Gaston County, productivity-related benefits associated with Medicaid NEMT trips were outweighed by the shortcomings. To begin with, most of the NEMT trips were single, longer-distance trips that were not often ride-sharable. Secondly, as mentioned previously, the new fiscal processing of Medicaid NEMT through the NCTRACKS system resulted in losses in revenue, owing to an uptick of claims being denied. This change resulted in $150,000 in savings, which the county used to expand ACCESS. With the savings, Gaston County expanded the College Route in two ways: • It extended the College Route’s service hours from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The extended-hours service on the deviated fixed route allowed several college students to travel back from Gaston College to the Gastonia Transit transfer facility. • It expanded the College Route to serve the farmers’ market. This enables residents living in food deserts inside and outside Gastonia to travel to access fresh produce. A strategic planning goal for the county has been to combat obesity and food insecurities. The county also implemented a second deviated fixed route with the savings, but that proved to be less successful and was discontinued. With the 58,100 Medicaid trips no longer clogging the DRT service’s capacity, the county was able to accommodate significant increases in rural general and trips without needing overflow carriers and without increasing its budget. For example, the number of rural general public and EDTAP trips increased by 40 percent in FY 2019 and again by 68 percent in

110 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies FY 2020 (pre-pandemic). In addition, the county was able to arrange for subscription route service to congregate meal sites for seniors to accommodate its growing senior population. The service for this ridership increased by 10 percent in FY 2019 and by 69 percent in FY 2020 (pre-pandemic). Lessons Learned Michael Coone, ACCESS administrator, recommended using “private-sector resources when the opportunities present themselves, and don’t be afraid to give up revenue streams if they adversely impact addressing more pressing community needs.” He also said that forging strong relationships with public and private HSAs, large employers, medical centers, colleges, and neighboring transit agencies will help a transit agency determine what those community needs are. Another important lesson, according to Twanna Littlejohn, transportation coordinator, is that if a business is primarily Medicaid, it would benefit the agency to expand service lines and diversify funding streams with human service, vocational, and other contracts. Accord- ing to Littlejohn, “The key to success in the transition was to plan ahead and transition over several years.” Contact Michael Coone, administrator of adult and aging services, is available at michael.coone@ gastongov.com. Twanna Littlejohn, transportation coordinator, is available at Twanna.littlejohn@ gastongov.com. Galveston and Harris County, Texas: User-Side Subsidy Taxi Programs Summary Harris County Transit (HCT) is the public transit agency that serves a portion of Harris County northeast of Houston but beyond the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County’s (Houston METRO’s) service area. HCT provides four transportation services that include the following: • Fixed-route transit, • ADA paratransit, • A NEMT program in 21 remote zip codes in northeastern and southern Harris County, and • Harris County RIDES, a 24/7 countywide taxi subsidy program for seniors and persons with disabilities. Interestingly, all of these DRT services are provided through a contract with Yellow Cab. The NEMT program and RIDES also benefit from two additional contractors. However, the management structures and service design of these services vary. In the case of the ADA paratransit trips, HCT customer-service staff perform reservations and handle service-day calls, while Yellow Cab performs all other functions. In the cases of RIDES and NEMT, where riders have a choice of three carriers, the carriers perform the entire set of functions, with the exception of registration. Harris County RIDES offers riders two different levels of service: • A shared-ride, advance-reservation service, which has an economical zone–based fare structure • An on-demand service with the fare based on the regular taxi meter

Case Examples 111   In nearby Galveston (in Galveston County), the City of Galveston, providing Island Transit, formerly met its ADA paratransit obligation by managing and operating an all-in-house service. However, the low ADA paratransit demand resulted in a service that was not cost efficient. The city turned to Harris County Transit to address the high cost. This was done via an interlocal agreement. In contrast to the Harris County ADA management structure, this is a turnkey contract with Yellow Cab performing all CCC and operational functions. By switching to Harris County Transit and its taxi-based solution, the City of Galveston was able to cut its unit cost by 70 percent. Background Harris County/Harris County Transit Harris County RIDES was born from a regional coordination study performed in 2002, which exposed several gaps in service, in particular for persons with disabilities and seniors that Houston METRO, Harris County’s NEMT program (provided by the county’s Depart- ment of Social Services), and the American Red Cross transportation program could not cover. Stemming from the plan, in 2003 Harris County and other stakeholders initiated the Harris County Coordinated Transportation Program, which has become the successful Harris County RIDES program. However, an unmet demand for general public transportation in northeastern Harris County was identified in 2006 by a comprehensive study conducted for the Community Services Depart- ment. In response, Harris County Transit was officially formed in 2008 after FTA approval. That year, public transit routes were implemented, and Harris County RIDES and the NEMT program were eventually merged into Harris County Transit. The fixed-route service consists of 11 fixed routes that serve the eastern part of Harris County, approximately 98 square miles in size and with a 2019 population of 263,600. These routes, operated by AFC Transportation under a turnkey contract with Harris County, are designed in a hub-and-spoke system centered about the main transfer point in Baytown, Texas (2019 population of 77,000). There are also two outer transfer points at two different malls, one of which connects one of Houston METRO’s commuter bus routes. All of the routes operate 6 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The fixed-route bus fare is $1.00, with half fares available for certain populations and multiple pass options. A fleet of 11 buses is used to provide this system. In 2019, ridership on HCT’s fixed routes totaled 104,100 passenger trips. HCT also provides three different DRT services in Harris County: an ADA paratransit service, a NEMT program, and Harris County RIDES, a 24/7 countywide taxi subsidy program for seniors and persons with disabilities. Each of these are described in the following section. The City of Galveston/Island Transit HCT also entered into an interlocal agreement with the City of Galveston to provide its ADA paratransit service. The City of Galveston (with a 2019 population of 50,200) is situated on an island roughly 50 miles to the southeast of Houston on the Gulf Coast of Texas. It is mainly known as a port and a resort destination but also is the home of the 84-acre University of Texas Medical Branch campus. The City of Galveston operates Island Transit. Its fixed-route system currently consists of six fixed routes operating 6 days a week roughly between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. with 1-hour headways. A fleet of four interlined buses are used to provide Island Transit. The base fare is also $1.00, with half fares and pass options also available. Island Transit’s 2019 ridership on Island Transit totaled 410,100 passenger trips.

112 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies DRT Services and Service Models HCT’s ADA Paratransit Service ADA paratransit service in HCT’s fixed-route service area is available 6 days a week, match- ing the fixed-route service area and hours. The fare is $2.00. Only about 20 individuals are currently registered for this service. HCT uses a split-management structure for this ADA paratransit service: • HCT staffs a customer service line for the intake of ADA paratransit requests after verify- ing client and trip eligibility. Advance requests can be made up to 7 days in advance. The reservations are then forwarded to HCT’s contractor, Yellow Cab, at around 2:00 p.m. the day before the trip date. Requests that come in after 2:00 p.m. are later forwarded to Yellow Cab. • Yellow Cab is responsible for scheduling and dispatching the trips onto the two accessible vans that are dedicated to this service. Yellow Cab’s dispatchers also have taxis for the NEMT program for overflow trips as needed. While Yellow Cab’s drivers are all independent contractors, all of the drivers that are used for this service are ADA paratransit–certified; that is, they are trained to proficiency and participate in drug and alcohol test programs. Yellow Cab is also one of the two primary ADA paratransit contractors for Houston METRO, one of the largest ADA paratransit services in the United States. • Service-day calls from customers (e.g., such as asking where their ride is) go to the HCT customer service line and not Yellow Cab. In this way, HCT staff controls the service quality of customer interactions and is aware of any service-day issues. • Cash is not accepted onboard. Instead, the RIDES EZTransport fare card is used. Fares are prepaid in person or by mail. Based on the amount prepaid, HCT’s ADA paratransit staff e-mails the Harris County RIDES staff to load a certain number of virtual tickets on the customer’s card. The ADA paratransit customers registered are in a group with special soft- ware coding. When the card is swiped in the taxi, the system looks for a ticket. If there are no tickets, the trip is declined. The system then looks to see whether there are enough funds on the card to cover the projected meter amount for the trip. If there are not, the trip is declined. If both tests are met, the trip is delivered. • Cash fares are not accepted. ADA paratransit customers can mail or hand-deliver their co-pay of $2.00 per trip to HCT (or the City of Galveston) staff in advance of service. These funds are then loaded onto the rider’s EZTransport fare card for travel. • Yellow Cab’s invoices to HCT are based on the metered rate of each trip, not to exceed $24.00. There is also a $5.00 charge to HCT for no-shows. The EZTransport card, which has a built-in GPS capability, provides all the data needed for NTD reporting. Based on ridership estimates from October 2019, the annualized estimate for ADA para- transit trips was about 1,800 trips for 2019. These were served at a cost of $13.34 per trip. HCT Nonemergency Medical Transport Program HCT also provides an NEMT program for enrollees making trips within 21 zip codes in northeastern and southern Harris County. NEMT trips are provided on weekdays only, exclud- ing Harris County holidays. Enrollment is undertaken annually, and there is a maximum of 240 client slots. Each client is assigned a fare card with a preassigned agency code that provides tracking for billing purposes according to their assigned agency. After client enrollment, clients may call either Yellow Cab (for single-ride service) or one of the two shared-ride providers, St. Anna Tender Care or A New Haven. Customers also call their preferred carrier for any service-day issues. No customer fares are charged.

Case Examples 113   Yellow Cab has 12 dedicated drivers who provide NEMT trips for Harris County Transit. Yellow Cab invoices HCT based on the meter fare. Each of the two shared-ride carriers has one accessible vehicle. The drivers for these carriers are equipped with tablets with a card swipe attachment. Clients boarding the vehicle swipe their ID card, which identifies them and their sponsoring agency. Based on the mileage of the trip, these carriers then invoice HCT according to a mileage-based rate table that ranges from $6.00 per trip for trips up to 3 miles in length, and up to $40 per trip for trips 20 miles or longer in length (but within Harris County). HCT collects this trip information through GPS as the trips are taken and uses the information to reconcile the carrier’s monthly invoices. Based on the ridership from October 2019, about 23,500 NEMT trips were served in 2019 at a cost of $32.17. Harris County RIDES As discussed in the Background section, Harris County RIDES was actually implemented by Harris County prior to the formation of Harris County Transit but is now part of HCT. Harris County RIDES is a 24/7 taxi subsidy program for Harris County residents who are seniors or have a disability and who are not in Houston METRO’s service area. Service is avail- able for nonemergency trips to anywhere within the county. Two types of service are offered: • A shared-ride, advance-reservation service, which has a distance-based fare structure • An on-demand service with the fare based on the regular taxi meter The distance-based fare structure, with fares based on specific mileage ranges, generally offers about the same fare for a taxi and shared ride until 12 miles, after which the fares are lower. Three carriers participate in the program, all of which operate WAVs in a nondedicated fashion: Yellow Cab, St. Anna Tender Care, and A New Haven (the latter two being small- business operators). Riders request service from one of the three carriers and pay the metered fare using HCT’s loadable EZTransport fare card that riders get upon registering for the program (Figure 4-15). The subsidy comes into play whenever a rider loads money onto the card; at that point, HCT matches the amount the rider loads. Therefore, if the rider loads $30.00, HCT loads an addi- tional $30.00. There is no limit to the amount a rider can load onto the card. Riders are in effect responsible for only half the fare. Based on the October 2019 ridership, RIDES provided 63,000 trips in 2019 at a unit subsidy per trip of $11.00. In addition, via interlocal agreements, HCT has entered over the years into interlocal agree- ments with the Gulf Coast Transit District (formerly the Gulf Coast Center) and The Woodlands Figure 4-15. EZTransport fare card.

114 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Township. These agreements span three counties in the region (Brazoria, Galveston, and Montgomery Counties) to provide services for 36 partnering agencies. In virtually every case, HCT was able to effect cost efficiencies. City of Galveston ADA Paratransit Service The City of Galveston formerly operated its own ADA paratransit service, using one or two dedicated vehicles. This proved to be costly given the low demand. To address this issue, the city in 2017 shifted gears and instead entered into an interlocal agreement, with HCT to provide ADA paratransit for the city. HCT in turn expanded the contract with its existing contractor, Yellow Cab, to provide this service through an amendment to the HCT-Yellow Cab RIDES contract. As with the RIDES program in Harris County, the service is operated as a subsidy program, with Yellow Cab providing all functions and assets for Island Transit’s ADA paratransit and operating its vehicles in a nondedicated fashion. But there are also some differences: • While HCT determines the eligibility of RIDES registrants in Harris County (i.e., seniors and persons with disabilities), the City of Galveston staff determines the eligibility of the Galveston riders. In this case, service is limited to riders who are ADA-eligible. • While Yellow Cab’s nondedicated drivers in Harris County are not required to be trained to proficiency and be tested for drug and alcohol use in Harris County, Yellow Cab’s drivers are required to be ADA paratransit–certified for the Galveston service. • The ADA paratransit fare in Galveston is $2.00 per trip. Each month, riders may purchase a maximum of 20 trip tickets at a cost of $2.00 per ticket. The City of Galveston staff then instructs the RIDES staff to load a maximum of $300 per month onto the EZTransport card account for that rider. Riders then request service directly from Yellow Cab, hand in the trip ticket to the driver, and swipe their card at the trip origin and again at the destination. As with the RIDES program, the metered fare is deducted from the card. Service information needed for reporting is also captured through the card. • Harris County Transit then uses the information from EZTransport to verify Yellow Cab invoices. Yellow cab also charges $12.50 for no-shows. HCT then invoices the City of Galveston based on the monthly payment to Yellow Cab, an administrative fee, and $5.00 for new and replacement cards. In 2019, 31,800 trips were served at an operating cost of $13.80 per trip. When the City of Galveston operated the service in-house, the unit cost was over $45.00 per trip. Local Sponsorship Agreements and Contracting Details HCT’s Contracts with Yellow Cab In HCT’s agreement with Yellow Cab for both services rendered in Harris County and in Galveston County, the contract relies on the respective regulated taxi meter rate for all services. Despite HCT performing a few more services (reservations and handling of service- day calls from customers) for its ADA service, this keeps it simple. As part of this contract, Yellow Cab drivers who perform both ADA and NEMT trips are required to be trained to proficiency and participate in drug and alcohol testing programs. However, an issue with the HCT-Yellow Cab contract for ADA paratransit service in Harris County and the RIDES amendment covering the City of Galveston’s ADA paratransit service is that there are no current service-quality standards or related incentives and penalties in the contract, nor are there performance metrics that are being monitored. That said, for the metered taxi service, HCT does hold Yellow Cab accountable to the same standards as the City of Houston Taxi Ordinance, Chapter 46, Vehicles for Hire (126 sections). For example,

Case Examples 115   among the 126 different areas covered, there are specific standards for vehicle mileage, vehicle maintenance and cleanliness, background checks, appearance of drivers, and accessibility training. HCT is planning to add performance standards in the next procurement, scheduled for later in 2021. HCT’s Contracts with St. Anna Tender Care and A New Haven for the RIDES and NEMT Programs In contrast to the meter-based invoicing of Yellow Cab, both of these contracts with the two shared-ride contractors used for the RIDES and NEMT programs are based on a distance- based rate table. A reconciliation process compares trip information collected by the drivers’ Android tablets with the monthly carrier invoices. However, no service-quality standards are mentioned in the contract. HCT is exploring the addition of specific performance standards for the next procurement. The City of Galveston’s Interlocal Agreement with Harris County Transit The City of Galveston has an interlocal agreement with HCT to provide ADA paratransit on its behalf. As part of this agreement, the city gives HCT up to $400,000 a year, which HCT can bill against to reimburse its administrative and contractor costs. This covers the service- delivery cost, administrative costs, no-show fees, the cost of issuing new and replacement cards (at $5.00 each), and transaction fees (at $0.35 per one-way trip). Provision of Assets Other than HCT’s administrative facility and staff, the EZTransport fare card, and data management system, all of the vehicles and other supporting assets for all of the services are provided by Yellow Cab and, for the RIDES and NEMT program, the other two participat- ing carriers. Technology The EZTransport fare card and the web-based database management system is perhaps the key technology used for all of the Harris County services. The system allows HCT to load the matching subsidy and provides all the required data for NTD reporting and verifies contractor charges and service-quality standards such as on-time performance. The system also provides information about the service equivalency of response times for the on-demand RIDES and NEMT options. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings The hallmark of these HCT services is simplicity and cost efficiency: • All of the Yellow Cab contracts work the same way, with payment based on metered fare. • The payment does not change for the subsidy-based RIDES program because the subsidy happens when the fare cards are loaded; this is transparent to the service provider. • All the data needed are collected by the fare card system. • HCT’s contractor cost per trip for these services is $11.00 for the RIDES program, $13.34 for the HCT ADA paratransit service, and $13.80 for the Galveston ADA paratransit service. The one outlier is the $32.17 cost per trip for NEMT trips. However, this is primarily the result of the NEMT trips being longer because they originate from the remote portions of the county for which HCT is responsible.

116 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies With this service model design, Yellow Cab does provide dedicated accessible cabs to the two ADA paratransit services that it serves (in Harris County and Galveston), supplemented by nondedicated taxicabs as needed. However, HCT pays Yellow Cab based only on the meter. Therefore, HCT benefits from the service mix of dedicated and nondedicated service without having to pay differently for dedicated service. For HCT’s RIDES program, drug and alcohol testing of drivers is not required of the three service providers because it is an FTA Section 5310–funded program and is therefore exempt from having to require driver drug and alcohol testing. Lastly, the benefit for the City of Galveston’s entering into the interlocal agreement with Harris County Transit is clear: the cost per trip for the city was reduced by 70 percent. Lessons Learned One of the important lessons learned was the value of how the regional coordination of services really does promote effectiveness, efficiency, and avoidance of duplication of services. In a related observation, Vernon Chambers, HCT’s assistant director of transit services and the RIDES program, commented, “Sustainability is very important to this community. Before, local programs would start and then stop (due to exhausted funding) just as customers were acclimated to them. Thanks to the RIDES program and its 36 agency partners, sustainability has been achieved.” Vernon added, “HCT’s using nondedicated taxis and meter-based rates has contributed to cost-efficient service throughout the region and contributed to a significant cost reduction for Island Transit’s ADA paratransit. Moreover, to achieve our desired level of service quality, we rely on the municipal code governing taxi service and its built-in requirements. While this has worked well and simplifies our contract with Yellow Cab, we are looking to possibly add some additional standards for future contracts. And, where dedicated taxi drivers are used for ADA paratransit, we require that they be ADA paratransit–certified.” James Oliver, general manager of Island Rides, has been thrilled with the 70 percent reduction in ADA paratransit cost per trip that stemmed from switching Island Transit’s ADA paratransit service model from an in-house dedicated service to a nondedicated taxi-based service. Relying on the use of a card-based subsidy program, which also transmits all the service data for reporting, for ADA paratransit service (in both Harris County and Galveston) is fairly unique among small to midsized agencies. Contact Information For Harris County Transit, Vernon Chambers, assistant director of transit services/RIDES, is available at Vernon.Chambers@csd.hctx.net. Ken Fickes, director of transit services, is available at Ken.Fickes@csd.hctx.net. For the City of Galveston/Island Transit, James Oliver, general manager, is available at joliver@galvestontx.gov. Topeka, Kansas: Topeka Metro’s Unusual Service Mix Summary The service model for the Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (Metro’s) Lift ADA paratransit service has an unusual service mix. The model has resulted in a highly productive and cost-efficient in-house service and a noteworthy overall cost per trip. Metro handles all of the CCC functions and operates and maintains a dedicated fleet of nine WAVs (Figure 4-16).

Case Examples 117   Metro also contracts with Capitol City Transportation (CCT), a local private transportation company, to provide the ADA paratransit trips that do not fit on the in-house fleet. CCT has six vehicles available for this service. Metro also leases an accessible MV-1 to CCT for the provision of nonambulatory trips that do not fit on Metro’s dedicated fleet. The split works out to 44 percent of the paratransit trips served with the dedicated fleet and 56 percent using nondedicated vehicles. Metro is also in the process of introducing a second private provider to the service mix. Topeka Metro also operates a flex-route service. Background The City of Topeka is the capital of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is located in northeast Kansas along the Kansas River. Its 2019 population was 126,400, spread over 61 square miles. Metro, the public transit agency serving the city, operates a 12-route local fixed-route bus service that is mostly designed as a hub-and-spoke system, with all 12 routes meeting at the downtown (off-street) Quincy Street Station on 30- and 60-minute headways. All of these routes operate 6 days a week. In addition, Metro operates one tripper route on weekdays during the school year. The tripper route is open to the public. The base fare is $2.00. Reduced fares for certain populations and a 10-ride card, 24-hour pass, 31-day pass, and annual pass are also available. A fleet of 26 35-foot GILLIG buses is used to operate the fixed-route system. In 2019, ridership totaled 1.2 million trips. DRT Services and Service Models East Flex Route In August 2015, Metro implemented a weekday curb-to-curb checkpoint-deviation micro- transit service called the East Flex Route as a replacement for an underperforming segment of the longer East 6th transit line near Lake Shawnee. The East Flex Route has one scheduled stop—every 30 minutes at the California bus stop at the east Walmart—thereby enabling former riders of the East 6th route and new riders a way to access the fixed-route system. Riders Figure 4-16. A passenger boarding a Metro vehicle.

118 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies must call in their requests to Metro’s Customer Service Center at least 3 hours and up to a week in advance and can leave a voice message for after-hours reservations. The service is operated using available paratransit vehicles and has steadily been serving about 42 trips per month. The service hours are weekdays from 5:45 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. The Lift The Lift is Metro’s ADA paratransit service, with a fare of $4.00 per trip, paid in cash or with tickets. Metro handles all the CCC functions, using the ReVeal scheduling and dispatch- ing system, and operates and maintains a dedicated fleet of nine (and a peak pullout of six or seven) WAVs, all of which have three wheelchair positions. To add capacity to the system (and to prevent ride denials), Metro began contracting with CCT in the 1990s to serve trips that could not be scheduled and dispatched on the in-house fleet. CCT has six vehicles available for this service. All of CCT’s drivers who provide ADA paratransit trips are ADA paratransit–certified, meaning they have been trained to profi- ciency and participate in drug and alcohol testing programs. Metro also leases and provides preventive maintenance for an accessible MV-1 (Figure 4-17) to CCT to provide nonambulatory trips that do not fit on Metro’s dedicated fleet. Each of CCT’s vehicles used for ADA para- transit service is equipped with a ReVeal tablet, enabling dispatchers to be aware of real-time location and status. Riders call into Metro’s Customer Service Center to request service from the day before to 7 days in advance. Subscription trips are also accepted. Trips are scheduled to either the in-house fleet or to the CCT fleet in real time. If a WAV trip is requested for a time when the schedules of the in-house fleet and the CCT fleet are full, ReVeal presents the schedulers and dispatchers with the option to reassign an ambulatory trip to CCT to accommodate the WAV trip on the in-house fleet. Similarly, if a hole in the schedule opens as the result of a cancellation, Lift dispatchers can reassign a trip initially assigned to CCT to its in-house fleet, as long as the dispatchers provide CCT with at least 20 minutes’ advance notice before pulling back a trip. The 2019 ridership for the Lift was about 51,000 trips, with Metro directly providing 22,500 (44 percent) of the trips and CCT providing 28,500 (56 percent) of the trips. Because of this Figure 4-17. MV-1 vehicle leased to CCT.

Case Examples 119   service mix, the three Metro WAVs, and group trips being transported to work and training sites, Metro has been able to achieve a productivity for the dedicated fleet of 2.5–3.0 trips per hour and a unit operating cost of approximately $27 per trip. In comparison, the rate paid to CCT is $12 per trip. Contracting Details Metro is in the midst of a 5-year contract with CCT that started in October 2020. This contract is a string of contracts that Metro has had with CCT since the 1990s. The contract calls for payment of $11.50 per trip (ambulatory or nonambulatory) and $5.00 per verified no-show. No-shows reflect about 2 to 3 percent of the scheduled trips. The contract includes Metro’s leasing of an accessible MV-1 to CCT for $1.00 per year, though this vehicle can only be used for the Lift. As mentioned previously, all CCT drivers are required to be ADA paratransit–certified. Metro takes an active part in the training, allowing CCT drivers, dispatchers, and supervisors to participate in the same training classes as Metro’s Lift drivers and also using a train-the- trainer approach for those employees who cannot attend these sessions. Additionally, CCT drivers go through a comprehensive background check and drug and alcohol testing, wear a company uniform shirt, wear a Metro-issued picture ID, and drive a company-identified vehicle. Like Metro drivers, contracted drivers cannot use a cell phone or electronic device while transporting a Metro passenger. Required data include all data needed for NTD and triennial reporting, as well as all data required to gauge service performance, accident reports, driver training, drug testing, and the like. The contractor is not paid for a pickup that is 30 minutes or more past the pickup window and is penalized $25 for a missed trip. In addition, as part of the contract, CCT managers are required to attend quarterly check-in meetings where problems are voiced and resolved. Metro’s operations supervisors perform surprise service checks, which include observing CCT drivers and asking riders about their satisfaction with CCT’s service. Provision of Assets With the exception of CCT, Metro provides all vehicles, facilities, and supporting assets for the Lift, including the one accessible van that Metro leases to CCT. This also includes the in-vehicle tablets that all drivers use to collect service data and communicate with Metro dispatchers. Technology ReVeal, MTM’s paratransit-scheduling software system, supports the Lift. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings The biggest benefit of using a nondedicated provider for the Lift is zero trip denials, espe- cially during high-capacity hours. Another major benefit is that it provided a solution for the challenges Metro was encountering recruiting and retaining drivers. Leasing the accessible van to CCT, which began in 2018, has also allowed Metro’s schedulers and dispatchers to schedule and assign nonambulatory trips to CCT.

120 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies What is somewhat unusual for a smaller system is the split: 56 percent of the trips are served by CCT, and 44 percent of the trips are served by the Metro-operated fleet. That said, the overflow option and the flexibility dispatchers have to pull back a trip if it can be accommodated by the in-house fleet, coupled with the three WAVs, contribute to the high productivity of the in-house fleet and the reasonable overall cost per trip. With CCT drivers all equipped with tablets, the Metro staff’s fielding of service-related calls from customers enables the call-takers to check the real-time location and status of any vehicle and provide more accurate estimated time of arrival for callers. This eliminates Metro’s dis- patchers having to check with CCT’s dispatcher to find out real-time information about their vehicles. Metro notes that occasionally passengers get confused when they receive a 30-minute pickup window versus an exact pickup time. To resolve this, Metro is looking at possibly adding inter- active voice response (IVR) capabilities to auto-send next-day confirmation calls after the scheduling process has been completed. Lessons Learned Denise Ensley, chief operations officer of Metro, believes that the current service mix model has greatly contributed to Metro’s meeting its service-cost performance and service-quality goals for its ADA paratransit. While CCT has been and continues to be a trusted, customer- oriented partner, Metro is in the process of testing a second private company, Speedy’s Taxi, under the strategy of not concentrating all efforts and resources in one area. Speedy’s Taxi has a fleet of eight vehicles, including one that can transport one wheelchair. Having a second overflow WAV service provider was also seen as important given that CCT’s capacity to handle WAV trips is limited to one or two such trips per hour. Initially, Speedy’s Taxi will be used only to provide trips that CCT cannot handle. One contributor to the higher productivity of the in-house service was the three-wheelchair configuration of Metro’s vehicles. The wheelchairs do not have to be secured or removed in any particular order, removing the negative impact of last-in, first-out trip ordering. Metro will soon add some new floor paratransit buses to its fleet and retire some of its current fleet. These new vehicles will also have three wheelchair locations but are smaller in size. This could possibly have an impact on last-in, first-out/first-in, first-out trip ordering and, if not monitored carefully, could result in excessively long trips for some riders. Ideally, the soft- ware could handle these circumstances. Andy Fry, Metro’s director of planning, urges transit agencies to pay close attention to the configuration options when procuring vehicles. Lastly, Ensley stated that Metro has had some good taxi partners and some bad taxi partners. Her advice is to “test the new partners slowly, giving them a few trips to begin with and then working up to a capacity that they can comfortably handle. Make sure you do on-site observa- tions to ensure timely trips and great customer service.” For the good partners that are retained, more does not always work in either party’s best interest. But, if the partner wishes to grow, and it makes sense for the division of trips, “an important role of the transit agency is to grow the partner carefully.” Otherwise, she recommends promptly exercising the out clause of contracts with partners that are not working out. Contact Information Denise Ensley, chief operations officer, is available at denise@topekametro.org. Andy Fry, director of planning, is available at afry@topekametro.org.

Case Examples 121   Ventura County, California: The Premium Gold Standard Summary The Gold Coast Transit (GCT) District provides GO ACCESS, a paratransit serving ADA and senior paratransit riders in the western portion of Ventura County. While many transit agencies have implemented premium service, including the extension of paratransit service beyond the ADA paratransit ¾-mile corridors, GCT chose to provide service in the few geographic areas that did not fall within the ¾-mile corridor as part of its paratransit service. GCT instead implemented a frequently suggested Premium Direct service to eliminate trans- fers from a neighboring community. Despite a much higher fare for the new service, riders flocked to the new service, evidencing how transfers dampen demand and how direct service induces demand. GCT has also implemented successful Health Zone and Late-Night Safe Rides microtransit services and is in the process of implementing a new microtransit service starring electric vehicles. Background GCT is the public transit agency serving the cities of Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, and Ventura and the unincorporated areas of western Ventura County (Figure 4-18). The service area spans from the city of Ojai nestled in the valley below the Topatopa Mountains south to the beaches of Ventura, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme. The GCT service area is approximately 90 square miles with a population of 375,000. GCT provides its public fixed-route transit in-house and has a turnkey contract with MV Transportation to provide all of its public flexible services, including ADA and senior para- transit services, disability and health zone service for people with temporary disabilities, general public late-night dial-a-ride services, and on-demand microtransit services in an area that is disadvantaged economically and environmentally. GCT provides all supporting assets for the contract operations. Many of the vehicles used for all of these services are fueled with compressed natural gas (CNG). GCT has a new on-site CNG facility with a powerful compression station. This is supplemented with several off-site CNG fueling sites. In addition, in late 2021, GCT will introduce its first electric vehicle to its revenue fleet. GCT’s fixed-route system has 15 routes in a hub-and-spoke design anchored at three transit hubs: the Ventura Transit Center, the Oxnard Transit Center, and the C Street Transit Center in South Oxnard. At the Oxnard Transit Center, GCT riders can also transfer to the following: • The VISTA intercity bus service operated by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. • MetroLink, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation’s rail service. • Greyhound and Amtrak. Using connections made at these transit centers, riders can venture as far south as Los Angeles (Metrolink/Amtrak) and San Diego (Amtrak) or travel north to San Luis Obispo (Amtrak). The transit centers facilitate movement of passengers within the service area from Port Hueneme in the southern part of the GCT service area to demand generators, including the County Govern- ment Center, the downtown Ventura shopping and entertainment district, and Ventura College. The fixed routes operate 7 days a week, including most holidays. The service hours are generally from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and weekends; a few routes run past 8:00 p.m. Headways range from 20 to 60 minutes.

122 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Figure 4-18. GCT service area.

Case Examples 123   The base fare is $1.50; a day pass is $4.00. GCT sells monthly passes as well. Fares can be paid in cash or through the Token Transit app. In an effort to increase social and economic equity for its customers, GCT recently introduced fare capping on the Token Transit app. Fare capping limits how much riders pay for all of their trips in a day, week, or month. Once a rider’s pass purchases and activations in a day, week, or month add up to the value of a higher-value pass, the rider is automatically provided with the higher value pass to use for the remaining period of time. GCT anticipates that many more passengers will be able to benefit from the use of a monthly pass with this new feature. GCT’s fixed-route bus fleet consists of 61 CNG-powered buses, supplied by a state-of-the-art, on-site CNG fueling station built in 2019. The new station includes three compressors; robust storage; a dual-tower automatic regeneration dryer; three single-hose transit dispensers; and a dual-hose, light-duty dispenser. GCT is currently working on a zero emissions bus (ZEB) rollout plan that will be submitted to the California Air Resources Board in the next year. The plan gradually transitions GCT’s fleet of 61 low-emission vehicles to a ZEB fleet, providing cleaner transportation for GCT’s constituents and passengers. In 2019, the fixed-route system served approximately 2.9 million passenger trips. GCT’s transit development plans consist of focusing on increasing the frequency and speed of fixed- route services in denser transit-supportive corridors, while supplementing service in harder- to-reach, lower-density areas with microtransit services (under GCT’s “Flexible Services” branding) that will enhance the first- and last-mile connectivity and fill gaps in service during off-peak travel times. DRT Service and Service Models GO ACCESS GO ACCESS is one of GCT’s paratransit services that is evolving to a Flexible Services model. GO ACCESS currently provides ADA paratransit service for its customers in addition to extending program eligibility to seniors 65 years of age and older, as well as other persons with disabilities. GCT recognizes the common mobility challenges faced by these groups. The Flexible Services, including GO ACCESS, are provided by MV Transportation under a turnkey contract with GCT, with GCT providing the vehicles (Figure 4-19), scheduling soft- ware (Ecolane), telephone system, vehicle communications, onboard tablets, and fuel. Figure 4-19. GO ACCESS vehicle and passenger.

124 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies In 1999, the paratransit service area was enlarged to include the entire area encompassed by the four member cities and the unincorporated county areas between the member cities. Prior to this expansion, the service area was limited to the strict ¾-mile ADA paratransit service area. Passengers may book trips online or by calling in to the MV Transportation–operated reservations and dispatch center. Only next-day and subscription trip requests are accepted; this is fairly unique among small to midsized transit agencies, which almost always allow for some advance reservations. This contributes to fairly low combined no-show and cancellation rates—as low as 10 to 14 percent in any month. Upon confirming the reservation, MV Trans- portation’s reservation agents, using Ecolane’s real-time scheduling capability, provide the caller with an estimated pickup window. The current pickup window of 30 minutes was expanded from 20 minutes in fall 2019. As with any ADA paratransit service that has extended eligibility, ADA paratransit trips are not denied because of other trips served on the system. In addition, MV Transportation’s schedulers and dispatchers take advantage of Ecolane’s continuous dynamic-optimization capabilities that automatically optimize the schedules of the paratransit fleet after the schedul- ing process has concluded, including on the day of service. The GO ACCESS fare is $3.00, and the fare for premium trip service (beyond the ¾-mile corridors) is also $3.00. Fares can be paid in cash or by depositing funds into riders’ individual accounts. Deposits can be made in person (cash, credit card, or check) at GCT’s customer service center or by calling and providing a credit card number. The paratransit fleet consists of 26 WAVs owned by GCT (Figure 4-20). These include 13 CNG-fueled MV-1s, five gas-fueled Ford Transits, and eight CNG-fueled cutaways. Long- term plans include the introduction of electric vehicles into the paratransit fleet. Because less than 25 percent of all passengers served by the GO ACCESS flexible services require disability accommodations, GCT is considering replacing some of the cutaway buses with electric sedans to start the fleet transition to zero emissions. In 2019, GO ACCESS’s ridership totaled 117,500 trips, with a productivity of 2.4 trips per hour at a cost per trip of $31.08. Not surprisingly, since the pickup window was expanded from 20 minutes to 30 minutes, actual on-time performance increased from 90 to 96 percent. Figure 4-20. A passenger in a wheelchair boarding a GO ACCESS vehicle.

Case Examples 125   Premium Direct GCT launched a second paratransit service, called Premium Direct, in January 2020. Before this new service, trips between GCT and Camarillo Area Transit (CAT) Dial-a-Ride serving neighboring Camarillo met at a transfer point. With Premium Direct, the need to transfer between vehicles was eliminated. The transfer point is maintained to support rare requests to provide a transfer for much longer trips served by Thousand Oaks Transit, a local dial-a-ride that operates on the other side of Camarillo. Before Premium Direct was launched, the fare policy for the CAT transfers included riders paying $3.00 on the outgoing leg (with a free transfer) and $1.50 for the return trip, a $4.50 round trip between GCT’s service area and Camarillo. With the launching of Premium Direct, the one-way fare was increased to $6.00. [Transfers are still required for Camarillo trips going to the far side of GCT’s service area. For such trips, a $6.00 one-way trip ($12.00 round trip) is also charged, with riders paying $3.00 to each provider.] The elimination of 80 percent of the transfers has reduced work for the dispatch teams for both the CAT and GO ACCESS teams. Customer satisfaction is high; ridership has increased 20 percent over FY 2019 service requests, despite the higher fare. Health Zone Program Implemented in 2010–2011, the Health Zone program quickly certifies individuals for GO ACCESS for only a short period of time as a result of a temporary condition such as a broken leg. The concept is to circumvent a full-fledged eligibility process, which can be time- consuming to the point that it exceeds the period of temporary immobility. Service is provided to the customer using the GO ACCESS fleet. Once deemed eligible, riders may call the GO ACCESS reservations or reserve trips online. Recognizing that most of the trips are relatively short, GCT divided the GO ACCESS service area into five zones. The fare for intra-zone trips is $3.00, with an additional $3.00 for each zone traversed. This fare structure allowed GCT to use its existing fare tickets as an option for these customers if they did not want to pay cash. Ridership for this program is not separated for NTD purposes and therefore is part of the GO ACCESS statistics. However, the software allows for easy tracking. Making this mobility option available has avoided unnecessary stress for customers who were not familiar with the certification process and needed temporary assistance, and who were willing to pay a little more, without taking capacity away from ADA passengers. Fewer than 160 requests for service were made in a typical month during FY 2019, or less than 1 percent of the transpor- tation provided. JJC HOP The Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) is located in a rural part of the GCT service area. In response to JJC’s request, GCT applied for and received grant funds to con- duct a demonstration project in an attempt to develop successful fixed-route service to this location. This was implemented in FY 2019, but the route underperformed, averaging less than two riders a month. Because of the underutilization, GCT removed the route over the objections of JJC staff. GCT then came up with a better solution. To replace the route, GCT created the JJC HOP to address the infrequent but critical transportation need, using existing capacity on the GO ACCESS flexible services. Figure 4-21 shows the guide-a-ride panel that is located at the JJC bus site.

126 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Figure 4-21. JJC HOP guide-a-ride panel.

Case Examples 127   If riders need service to the JJC from public transit, they can use several modes (GCT or VISTA bus services) to first get to the Esplanade shopping center, where several GCT (and VISTA) bus stops are located. From the bus stop, riders then call the GO ACCESS call center to request on-demand transportation to the JJC. The trip from the bus stop to the JJC is point- to-point. The return trip may be a shared ride. The JJC HOP fare is $2.00. Consistent with the fixed-route demonstration project, though, JJC HOP trips (pre-pandemic) averaged less than two a month. Late-Night Safe Rides In May 2021, GCT launched a new late-night (8:00 to 11:00 p.m.) microtransit service that operates throughout the GCT service area (Figure 4-22). In addition to enhancing customer mobility after fixed-route service ceases for the day, one of its goals is to test the demand for late-night fixed-route service, because only a few fixed routes run past 8:00 p.m. This demonstration service was assigned to MV Transportation under a contract amendment. GCT had initially considered taxis and TNCs. However, past experience with a particular local taxi company as an overflow provider for GO ACCESS proved to be unreliable. GCT also wished to have more control over the service quality and performance than a TNC-based system might allow (from GCT’s perspective). In its first week, four vehicles were assigned to this late-night service. Since then, the demand has suggested that only two vehicles are necessary. The vehicles used are wheelchair-accessible cutaways, with moving ads promoting the service. Riders call the same MV Transportation–staffed call center used for GO ACCESS, Premium Direct, and JJC HOP. While advanced reservations are encouraged, on-demand requests can be made (for immediate fulfillment) with a minimum 1-hour notice. The fare is $2.00, paid in cash or by Token Transit. After 6 weeks of service, one-third of the requests come in for the next day, one-third come in during the late afternoon for later same-day service, and one-third are true on-demand requests. Daily boardings during May (the first month of service) averaged four trips. The daily average in June was nine trips. It is projected ridership for the service will average 250 trips per month, at a projected productivity of 1.9 boardings per hour and a cost of $25.20 per trip. Clean Microtransit Pilot This pilot on-demand microtransit service, which is still in the planning stages for early 2022 launch, involves introducing an electric-vehicle microtransit pilot to an environmentally Figure 4-22. GCT late-night microtransit service.

128 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies disadvantaged area where unproductive fixed-route service was recently removed. The 2-square- mile service area is within a low-income area that suffers from air pollution. The pilot, funded with a clean energy grant, will connect residents to job and transit centers. GCT is seeking input from the local neighborhoods for the design of the service, and this has contributed to generating excitement for a new service. The budget for this 24-month pilot program is $622,000. Paratransit Vehicle Donation Program In December 2019, GCT donated a ready-to-be-retired, CNG-fueled WAV from its para- transit fleet to Mercy House, a local organization that operates two homeless shelters within the GCT service area. The donation was coordinated with the City of Ventura’s Safe and Clean Program Manager Meredith Hart, who said, “Your generosity has been amazing and has helped us to have a successful shelter!” GCT hopes that this will be the first of many donated vehicles that will enhance the mobility of those individuals that the community’s social service programs serve. Mobility Trainer Pass Program Like many other transit systems around the country, GCT provides Mobility Trainer Passes (MTPs) to HSAs and para-educators in the local high schools to facilitate independence for their clients wherever possible. In 2001, this program was moved to the paratransit division in an effort to expand the offering of this support from just one client (Arc of Ventura County) to several others and into the school districts. The expansion of this program was in recognition of the fact that travel-training individuals who have cognitive disabilities slides forward and backward along the spectrum of success, and that even a 5 percent graduation rate to indepen- dence on fixed-route services was a worthwhile goal. With the pandemic winding down, the staff is beginning to receive requests for MTPs, which typically are issued in June and are good for 13 months. The Arc program alone trains over 300 individuals with intellectual and developmental dis- abilities in an average year, providing an estimated 20 to 24 hours of mobility training per month. Approximately 10 percent of the clients in FY 2019 went on to use the fixed-route bus independently as their primary mode of transportation. Arc has said that “although they may not use the bus completely independent of support, the training does contribute to their independence and provides vital access to their community.” GCT believes providing this support helps all members of the community choose the appro- priate mode of service that best meets their needs. This allows GCT to maximize its limited budget to provide service to the community. Contracting Details Under the turnkey contract that GCT has with MV Transportation, MV Transportation handles all day-to-day functions associated with the newly created Flexible Services Program, including the GO ACCESS and the microtransit services. The contract term includes a 5-year base term plus two 3-year option periods, for a total of 11 years if the option periods are exercised. MV Transportation is currently paid $71.54 per RVH for the ongoing services; the rate for the pilot demonstration projects is $50.00 per RVH. The contract includes a productivity standard of 2.4 trips per hour for GO ACCESS ADA and senior services. If productivity exceeds or falls below this level, the contract includes incentives and liquidated damages. Given that the actual productivity of GO ACCESS is right

Case Examples 129   at the 2.4-trips-per-hour level, GCT believes its liquidated damages represent effective preven- tive control over service and, therefore, cost efficiency. The contract also includes a cancellation-for-convenience clause. When an agency relies on one contractor alone, such a clause can be exercised if actions to address and fix contractor problems prove unsuccessful. Provision of Assets For paratransit, DRT, and flexible services, GCT supplies the vehicles, scheduling and dis- patch software (Ecolane), telephone system, onboard tablets, and all other supporting assets. GCT also provides the CNG and gasoline. Technology Ecolane, the centerpiece of the DRT services, went live in March 2017, replacing Trapeze. As previously mentioned, one of the hallmark capabilities of Ecolane is continuous dynamic optimization, which in a sense automates the proactive dispatching function. This not only allows for the reduction of dispatch staff but also allows the dispatchers to focus on real-time issues (e.g., potential no-shows) and less on trying to solve potential problems in advance. The software does this automatically by reshuffling trip assignments based on holes in the schedule that open up from same-day cancellations and addressing problems in the schedule for late- running vehicles. Adding services such as JJC HOP, Late-Night Safe Rides, and the upcoming clean-energy microtransit has been easy. The JJC HOP service area, hours, and fares were set up within 2 hours of the policy decisions being finalized. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings As flexible services continue to evolve, GCT and MV Transportation staff continue to search for ways to improve the experience for its customers. As discussed, this has included extending GO ACCESS’s service area (at no additional fare), implementing the Health Zone program to address immediate and temporary needs, and, most recently, creating Premium Direct. The latter service, which eliminated transfers for certain trips, has been a huge suc- cess; despite the 167-percent fare increase, ridership has soared. Prior to Premium Direct, 215 trips per month had origins or destinations in Camarillo pre-pandemic. After transfers were eliminated, ridership increased to 258 trips per month, a 20-percent increase during the pandemic. This experience has shown that riders are willing to pay the value of a service (and especially when the fare for a TNC making a similar trip is three to four times the fare of Premium Direct). Lessons Learned Margaret Heath-Schoep, GCT’s paratransit and special projects manager, noted, “The long (potentially 11-year) contract term provides the opportunity to forge a partnership. It also pro- vides stability and consistency for the agency, the drivers, and the riders. We’d much rather spend time and effort on our services and getting funding than on more frequent procurement efforts. By forging a meaningful partnership with the contractor, GCT is able to react more quickly to emerging and sometimes unique demands using existing capacity while we evaluate any potential need to insert additional resources.” Heath-Schoep also added that GCT had considered bringing the service in-house several years ago; however, the analysis suggested that it would cost significantly more because of the

130 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies employee benefits. Moreover, it would have involved the merging of two unions, which was perceived to be problematic. Also, by providing the vehicles and other assets, GCT can take advantage of FTA’s 80/20 percent match for capital expenditures. In providing the software and vehicles, it is much easier to switch out a contractor if that is desired. The provision of assets levels the playing field for future proposers. By providing the fuel, GCT also eliminates the risk of escalating fuel prices from the contractor. By eliminating a potentially volatile pricing risk factor, GCT feels that contractors are more comfortable developing reliable proposed rates for a contract of longer duration. Contact Information Margaret Heath-Schoep, paratransit and special projects manager, is available at mschoep@ GCTD.org. Wenatchee, Washington: A Tale of Two Service Areas Summary Link Transit is based in Wenatchee, Washington, and operates fixed-route and paratransit service for 17 different communities in Chelan and Douglas Counties. The small urban and rural portions of the Link Transit service area are vastly different. For example, Link Transit serves the smallest urban area in the state while also serving the largest rural area in the state. One of the challenges has been to match the best DRT service model to the characteristics of the demand and the characteristics (and available local resources) of the two areas. In addition to operating local fixed-route service in the urban area, route-deviation routes in the rural areas, and commuter bus routes, Link Transit directly operates the following: • Link Plus, its ADA paratransit service; • An on-demand microtransit service in the Chelan area; and • A general public dial-a-ride service in Leavenworth, which provides local ADA paratransit trips as well. Link Transit also provides funding to the Chelan Area Hospital to deliver local ADA para- transit during the evening with a hospital vehicle and driver when the vehicle is not otherwise occupied delivering passengers to a senior meals program. Looking ahead, Link Transit will be exploring a linkage between the provision of ADA para- transit and microtransit services. Background Located about 150 miles east of Seattle, Wenatchee, Washington, is the seat of Chelan County. The urban portion of the county is anchored by Wenatchee and, across the Columbia River, East Wenatchee. Remote communities in the county where Link Transit provides service include Leavenworth, about 23 miles to the northwest of Wenatchee, and Chelan, about 40 miles north of Wenatchee (Figure 4-23). The urban portion of the area (East Wenatchee and Wenatchee) is about 44 square miles and has a population of 75,000. In contrast, the rural portion of Link Transit’s service area has a population of 42,000 but over a 3,000-square-mile area. Most of the rural area served is in Chelan County, but Link Transit also serves the most populated portions of Douglas County.

Case Examples 131   Figure 4-23. Link Transit regional routes.

132 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Link Transit operates six fixed routes and three shuttles in the urban area, three commuter routes, and five rural deviation routes. Only a few deviations are requested over the course of year. A ski bus is also operated to the Mission Ridge Ski Resort (13 miles south of downtown Wenatchee) during the winter. Of the 18 bus routes, 16 serve the downtown Wenatchee Columbia Station transit center, more or less in a hub-and-spoke fashion. However, this will slowly evolve into more of a grid network with more remote hubs at major demand generators, increased headways on some of the main routes, and microtransit serving areas where local bus service is costlier to operate. It is anticipated that within a few years, only 11 of the 18 routes will be serving Columbia Station. Bus service was operated 6 days through July 2020. Service on Sunday was then added but on a limited schedule. By July 2021, it is anticipated that Sunday service will be increased to mirror the Saturday schedule. Currently, the service hours are weekdays from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the urban area and 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the rural areas, and weekends from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. throughout the service area. By 2023, the plan is to expand to 4:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 7 days a week (in some fashion). The base fare is $1.00 for urban service and $2.50 for trips that are more than 10 miles in length, and ADA paratransit customers ride free. There are no surcharges for deviations on the rural routes. Fares were waived during the pandemic but were made permanent as of July 1, 2021. DRT Service and Service Models Rural Routes Including Requested Off-Route Deviations for ADA Paratransit Customers Five routes in the rural portion of Link Transit’s service area deviate only for ADA para- transit trips. These rural routes may best be described as a comingled fixed-route and comple- mentary paratransit service, where the same vehicle that is operated on the rural route is also used to meet the associated ADA paratransit obligations. ADA paratransit customers call the Link Transit call center to request next-day, off-route pickups or drop-offs within ¾ mile of the route. The fare structure is the same as for the fixed- route system; there is no surcharge for deviations. In 2019, these routes served 59,000 passenger trips, with few requested deviations. Link Plus (ADA Paratransit) Link Plus is Link Transit’s ADA paratransit service. It is operated by Link Transit with a dedicated fleet of 17 WAVs of varying sizes and capacities. Service is provided on a next-day basis only, although the service does accept subscription trip requests. The fare is $1.50 paid in cash, although riders are permitted to use the Token Transit app. No passes are associated with the service. One of the interesting slants to the Link Plus service model is that Link Transit uses an integrated set of drivers for both fixed-route and paratransit service. Not only are all drivers cross-trained for both, but they are required to operate in Link Plus service at least 3 months out of every 3 years. Bids are done three times per year at Link Transit, and at least one of those bids must reflect driving a Link Plus vehicle. Indeed, for some bids, certain drivers’ shifts have called for driving a fixed-route and a paratransit run in the same day. Also, all drivers are paid the same, regardless of what kind of service it is.

Case Examples 133   Link Transit replaced Routematch with Ecolane in 2011 and has been using it ever since. One of the attractive features of Ecolane is its automated dynamic optimization capability, which automates proactive dispatching throughout the service day. In 2019, Link Plus delivered 56,800 trips at a productivity of 2.7 trips per RVH and a cost of about $46.18 per trip (fully loaded). Formerly, a productivity of 3.1 had been attained, but this was before a reduction of group work trips. The high unit cost is attributable to the high level of benefits provided to Link Transit employees and the resulting high cost per hour of $124.50. Interestingly, not many private-sector operations and management options would be less expen- sive based on proposals submitted to neighboring transit agencies, according to Link Transit management. Link Plus did take advantage of local taxis from 2003 to 2008 to handle long trips (e.g., between Wenatchee and Chelan or between Wenatchee and Leavenworth) that would other- wise adversely impact the productivity of the in-house dedicated fleet. However, some of these cab companies had a challenging time hiring drivers who passed the drug and alcohol testing, while others dissolved with the decreased demand (both from Link Transit and in general) about the time of the financial crisis in 2008 and never came back. Moreover, during the pandemic, the demand has decreased to the point where Link Transit has striven to make sure its driver force has something to do, and so sloughing off trips to a private taxi company, if one were present, would not have been considered. However, Link Transit has used contractors for some of the DRT services discussed as follows. Lake Chelan Hospital (Meals on Wheels/ADA Paratransit) Lake Chelan Hospital (LCH) is a public hospital serving the Chelan community. LCH Nutrition Service operates an accessible vehicle that during the day is used to deliver seniors to a Senior Meals Program. Link Transit contracts with LCH Nutrition Service to operate that same vehicle (and a different driver) to provide local ADA paratransit trips when it is not otherwise occupied with the meals program. The service hours are roughly between 4:00 and 10:30 a.m. and between 2:00 and 10:00 p.m. The ADA obligation stems from the local segment of Route 11. Trips are requested in the same way as Link Plus, and all other policies are the same as well. The only difference is that trips originating in the Chelan area that can be served by this local vehicle are assigned to LCH the evening before the service date. Dispatching and the handling of service-day calls from customers are also performed by the Link Plus call center staff. In 2019, 1,800 trips were served in this manner at a cost of $20,000 and $11.20 per trip. Chelan DART Microtransit In 2018, the City of Chelan approached Link Transit to expand public transit in the area. The city’s request was to elongate an existing fixed route serving Chelan so that it starts in Manson and ends at the Walmart 2 to 3 miles past Chelan. In addition to Chelan and the Walmart, the area includes a new medical clinic, the soon-to-be-relocated hospital, several newer low-income residential areas, and a housing trust for lower-income workers. Link Transit planners believed a microtransit solution would be more cost efficient and result in shorter travel times for riders. In 2019, the city asked Link Transit to operate a parking shuttle between its major parks. The new fixed route traveled from Don Morse Park to Lakeside Park with a stop at Chelan High School for remote parking. The service was implemented in May 2019, but the major parks never generated the demand the city hoped for. During these 4 months in 2019, only 124 trips were served.

134 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies Therefore, in October 2019, Link Transit replaced the fixed route with an on-demand micro- transit service. The service is operated with a combination of dedicated vehicles operated by Link Transit and nondedicated vehicles operated by LCH. The service mix is approximately 85/15 percent. Currently, the service is free. The WAV operated by Link Transit is operated on an 8-hour shift from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The LCH vehicle is available from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for all trips and at other times for overflow trips. Riders call the Link Transit call center to request on-demand trips (for immediate fulfillment). Ecolane’s service-day dynamic optimization capabilities route the vehicle and assign trips to the LCH vehicle. The Chelan DART has proved to be a great success. Since its inception, the Chelan DART has been providing an average of 25 trips per day (6,250 trips annualized) at a productivity of about three trips per RVH. As anticipated by the Link Transit planners, many of the trips are short; these include going to the grocery store, Walmart, the post office, and the like, which has contributed to the reasonable productivity. And at an operating cost of $20.00 per trip, the unit cost is approximately half the cost of the preceding fixed-route service. Link Transit anticipates adding a second vehicle to the service in 2022. Leavenworth DART Implemented in 2008, the Leavenworth DART is a general public paratransit service for the community of Leavenworth that provides both ADA paratransit and general community access. It is operated with one accessible raised-roof vehicle by Link Transit. Next-day requests for service and subscription trip requests are called into the Link Transit call center, where they are scheduled using Ecolane on a first-come, first-served basis. ADA paratransit riders receive priority and will not be bumped by other paratransit trips. Same-day trips are sometimes accommodated on a space-available basis only. In the past, a local taxi provider was used to provide overflow trips; however, as described previously, the taxi industry has generally dissolved in the area as a result of the reduction in demand in part because of the pandemic. As with the Chelan DART, the fare is currently free. In 2019, the Leavenworth DART served 5,100 trips in 2019 at a cost of $43.00 per trip. Ridership has been dominated by several clients of an HSA that provides services to persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, each of whom work multiple jobs; these clients make up to five and sometimes six trips per day. These trips, subscription in nature and made by riders who are ADA paratransit–eligible, have taken up much of the capacity of the one dedicated vehicle. Interestingly, during the pandemic when these clients were not riding, the Leavenworth DART service functioned more like a general public service. Contracting Details Link Transit contracts with LCH and LCH Nutrition Services to provide nondedicated overflow service for the Chelan DART microtransit service and evening ADA paratransit in the Chelan area. LCH is a public hospital (versus a private for-profit carrier), so the contract is fairly simple and does not include service-quality standards and performance-based incentives and penalties. Link Transit does all the call center functions for these services. To be on call, Link Transit gives LCH $30,000 per year. Provision of Assets Link Transit provides all vehicles, facilities, and supporting assets for all of these services, with the exception of the LCH-operated vehicles and drivers, which are supplied for two

Case Examples 135   services on an on-call basis. The vehicle used by LCH is a Section 5310–funded vehicle. Link Transit also provides maintenance for this vehicle (that otherwise cannot be provided in the Chelan community) and supplies a backup vehicle as needed. Technology Link Transit replaced Routematch with Ecolane in 2011. Ecolane is used for all of Link Transit’s DRT services. Interestingly, while there have been no qualms with Ecolane’s hallmark dynamic-optimization capability, Link Transit management reports the schedulers and dispatchers have been some- what reluctant to depend on it. For example, a morning dispatcher might strive to plug in unscheduled trips (left over from the batch scheduling the day before) and not let the dynamic- optimization feature take care of scheduling and assigning the unscheduled trips. Management also reports that Ecolane has a few shortcomings with respect to microtransit. For example, it cannot currently process a free-fare trip and is somewhat cumbersome when running simulations. For these and other reasons, Link Transit is looking into other micro- transit technologies. Benefits, Challenges, and Shortcomings Link Transit has come into a windfall of funding thanks to passage of a local tax that benefits public transit. New additions, funded from this windfall, have included four new park-and-ride locations and an electric bus program that has included 12 new electric buses and a high-powered wireless charger. The communities in the service area are still clamoring for additional enhanced service. The plan, according to Richard DeRock, general manager of Link Transit, is to • Reduce the headways of fixed routes in high-demand corridors, hoping that the upgraded convenience of using the fixed-route transit system will attract even more riders. • Replace underperforming coverage routes with the same kind of microtransit that Link Transit implemented in the Chelan area. While Link Transit’s plans will include directly operating these services and Link Plus, Link Transit will continue to use LCH as a nondedicated, on-call operator for overflow trips and for ADA paratransit trips in certain areas at low-demand times (such as evenings). DeRock approves of using nondedicated service for overflow as a way to boost the produc- tivity of the dedicated vehicles and to reduce the overall cost per trip. He tried this with taxis before the taxi industry in Wenatchee dissolved. He is convinced that the general public demand for taxis in the area, coupled with programs for which Link Transit could use taxis, present a good market. He sees himself in the position of growing fledgling taxi companies in the community because it would directly benefit Link Transit and its ADA and microtransit riders. Lessons Learned Richard DeRock understands, perhaps better than many paratransit practitioners, the poten- tial benefits of using NDSPs and, in particular, taxi operators. This understanding stems from his years heading Access in Los Angeles, California, where taxis provided a sizeable portion of the trips when he was there. Indeed, during the portions of his tenure in Los Angeles, taxis pro- vided up to 80 percent of the ADA paratransit service. DeRock said, “This is why Link Transit relies on LCH in low-demand areas and low-demand times to supplement or as an alternative

136 ADA Paratransit and Other Demand-Responsive Transportation Services in Small to Midsized Transit Agencies to our providing dedicated service. As we emerge from the pandemic, I am looking forward to encouraging the restoration of the taxi industry here in Wenatchee and will be talking to some TNCs as well.” In regard to using operations and management contractors, DeRock prefers to operate service in-house because he is not convinced that contractors present a less-expensive alternative, considering the high average productivity and the high quality of service that the dedicated employees have delivered. Contact Information Richard DeRock, general manager, is available at richard@linktransit.com.