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Agenda Item # 7

BOARD MEMORANDUM

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

BACKGROUND:

The Committee for Transit Accessibility (CTA) requested information at the August 8, 2007 CTA meeting regarding elevator announcements during elevator repairs and closures at other transit agencies, specifically, Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).   It was requested that staff research and identify the existing means of providing information to the public about elevator closures prior to the customer arriving at a station.

DISCUSSION:

The following is a summary of information that was gathered from BART and SFMTA and how it compares to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). 

BART provides elevator availability status by designated phone numbers, visual scrolling signs, audible announcements, posted signs, customer support from Station Agents, and website content.

1. BART has the following phone numbers with elevator availability status updated by their Operations Communication Center:  510-834-LIFT or 888-235-3828.  The caller may select #1 for current status, or #2 for planned outages/renovations scheduled. Members of the community with disabilities that may be impacted by inoperable elevators are advised to call these numbers prior to arriving at the station. 
2. The Destination Sign System (DSS) scrolls elevator information twice per hour and voice announcements are made at the same frequency.   If everything is working properly the announcement is: “All elevators are in service in the BART system.”
3. There is not currently a web link to this information.
4. Planned elevator closures are listed on the BART website under Press Releases or located by using “Search BART” for elevator information.
5. If an elevator is Out of Service (OOS) unexpectedly, the customer is advised to contact the station agent.   Agents refer the customer to a toll free number to request paratransit services.   A decal is placed on the OOS elevator unit directing the customer to the Agent. 

SFMTA provides elevator availability status by designated phone number, onboard audible public announcements, visual announcements via posted signs at stations, and website content.

1. SFMTA Central Control and/or the Operator make public announcements in any car about out-of-service elevators.
2. Station Agents write information about inoperable elevators on a designated white board at the station.
3. In March 2007, San Francisco implemented a new telephone hot line “311” where residents can get free, round-the-clock information from a live person about all non-emergency services in the city, including information about transit system elevators. The system offers translations in 145 languages, using Language Line Services, and costs the city about $11 million a year to operate.
4. Planned elevator closures are listed on the SFMTA website under “Updates” or located by using the Search function for elevator information.

By comparison VTA provides elevator availability status by onboard audible public announcements, Public Address (audible and visual) announcements at Light Rail stations, posted signs, website content, Marketing collateral, and Customer Service Call Center information.

1. Programmed announcements in Light Rail vehicles advise customers how to contact the operator for assistance when an elevator is out of service.   Operators will call OCC, and transportation is dispatched to transport passengers who need assistance in traveling to a station which has an inoperable elevator.
2. VTA makes platform Public Address (PA) announcements (audio), between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Visual Message Board (VMB) announcements every 15 minutes of inoperable elevator(s) until the elevator is back up and operational.
3. Planned elevator closures are listed on the VTA website, “VTA Take-One” and signs are posted at stations. The Customer Service Call Center (408) 321-2300, or from 650 area code and South Santa Clara County toll area (800) 894-9908, and Customer Services Interactive Voice Response (IVR) have recordings of planned elevator closures.

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