GREATER HARTFORD TRANSIT DISTRICT
ADA PARTICIPATION GROUP FORUM
Wednesday, March 18, 2010

Attendees: Michael Carrier, Beverly Jackson, Michelle Johnson, Peggy Johnson, Paula Neal, Bill Saloman, Lourdes Vega, Abram Aviles-GHTD, Barbara Bellott-CTTRANSIT, Linda DeLallo-FT, DJ Gonzalez-GHTD, Manny Gonzalez-FT, Erik Rousseau–FT, Pat Williams-GHTD

The forum began at 5:05pm.

Noted below are the statistics for January and February

Operations:
Total passenger trips for the month of January were 22,971, No Shows 1,012 (4%), cancellations 7,260 (32%). February passengers trips were 21,832, No shows 1,011 (5%), cancellations 7,318 (34%)

Assessments:
In January 156 ADA applications were received; 99 were new, 57 recertified and 105 ADA eligibilities were completed. Out of the 105 completed ADA eligibilities, 69 received a specific approval condition, 2 denied, and 34 were withdrawn. In February 83 ADA applications were received; 73 were new, 10 recertified and 92 ADA eligibilities were completed. Out of the 92 completed ADA eligibilities, 44 received a specific approval condition, 6 denied, and 42 were withdrawn.

Customer Service:
In January 70 comments were received from passengers; 24% were compliments, 59% were driver, dispatch, reservationists and/or scheduling complaints, 3% was mechanical and/or related to safety, 14% other. In February 62, comments were received from passengers; 40% were compliments, 55% were driver, dispatch, reservationists and/or scheduling complaints, 3% was mechanical and/or related to safety, 2% other.

GHTD/FT/CTTRANSIT Comments
Pat Williams informed the group that 78 ADA Paratransit vehicles are now AVL/GPS equipped. Ms. Williams and Ms. DeLallo shared with the group the positive aspects of the implementation and equipment. Ms. DeLallo also noted there are still details with the system that need to be addressed. DJ commented that the new software should help to improve on time performance and diminish telephone wait times for riders. Ms. Bellott mentioned that she recently called on three different occasions and found that the phones were picked up promptly. DJ advised the group that 45 new vehicles are in the final inspection stages, and riders should see new vehicles in service by the end of May. All new vehicles will be equipped with the AVL/GPS software.

CTTRANSIT does not operate on certain holidays, but there are riders who would like transportation on these holidays. The District may investigate the feasibility of providing these types of premium trips.

Barbara Bellott advised the group that CTTRANSIT has added a route to Central Community College in New Britain. CTTRANSIT has also purchased new buses and some of them will be the articulated bus. The articulated bus connects two sections together and the middle is similar to an accordion which allows the bus to turn with ease (see enclosed picture). Ms. Johnson would like to see CTTRANSIT extend service hours to Manchester Community College. Ms. Johnson was informed that CTTRANSIT only operates until 6pm at this location, so therefore ADA Paratransit will only operate until 6pm. Ms. Bellott will look into the possibility of CTTRANSIT extending their service hours to Manchester Community College. Ms. Bellott suggested a student survey to see if the need is there for additional service hours.

Participant Comments:
Comment: Lourdes Vega
Ms. Vega has experienced difficulties when reserving her dialysis trips. Ms. Vega claims there is a difference between the dialysis time and the clock in the driver’s vehicle. Ms. Vega is off of the dialysis machine by 10am.

Response: Ms. DeLallo suggested the most efficient pickup time for Ms. Vega would be 10:30am. The thirty-minute window time frame would be 10:15am-10:45am. DJ commented if Ms. Vega is going to be delayed, then the dialysis center should call the service. Ms. DeLallo will investigate the time difference with the dialysis center time, and the time in the driver’s vehicles.

Comment: Beverly Jackson
Ms. Jackson would like to be informed when the service will be picking up additional riders along with her. Ms. Jackson has experienced the service picking her up late, due to the additional riders. Ms. Jackson does inform the reservationists the time of her appointment. Ms. Jackson asked if the reservationists can be invited to the forum.

Response: DJ suggested that Ms. Jackson and the service work together to provide Ms. Jackson with timelier transportation. Driver’s runs are constantly changing and the service will not be able to let riders know that they will be transported with other riders. Ms. DeLallo will review a few of Ms. Jackson’s trips to see if the service could have transported Ms. Jackson more efficiently. DJ will invite the reservationists to the next forum, but the service cannot make them come. Ms. Williams welcomed riders to visit the Wawarme location to meet the reservationists if they would like to schedule a time to do this.

Comment: Paula Neal
Ms. Neal is a dialysis rider and inquired about having a subscription service. Ms. Neal also noted that she has found the reservationists to be rude at times.

Response: Ms. DeLallo will investigate providing Ms. Neal with a subscription trip and how the reservationists are handling Ms. Neal’s reservations.

Comment: Peggy Johnson
Ms. Johnson thanked the service for providing her daughter with free ride tickets due to a concern she had earlier this month, but she also experienced another concern on March 17th. Ms. Johnson would like to know why the service was not able to detect that the vehicle was stuck in traffic which caused the service to be late for them on that particular day. Ms. Johnson commented that she should have been notified that the service was running late. Ms. Johnson wanted clarification on what an add-on trip is, and why do some drivers call dispatch after they drop off a rider and other drivers do not. Ms. Johnson questioned whether or not the service can drop off and pickup at the same spot.

Response: Mr. Rousseau explained that when they knew the first driver would be running late they dispatched a second driver immediately. Knowing the second driver was minutes from where they were, he was dispatched to pick them up. Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic delaying the second driver. Ms. DeLallo explained that an add-on rider is when one driver has finished their run and is assisting another driver with their trips. DJ noted that when reserving a trip, riders should inform the reservationist where they would like to be picked up (example: in the front of the building, in the back of the building, near the red door etc…)

The next ADA forum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 26, 2010 (note this is a revised date) at 5:00 pm at Union Station. You must make a reservation for transportation to and from the meeting by calling (860) 724-5340 and select #1. All riders are required to pay the standard ADA Paratransit rate of $2.50 each way.

As time is limited; all attendees are required to sign up to discuss issues at the forum with Pat Williams, and provide the topic for discussion at least 48-hours in advance with the last opportunity to register fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the forum.

Please remember that in order for everyone to have a chance to participate you need to keep your initial questions and discussions to five (5) minutes a piece so that we can accommodate all other participants. Follow-up comments should also be kept to five (5) minutes also.