Overview. of Eligibility. Vehicles Victory Fares

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1 DRAFT THE GULF COAST CENTER PRESENTS CONNECT TRANSIT S NEW ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN TO COMPLEMENT ITS EXISTING GENERAL DEMAND-RESPONSE PROGRAM AND FIXED-ROUTE SERVICES TO GALVESTON AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES.

2 Connect Transit ADAA Paratransitt Plan Background... 1 Plan Development and Public Involvement Process... 1 Overview of Eligibility... 2 Existing Organization Governance... 4 Service Area Population... 4 Fixed-Route System... 6 Fixed-Route Description... 6 Fixed-Route Fare Structure... 8 Fixed-Route Vehicles... 9 Demand-Response Service Demand-Response Description Demand-Response Fare Structure Demand-Response Service Area Demand-Response Vehicles Other Demand-Response Service Providers Park & Ride Services Mall of the Mainland Park & Ride Victory Lakes Park & Ride ADA Paratransit Plan to Provide Complementary Paratransit Service Planned Modifications Servicee Areas and Hours Reservations and Response Time Fares Servicee Quality and Access to Service Customer Service and Customer Expectations Eligibility Complementary Paratransit Service for Visitors Timetablee for Paratransit Service Capital and Operating Cost Projections Certifications Certification of Equivalent Service MPO Certification of Complementary ADA Paratransit Plan Joint Plan Certification (if applicable) This project was funded in part through the Federal Transit Administration. The contents of this report reflect the analysis of The Goodman Corporation which is responsible for the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Transit Administration. i

3 Connect Transit ADA Paratransit Plan TABLES Tab. 1 Population Statistics in Galveston County and Brazoria County... 5 Tab. 2 Fixed Routes and Park & Ride Routes... 8 Tab. 3 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Fares... 8 Tab. 4 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Vehicle Inventory... 9 Tab. 5 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Bus Stop Inventory Tab. 6 Connect Transit Demand-Response Vehicle Inventory Tab. 7 Responses to H-GAC Survey of Transportation Providers for Elderly and Disabled Tab. 8 Brazoria County Health and Human Services Agencies Tab. 9 Additional Providers of Federal/State-Funded Demand-Response or Paratransit Services Tab. 10 City of Galveston s PVH Providers Tab. 11 Galveston County Geographically Eligible Trips by Origins and Destinations Tab. 12 Brazoria County Geographically Eligible Trips by Origins and Destinations Tab. 13 Galveston County Geographically Eligible Trips by Trip Type Tab. 14 Brazoria County Geographically Eligible Trips by Trip Type Tab. 15 Service Area and Hours Tab. 16 Reservations and Response Time Tab. 17 Fares Tab. 18 Service Quality and Access to Service Tab. 19 Customer Service and Customer Expectations Tab. 20 Eligibility Tab. 21 Five-Year Capital and Operating Budget for Paratransit Service High Estimate 80% Tab. 22 Five-Year Capital and Operating Budget for Paratransit Service Medium Estimate 50%.. 32 Tab. 23 Five-Year Capital and Operating Budget for Paratransit Service Low Estimate 20% DRAFT July 18, 2012 FIGURES Fig. 1 Mainland Transit Fixed-Route System... 6 Fig. 2 Southern Brazoria County Transit Fixed-Route System... 7 Fig. 3 Demand-Response Service Area Fig. 4 Connect Transit Park & Ride Services Fig. 5 ADA Paratransit Eligibility Fig. 6 Mainland Transit ADA Paratransit Geographical Eligibility Area Fig. 7 Southern Brazoria County Transit ADA Paratransit Geographical Eligibility Area ii

4 Draft Connect Transit ADAA Paratransitt Plan Draft Connec ct Transit ADAA Paratransit Plan BACKGROUND The Gulf Coast Center (GCC), one of 39 community Mentall Health/Mental Retardation (MHMR) centers in the state of Texas, has operated a transportationn program known as Connect Transit since Since thatt time Connect Transit has provided general demand-response service to all who scheduled a ride, including service forr individualss with a disability, at a fare of $1 per person per trip. This demand-response, shared-ride service iss offered to the general public within Galveston and Brazoria counties with curb-to-curb pick-up and delivery. A requirement is that the origin or destinationn point for each trip must be in Galveston County or Brazoria County. Connect Transit does not provide trips that begin and end within Island Transit s service area on Galveston Island or that begin and endd in Harris County. However, Connect Transit s demand-response destinations include, but are not limited to, medical facilities on Galveston Island and the Veteran s Hospital in Harris County. Tripss to the Veteran s Hospital in Harris County are offered at a fare of $3.50 per person per trip. In 2008, fixed-route bus servicee began in seven municipalities spanning two counties through Mainland Transit and Southern Brazoria County Transit. With 11 fixed-routes, the service has nearly doubled every fiscal year since its inception. Connect Transit also contracts with the City of Galveston s Island Transit to provide park & ride services from the Mall of the Mainland and Victory Lakes park & ride facilities to Galveston Island. As required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Connect Transit plans to tailor a complementary paratransit servicee plan to individuals who, due to a disability, are unable to use the fixed-route bus service. Connect Transit will provide paratransit services to any individual within Galveston County or Brazoria County within ¾ mile radius of the fixed-route bus system who meets the functionally eligible paratransit requirements. This draft Connect Transit ADA Paratransit Plan meets the requirements outlined in Title 49, Transportation, Part 37, Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities. PLAN DEVELOPM MENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS Several steps, outlined below, will be required to complete the final Connect Transit ADA Paratransit Plan and prepare for implementat tion. These steps will be conductedd in a manner that ensures community, public, and stakeholder participation. 1

5 Complete Initial Research and Draft ADA Paratransit Plan. Current and emerging issues will be identified and GCC policies confirmed, revised, or drafted. The draft plan will include demand estimates and associated methodologies, ADA requirements, and five-year operating and capital budget estimates. Present Draft ADA Paratransit Plan to Steering Committee. The draft plan will be presented to a steering committee, comprised of representatives from GCC, Connect Transit management and staff, health and human service agencies served by the demandresponse service, and members of the disabled community, for feedback and comment. o Agency Meetings: To be completed Revise Draft ADA Paratransit Plan to Reflect Comments and Changes from Steering Committee. The draft plan will be revised to reflect steering committee changes and a public meeting will be scheduled to introduce the new service and gather comments on the proposed plan from the public. Comments made at the public meeting will be recorded and documented within the Public Involvement Plan section of the final ADA Paratransit Plan document. o Public Meetings: To be completed Title VI requirements LEP requirements Revise Draft ADA Paratransit Plan to Reflect Comments from Public Meeting. In response to public and/or continued steering committee input, the draft plan will be revised and the final ADA Paratransit Plan will be submitted to the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) for its review and comment. Present Final ADA Paratransit Plan to Galveston and Brazoria County Commissioners Courts. The final plan will be submitted to Galveston County Commissioners Court and Brazoria County Commissioners Court. Submit Final ADA Paratransit Plan to FTA. The final plan will be submitted to FTA for approval. OVERVIEW OF ELIGIBILITY The ADA requirements define disability, with respect to an individual, as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits the ability to conduct one or more major life activities (caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and work). All persons who are unable to use the accessible fixed-route bus service due to a disability and who meet the functionally eligible requirements are eligible to use the complementary paratransit service after completing the necessary eligibility and registration procedures. 2

6 ADA paratransit eligibility criteria (49 CFR ) include, but are not limited to the following categories for individuals with a disability: Who is unable to board, ride, or deboard any vehicle independently on the fixed-route system that is readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; Who is unable to navigate the fixed route system, including transfers, due to a physical or cognitive disability; Who requires the assistance of a wheelchair lift and one is not available on the fixed-route bus service during the time the individual wishes to travel; and Who has an impairment-related condition that prevents getting to or leaving a bus stop. Connect Transit does not perform any functional assessments to determine eligibility in house. Paratransit applicants, having a permanent or temporary disability, must provide verification of the disabling condition and functional limitations by a qualified, professionally-trained individual who has experience in the field of the individual s disability, such as a physician or healthcare provider. The professional will verify the criterion that prevents the applicant from using the accessible fixed-route bus service. Along with the qualified healthcare professional s assessment, the applicant will need to fill out the Connect Transit ADA Program Intake Form and fill out the information release agreement. Forms and information on applying for eligibility are available on the Connect Transit website transportation.aspx, at the Connect Transit Offices 4352 E.F. Lowry Expressway, Texas City, 77591, and available, upon request, through the mail. After the required ADA Program Intake Form (eligibility form) and the qualified healthcare professional s assessment of the applicant have been received at the Connect Transit offices, Connect Transit will review the application to ensure all forms have been completed. Connect Transit will not accept incomplete eligibility and registration forms and assessment of eligibility will not begin until all required materials are received by Connect Transit. Complementary paratransit eligibility and registration forms are provided by Connect Transit at the Connect Transit offices, on the Connect Transit website, or upon request by mail. Connect Transit does not charge a fee for either the application or the certification process. After the completed application is received at the GCC offices, a review of eligibility will begin and will be completed within 21 days. Connect Transit will notify the applicant of the decision by telephone and in writing. If the applicant is not notified within 21 days of submitting the ADA Program Intake Form and the qualified healthcare professional s assessment, service will be provided to the individual until a decision is made. If service is denied to an individual, that applicant has the right to contest the decision within 60 days of the denial notice. Any contested denied applications will be reviewed by a panel of individuals who were not part of the original decision. Individuals will be qualified in one of two ways: full eligibility or temporary eligibility. Full eligibility is given to individuals who are deemed eligible for paratransit service for a trip with 3

7 origins and destinations within ¾ of a mile of the fixed route service during eligible times of service. These individuals will undergo a recertification process every two years to have information verified. Temporary eligibility is given to individuals who complete the eligibility and registration process. Other requirement of the complementary paratransit service will be further explained in a later portion of this plan. EXISTING ORGANIZATION After establishment of the Texas MHMR Act, community centers began to form from local agencies so those with a disability could be served near friends and family instead of traveling to state institutions. In 1966, Galveston County began the formation of a new community center and, by the 1970s, had joined with Brazoria County to better serve the citizens of both counties. Since that time, the community MHMR center has grown to serve those individuals diagnosed with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and mental health issues, to provide assistance to individuals battling substance abuse, to supply a transitional and permanent housing program for homeless individuals with mental illness, and to provide HIV outreach services in Galveston and Brazoria counties. GCC operates Connect Transit to provide general public transportation service for the residents of Galveston and Brazoria counties. Connect Transit operates fixed-route services, known as Mainland Transit, serving the cities of Texas City, Dickinson, San Leon, Bacliff, and La Marque, and Southern Brazoria County Transit, serving the cities of Lake Jackson, Angleton, Freeport, and Clute, as well as general demand-response services to those residing in Galveston or Brazoria counties. GOVERNANCE GCC is overseen by a Board of Trustees representing Galveston and Brazoria counties. GCC is managed by an executive management team with an Executive Director. Connect Transit includes the following: Chief Financial Officer, with 40% allocated time Safety Officer with 50% allocated time Financial Analyst with 60% allocated time Administrative functions, such as human resources and legal, are provided by GCC, which allocates a portion of this cost to Connect Transit. SERVICE AREA POPULATION The 2010 U.S. Census population for Galveston County is estimated at 289,840 and for Brazoria County is estimated at 304,290. This represents an increase from 2000 to 2010 of 16.5% and 4

8 29.5%, respectively. Parallel with this change, in Galveston County the number of individuals ages 65 and older rose to 32,286 from 27,765, a 14% increase from In Brazoria County the number of individuals ages 65 and older rose to 28,284 from 21,330, a 24.9% increase from According to the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS), Galveston County is estimated to have 30,889 individuals with a disability, or 10.7% of the population, and Brazoria County is estimated to have 40,346 individuals with a disability, or 13.3% of the population. Table 1 presents the population statistics in Galveston and Brazoria counties. Table 1 Population Statistics in Galveston County and Brazoria County Galveston County Brazoria County Category Population 250, , , ,290 Seniors (65 and over) 27,765 32,286 21,330 28,384 Individuals with a Disability 42,616 30,889 37,517 40,346 Instances of Disability 76,291 N/A 63,388 N/A 5

9 FIXED-ROUTE SYSTEM Fixed-Route Description. GCC operates Connect Transit within Galveston and Brazoria counties. Beginning as a demand-response transportation system, Connect Transit began fixedroute services in 2008 in Texas City. Two separate fixed-route programs are operated under Connect Transit: Mainland Transit and Southern Brazoria County Transit. Mainland Transit operates seven fixed-route buses serving Texas City, Dickinson, La Marque, and several other outlying communities, covering 108 route miles. Southern Brazoria County Transit operates six fixed-route buses serving Angleton, Lake Jackson, Clute, and Freeport, covering 74 route miles. Future fixed-route services currently are being considered by Connect Transit, including providing service to Alvin. All routes operate Monday through Friday, with service hours from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., varying for each route. Transfers on Mainland Transit are presented in Figure 1. Depending on the time of day and the route, under normal operating conditions Connect Transit maintains 30- to 60-minute headways (Table 2). Figure 2 presents the fixed-routes for Southern Brazoria County transit. Figure 1 Mainland Transit Fixed-Route System 6

10 Figure 2 Southern Brazoria County Transit Fixed-Route System 7

11 Table 2 Fixed Routes and Park & Ride Routes Route Name Regular Headways (minutes) Evening Headways Length (miles) Mainland Transit White La Marque 30 to Blue Dickinson Blue Texas City/Dickinson 60-9 Orange Texas City Westbound 30 to Orange Texas City Eastbound 30 to Green Texas City Teal San Leon/Bacliff Southern Brazoria County Transit Gold Brazoria Gold Regional Blue Lake Jackson/Clute Red Freeport Red 30-9 Green Brazosport Regional Purple Angleton North 60-8 Lavender Angleton South Park & Ride Mall of the Mainland Victory Lakes Fixed-Route Fare Structure. As presented in Table 3, Connect Transit s fixed-route one-way fare is $1 per trip. Discounts are provided for seniors, individuals with a disability, and students, and children five and under ride free. Transfers are free. Connect Transit accepts cash, 20 Ride Tickets, and tickets. Table 3 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Fares Category Fare One-Way Fare $1.00 Senior (65 and over) or Individuals with a Disability $0.50 Student with ID $0.50 Children (5 and under) Free 20 Ride Tickets $

12 Fixed-Route Vehicles. Connect Transit maintains 16 vehicles in its fixed-route fleet, of which 100% are equipped with ADA-compliant wheelchair lifts (Table 4). Table 4 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Vehicle Inventory Make Year Vehicles Type Active # of Lifts Vehicles w/low Floors or Ramp Fuel Type Average Length (feet) # of Seats Average Total Mileage Mainland Transit Goshen Bus PSG W/C Yes 1 1 LP/Gas ,800 Ford El Dorado SG/2WC Yes 3 3 Gas ,246 Goshen Bus PSG 2 W/C Yes 4 4 Diesel ,990 Southern Brazoria County Transit 9 PSG 2 Goshen Bus W/C Yes 1 1 LP/Gas ,510 Goshen Bus PSG 2 W/C Yes 3 3 Diesel ,562 Ford El Dorado PSG 2 W/C Yes 4 4 Gas ,447 Bus stop accessibility varies on the fixed-route bus system. Some stops are connected by sidewalks, ramps, and crossings, while others have poorly maintained or no sidewalks and no ramps. Table 5 presents Connect Transit s fixed-route bus stop inventory in 2012, including the bus stops on Connect Transit s fixed-route system, total number of stops by route, wheelchair ramps, shelters, and sidewalks immediately adjacent to the stop. 9

13 Table 5 Connect Transit Fixed-Route Bus Stop Inventory Mainland Transit Route Stops Sidewalks at Stops Wheelchair Ramps Shelters White (43%) 8 (27%) 4 (13%) Blue (62%) 28 (62%) 0 (0%) Orange (73%) 13 (59%) 5 (23%) Green (69%) 15 (43%) 2 (6%) Teal 32 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Total (51%) 64 (40%) 11 (7%) Southern Brazoria County Transit Route Stops Sidewalks at Stops Wheelchair Ramps Shelters Blue/Green (70%) 21 (57%) 11 (30%) Red (65%) 9 (35%) 1 (4%) Purple/Lavender (54%) 6 (21%) 3 (11%) Total (64%) 36 (40%) 15 (16%) Connect Total (56%) 100 (40%) 26 (10%) The Gold Route stops at existing bus stops within the inventory above. The Blue and Green routes and the Purple and Lavender routes in Brazoria County and the Blue line to Texas City in Galveston County share bus stops with multiple routes. 10

14 DEMAND-RESPONSE SERVICE Demand-Response Description. Connect Transit began providing demand-response services throughout its service area in Galveston and Brazoria counties in Connect Transit operates a general demand-response system for individuals within Galveston and Brazoria counties, including service to those with a disability. Connect Transit provides service to destinations throughout Galveston and Brazoria counties, including medical facilities in Galveston and the Veteran s Hospital in Harris County. The origin and destination point for each trip must be in Galveston County or Brazoria County. The demand-response service is a curb-to-curb, sharedride transportation service, available to all individuals who schedule a ride ahead of time. Hours of operation differ slightly from the fixed-route service: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Demand-Response Fare Structure. Demand-response services currently are provided to individuals for $1 per trip. Trips to the Veteran s Hospital in Harris County can cost up to $3.50. However, this is subject to change to better meet the needs of the service area. Demand-Response Service Area. The general demand-response service operates within Galveston and Brazoria county jurisdictions, exceeding the ¾ mile radius of the fixed-route system that is required for an ADA complementary paratransit service. The only exceptions to this service are trips that originate and terminate within the City of Galveston s Island Transit service area and trips that originate and terminate in Harris County, in addition to trips to the Veteran s Hospital. Figure 3 presents the demand-response service area in Galveston and Brazoria counties. Figure 3 Demand-Response Service Area 11

15 Demand-Response Vehicles. As presented in Table 6, Connect Transit maintains 20 vehicles in its demand-response fleet. Seven vehicles are used for Brazoria County service and 13 vehicles are used for Galveston County service. All demand response vehicles are ADA-accessible. Table 6 Connect Transit Demand-Response Vehicle Inventory Make Yr. Mainland Transit Number of Active Vehicles Goshen Bus Type Lift Equipped Number with Low Floors or Ramp Average Vehicle Length Seating Capacity Average Total Mileage 15 PSG 2 W/C ,359 Ford E PSG W/C ,491 Ford E PSG W/C ,086 Chevy Uplander Mini Van ,599 Dodge Amerivan Mini Van ,694 Goshen Bus PSG 2 W/C ,763 Ford El Dorado PSG 2 W/C ,458 Southern Brazoria County Transit Ford E PSG W/C ,493 Dodge Amerivan Mini Van ,702 OTHER DEMAND-RESPONSE SERVICE PROVIDERS An inventory of services provided by other agencies and organizations that may be used in whole or in part to meet the requirement of complementary paratransit is required to be included in the ADA paratransit plan. In 2011, H-GAC sent surveys to 200 organizations that were not direct recipients of federal or state funds but provided transportation in the region. Of the 200 surveys, 20 organizations responded. Table 7 presents the organizations that self-identified themselves as providing transportation to individuals who were elderly and/or disabled and were active in Galveston and Brazoria counties. None of the organizations identified themselves as an ADA-compliant paratransit service. Most of the organizations restrict their services to their clients and were not available to the general public. 1 1 H-GAC, Regional Coordinated Transportation Plan, 2011 Final Draft, Appendix B: Transportation Providers Detailed Inventory. Accessed Oct 17,

16 Table 7 Responses to H-GAC Survey of Transportation Providers for Elderly and Disabled Name Type of Client Trip Purpose Southwest Elderly, Medical, Regional SWR Disabled Congregate Meal Regional Medical Transportation Alpha Medical Transport Pasadena Taxi Southwest Regional and AM Franklin Transportation Services West Galveston County Interfaith Caring Ministries Excelsior Stage Coach Royal Carriages Limousine RR Transportation Services Elderly, Disabled, Students, Others Elderly, Disabled, Welfare to Work, Students, Other Elderly, Disabled, Students, Others Elderly Disabled Other Elderly, Disabled, Students, Others Elderly, Disabled, Students, Work, Others Elderly, Students, Others Elderly, Others Elderly, Disabled, Students, Welfare to Work, Others D/R Demand Response Welfare to Work, Medical, Education, Shopping, Nutrition Medical, Social, Recreational, Shopping, Other Work, Medical, Education, Shopping, Nutrition Medical Work, Medical, Education, Shopping, Nutrition Work, Medical, Education, Shopping, Nutrition Education, Shopping, Social Shopping, Social, Recreation Work, Medical, Social, Nutrition, Recreation, Other Type of Service D/R Fixed Flexible Subscription D/R, Ride Share Fixed, Flexible, Subscription Service, D/R, Rideshare D/R Flexible, Route Deviation D/R, Ride Share D/R, Ride Share D/R D/R, Ride Share Time of Service 6 AM to 6 PM 5 AM to 8 PM 5 AM to 6 PM 5 AM to 10 PM 5 AM to 6 PM 5 AM to 10 PM 7 AM to 6 PM 5 AM to 10 PM 5 AM to 10 PM Days of Service Monday to Sunday Weekdays Monday to Saturday Monday to Sunday Monday to Sunday Monday to Sunday No. of Vehicles 10 N/A Weekdays 1 Monday to Sunday Monday to Sunday D/R N/A N/A N/A

17 A survey of health and human agencies active in the city of Galveston also was conducted to identify any that provided transportation to potentially ADA-eligible individuals (Table 8). Most of these agencies or organizations did not provide transportation themselves but relied on Connect Transit or contracted for services with DART, under Island Transit which is the transit provider for the City of Galveston. Coastal AHEC Galveston County 4C's The Salvation Army The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) The United Way and NAMI Gulf Coast Table 8 Brazoria County Health and Human Services Agencies Name Coastal AHEC Galveston County 4C's Salvation Army University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) United Way NAMI Gulf Coast Type of Client Multiple populations with need, especially the underserved Multiple populations with need Low income UTMB patients and employees Multiple populations with need in Galveston & Brazoria County Mental Health Service Provider Does not provide transportation to its clients. Contracts with Connect Transit for patient trips Does not provide transportation to its clients Uses IT fixed-route system, also owns 6 wheelchair equipped vans Does not provide transportation to its clients Does not provide transportation to its clients, but says clients do use Connect Transit to get to meetings Trip Time of Days of No. of Purpose Service Service Vehicles NA NA NA NA Medical visits Follows Connect Transit times Follows Connect Transit days N/A NA NA NA NA Work trips and medical visits Transportation available 24 hours a day Transportation available 7 days a week 6 liftequipped vans, DART & fixed route NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 14

18 Island Transit is another organization that is active in Galveston County. Island Transit is a public transportation program that serves the city of Galveston. Island Transit provides fixedroute bus, ADA demand-response, vanpool, and trolley services. Island Transit also provides free service to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) clinics for passengers who present a current appointment slip. Island Transit operates an ADA complementary paratransit service known as Dial-A-Ride Transit, or DART (Table 9). DART is a curb-to-curb, shared-ride transportation service, available to individuals with physical or mental disabilities that prevent them from accessing or using Island Transit s fixed-route service. Since DART s service extends to ¾ mile from the fixed route, it provides paratransit service for the entire island, extending from Beachtown Drive, east of 1 st Street and 7 Mile Road, and west of 103 rd Street. Island Transit s hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fares for DART are the same as fixed-route fares, with the exception of monthly passes, which are sold at a discount. Table 9 Additional Providers of Federal/State-Funded Demand-Response or Paratransit Services Name Type of Client Type of Service Trip Purpose Time of Service Days of Service No. of Vehicles DART, Island Transit Paratransit, D/R Greater Houston Transportation Elderly, Disabled, General Public Elderly, Disabled D/R No restrictions on trip purpose No restrictions on trip purpose 6 AM to 11 PM 7 days a week 6 D/R vehicles in Galveston 24 hours a day 7 days a week N/A Another resource for ADA paratransit service is Private Vehicles for Hire (PVH) or taxis (Table 10). Some transportation agencies contract with privately owned vehicles as either primary or secondary providers of ADA paratransit service. Flexibility, ability to fill demand during peak times or hard-to-serve areas, response time, and service quality are some of the benefits noted by transportation agencies that use PVH to fulfill or supplement their ADA paratransit program. Questions about service quality, fraud, excessive cost, and inconsistent driver training, are noted as problems frequently encountered. However, PVH may be an alternative for Connect Transit to fulfill trip requests the agency cannot meet efficiently or cost-effectively. One type of PVH arrangement is a user-side subsidy or taxi voucher which enables transportation providers to limit the number and cost of trips by purchasing fare media in advance. Connect Transit does contract with Greater Houston Transportation for cab service to provide service for the elderly and individuals with a disability where there is no other type of transportation. 15

19 Galveston and Brazoria counties PVH companies were contacted and asked if they operated in the counties and if they had wheelchair-equipped vehicles. Of the 10 taxi services, only one had wheelchair-equipped vehicles. Table 10 City of Galveston s PVH Providers Name Address Phone Vehicle Inventory Wheelchair Equipped A & T Taxi Service Glenwest Dr. (281) No Friendswood TX Brazosport Yellow 5819 Stephen F Austin (979) No Cab Rd, Freeport Busy Bee Taxi 3827 Ball Street, (409) No Galveston Clear Lake Cab & 175 Alabama Ave, (281) N/A N/A Transportation League City Eagle Taxi & 214 Avenue E, Alvin (281) No Delivery Jeff s Cab and 3410 Broadway (409) No Shuttle Service Main land Busy B 1140 Texas Ave, (409) No Taxi Texas City Tropical Taxi st Street, (409) N/A No Galveston United/A-1 Cab 512 Texas Ave, Texas (409) No City Yellow Cab rd Street, Galveston (409) (including Galveston County) Yes 16

20 PARK & RIDE SERVICES Mall of the Mainland Park & Ride. Connect Transit, in partnership with the City of Galveston s Island Transit, currently operates a park & ride service, known as Island Connect, providing express bus service for commuters from the Mall of the Mainland in Texas City to Galveston, Monday through Friday (Figure 4). The park & ride facility located at IH 45 and FM 1764 in Texas City serves as a transfer point between Island Transit and Island Connect service areas. Buses operate from 5:45 AM to 8:30 AM and from 3:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. and travel to UTMB in Galveston at 25 th and The Strand and a transfer point at Broadway at 53 rd. Fares for this service are $2 for a one-way trip or $4 for a round trip. Victory Lakes Park & Ride. Connect Transit currently is constructing this facility to provide service from the UTMB Victory Lakes campus in League City to downtown Galveston and the UTMB main campus in Galveston. Four buses will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Fares for this service will be $3 for a one-way trip. Figure 4 Connect Transit Park & Ride Services 17

21 ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN TO PROVIDE COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT SERVICE GCC records all demand and fixed-route trips for accounting, National Transit Database reporting, and other data collection requirements. To better estimate the demand for ADA paratransit trips, a three-month sampling of trips was analyzed between June 1, 2011, and August 31, During the sampling period GCC provided 9,113 demand-response trips originating in Galveston County or Brazoria County. Only a sub-set of the 9,113 demand-response is expected to be geographically eligible for paratransit service (Figure 5). Geographically eligible is when the origin and destination of a scheduled demand-response trip both fall within a ¾ mile radius of a fixed route. Figures 6 and 7 present the ¾ mile geographic eligibility area. Of the 9,113 demand-response trips over the three month sampling period, 3,826 trips were considered to be geographically eligible for ADA paratransit service. GCC anticipates that only a fraction of these trips will further qualify for paratransit service or will prove eligibility for the complementary service. Figure 5 ADA Paratransit Eligibility 18

22 Figure 6 Mainland Transit ADA Paratransit Geographical Eligibility Area 19

23 Figure 7 Southern Brazoria County Transit ADA Paratransit Geographical Eligibility Area 20

24 Using the three-month sample, several factors were analyzed to identify the geographically eligible trips. First, trips were analyzed by the origin and destination of each eligible trip. In Galveston County, over 1/3 of trips were made within Texas City and over 70% of all trips occurred within or between Texas City and La Marque (Table 11). In Brazoria County, approximately half of all eligible trips occurred within Lake Jackson and over 70% originated in Lake Jackson (Table 12). Table 11 Galveston County Geographically Eligible Trips by Origins and Destinations Bacliff Dickinson La Marque League City San Leon Texas City Total Bacliff Dickinson La Marque League City San Leon Texas City ,239 2,047 Total ,053 3,494 Table 12 Brazoria County Geographically Eligible Trips by Origins and Destinations Angleton Clute Freeport Lake Jackson League City Pearland Total Angleton Clute Freeport Lake Jackson Total

25 GCC also reviewed trip purposes within these geographically eligible areas in Galveston and Brazoria counties. In Galveston County, over 2,400 trips, or 2/3 of trips, were taken for dialysis or medical purposes (Table 13). In Brazoria County, 93% of trips were for medical and dialysis purposes within the geographical eligibility area (Table 14). Table 13 Galveston County Geographic Eligible Trips by Trip Type Dialysis Medical Recreation Work Not Given Total Bacliff Dickinson La Marque League City San Leon Texas City ,047 Total 1,234 1, , ,494 Table 14 Brazoria County Geographically Eligible Trips by Trip Type Dialysis Medical Work Total Angleton 4 4 Clute Freeport Lake Jackson Total

26 PLANNED MODIFICATIONS Connect Transit has never had an ADA complementary paratransit plan. Therefore, there are no modifications to a current plan or policy. The next section outlines and describes the proposed ADA complementary paratransit service required in Part d4. 23

27 SERVICE AREA AND HOURS Table 15 Service Area and Hours ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan All areas within ¾ mile of a route station All times when fixed route is in service D/R provides service throughout Galveston and Brazoria counties D/R provides service 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Provide service to all areas within ¾ mile of fixed routes in Galveston and Brazoria counties Provide service from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday Recommended Changes for Service Area and Hours Connect Transit s general demand-response service currently responds to all requests within Galveston and Brazoria counties, with shorter hours than the fixed-route system. The proposed ADA paratransit plan will provide service to all those within ¾ of a mile from the fixed-route bus services in Galveston and Brazoria counties. The ¾ mile radius will create a service area that partially covers the cities of Dickinson, Texas City, La Marque, Bacliff, and San Leon in Galveston County and Angleton, Lake Jackson, Clute, and Freeport in Brazoria County. General demand-response service currently operates Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. These hours will be extended to 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to match the fixed-route service hours. 24

28 RESERVATIONS AND RESPONSE TIME Table 16 Reservations and Response Time ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan Reservations can be made Reservations will be accepted during all normal business hours as well as during times, comparable to normal business during all business hours as well as Sunday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM hours, on a day when the Trips will be allowed to be entity s offices are not open before a day of service. scheduled up to 7 days in advance Trips may be scheduled up to 14 days in advance Changes to reservation practices follow public participation requirements Subscription Service can be provided as long as it does not consume more than 50% of capacity D/R service takes reservations made during business hours, 7 days in advance of trip. Trips may be cancelled the morning of the scheduled trip. D/R service provides a subscription service that has no limits Reservation changes will accord to public participation requirements Subscription Service will be an option when available Recommended Changes for Reservations and Response Time Similar to the general demand-response services, paratransit services will take reservations by phone, up to seven days in advance. Next day reservations can be made prior to 2:00 p.m., the day before service is requested. Reservations can be made Sunday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. General demand response does have some subscription service. Subscription service will continue to be available for paratransit, as long as it does not cause denied trips. FTA emphasizes a passenger s needed arrival and appointment time must be taken into account when scheduling paratransit trips. Connect Transit does not currently record when a trip is picked up versus when it is scheduled. Connect Transit s Paratransit service will maintain records of scheduled versus actual pick-ups and drop-offs to better document late arrivals and no shows. Connect Transit s policy will allow reservationists to negotiate pick-up times but all trips are scheduled within 15 to 55 minutes in advance of the appointment time. Return trips are scheduled between 15 and 55 minutes of the requested time. Subscription service will be considered a trip that occurs to and from the same places, at the same time, on the same days for a period of 90 days or long. Subscription services will be available as long as it does not interfere with any other scheduled trips. Any changes to reservation policies will allow for public participation before permanent changes occur. 25

29 FARES Table 17 Fares ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan No more than twice the Basic Fare: $1 for adult trip; Maintain fares within ADA basic adult fare for a comparable fixed-route same as fare for fixed route guidelines for fares, charges for PCAs, and companion passengers trip PCAs will be charged nothing to No charge for personal ride attendants All persons riding using paratransit One companion can will be charged the same ride at the same fare as Low- or no-fare fixed route fares eligible passenger ADA Best Practices and half fare during off peak hours will not be considered at this time o A low- or no-fare policy for ADAeligible riders who use fixed route o Half fare for ADA eligible riders during off-peak hours Recommended Changes for Fares Connect Transit s basic fare policy exceeds ADA requirements, which require fares for an ADA paratransit service not exceed two times the fixed route fare. Paratransit and general demandresponse service fares are equal to fixed-route service fares. Personal Care Attendants (PCA) will be charged nothing to ride paratransit services. PCAs travel for free with the individual with a disability. Companions and paratransit passengers will be charged $1 per trip. 26

30 SERVICE QUALITY AND ACCESS TO SERVICE Table 18 Service Quality and Access to Service ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan No limits on types of D/R service has no Maintain policies and procedures trips. No limits on the number of trips. No waiting list. No significant number of denied trips. No practices which limit access to service: limitations on the type or number of trip. Although there is no waiting list, Connect Transit has had to deny trips because of availability. No data is available to evaluate hold times as required by ADA regulations. o Long hold times o Significantly late pick-ups o Excessively long ride times Recommended Changes or Service Quality and Access to Service Paratransit will not exceed 10% of late trips. Paratransit service will not schedule excessively long trips. An excessively long trip is one that is significantly greater than the equivalent trip time for a fixed route, including ingress and egress to the bus stop. Trip Purpose Restrictions: If individual is ADA Paratransit eligible, there will be no trip purpose restrictions for trips within ¾ mile of the fixed-route bus system. Capacity Constraints: Connect Transit will provide adequate vehicles and resources for Paratransit service demand. Connect Transit s policy for on-time performance is 90%. Trips will be considered on time if the Paratransit operator arrives at a pick up destination within 20 minutes of a scheduled pick up. Connect Transit s policy for trip time length is equitable to that of a fixed-route trip including the time for transfers, ingress, and egress. Trip time length will vary depending upon each individual trip and the varying service areas. Denied Trips will be capped at less than 1%. Connect Transit is committed to providing 100% of paratransit trips. Although it is the policy of Connect Transit to not deny eligible trips, the Paratransit service will consider any trip denial as a rare occurrence and is committed to not deny more than 1% of trips due to extenuating services. 27

31 CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS Table 19 Customer Service and Customer Expectations ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan Service can be D/R service has a policy that Three no-shows within 1 month suspended for a reasonable period of 3 no-shows within 1 month (30 days) results in (30 days) will result in suspension of service for 1 week time if rider has a suspension of service for No stated policy, but reasons for pattern of missing scheduled trips. 1 week. All other ADA requirements or best no-shows will be accepted by Connect Transit and considered Service may not be practices are not stated in the Riders about to be suspended are suspended for no-shows policy by Connect Transit. sent a letter of notification beyond rider s control. Riders sent letters of suspension Riders in danger of suspension must be notified in writing. notification have 30 days to contest the suspension by written statement Riders in danger of Trips cancelled within 1 hour of suspension must be given an opportunity to the scheduled time are counted as a no-show contest the suspension. ADA Best Practice: o Late cancellations may be counted as no-shows if they are functionally equivalent to a noshow. FTA has indicated in triennial reviews that a 2- hour window is reasonable Recommended Changes for Customer Service and Customer Expectations General demand response has the current No-Show Policy: Three no-shows within one month will result in one-week suspension. This policy will continue for the paratransit service. Noshows that are out of the rider s control will be accepted by Connect Transit and consider to not count against the rider. All riders who violate the no-show policy will receive a letter of notification, explaining the reasons for suspension that will include the dates of the no-shows. Riders will be allowed to contest decision in a written statement within thirty (30) days of the letter being sent. Trips cancelled within 60 minutes will be counted as a no-show. If the same individual has no shows for three more trips the next month, the rider will have a lengthened suspension. If the practice continues, Connect Transit may indefinitely suspend the violating rider. 28

32 ELIGIBILITY Table 20 Eligibility ADA Requirement Current Practice Proposed ADA Paratransit Plan Service limited to individuals D/R s only eligibility Service provided to individuals with disabilities who are unable to use the fixed-route service due to physical or requirement is that the trip must originate and terminate in Galveston who cannot use fixed-route service and/or access fixed-route bus stops due to disability mental impairment. and/or Brazoria Information made available on Information and materials needed to establish eligibility counties Connect Transit website and in paper must be made available in Determinations made within 21 alternative formats. days in writing Determination of eligibility Appeals accepted within 60 days must be made within 21 days Recertification occurs every 3 in writing. Appeals process to contest eligibility determination must years for all individuals who are not temporarily disabled or whose condition is not expected to change occur within 60 days. Conditional Eligibility may occur Best Practices: under extenuating circumstances o Recertification allowed at A functional assessment may be reasonable intervals but performed on a case-by-case basis can be waived for individuals whose condition is not expected to change. o Eligibility may be for specific trips only (Conditional Eligibility). o Eligibility may be determined using a functional assessment. Recommended Changes for Eligibility Connect Transit s determination of eligibility/application process requires the applicant to complete the ADA Program Intake form and an information release agreement. The release agreement is for the purpose of having the applicant get a qualified healthcare professional to write Connect Transit on letterhead certifying eligibility. If Connect Transit deems it necessary, a third party could perform a functional assessment or in-person interview on the case at no cost to the applicant. Connect Transit makes a determination of eligibility within 21 days and provides this determination in writing to the application. If the applicant does not receive notice of his or her eligibility status within 21 days of submitting his or her full application, the applicant will receive complementary service until a decision has been made. If eligibility is denied, the individual will have 60 days to contest this decision. More information will be provided on the Connect Transit website, by phone or in the Passenger Guide provided by 29

33 Connect Transit. Connect Transit will provide documentation to those deemed eligible with their determination for use on Connect Transit and for other paratransit services. COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT SERVICE FOR VISITORS Connect Transit will provide complementary paratransit services for visitors of the system. Visitors include individuals with a disability who do not live within jurisdictions served by Connect Transit, but would prefer service. Those individuals who present documentation of ADA paratransit eligibility and/or other documentation of a disability that is not apparent, as well as jurisdiction identification, will receive the same paratransit service outlined in this plan. Visitors will be allowed service for any combination of 21 days for a 365-day period, starting with the visitor s first use of the paratransit service. TIMETABLE FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICE Connect Transit s timetable for implementation has several milestones planned to occur in These milestones include the following: October 2012 Begin distribution of Connect Transit ADA Program Intake Forms December 2012 Begin ADA Paratransit Service 30

34 CAPITAL AND OPERATING COST PROJECTIONS Connect Transit does not currently have a formal ADA Paratransit policy and this plan can only provide a rough estimate of the number of geographically and functionally eligible trips and costs. The Connect Transit demand response program offers a level of service that is somewhat equivalent to the planned ADA Paratransit service and therefore the basis for the projected ADA Paratransit costs estimates are derived from the current Connect Transit demand response service. Connect Transit reported to the National Transit Database that the FY2010 Urban Area demand response operating expense per unlinked passenger was $ The FY2010 national average operating expense per unlinked passenger for demand-response service was $ The ADA Paratransit service is higher-level of service than demand response and therefore the operating expense per unlinked passenger will be slightly higher. The additional costs will include expanded service hours, additional staffing for call center and administration. In addition, new ADA demand-response vehicles are recommended depending on the number of geographically and functionally eligible trips. The new vehicles will help off-set the strain on current demand responses vehicles. Each vehicle is projected to cost $75,000 per vehicle. The ADA paratransit plan estimates that the first year operating expense per passenger for the ADA paratransit will be $40. A 4% inflation rate is applied to subsequent years. As stated previously of the 9,113 demand-response trips over the three-month sampling period, 3,826 trips (1,275 monthly trips) were considered to be geographically eligible for ADA Paratransit service. Only a portion of the geographically eligible riders will also be functionally eligible riders. The following monthly trip estimates were calculated: High Estimate 80% of Geographically Eligible Trips (1,275 x 80% x 12 months) = 12,240 Annual Trips. Medium Estimate 50% of Geographically Eligible Trips (1,275 x 50% x 12 months) = 7,650 Annual Trips. Low Estimate 30% of Geographically Eligible Trips (1,275 x 30% x 12 months) = 4,590 Annual Trips. Tables 21 to 23 present the estimated annual capital and operating cost for FY2013 to FY2017, assuming service starts the beginning of FY