[Nfb-hi] FW: Handi-Van Changes

[Milton Ota]

From: GAbe at dhs.hawaii.gov [mailto:GAbe at dhs.hawaii.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 2:54 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Handi-Van Changes

 

PARATRANSIT SERVICES
GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
{PRIVATE }
PARATRANSIT SERVICE CRITERIA
Page:
1 of 4
Policy Number: 9.01


Title: NO-SHOW / LATE CANCELLATION POLICY
Purpose
Customers who do not use their TheHandi-Van ride reservations add to the cost of providing the service and reduce riding opportunities for other customers. While unexpected events may cause a customer to occasionally miss their ride reservation, there are customers who regularly make TheHandi-Van ride reservations and miss their scheduled trips.
The intent of this policy is to improve TheHandi-Van experience for all customers by providing customers with timely notice as soon should they begin to exhibit a record of unexcused No-Showsand Late Cancellations, and to reduce the impact of unexcused No-Shows and Late Cancellations on the paratransit system by enforcing penalties on those customers who demonstrate a pattern and practice of unexcused No-Shows and Late Cancellations.
Definitions
1. "Pick-Up Address" means the location at which the customer agreed to wait for TheHandi-Van when the ride reservation was made.
2. "Scheduled Pick-Up Time" means the date and pick-up time to which the customer agreed when the ride reservation was made.
3. "Pick-Up Window" means the 30-minute period starting from a customer's Scheduled Pick-Up Time.
4. A"No-Show" means a purposeful missing of a TheHandi-Van ride reservation. A No-Show includes any of the following situations:


a. Effective: 11/01/13 Supersedes: 10/14/04
The paratransit vehicle arrives at thePick-Up Address during the Pick-up Window and the operator of the paratransit vehicle cannot reasonably see the customer approaching the paratransit vehicle within five (5) minutes of the arrival of the paratransit vehicle; or
b. The paratransit vehicle arrives at the Pick-Up Address during the Pick-Up Window and the customer declines to take the ride.
Change No 30


Policy Number: 9.01 Page: 2 of 4
Title: NO-SHOW / LATE CANCELLATION POLICY Effective: 11/01/13
Supersedes: 10/14/04


5. A "Late Cancellation"occurs when a customer calls to cancel a trip less than two (2) hours prior to the Scheduled Pick-Up Time.
Record of No-Shows


1. Oahu Transit Services, Inc. (OTS, Inc.) will keep a record of all No-Showsand Late Cancellations accumulated by a customer, includingScheduled Pick-Up Time and Pick-Up Address.
2. No-Showsor Late Cancellations may be excused when they are for reasons beyond the customer's control, including but not limited to:
a. Family emergency.
b. Illness/medical condition that precluded the customer from calling to cancel.
c. Personal Care Attendant (PCA) or another party didn't arrive on time to assist the customer.
d. Customer was inside calling to check on their ride status and was on hold for an extended time.
e. Customer's appointment ran long and did not provide an opportunity to cancel in a timely way.
f. OTS, Inc. error, including but not limited to:
1) Paratransit vehicle arrival after the Pick-Up Window.
2) Paratransit vehicle arrival before the Pick-Up Window, and the rider as not ready to board.
3) Paratransit vehicle never arrived.
4) Paratransit vehicle was at an incorrect location.
5) Ride was cancelled in a timely manner, but the cancellation was not recorded correctly or was not transmitted to the operator.


3. All unexcused No-Shows and Late Cancellations will be calculated as a percentage of the total number of one-way ride reservations made by a customer during a calendar-month period.
Change No. 30


Policy Number: 9.01 Page: 3 of 4
Title: NO-SHOW / LATE CANCELLATION POLICY Effective: 11/01/13
Supersedes: 10/14/04
4. A customer will be deemed to have a record of "Excessive No-Shows" if unexcused No-Shows and Late Cancellationsconstitute >20% of the total number of one-way ride reservations made by the customer during a given calendar month.
5. A customer will be deemed to exhibit a "Pattern and Practice of Excessive No-Shows and Late Cancellations" if for three consecutive calendar months, unexcused No-Shows andLate Cancellations constitute >20% of the total number of one-way ride reservations made by the customer during a given calendar month.
Response to Records of No-Showsand Late Cancellations
Penalties of progressive severity will be imposed as follows:
Customer's No-Show / Late Cancellation Record OTS, Inc. Responses One calendar month of excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellations Advisory to customer informing them that they have a one-month record of excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellationsand advised that they could be subject to future penalties if the record of excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellations continues for three consecutive calendar months. Two consecutive calendar months of excessiveNo-Shows / Late Cancellations Advisory to customer informing them that they have a two-month record of excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellationsand advised that they will be subject to the following potential future penalties if the record of excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellations continues for a total of three consecutive calendar months:
• Loss of subscription service, if applicable; or
• Restricted to making reservations not more than 24 hours in advance. (Customer will not be able to book
a ride more than one day in advance). 


Policy Number: 9.01 Page: 4 of 4
Title: NO-SHOW / LATE CANCELLATION POLICY Effective: 11/01/13


Customer's No-Show / Late Cancellation Record OTS, Inc. Responses Three consecutive calendar months of ExcessiveNo-Shows / Late Cancellations Imposition of the following penalties:
• Customer loses subscription service, if applicable; or
• Customer is restricted to making reservations not more than 24 hours in advance. (Customer will not be able to book a ride more than one day in advance).

		

Customer informed that they will be subject to a 15-day suspension of paratransit service if their record of excessiveNo-Shows / Late Cancellations continues for a total of four consecutive calendar months. Four consecutive months of Excessive 

15-day suspension from paratransit 


No-Shows / Late Cancellations 

service. 


Second occurrence of four consecutive months of Excessive No-Shows / Late Cancellations during any twelve calendar months 

Change No. 30
30-day suspension from paratransit service. 



Supersedes: 10/14/04


Customers will receive information on their accumulated No-Shows / Late Cancellations records and penalties in writing. Customers may appeal a suspension of service. Information on the appeal process, including how to file an appeal will be included if a customer is to receive a notice of the suspension of service.



Gavan Abe
Community Services Coordinator
Ho`opono Services for the Blind
1901 Bachelot Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 586-5271 
Fax: (808) 586-5361
 <http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/vr/hoopono/about/> http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/vr/hoopono/about/

-- 
NOTICE:  This information and attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited and may be punishable under state and federal law.  If you have received this communication and/or attachments in error, please notify the sender via email immediately and destroy all electronic and paper copies.