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CALL TO ORDER

The Regular Meeting of the Committee for Transit Accessibility (CTA) was called to order at 1:01 p.m. by Chairperson Tamez in Building A, Auditorium, Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), 3331 North First Street, San Jose, California.

ROLL CALL

Members Present

Jeannette Bruntz

Emma Eljas

Linda Gallo

Sandra Gouveia

David Grant

Katie Heatley (Ex-Officio)

Gerry James

Marjorie Jensen

Martin Lasich

Laura Michels

Aaron Morrow

Maryjane Naughten 

Frederico S. Orillaneda

Marian Otis

Thomas Slack

Barbara Stahl

Randy Tamez

Members Absent

Cynthia Aleman

David Julian

Michelle HammCiric

A quorum was present.

Received introductions from the audience including: Mike Aro, Deputy Director; David Sausjord, Revenue Services; Sheri Fisher, David Ledwitz, Edna Pampy, and Natalie Wells, VTA Accessible Services; and Carolyn Grattan-Aiello, Human Resources.

Chairperson Tamez introduced Gerry James, representing the Department of Rehabilitation.

Member James stated that she has been a rehabilitation counselor with the Department of Rehabilitation for seven years.

BUSINESS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS/GENERAL MANAGER

David Ledwitz, Management Analyst, stated that the Agenda Packet contains a recommendation to endorse the use of an Administrative Review Committee to evaluate Santa Clara County's Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 grant applications.

Mr. Ledwitz reported that Accessible Services staff has focused on ways to improve its ability to meet the needs of customers and respond to the broader needs of the community. Mr. Ledwitz stated that he has brought this recommendation to CTA to request assistance to help perform his job most effectively. Mr. Ledwitz recommended that an Administrative Review Panel be used to evaluate the submitted applications. The Administrative Panel would include staff with expertise in accessible services, operations management, fiscal, and grant writing from departments within VTA.

Mr. Ledwitz stated that scores would be presented to CTA at the March 2004 Meeting prior to being sent to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on March 15, 2004. Mr. Ledwitz noted that applications with scores awarded locally are those at levels from 70 to 100 points. The applications would be re-scored by a State Review Committee.

Mr. Ledwitz requested that CTA Members endorse the recommendation to use an Administrative Review Committee to evaluate the Section 5310 Grant applications.

NOTE: M/S/C MEANS MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

George Tacké, Accessible Services Manager and Staff Liaison, stated that the primary objective is to change the process in order to reduce Mr. Ledwitz's workload. As duties are increased, an attempt is being made to streamline the process. Mr. Ledwitz would identify volunteers throughout the agency from the Grants and Finance Departments to score applications at their time and convenience.

Member Morrow expressed concern that the public and CTA need to be a part of the Section 5310 application review process.

Member Rhodes stated that all information needs to be available in accessible media and stated further that she is not comfortable with the current proposal.

Ex-Officio Member Heatley stated that she would encourage streamlining the process or striking a balance with staff, the public, and Members of CTA. The goal is to get as many State resources back to the area as possible.

Member Otis stated that the request for funds applies to the disabled community and that there should be significant input from CTA.

Member Gouveia stated that there should be representation from CTA to evaluate the Section 5310 applications.

Chairperson Tamez stated that the 5310 Policy structure calls for the Paratransit Coordinating Councils (PCC) to be involved in the process and score the applications though recommendations might be preliminary. Chairperson Tamez stated that he is in favor of streamlining processes but believes that CTA needs to be involved as it would be difficult to provide valid recommendations based upon information brought to the Committee without involvement in the process.

Chairperson Tamez suggested that all applicants be required to provide information in print and digital formats. This would free Mr. Ledwitz's time from having to translate information from print into digital format.

Mr. Tacké noted that due to the way in which scoring is structured, it is clear which applications would be above and/or below 70 points. Mr. Tacké stated that he believes it is worth considering, even on a trial basis, allowing staff to try a streamline process by using an administrative approach, bring the scores back to CTA, and maybe over the next 12 months have volunteers assess the applications to see if it really made a change to the outcome.

Member Otis noted that she found that interviews with Section 5310 grant applicants to be helpful.

Member Rhodes suggested that there be committees from CTA and from management which could then be compared.

M/S/F (Rhodes/Gouveia) on a vote of 5 ayes, to 0 noes, to 11 abstentions to recommend that staff do a parallel this year with both volunteers from CTA and volunteers from staff.

Chairperson Tamez suggested that persons preparing grants be required to have them in alternative formats.

Member Slack stated that he believes that the existing system needs to be kept in place.

M/S/F (Morrow/Gouveia) on a vote of 4 ayes, to 1 noe, to 11 abstentions to support staff's recommendation with the changes that one representative from CTA be a part of the process and that grant writers be required to provide their applications in alternative formats.

M/S/C (Slack/Otis) to recommend that the existing system for evaluating Section 5310 requests be maintained and to require that persons submitting Section 5310 applications provide them in alternative formats.

David Sausjord, Manager, Revenue Services, reported that the Ad-Hoc Financial Stability Committee and the Business Review Team have recommended an improvement in farebox recovery. The Board of Directors endorsed this policy and a goal of getting to 20 to 25 percent farebox recovery rate by the year 2006. The Board of Directors requested that staff return this fall with a formal Fare Policy to guide the establishment of fares and also to process the procedure and schedule for fare changes.

Mr. Sausjord provided changes made to the policy which were made primarily in response to comments from standing committees addressing clarification of the way some fares are computed and information regarding what the proposed policy would mean in terms of future fares. Information was also provided regarding transfers between VTA and other operators.

Mr. Sausjord reported that based on today's fare, the base fare per adult is $1.50 and it has been clarified that staff is factoring and computing almost all of the fares from the adult based fare. It has been clarified that percentages are going to apply where before multiples were used. Mr. Sausjord noted that numbers would differ if focusing on multiples versus focusing on the discount. The discount is what will drive the computation if it is adopted.

Mr. Sausjord stated that senior and disabled cash fares would be rounded down to the nearest dime as opposed to the nearest quarter.

Member Rhodes suggested that transfers be provided to passengers who need to take two buses to get to a destination and further suggested that VTA reduce youth and senior fares so that they start at a lower rate. Mr. Sausjord responded that transfers are not provided though day and monthly passes are intended for those passengers.

Member Slack queried whether when OUTREACH eligibility is determined, there would be a change in the free pass on bus and light rail. Mr. Sausjord responded that there would be no change. Anyone qualified for OUTREACH would be able to use the pass to use VTA fixed-route services for free.

Vice-Chairperson Grant queried whether the multiple of three for senior and disabled passengers is for uniformity. Mr. Sausjord responded that the focus is on simplification and to provide consistency from year to year.

Vice-Chairperson Grant suggested the use of a token for the senior and disabled community.

Vice-Chairperson Grant recommended that information such as the VTA Fare Policy be presented in the form of graphs and charts to make it visual for persons who can see.

M/S/F (Rhodes/Naughten) on a vote of 10 ayes, to 0 noes, to 6 abstentions to recommend that staff reconsider this presentation which is unfair and requested that the Board of Directors not accept staff's recommendation.

M/S/C (Grant/Slack) to recommend that VTA not change the day pass multiple from 2.3 to 3.0 for the senior and disabled fare, but to leave it at 2.3.

NOTE: M/S/F MEANS MOTION SECONDED AND FAILED.

Mike Aro, Deputy Director, stated that VTA has always used service standards, guidelines and policies to plan, evaluate, and modify service. Mr. Aro noted that the Board of Directors adopted the Ad-Hoc Financial Stability Committee's recommendation that the guidelines and policies be updated and codified in light of VTA's current financial situation.

Mr. Aro briefly discussed four general areas of the Service Management Plan including: 1) Service Area/Transit Network, 2) Service Design Guidelines, 3) Service Evaluation Policy, and 4) Service Change Process. Mr. Aro queried whether members of CTA had questions.

Member Otis queried whether there has been complete cessation of the use of the yield-to-bus signs noting that she has noticed that they are not being used. Mr. Aro responded that yield-to-bus signs help travel time by ensuring that the schedule is met.

Vice-Chairperson Grant stated that it seems as though users of the Eco Pass board free of charge which reduces VTA's per boarding average fare recovery and queried why VTA is subsidizing large companies. Mr. Aro responded that the concept of the Eco Pass is that it is designed to be revenue neutral for VTA. The concept is that a company pays for each person in the company to use Eco Pass.

On order of Chairperson Tamez, there being no objection, the Service Management Plan was received and filed.

Edna Pampy, Senior Management Analyst, reported that on a quarterly basis, accessible services staff summarizes paratransit service and operation data for VTA management to effectively monitor performance.

Ms. Pampy provided a brief review of paratransit ridership and expenses, broker telephone performance, subscription service, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit eligibility, and bus lift performance.

Ms. Pampy reported that Fiscal Year 2004 first quarter paratransit ridership decreased 9.7 percent over Fiscal Year 2003 first quarter ridership. The number of no-shows during the first quarter of fiscal Year 2004 was 24.7 percent less than the number of no-shows during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2003. The reduction in the number of no-shows improves the operating efficiency of paratransit service by reducing travel delays as well as the number of vehicles required to provide scheduled service.

Ms. Pampy reported that paratransit expenses averaged a net cost per trip decrease of 4 percent to $27.29 per trip. The average wait time for each scheduling call to be answered decreased over 23 percent. The request for subscription trips increased and now represents 43 percent of total average weekday ridership. Ms. Pampy noted that the Subscription Trip Policy currently has no trip limits. The increase in the number of subscription trips allows OUTREACH to build more productive ride schedules, carrying more passengers per hour of service without increasing the need to deploy additional vehicles and driver resources.

Ms. Pampy reported that the ADA Paratransit Eligibility section of the report has been expanded to break out the number of new applicants who have been certified versus denied and also re-certified applicants who have been certified and denied. Ms. Pampy noted that interviews did not begin until the last week of July 2003. During the first quarter, 634 eligibility interviews were conducted with 612 applicants granted eligibility while 22 were denied. Ms. Pampy stated that the eligibility vendor is able to send a reminder postcard prior to the appointment and further stated that the vendor is able to schedule appointments within a few days.

Ms. Pampy stated that hotline calls have increased regarding the eligibility process. There was a 58 percent increase in calls in September 2003 versus the month of July 2003

M/S/C (Bruntz/Stahl) to recommend that CTA receive monthly reports in accessible format on the accessible services performance report for paratransit to include applications sent out and applications received, expenses including the cost of the eligibility vendor and a ratio of costs per certification of applicants.

Natalie Wells, Associate Management Analyst, provided information regarding AB 467 (Dutra) which provides that beginning January 1, 2005, whenever a transit operator improves or replaces a ticket vending machine at a public transit station to include video instructions, the operator also must equip the machine with audio instructions that will enable visually impaired individuals to follow the visual prompts.

On order of Chairperson Tamez, there being no objection, the Legislative Update was received.

Mr. Tacké reported that further information regarding eligibility denials would be added to the December 2003 Agenda. Mr. Tacké noted that nominations and elections of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of CTA for the year 2004 would be made at the December 2003 CTA Meeting and reviewed the nomination process.

On order of Chairperson Tamez, there being no objection, the Committee Staff Report was received.

On order of Chairperson Tamez, there being no objection, the meeting was adjourned at 3:03 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Tinlin, Board Assistant

VTA Board of Directors