GREATER
HARTFORD TRANSIT DISTRICT
ADA PARTICIPATION GROUP FORUM
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Attendees: Marcia
Baran, Briana Bittle, Margaret Borsa, Michael Carrier, Patricia
Davis, Ruth Griffin, Yvonne Loteczka, Michael Leyva, Bill Saloman,
Anne Walsh, Gary Allen, John Nelson-Commission on Aging, Kathy Shea-GHTD,
Valerie Ellis-GHTD, Vicki Shotland-GHTD, DJ Gonzalez-GHTD, Pat Williams-GHTD,
Tony Grimaldi-LTS, Manuel Gonzalez-LTS, Brian Helm-LTS, Dale Robinson-LTS
Pat Williams
reminded everyone about communicating to her at least 48 hours in
advance if they would like to speak at the forum. You can do this
by e-mailing her at pwilliams@hartfordtransit.org
or calling (860) 247-5329 x3011.
Pat Williams
reported for November and December the average passenger’s
trips were 20,000, no show trips 4%, cancel trips 29%, and denied
trips 0.
Valerie reported
for the month of December 114 applications were received, 100 were
new applications, 14 recertification applications and there were
7 new applications denied.
Tony reported
for the month of December a total of 21 complaints: 2 safety, 3
scheduling, 10 reservation/dispatch, 6 other.
DJ pointed out
that the cost of a no show trip is about $60. If riders call ahead
to cancel their trip, then dispatch would be able to reroute the
driver to another pickup. This will also improve the on time performance.
Pat Williams
advised everyone that effective February 1st, the new reservation
policy will change to: making a reservation (5) five days ahead
of time and no later than one (1) day before your ride. (You may
call 7 days per week, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.)
Notices have
been posted on the vehicles and reservationists will be communicating
this information to all riders. This modification will help to decrease
no show and cancellation trips. Tony has been advised to monitor
the riders who continue to call to schedule two weeks in advance
after February 1st. Laidlaw will advise the riders that they will
receive a one time exception but the next time they will have to
adhere to the new requirements.
Pat Williams
addressed the lateness of vehicles being due to traffic and some
riders not understanding their scheduled pickup time. In some cases,
the schedule time is not understood and what the rider requested
and what is actually scheduled are different. This will result in
the rider mistakenly thinking that the vehicle is running late.
Pat Williams has enclosed
a schedule of the upcoming ADA forum meetings.
DJ advised the forum that LTS has hired a Customer Service Manager,
Jannelly Rivera. Jannelly will be handling all customer complaints.
At the present time, she can be reached at (860) 247-0050 x122.
Pat Williams and Tony Grimaldi will be going to different agencies
to discuss concerns regarding the services. DJ advised the group
that they have received a few commendations about the drivers. If
any rider would like to make a commendation, they can e-mail to
tony.grimaldi@laidlawtransit.com or call him at (860) 247-0050 x127.
Attendee: Michael Carrier
Comment:
a. Michael offered
the following options for scheduling: make three reservations
per phone call, extend the reservation hours from 8:00am-4:00pm
to 8:00am-6pm, and make reservations at least three weeks in advance.
He also noted the phone system has not improved.
b. Michael noted that the bus is leaving base too late in the
morning to pick him up. He suggested that the window time frame
should be changed from thirty minutes to five minutes.
Response:
a. Pat Williams indicated
that reservations will not be changed to scheduling three weeks
in advance. ADA riders are allowed to make reservations on Saturday’s
and Sunday’s, 8am-4pm. The GHTD and LTS continue to work
with their carrier to improve the phone system. There was an adjustment
made and the rider is now able to hear the music and information
about the service while waiting for a reservationist to assist
a rider.
b. DJ asked that Michael call LTS immediately regarding lateness
of a vehicle in the morning. DJ also communicated to Michael that
the thirty minute window time frame will not change.
Attendee: Yvonne Loteczka
Comment:
a. Yvonne noted that
she saw the ADA forum notice in the vehicle. Yvonne also wanted
to know can a note be put in her file in reference to how she
would like the driver to tie down her wheelchair.
b. Yvonne wanted to know the policy for transporting an empty
wheelchair.
Response: a. Brian Helm briefly explained the proper procedures
for securing Yvonne’s wheelchair. DJ suggested that at the
end of the forum LTS will go out with Yvonne to go over the proper
securement procedures with her wheelchair.
b. Tony Grimaldi advised the ADA forum that groceries are allowed
on the bus but furniture is not. In the future, he asked that
Yvonne contacted him directly for transportation of an empty wheelchair.
Attendee: Pat Davis
Comment:
a. Ms. Davis rides
the bus everyday and she is worried that by calling one week in
advance she will not be guaranteed a ride.
b. Ms. Davis commented that she has called to cancel a ride and
the vehicle has arrived to transport her.
Response:
a. Tony noted that
no trip is guaranteed.
b.. DJ replied that LTS has been working on trying to eliminate
some of the gaps in communication with the reservations in canceling
of trips. Ms. Davis was also asked to request a possible subscription
ride.
Attendee: Bill Saloman
Comment:
a. Bill advised the
ADA forum that when he calls the reservation department he has
no problems getting through.
Response:
a. Tony noted that
he has seen an increase in reservations. He asked that riders
have the necessary information ready before reserving a trip (example
doctor’s name, doctor’s suite number, doctor’s
telephone number). He also noted that reservationists cannot look
up address for the rider. Anne Walsh commented that this would
be important information to put in the newsletter.
Attendee: Michael Leyva
Comment:
a. Michael pointed
out that on one occasion he did ask the reservationist to note
a specific store name on his reservation but they did not.
b. Who do you call regarding a safety concerns about a vehicle?
Response:
a. Any time this happens,
Tony asked that the rider contacts him so that he can discuss
the situation with the reservationist.
b. Call Tony Grimaldi or Brian Helm
Attendee: Yvonne Loteczka
Comment:
a. Why does the reservationist
have to call back the rider with a confirmed time?
Response:
a. Tony commented that
there are times when the scheduler has to use the hour window
and she will call back the rider to confirm the actual time.
Attendee: Anne Walsh
Comment:
a. Anne wanted assistance
in how much time she should allow herself when scheduling a doctor’s
appointment.
b. In addition, she has experienced a problem with the reservationist
scheduling the wrong street address (example within the same town
the reservationist scheduled a trip to Main Street when it should
have been for North Main Street).
c. She also noted that on one occasion a friend and she was attending
the same affair and the friend was able to get a ride but she
was not. Anne alerted the reservationist about her friend’s
trip and reservationists were able to schedule her trip when Anne
called again.
Response:
a. Tony suggested that
riders should schedule their trip an hour before their doctor’s
appointment time.
b. Tony emphasized
the need to call him immediately with any problems regarding their
trips.
c. Tony noted that
this was the week of Christmas and there were a lot of cancellations
so that is probably why you were able to get your reservation
when making the second call.
Attendee: Briana Bittel
Comment:
a. Briana asked why
drop off times are not guaranteed and would it be beneficial if
she had a subscription trip.
Response:
a. Tony commented
that due to traffic or if the bus breaks down the service cannot
guarantee drop off times. Tony asked that she or if any rider
has a question regarding a subscription trip that they should
call Carol at (860) 247-0050 x121.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FROM THE GREATER HARTFORD TRANSIT DISTRICT
The next ADA forum is
scheduled for Thursday, March 15th, 5:00 pm at Union Station. You
must make a reservation by calling 724-5340 and select #1. All riders
are required to pay the standard ADA Paratransit rate of $2.50 each
way.
All attendees are required
to sign up to discuss issues at the forum with Pat Williams at least
48 hours in advance or fifteen (15) minutes before the forum begins.
Please remember to keep your initial questions and discussions to
five (5) minutes a piece so that we can accommodate all attendees
at the forum.
Please note the following
days for future forums:
Upcoming ADA Forum calendar
meeting dates are as follows:
Thursday,
March 15, 2007
|
at 5:00pm |
| Thursday,
May 3, 2007 |
at 5:00
pm |
| Tuesday,
July 10, 2007 |
at 5:00pm
|
Thursday,
September 13, 2007
|
at 5:00pm
|
| Tuesday,
November 13, 2007 |
at 5:00pm
|
