[Blindtlk] IMPORTANT INFO! Metros new policy concerning paratransit service to withdrawn units

[Mari Hunziker]

PLEASE CIRCULATE!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Matt Bachop <mbachop at advocacyinc.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Subject: FW: Metros new policy concerning paratransit service to withdrawn
units
To: marihunziker at gmail.com




 ------------------------------
*From:* Pat [mailto:toolshopper at sbcglobal.net]
*Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2010 9:56 PM
*To:* Joseph Berra
*Cc:* Matt Bachop; Diane
*Subject:* Metros new policy concerning paratransit service to withdrawn
units

 While researching Metros new no-show policy, (also in violation, another
email on this), I found a document on the metro site with new policy changes
affective Jan. 2010. It is attached.

Refering to Sec. 451.610.  CONTINUATION OF SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES.
An authority shall continue to provide transportation services for persons
with disabilities in a withdrawn unit of election. The authority may not
charge a fare for transportation services to persons with disabilities in
the withdrawn unit that is more than the fare for those services for persons
in the authority.

The email I sent last week, (including attached draft paper), showed that
Cap Metro had been providing paratransit service to people who had lived in
these withdrawn units and tos some extent, people who lived in Austin who
traveled to these units.

The new Metro policy:

Please be advised the following items have been amended in the current
policy and are different than what is printed in the enclosed manual:
(this refers to the 2002 policy and procedure manual which is below the taxi
voucher guide chart in the attached document)

New Policy: of course Metro never obtained public input on this.

If you reside in the following areas you will be allowed to register but
must come into the ADA Service Area for pick-up:  Cedar Park, Pflugerville,
Leander, Jonestown, Manor, San Leanna, Sunset Valley, Rollingwood and West
Lake Hills (See page 12)
[Come into the ADA service area means that passengers who live in these
withdrawn units must somehow find their own way to a designated pickup/drop
off area within 3/4 miles of a fixed route bus stop; i.e. park and ride,
etc.]

Aside from the fact that all public participation requirements were ignored,
and that no prior notice was given to paratransit passengers who live in
these withdrawn units, now the new Metro policy would definitely seem to
violate state law. In effect, passengers living in these withdrawn units do
not receive paratransit service - the service they now receive is less than,
is not equivalent to, and is substantially different than what they received
before November 2009. Being forced to "come into the ADA service area" would
impose substantial burdens on the passenger; i.e. what if a friend/neighbor,
etc. did not get them to the designated pickup point in time for their
paratransit ride.

>From the 2002 policy manual:

STS transportation services are provided to any location within the Capital
Metro service area including: Austin, Lago Vista, Pflugerville, Rollingwood,
Cedar Park, San Leanna, West Lake Hills, Jonestown Manor, Valley
Unincorporated areas of Travis County.

* The STS passenger must be a resident to be eligible for service in this
area.

It would seem that now we have the evidence to file a lawsuit to not
only force Metro to provide service into these withdrawn units, but also to
force them to provide paratransit service to passengers who want to go to
these areas; i.e. medical trips, trips to ACC campuses, etc.




------------------------------
I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>.
We are a community of 7 million users fighting spam.
SPAMfighter has removed 506 of my spam emails to date.
The Professional version does not have this message.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: STS Policy and procedures 10-09.DOC
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 332288 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20100614/c6387a27/attachment.obj>