[NFBO-Linn-benton] Improving Paratransit in Benton County

[John Gardner]

	Hello All, this note is going to as many local paratransit stakeholders as I have in my data base. Anyone receiving this note is welcome to forward it to others. The purpose is to establish a communications network that allows us all to work together to solve the present serious problems with local paratransit. 
	Tom Hendrix, who has recently retired as safety director of Dial-A-Bus (DAB) and will now join the DAB Board, has been meeting with county personnel and representatives of the new VIA dispatch software currently in use in Benton County. Tom understands the current problems as well as anybody in the county and has challenged both groups to find solutions. Tom is presently convinced that these problems can be solved and there is a willingness by all to do so. I admire Tom for his effort and certainly hope he is proven right. I personally am happy to contribute as much as I can to this process and to adopt a "wait and see" attitude. I hope we can all do that.
	During the DAB Board meeting on Tuesday, the board  realized that user participation in defining success is essential. We know that perfection is not achievable. But what is 'good enough'? Even in the "good old days" of a few years ago, DAB was not perfect. It was often hard to impossible to schedule last-minute rides, and even if made well in advance, users were not always able to schedule rides at exactly the time desired. But still, most of the time if you scheduled several days in advance, you could usually get a ride with a wait window of only a few minutes. 
	Tom has the following goals:
1. Identify specific unacceptable scheduling clients needs. 
2. Talk to office personnel to confirm if DABs pickup and drop-off have not improved.
3. Specifically, focus on a goal of  pickup drop-off times no later, or earlier, than 15 minutes of requested times.
I will be pleased to have feedback with comments on those goals and suggestions for others.
	Finally, the Board and Tom also believe that good communications is essential. So Tom has committed to making sure that anyone who wishes receives notes from negotiating meetings. If you wish to continue participating in this discussion and receive these notes, please let me know, and I will pass the list to Tom. The law requires that your name goes on that list only if you request it.
	Thanks 

John Gardner


John Gardner
President
541.754.4002 x 200
www.viewplus.com