Sun Metro LIFT

**El Paso, Texas**

# Assessment 

# of 

# ADA Complementary Paratransit Service 

# Capacity Constraints

## January 22-25, 2001

### *Summary of Observations*

## Prepared for

**Federal Transit Administration**

**Office of Civil Rights**

**Washington, DC**

## Prepared by

**Planners Collaborative Inc.**

**with**

**Multisystems, Inc.**

## Final Report

## May 24, 2001

##  {#section .unnumbered}

## 

######### CONTENTS

# Purpose of the Assessment 1

Overview of the Assessment 3

Background 6

Summary of Findings 10

Observations Regarding Trip Denials 13

Observations Regarding On-Time Performance 19

Observations Regarding Travel Time 23

Observations Regarding Telephone Capacity 26

Observations Regarding ADA Complementary Paratransit

> Eligibility Determination 30

Other Observations 33

Service Animal Policy 36

####### Attachment 1. Original On-Site Assessment Schedule

####### Attachment 2. *The LIFT\* Book* (Rider Guide)

####### Attachment 3. ADA Complementary Paratransit Eligibility Materials

Attachment 4. El Paso Mass Transit Paratransit Operating & Capital
Budgets

####### Attachment 5. Service Animal Policies

Attachment 6. Response to FTA Draft Assessment Report from Sun Metro

# Purpose of the Assessment

Public entities that operate fixed route transportation services for the
general public are required by the U.S. Department of Transportation
(USDOT) regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA) to provide ADA Complementary Paratransit service for persons
who, because of their disability, are unable to use the fixed route
system. These regulations (49 CFR Parts 27, 37, and 38) include six
service criteria, which must be met by ADA Complementary Paratransit
service programs. Section 37.135(d) of the regulations requires that ADA
Complementary Paratransit services meet these criteria by January 26,
1997.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is responsible for ensuring
compliance with the ADA and the USDOT regulations. As part of its
compliance efforts, FTA, through its Office of Civil Rights, conducts
periodic assessments of fixed route transit and ADA Complementary
Paratransit services operated by grantees.

The purpose of the review is to assist the transit agency and the FTA in
assessing whether capacity constraints exist in ADA Complementary
Paratransit services. The assessment examines service standards and
policies related to issues of capacity constraints such as on-time
performance, on-board travel time, telephone hold times, trip denials,
and any other trip-limiting factors. The assessment considers whether
there are patterns or practices of a significant number of trip limits,
trip denials, early or late pick-ups or arrivals after desired arrival
(or appointment) times, long trips, or long telephone hold times as
defined by established standards (or typical practices if standards do
not exist). The examination of patterns or practices includes looking
not just at service statistics, but also at basic service records and
operating documents, and observing service to determine whether records
and documents appear to reflect true levels of service delivery. Input
also is gathered from local disability organizations and customers.
Guidance also is provided that will assist in ensuring that service can
be effectively monitored by transit agencies for capacity constraints.

An on-site assessment of ADA Complementary Paratransit service provided
by Sun Metro in

El Paso, Texas was conducted from January 22-25, 2001. Planners
Collaborative, Inc., located in Boston, Massachusetts, and Multisystems,
Inc., located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, conducted the assessment for
the FTA Office of Civil Rights. The assessment focused on compliance of
Sun Metro's ADA Complementary Paratransit service, known as the LIFT
(Living Independently Facilitated by Transportation), with one specific
regulatory service criterion: the "capacity constraints" criterion.
Section 37.131(f) of the regulations requires that ADA Complementary
Paratransit services be operated without capacity constraints.

This report summarizes the observations and findings of the on-site
assessment of Sun Metro's ADA Complementary Paratransit service. First,
a description of key features of the ADA Complementary Paratransit
service is provided. Then, a description of the approach and methodology
used to conduct the assessment is provided. Observations and findings
related to each element of the capacity constraint criterion are then
summarized. The major findings of the assessment are summarized in the
last section of this report. Some recommendations for addressing
findings are also provided.

During the assessment, the FTA Office of Civil Rights also asked the
Assessment Team to review Sun Metro's service animal policy. This and
any other ADA-related observations and findings not specifically
addressed under the capacity constraints criterion are presented in the
"Observations Regarding Other Issues" section of this report.

Sun Metro was provided with a draft copy of the report for review and
response. A copy of the correspondence received from Sun Metro
documenting the transit agency's response to the draft report is
included as Attachment 6.

**Overview of the Assessment**

As noted earlier, this assessment focused on compliance with the ADA
Complementary Paratransit capacity constraints requirements of the
regulations. Several possible types of capacity constraints are
identified by the regulations. These include "wait listing" trips,
having trip caps, or recurring patterns or practices that result in a
significant number of trip denials, untimely pick-ups, or excessively
long trips. Capacity constraints also include other operating policies
or practices that tend to significantly limit the amount of service to
persons who are ADA Complementary Paratransit eligible.

To assess each of these potential types of capacity constraints, the
assessment focused on observations and findings regarding:

-   Trip denials and "wait listing" of trips;

-   Trip caps;

-   On-time performance; and

-   Travel times.

Observations and findings related to two other policies and practices
that can affect ADA Complementary Paratransit use also were provided
including:

-   Determinations of ADA Complementary Paratransit eligibility and

-   Telephone capacity.

ADA Complementary Paratransit eligibility determinations were assessed
to ensure that system use was not impacted by inappropriate denials of
eligibility for the service. Telephone capacity was assessed because
access to reservations and customer service staff is a critical part of
using any paratransit service.

###### Pre-assessment

The assessment first involved the collection and review of key service
information prior to the on-site visit. This information included:

-   A description of how the ADA Complementary Paratransit service is
    structured;

-   A copy of the current taxi service provider contract;

-   A copy of the operator manual, which details service policies and
    practices to drivers and employees;

-   A copy of the passenger guide, which details service policies to
    customers; and

-   A description of the service standards adopted by Sun Metro related
    to on-time performance, trip denials, travel times, and telephone
    service, if any.

Additional information was requested to be available during the on-site
visit. This information included:

-   Copies of completed driver manifests for recent months;

-   Six months of service data, including the number of trips requested,
    scheduled, denied, canceled, no-shows, missed trips, and trips
    provided;

-   A breakdown of trips requested, scheduled, and provided by the LIFT;

-   Detailed information about trips denied in the last six months
    including origin and destination information, day and time
    information, and customer information;

-   Detailed information about trips identified in the last six months
    with excessively long travel times;

-   Telephone call management records; and

-   A list of recent customer complaints related to capacity issues
    (trip denials, on-time performance, travel time, and telephone
    access).

In addition to the review of data and direct observations, the
Assessment Team conducted telephone interviews with seven customers and
advocates. These individuals were identified through local advocacy
groups such as Desert ADAPT, Texas Commission for the Blind, El Paso
Council of the Blind, VOLAR (the local Center for Independent Living),
Allegiance (MR/DD), and others from the membership list of the Sun Metro
Citizen Advisory Committee and the ADA Ad Hoc Committee. Complaints
filed during the last six months about the LIFT also were reviewed.
There were no complaints on file with FTA.

###### On-site Assessment

The on-site assessment began with an opening conference, held at 2:00
p.m. on Monday,

January 22, 2001. Sun Metro representatives attending the meeting
included James Peterson, Sun Metro Paratransit Manager; Joe Vallejo,
Superintendent of Operations; Jorge Castillo, Transit Planning Manager;
Richard Morales, Accountant IV; and Raul Perez Jr., Sun Metro
Maintenance. Brian Barber of the Planners Collaborative, and Rosemary
Mathias and

Russell Thatcher of Multisystems, Inc. represented the FTA Assessment
Team. Roger Peralta from the FTA Office of Civil Rights participated in
the opening conference via telephone.

Mr. Peralta opened the meeting by explaining the purpose of the ADA
Complementary Paratransit assessment. He thanked Sun Metro staff for
their assistance in providing the information requested and with on-site
visit arrangements. Ms. Mathias, the Assessment Team leader, then
reviewed the proposed assessment schedule, a copy of which is provided
as Attachment 1. Final arrangements and plans were made for the staff
and departments that would be visited each day. Sun Metro staff
indicated that they were happy to assist in any way during the course of
the assessment. Workspace was provided for the Assessment Team.

Following the opening conference, the Assessment Team toured the Sun
Metro facility and met with the managers and supervisors in each
paratransit-related department. They also met individually with Mr.
Peterson to review the data that had been made available in advance and
the data that was available on-site.

Tuesday morning, January 23, the Assessment Team observed the
reservations/scheduling process at Sun Metro and collected data on the
handling of trip requests. The Assessment Team members sat with three
different schedulers and listened to calls as they were received.
Because splitters were not available, the Assessment Team could not hear
the actual conversation between the schedulers and the caller. Basic
information (e.g., date and time requested, origin and destination
ambulatory or wheelchair user, whether the trip was scheduled or put on
the pending list) was recorded for each call observed. Tuesday
afternoon, two of the Assessment Team members went to Checker/Yellow Cab
to observe the dispatch function and went to one of the group pick-up
sites to observe vehicles arrive for return-trips home. Driver manifests
also were collected and reviewed to assess on-time service
characteristics.

Dispatch was observed Wednesday morning, January 24. Two Assessment Team
members observed dispatch at Sun Metro and reviewed the driver logs and
pullout reports. The third Assessment Team member met with the manager
at Checker/Yellow Cab to better ascertain how the taxi portion of
service was provided. Later in the day, the Assessment Team met with
staff to review the eligibility determination process, travel time
statistics, and other statistics.

On Thursday, January 25, the Assessment Team prepared for the exit
conference, which was held early that afternoon. During the exit
conference, the Assessment Team presented preliminary findings and these
findings and recommendations were discussed with Sun Metro staff.
Everyone who participated at the opening conference was present at the
exit conference, as well as Terry Lee Scott, Sun Metro Director, and Joe
Acosta, Sun Metro Safety and Training Manager. Mary Elizabeth Peters of
the FTA Office of Civil Rights participated in the exit conference via
telephone conference call.

**Background**

The City of El Paso Mass Transit Department (Sun Metro) has been
publicly owned and operated since 1977. In November 1987, El Paso voters
approved a 0.5% sales tax, which has remained unchanged, to fund public
transportation services for the City of El Paso. Sun Metro currently
functions as a city department, with the El Paso City Council acting as
the board of directors (Mass Transit Board). Sun Metro provides fixed
route services throughout the city in a 247-square-mile area with a
population of approximately 600,000. Juarez, Mexico, directly across the
Rio Grande from El Paso, has a population of 1.5 million. Sun Metro
estimates that 40% of its fixed route passengers are Mexican nationals.

In addition to the Northgate Transit Terminal and the Eastside Transit
Terminal, five transit facilities are currently under construction (the
Oregon Street Transit Mall; the San Antonio Avenue Transit/Pedestrian
Plaza; the Five Points Transit Terminal; the Lower Valley Transit
Terminal, which will include a park-and-ride lot; and the Union Plaza
Livable Communities Initiative). Two more transit facilities (to be
located on the west side and far east side of the city) are in the
planning process. Mr. Scott noted that there is a strong desire and
active plans to create community-based services throughout the City of
El Paso, which will be accessible to all its citizens. Sun Metro also is
responsible for working with the city to make curb cut improvements to
ensure greater accessibility for persons who use wheelchairs. The
transit agency also is involved in a system-wide assessment of bus stop
accessibility and amenities.

Sun Metro operates fixed route service on 51 routes. All fixed route
buses and trolleys are equipped with wheelchair lifts. Fixed route
service is generally available seven days a week. On weekdays, service
starts as early as 4:40 a.m. and ends as late as 10:40 p.m., depending
on the route. On Saturdays, service starts as early as 4:52 a.m. and
ends as late as 10:40 p.m., and on Sundays, service is more limited,
starting as early as 6:26 a.m. and ending as late as 10:20 p.m.,
depending on the route. The regular one-way fare is \$1.00; seniors and
persons with disabilities pay 30 cents with an I.D. card. Travel
training also is an important element in the mix of Sun Metro services,
and the transit agency is about to embark on a joint travel-training
program with the help of Volar, the local Center for Independent Living.

###### Description of the ADA Complementary Paratransit Service

Currently, Sun Metro operates the LIFT operation and fixed route service
out of its facility at Union Station. Plans are underway to construct a
new facility in northeast El Paso that will house the ADA Complementary
Paratransit operation. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2002
and will enable the agency to expand service.

A copy of the ADA Complementary Paratransit rider guide, called "*The
LIFT\* Book*," is included as Attachment 2. The guide is printed in
English and Spanish. The booklet also is available in large print,
Braille, and audiocassette formats.

Most of the LIFT service is directly operated by Sun Metro. Sun Metro
also contracts for supplemental taxi service with Checker/Yellow Cab.
Sun Metro defines the ADA Complementary Paratransit service area as an
area 1.5 miles on either side of the fixed route service. Service is not
provided outside the city limits of El Paso. Curb-to-curb
demand-response service is provided with a fleet of 54 small buses
equipped with wheelchair lifts and securements. About 45 LIFT vehicles
are in service on any given weekday.[^1] Checker/Yellow Cab drivers
provides 28 to 30 routes per weekday using taxi sedans. The taxi drivers
are independent contractors who own their own vehicles and buy dispatch
service from Checker/Yellow Cab.

In the paratransit database, about 9000 persons are registered as
ADA-eligible. Of this number, 3614 are active riders who have used the
LIFT service during the past six months. Annual ridership for FY 2000
was 270,062, down about 4% from 281,535 in FY 1999 (ridership figures
include ADA-eligible passengers, personal attendants, and companions).

Passenger pick-ups are scheduled between 4:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on
weekdays, 5:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and 6:30 a.m. and 9:00
p.m. on Sundays and holidays. These service hours are roughly equivalent
to the fixed route service hours. The one-way fare is \$1.50, payable in
cash or with advance-purchase tickets. A monthly pass is available for
\$50.00. Personal attendants ride free. Companions pay the same fare as
the eligible customer.

Sun Metro allows as many companions as requested, as space permits.
Children 5 and younger ride free; children 6 and older are required to
pay the \$1.50 fare.

Reservations are accepted between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily.
Requests may be made from 1 to 14 days in advance of the trip. Same-day
service is provided on a space-available basis. Reservations are entered
into a computerized scheduling program (Trapeze® PASS), which searches
for the best available time for a requested trip. Trips are scheduled
while the passenger is on the phone. At the time of the review, trips
that could not be accommodated were put into a pending file. Schedulers
would attempt to work them into the schedule later and passengers were
being asked to call back to determine whether the trip could be
accommodated. This process is described in more detail under the section
on Reservations/Scheduling/Dispatching Observations described later in
this report.

Sun Metro requests passengers to call to cancel trips at least 2 hours
in advance of the trip, preferably a day or more in advance. There is a
dedicated number for cancellations, which are recorded on an answering
machine. The cancellation line is checked periodically by the
schedulers/dispatchers. In addition to the reservations and cancellation
telephone numbers, there is a toll-free "where's my ride" number as well
as a TTY number for persons who are hearing or speech impaired, which is
answered by the dispatcher. The LIFT has a stated passenger no-show
policy, which is described in *The LIFT\* Book*, but is not currently
enforced.

###### Policies and Service Standards Related to Capacity Issues

Sun Metro has established policies for trip denials and on-time
performance, but has not established service standards and policies
related to missed trips, travel time, and telephone capacity for the
LIFT. The stated service standards are described below.

-   ***Trip Denials***: Sun Metro says it strives to accommodate all
    requests for transportation service next day, up to 14 days in
    advance. Sun Metro does not have a stated standard for trip denials.

-   ***On-Time Performance***: Trips are considered to be on time if
    passengers are picked up within 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up
    time (pick-up times are determined based on requested appointment
    times and estimated travel times). There is no stated percentage of
    acceptable on-time performance.

-   ***Missed Trips***: Sun Metro defines a missed trip as a "true
    failure" to provide a trip. There is no defined standard for the
    percentage of missed trips that are acceptable; Sun Metro does track
    the number of missed trips and runs.

-   ***Travel Time***: There is no stated travel time standard. Sun
    Metro reports that it makes periodic comparisons of comparable fixed
    route and paratransit travel times when passengers complain about
    lengthy paratransit trips. In most cases, Sun Metro reports that it
    found that the paratransit service is comparable to the same trip if
    it were taken using fixed route.

-   ***Telephone Capacity***: There are no written or stated
    call-handling standards.

###### Customer Complaints

The FTA Office of Civil Rights has no formal complaints against Sun
Metro's ADA Complementary Paratransit service on file. There were a
total of 39 complaints logged by Sun Metro's customer service department
between May and October 2000. Complaints prior to May 2000 were not on
file. Complaints are reviewed by customer service and forwarded to the
ADA Paratransit Manager for investigation and resolution. The results of
the investigation and resolution are recorded on the complaint form and
returned to Sun Metro's Director for review prior to filing. The
customer service manager maintains a log of open complaints.

The Assessment Team reviewed 34 complaints documented by the customer
service staff. Of the 34 complaints, 16 referenced trip-related problems
(e.g., late rides or missed trips), 12 related to driver attitude and/or
poor driving, and 6 complaints were related to wrong addresses and other
office-related problems. A review of the customer service files did not
indicate that any of these complaints had been documented as resolved.
Mr. Peterson stated that he reads the complaints and follows up via
telephone on any complaints that are urgent in nature. He also said that
the formal documentation of complaint resolution has been a low priority
for him since the paratransit operations manager position has been
vacant (about six months).

Summary of Findings

The following summarizes the findings made as a result of the
assessment. The bases for these findings are addressed in the following
sections of this report.

###### Findings Regarding Trip Denials

1.  Based on data provided by Sun Metro, on-site service observations,
    and customer/advocacy interviews, there appears to be a substantial
    number of trip denials. Observations indicate that trip denials are
    5.9% of trip requests. There may also be a considerable number of
    cancellations of requests for trips that could not be scheduled
    resulting in a denial rate as high as 10%.

2.  At the time of the assessment, Sun Metro was placing trip requests
    that could not be accommodated into an "unscheduled trip" file,
    which appeared to be the equivalent of a waiting list. Passengers
    were encouraged to call back to determine whether trips could be
    scheduled. If possible, trips from the unscheduled list were
    inserted into schedules. However, an average of 67 trips,
    approximately 6 % of requested trips, remained in the unscheduled
    list on weekdays.

3.  The Assessment Team found that no trip statistics for taxi service
    -- denials, on-time performance, missed trips, cancellations, and
    passenger no-shows -- were being recorded and monitored.

4.  There are plans to increase the fleet to provide at least 16
    additional vehicles to provide service.

5.  During the Assessment Team review, the paratransit manager changed
    the procedure for accounting for unscheduled trips/trip denials,
    which should more accurately reflect the number of denials resulting
    from capacity, adversarial, and eligibility denials.

###### Findings Regarding On-Time Performance

1.  Based on the review of records and the review of driver manifests,
    it appears that the LIFT has an average on-time performance rate in
    the 92%-96% range for pick-ups and 82%-88% for drop-offs for trips
    with appointment times.

2.  About 17.4% of the sample trips with appointment times that were
    analyzed for December 13, 2000 were either early for their
    appointments by more than 30 minutes or late.

3.  On-time performance reports can only be run if data are entered into
    the computer on a timely basis. Recently, Sun Metro has experienced
    some lapses in data entry, making it impossible to accurately
    calculate an on-time performance trend for the LIFT.

4.  Observations of dispatch suggest that the dispatch operation is
    well--run and personnel are aware of how drivers are performing
    throughout the day.

5.  Consumer comments suggest that there may be some difficulties with
    on-time performance, particularly for service provided by
    Checker/Yellow Cab, whose performance is not currently measured.
    Further, they suggest that there may be some on-time performance
    problems on weekends when service is more limited and fewer vehicles
    are on the road.

6.  Differing expectations regarding the pick-up time may be confusing
    and lead to on-time service complaints. As mentioned earlier in this
    report, *The LIFT\* Book* states that passengers should be ready 15
    minutes before their scheduled appointments. Drivers are instructed
    to arrive 0-15 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time. At the same
    time, unbeknownst to passengers, schedulers may reschedule pick-up
    times. Although schedulers are supposed to attempt to notify
    passengers if a pick-up time is shifted more than 15 minutes, often
    they do not, so passengers are unaware of the change in pick-up
    time. This practice can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

###### Findings Regarding Travel Time

1.  Overall, Sun Metro does not appear to have a capacity concern with
    travel time for ADA Complementary Paratransit service provided by
    the LIFT.

2.  Sun Metro does not routinely track travel time performance.

3.  Travel time data are not available for trips provided by
    Checker/Yellow Cab.

**Findings Regarding Telephone Capacity**

1.  Based on the telephone management system reports and comments by
    consumers, it appears the busy signal problem was resolved late in
    2000.

2.  However, long hold times continue to be a problem, with callers
    having to wait upwards of 8 minutes during early morning and late
    afternoon hours.

3.  There are a large percentage of calls that may be avoidable if the
    system was configured differently. For example, the low percentage
    of subscription trips contributes to a great deal of calls for
    individual trips that might typically be subscription trips in
    another system (e.g., dialysis, school, training, work trips).

**Findings Regarding ADA Complementary Paratransit**

> **Eligibility Determination**

1.  Sun Metro appears to process applications within 21 days of the
    receipt of a completed application form.

2.  Almost all applicants appear to be determined eligible. The
    determination process does not appear to limit the availability of
    service. It is likely that some applicants who are given
    unconditional eligibility are able to use fixed route service for at
    least some of their trips.

###### Findings Regarding Other Observations

1.  Overall, ridership has decreased since FY 1996, which may be the
    result of capacity denials identified in this assessment.

2.  Historically, it appears Sun Metro has not fully considered
    ridership and capacity constraint data when preparing annual budget
    requests.

3.  Some of the limitations related to hiring should be addressed with
    passage of the new voter-initiative. This initiative also will allow
    Sun Metro to convert contract employees to Civil Service employees,
    which will allow them to advance within the LIFT program without
    resigning from their jobs.

###### Findings Regarding Service Animal Policy

1.  Sun Metro's training material for employees is out-dated and refers
    only to "Dog Guides."

2.  Sun Metro's Draft Service Animal Policy does not properly reflect
    the service animal provisions of the ADA included in 49 CFR Part 37.

Observations Regarding Trip Denials

Sun Metro does not have a standard for trip denials. All eligible trip
requests are to be accommodated. As indicated in the "Overview of the
Assessment" section of this report, information regarding trip denials,
trip caps, and wait listing of trips was collected in three ways:

-   A review of service statistics provided by Sun Metro for the ADA
    Complementary Paratransit program;

-   First-hand observation of trips requested and trips scheduled in the
    reservation and scheduling process; and

-   Interviews with customers and advocates.

###### Sun Metro Service Records

Sun Metro provided the Assessment Team with detailed trip statistics for
the period from January through November 2000. Statistics were generated
for the LIFT using the Trapeze® PASS software database reports. (It was
noted that Sun Metro went through a transition period from January
through March 2000 during the introduction of the new Y2K compliant
software program and hardware; some data reported during that time may
not be entirely accurate.) Billing information was used to account for
taxi trips because data for taxi service is not maintained on the
computer.

Table 1 shows the following information:

-   Number of ADA Complementary Paratransit trip requested;

-   Number of unscheduled trips (i.e., denials);

-   \% of trips denied (unscheduled trips divided by the number of
    requested trips);

-   Number of trips scheduled,

-   Number of passenger no-shows, cancels, and missed trips;

-   \% of passenger no-shows, cancels, and missed trips; and

-   Number of trips provided.

The figures include the trips provided by the taxi contractor, but do
not include any numbers for taxi cancels, no-shows or missed trips,
which are not captured in the reporting process.

#### Table 1. ADA Complementary Paratransit Summary Statistics

**January -- November 2000**

+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| *    | **T    | **Uns    | **%   | *      | *     | **%   | *      |
| *Mon | rips** | cheduled | Trips | *Trips | *No-S | No-S  | *Total |
| th** |        | Trips    | Den   | Sched  | hows, | hows, | Trips  |
|      | *      | (De      | ied** | uled** | Can   | Can   | Prov   |
|      | *Reque | nials)** |       |        | cels, | cels, | ided** |
|      | sted** |          |       |        | M     | M     |        |
|      |        |          |       |        | issed | issed |        |
|      |        |          |       |        | Tr    | Tr    |        |
|      |        |          |       |        | ips** | ips** |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Ja | 22,483 | 2,053    | 9.1%  | 20,430 | 6,399 | 31.3% | 14,031 |
| n.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Fe | 24,479 | 2,204    | 9.0%  | 22,275 | 6,639 | 29.8% | 17,840 |
| b.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| *    | 25,938 | 1,834    | 7.0%  | 24,104 | 6,896 | 28.6% | 17,208 |
| *Mar |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
| ch** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| *    | 22,710 | 1,389    | 6.1%  | 21,321 | 5,833 | 27.4% | 15,488 |
| *Apr |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
| il** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **M  | 25,092 | 1,406    | 5.6%  | 23,686 | 6,410 | 27.1% | 17,276 |
| ay** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Ju | 24,492 | 1,389    | 5.8%  | 23,103 | 6,216 | 26.9% | 16,887 |
| ne** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Ju | 23,963 | 1,143    | 4.8%  | 22,820 | 6,506 | 28.5% | 14,314 |
| ly** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Au | 26,526 | 896      | 3.4%  | 25,630 | 6,937 | 27.1% | 18,693 |
| g.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| *    | 25,515 | 1,115    | 4.4%  | 24,400 | 7,146 | 29.3% | 17,254 |
| *Sep |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
| t.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **Oc | 26,928 | 1,442    | 5.4%  | 25,486 | 7,489 | 29.4% | 17,997 |
| t.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| **No | 24,878 | 1,283    | 5.2%  | 23,595 | 7,667 | 32.5% | 15,928 |
| v.** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+
| *    | **273  | **       | **5   | **256  | **74, | **28  | **182  |
| *Tot | ,004** | 16,154** | .9%** | ,850** | 138** | .9%** | ,712** |
| al** |        |          |       |        |       |       |        |
+------+--------+----------+-------+--------+-------+-------+--------+

The table indicates that a total of 182,712 trips were provided during
the 11-month period. Of the total trips, the LIFT provided 148,565 trips
(81%) and Checker/Yellow Cab provided 34,147 trips (19%). Based on these
statistics, the overall average denial rate (expressed as "unscheduled
trips") was reported at 5.9% during the 11-month period. The Assessment
Team believes that this denial rate is under-reported and may be as high
as 10% on average. Some customers call to cancel unscheduled trips. Some
of these cancellations may occur because the passenger was unable to
schedule the trip. If so, these trips should be classified as trip
denials. However, Sun Metro includes all of the cancellations of
unscheduled trips as cancelled trips, not as denials. This may result in
underreporting of trip denials. Nor does the unscheduled trip number
include other trips that may have been initially scheduled but later
canceled if a roundtrip reservation could not be made at the time the
trip request was made. A review of recent days' trips left in the
unscheduled trip file after the day of service requested showed that, on
average, about half the trips that are put in the unscheduled trip file
remain there, meaning that about 67 trips per day are left unscheduled
and are not provided. These trips should be counted as capacity denials.

A more detailed look at trips provided by the LIFT in November 2000 is
included in Table 2. The table shows that 30.1% of all trips were
canceled in November. This figure, combined with a no-show rate of 5.6%,
means that more than one-third of all trips originally scheduled (35.7%)
were not completed during that period. Further, 1,960 of the trips were
classified as same day cancels and 9 were late cancels. Thus, nearly
one-third of all cancellations occur the same day service is provided
and two-thirds occur prior to the day of service. This high rate of
cancellations may be the result of an inability to book both trips in a
roundtrip reservation or because of the long lead-time for making
reservations -- 14 days in advance of the trip. During that period,
plans may change resulting in the need to cancel and rebook trips. Sun
Metro reported that it is considering a change from the 14-day
advance-reservation period to a 7-day advance-reservation period to help
cut down on cancellations and passenger no-shows.

#### Table 2. Summary Data for the LIFT

#### November 2000

  -------------------------------- ----------------- ---------------------
                                   **Number**        **Percentage**

  **Trips Requested**              22,168            100%

  **Trips Denied\***               1,283             5.8%

  **Trips Scheduled**              20,885            94.2%

  **Trips Canceled**               6,455             30.1%

  **No Shows**                     1,179             5.6%

  **Missed Trips**                 0                 0%

  **Trips Provided**               13,251            63.4%

  \* Unscheduled trips.                              
  -------------------------------- ----------------- ---------------------

###### Reservations/Scheduling/Dispatching Observations

On Tuesday morning, January 23, the Assessment Team observed the
reservations process at Sun Metro from 7:15 to 10:15 a.m. and collected
data on the handling of trip requests. The three Assessment Team members
sat with different reservation clerks/schedulers and observed calls as
they were received. Splitters were not available, so the Assessment Team
could not hear passenger conversations, but could observe how the trip
requests were input into the computer. More than half the calls were in
Spanish and all of the schedulers are reportedly bilingual. The process
for making reservations, scheduling, and dispatching trips is as
follows:

1.  Schedulers accept trip requests and record them in the computer.
    Trips are booked and scheduled while the customer is on the phone.

2.  Customers provide their name, the pick-up/drop-off locations, and
    the appointment time (typically for the going trip) or the requested
    pick-up time for the return trip. The information is recorded into
    the Trapeze® PASS scheduling program and the computer suggests
    available runs for scheduling the trips. The scheduler selects the
    best available run, based on his or her knowledge of the service
    area and needs of the passenger. If a trip cannot be fit into the
    schedule, the scheduler puts it into the "unscheduled trips" file,
    which is essentially a wait list.

3.  Although scheduling is generally done in real-time while the
    passenger is on the telephone, each scheduler is responsible for the
    overall schedule for a particular day during the 14-day advance
    reservation period. On a daily basis, the scheduler reviews his or
    her day and continues to work with the schedule to add more trips
    from the "unscheduled trips" file and to improve the overall
    schedule for that day. The day before the service day, the scheduler
    completes work on the schedule, attempting to fit in as many
    unscheduled trips as possible. Passengers are encouraged to call
    back to find out whether a trip from the unscheduled list has been
    scheduled.

4.  If schedulers need to shift a pick-up time more than 15 minutes, it
    is Sun Metro's policy to make an attempt to notify the passenger of
    the change. Schedulers indicated that they rarely have time to
    contact the individual and rely on passengers to call to confirm
    trip times.

5.  Subscription trips account for only about 11% of all trips. Most
    subscription trips are group trips for persons going to the same
    agency (e.g., shelter workshops). There are some individual
    subscriptions for dialysis. Most dialysis trips occur from 4:00 to
    6:00 a.m. and no other subscription trips may be booked during that
    time.

6.  Certain trips for customers with developmental disabilities
    attending shelter workshop and some trips for dialysis patients are
    assigned to the taxi contractor. These trips are put into 32 to 35
    routes, which are developed by the Paratransit Manager and account
    for about 19% of all trips. Data relating to denials, on-time
    performance, missed trips, cancellations, and no-shows are not
    recorded for these trips.

7.  Dispatchers and schedulers are cross-trained. Dispatchers are
    responsible for final schedule review and printing. They also ensure
    that drivers are available to cover all runs, particularly during
    early morning pullout. Dispatchers keep a log of drivers who are
    available for duty, have reported to duty, and who are on the road
    at any given time. Radio contact is made as needed. Manifests are
    printed 30 minutes prior to driver departure, so as many changes as
    possible are captured prior to the driver beginning his or her run.

8.  Drivers are responsible for recording actual pick-up/drop-off times
    and odometer readings. This information is later entered into the
    computer for record keeping purposes.

Table 3 shows a summary of the 152 reservations observed by the
Assessment Team on

January 23. The first column indicates how many days in advance the trip
was being requested. For example, there were 68 trip requests made 14
days in advance. All of those trip requests were successfully scheduled.
In contrast, 14 requests were made for trips 1 day in advance. Only 5 of
those trips were scheduled (36%) and 9 could not be accommodated (64%)
and were placed in the unscheduled trip file.

This distribution of trip requests suggests that most patrons are
calling well in advance of their desired travel date with 68 (44.7%) of
the total requests made 14 days in advance of the trip on the day
observed. Additionally, 109 (71.7%) of all reservation observed were
requested for 7 or more days in advance. Only 14 (9.2%) of the requests
were for next day service and 9 of the 14 could not be scheduled and
were placed in the unscheduled trip file. Later, the Assessment Team
found that only 3 of those 9 unscheduled trips were ultimately
scheduled. The other 6 remained in the unscheduled trip file and should
be considered capacity denials. Additional analysis of data suggested
that there were 377 trips in the unscheduled file for the 14-day period
from January 24 - February 6, 2001.

During the last day of the assessment, the ADA paratransit manager
developed a memo indicating a change in the way staff are to capture and
report unscheduled trips. This change involved reclassifying the
unscheduled trips as capacity denials and then tracking more accurately
the number of capacity, adversarial, and eligibility-related denials for
record keeping purposes and service analysis. (An adversarial denial
occurs when a customer declines a trip offered within one hour of the
requested trip time.)

#### Table 3. Reservations Observed by Assessment Team

#### January 23, 2001

  ----------- ---------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
  **\# Days   **Total          **\# Trips    **% Trips     **\# Trips    **% Trips Not
  in          Observations**   Scheduled**   Scheduled**   Not           Scheduled**
  Advance**                                                Scheduled**   

  0           7                4             57%           3             43%

  1           14               5             36%           9             64%

  2           10               6             60%           4             40%

  3           10               9             90%           1             10%

  4           0                0             N/A           0             N/A

  5           0                0             N/A           0             N/A

  6           2                2             100%          0             0%

  7           8                4             50%           4             50%

  8           4                1             25%           3             75%

  9           4                2             50%           2             50%

  10          0                0             N/A           0             N/A

  11          6                5             83%           1             17%

  12          12               12            100%          0             0%

  13          7                6             86%           1             14%

  14          68               68            100%          0             0%

  **Total**   **152**          **124**       **82%**       **28**        **28%**
  ----------- ---------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

##### Customer/Advocate Interviews

During interviews with customers and advocates, they confirmed that
there often are problems reserving a ride less than 14 days in advance
of the trip date. As was observed by the Assessment Team, the problem
becomes more acute the closer it gets to the desired travel date.
Customers said they could usually get trips if they called 14 days in
advance, but were not likely to get trips if they called a day in
advance.

##### *Findings*

1.  Based on data provided by Sun Metro, on-site service observations,
    and customer/advocacy interviews, there appears to be a substantial
    number of trip denials. Observations indicate that trip denials are
    5.9% of trip requests. There may also be a considerable number of
    cancellations of requests for trips that could not be scheduled
    resulting in a denial rate as high as 10%.

2.  At the time of the assessment, Sun Metro was placing trip requests
    that could not be accommodated into an "unscheduled trip" file,
    which appeared to be the equivalent of a waiting list. Passengers
    were encouraged to call back to determine whether trips could be
    scheduled. If possible, trips from the unscheduled list were
    inserted into schedules. However, an average of 67 trips,
    approximately 6 % of requested trips, remained in the unscheduled
    list on weekdays.

3.  The Assessment Team found that no trip statistics for taxi service
    -- denials, on-time performance, missed trips, cancellations, and
    passenger no-shows -- were being recorded and monitored.

4.  There are plans to increase the fleet to provide at least 16
    additional vehicles to provide service.

5.  During the Assessment Team review, the paratransit manager changed
    the procedure for accounting for unscheduled trips/trip denials,
    which should more accurately reflect the number of denials resulting
    from capacity, adversarial, and eligibility denials.

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro increase capacity to serve
    passenger trip requests that are currently being denied. In the
    short term, this might be accomplished through contracting for
    additional capacity through Checker/Yellow Cab or other service
    providers. In the long term, Sun Metro has plans for expanding its
    fleet, which should correct the immediate trip denial problem. Sun
    Metro should put a high priority on acquiring these new vehicles,
    and hiring/training/retraining new drivers to provide the additional
    service.

2.  It is recommended that Sun Metro discontinue the practice of placing
    trips into a wait list. If Sun Metro accepts trip requests that are
    to be scheduled at a later point in time, it is recommended that Sun
    Metro notify the customer of the pick-up time when the trip is
    scheduled, rather than expect the customer to call Sun Metro to
    check on the trip status.

3.  It is recommended that trip statistics relating to denials, on-time
    performance and other service parameters be collected and monitored
    for the service provided by Checker/Yellow Cab.

4.  It is recommended that procedural changes made to categorize
    "unscheduled trips" as capacity denials, should be continued.
    Unscheduled trips that were cancelled should be tracked separately
    from other cancelled trips. Some of these trips also may be capacity
    denials if the passenger cancelled the trip request because their
    trip could not be scheduled.

**Observations Regarding On-Time Performance**

Sun Metro considers trips to be on time if passengers are picked up
within 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up time. There is no stated
percentage of acceptable on-time performance and Sun Metro strives to be
on time for every pick-up. The observation and review of on-time
performance was conducted in the following ways:

-   On-time performance reports for FY 2000 were reviewed for the LIFT
    (no on-time performance reports were available for Checker/Yellow
    Cab service).

-   Driver manifests were reviewed. Requested, scheduled, and actual
    pick-up and drop-off times for a randomly selected day were then
    analyzed.

-   Dispatch was observed at Sun Metro during the morning peak on
    January 24, 2001.

-   Input on issues related to on-time performance was obtained from
    customers, advocates, and members of the Sun Metro ADA Ad Hoc
    Committee.

###### On-time Performance Reports

According to *The LIFT\* Book*, passengers should be ready 15 minutes
before their stated pick-up time. To be considered on time, however,
drivers must arrive between 0 and 15 minutes after the scheduled pick-up
time. If the driver arrives before the pick-up time, he or she may not
require the passenger to leave until the scheduled pick-up time and must
wait for up to 5 minutes if the passenger is not ready to leave during
the pick-up window.

Sun Metro provided detailed on-time reports for service provided by the
LIFT during the month of November 2000[^2]. The statistics indicate a
96% on-time performance rate for pick-ups and a 93% on-time arrival rate
for trips with an appointment time. On-time performance was based on a
vehicle arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up time and a
vehicle arriving at an appointment between 30 and 0 minutes before the
stated appointment time. No on-time performance records are kept for the
trips provided by Checker/Yellow Cab so those measures could not be
checked.

##### Manifest Review

The Assessment Team also reviewed on-time performance for a sample of
420 trips provided throughout the day on 43 routes on Wednesday,
December 13, 2000. Of the 420 trips, 149 of them had scheduled
appointment times. Manifests were checked to determine the actual
pick-up and drop-off time recorded by drivers and then compared to the
scheduled pick-up and drop off times. Based on that analysis, 92.4% of
the passengers were picked-up on time, and only 82.5% of the passengers
with appointment times arrived on time.

Table 4 shows a breakdown of the 32 late pick-ups and 26 late drop-offs
by time intervals. In addition, 18 trips, or 12.1% of the trips with
appointment times, were more than 30 minutes early to an appointment and
8 trips (5.3%) were late. Arriving excessively early to an appointment
could cause problems for customers and be a deterrent to using the
system.

#### Table 4. Late Pick-ups and Drop-offs

#### Sample Trips: December 13, 2000

+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **On-time Performance**      | **Number of       | **% of Total      |
|                              | Trips**           | Trips**           |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| ####                         |                   |                   |
| # Pick-ups\* (N = 420 trips) |                   |                   |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **1-15 minutes late**        | 18                | 4.3%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **16-30 minutes late**       | 13                | 3.1%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **31-60 minutes late**       | 1                 | 0.2%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **\>60 minutes late**        | 0                 | 0.0%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Total Late Pick-ups**      | 32                | 7.6%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Drop-offs\*\* (N = 149     |                   |                   |
| trips)**                     |                   |                   |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **1-15 minutes late**        | 19                | 12.8%             |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **16-30 minutes late**       | 3                 | 2.0%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **31-60 minutes late**       | 3                 | 2.0%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **\>60 minutes late**        | 1                 | 0.7%              |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Total Late Drop-offs**     | 26                | 17.4%             |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| \*Pick-ups were considered   |                   |                   |
| to be on time if vehicles    |                   |                   |
| arrived within 15 minutes of |                   |                   |
| the scheduled pick-up time.  |                   |                   |
|                              |                   |                   |
| \*\*Drop-offs were           |                   |                   |
| considered to be on time if  |                   |                   |
| vehicles arrived at or       |                   |                   |
| before the scheduled         |                   |                   |
| appointment time (typically  |                   |                   |
| on going trips only).        |                   |                   |
+------------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+

According to the computer generated on-time performance report for that
day, 95% of the 694 trips were picked-up on time and 88% of the trips
with appointment times arrived on time. These results are fairly
consistent and compare well with the results found using data from the
LIFT for the month of November 2000.

No on-time performance records are kept for the trips provided by
Checker/Yellow Cab so those measures could not be checked. However, a
review of taxi routes scheduled for the week of January 22, 2001,
revealed some issues related to the handling of taxi trips that may be
contributing to concerns about taxi performance. A review of recent
records showing cab assignments and substitutions revealed that of the
25 routes, as many as 12 were scheduled as double runs for program trips
at similar times. This practice means that a driver would take one group
of passengers home, for example, and then return for the second group,
rather than sending two drivers to serve the two groups. A discussion
with a taxi driver also suggested that some taxi runs are over-crowded,
with six passengers sometimes transported in a vehicle designed to carry
five.

###### Dispatch Observations

On Wednesday, January 24, the Assessment Team observed dispatch at the
LIFT. All drivers must sign in with the dispatcher and pick up a
manifest 30 minutes before the start of their run. The drivers review
the manifest and resolve any questions they may have. A driver must
notify the dispatcher at least one hour in advance if he or she will not
be reporting that day. The dispatchers have a logbook indicating drivers
who are willing to work overtime for a particular day. The dispatcher
reported that he could only think of two times in the past year when
they were short drivers and could not make pullout.

The dispatcher logs all exchanges on the radio, including conversations
about timeliness, no-shows, and cancels. The dispatcher answers the
"where's my ride" call line, and also checks for cancellations recorded
on the answering machine. The dispatcher checks with drivers as needed
to answer questions or provide information about schedule changes. Any
changes such as no-shows and cancels also are recorded on the "incident"
screen on the computer.

A review of dispatch logs for the month of December 2000, suggests that
an average of 3.3 scheduled driver runs were not made per day. This does
not mean that passenger trips were missed, but in most instances meant
that trips were reassigned to other runs. A review of the logs also
indicated that an average of 9 spare drivers were available on any given
day.

##### Customer/Advocate Interviews

A few of the consumers interviewed expressed concerns about on-time
performance, particularly related to taxi service. As observed by the
Assessment Team and described above, several of those interviewed
complained that instead of sending two drivers, taxi drivers sometimes
ran two routes, making part of a group wait for their return trip home
and making them late. Another consumer had problems with on-time trips
during weekends, particularly on Saturdays, when his trips have been as
much as two hours late.

***Findings***

1.  Based on the review of records and the review of driver manifests,
    it appears that the LIFT has an average on-time performance rate in
    the 92%-96% range for pick-ups and 82%-88% for drop-offs for trips
    with appointment times.

2.  About 17.4% of the sample trips with appointment times that were
    analyzed for December 13, 2000 were either early for their
    appointments by more than 30 minutes or late.

3.  On-time performance reports can only be run if data are entered into
    the computer on a timely basis. Recently, Sun Metro has experienced
    some lapses in data entry, making it impossible to accurately
    calculate an on-time performance trend for the LIFT.

4.  Observations of dispatch suggest that the dispatch operation is
    well--run and personnel are aware of how drivers are performing
    throughout the day.

5.  Consumer comments suggest that there may be some difficulties with
    on-time performance, particularly for service provided by
    Checker/Yellow Cab, whose performance is not currently measured.
    Further, they suggest that there may be some on-time performance
    problems on weekends when service is more limited and fewer vehicles
    are on the road.

6.  Differing expectations regarding the pick-up time may be confusing
    and lead to on-time service complaints. As mentioned earlier in this
    report, *The LIFT\* Book* states that passengers should be ready 15
    minutes before their scheduled appointments. Drivers are instructed
    to arrive 0-15 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time. At the same
    time, unbeknownst to passengers, schedulers may reschedule pick-up
    times. Although schedulers are supposed to attempt to notify
    passengers if a pick-up time is shifted more than 15 minutes, often
    they do not, so passengers are unaware of the change in pick-up
    time. This practice can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that on-time performance data for the LIFT be
    entered into the computer on a timely basis so that trip statistics
    may be generated on an on-going basis to monitor on-time
    performance.

2.  It is recommended that on-time performance data for Checker/Yellow
    Cab trips be reported and entered into the computer on a timely
    basis so that on-time performance may be monitored on an on-going
    basis. Further, Sun Metro should work with sheltered workshop
    personnel to monitor on-time performance and alert Sun Metro to
    problems relating to double booking of runs.

3.  It is recommended that Sun Metro staff review the incidence of
    excessively early trips (when passengers are dropped off more than
    30 minutes before their scheduled appointment time), as the
    relatively high percentage of early trips (12.1% of the sample trips
    analyzed) can be a deterrent to using the service. The on-time
    arrival rate should be included in on-time performance reports and
    elevated to be commensurate with the on-time pick-up rates.

4.  It is recommended that a consistent definition of the pick-up window
    be provided to passengers and personnel so that everyone is clear
    about what is meant by "on-time." Manifests should be altered to
    include information about the pick-up time originally negotiated
    with the passenger so drivers know what time the passenger expected
    them to appear. If schedulers do change scheduled pick-up times
    outside of the pick-up window, customers should be notified of the
    revised schedule*.*

**Observations Regarding Travel Time**

As described in the Background section of this report, Sun Metro has not
established a standard for travel time for ADA Complementary Paratransit
trips, but does occasionally review travel times in comparison with
comparable fixed route service.

The observation and review of travel time was performed in the following
ways:

-   A sample of 10 ADA Complementary Paratransit trips with travel times
    between 60 and 180 minutes provide by the LIFT on December 13, 2000,
    was selected and compared with the estimated travel time for fixed
    route trips from the same origin to the same destination traveling
    at the same time of day.

-   Input on issues related to travel time performance was obtained from
    customers, advocates, and members of the Sun Metro ADA Ad Hoc
    Committee.

###### ADA Complementary Paratransit Travel Time

A total of 967 trips were provided by the LIFT on December 13, 2000. As
can be seen in

Table 5, of those trips, 106 trips were longer than 60 minutes (11.0%).
Only 2.2% of all trips were more than 90 minutes and only 1 trip
exceeded 2 hours on that day. Travel time statistics are not recorded
for trips provided by Checker/Yellow Cab and, therefore, are not
included in this analysis.

#### Table 5. The LIFT Travel Time Analysis

#### December 13, 2000

+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| **Travel Time**             | **Number of        | **% of all       |
|                             | Trips**            | Trips**          |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| ##### Trips                 | 794                | 82.1%            |
| [\<]{.underline} 60 Minutes |                    |                  |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| ##### Trips \> 60 Minutes   | 106                | 11.0%            |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| **Trips \> 75 Minutes**     | 45                 | 4.7%             |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| **Trips \> 90 Minutes**     | 21                 | 2.2%             |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+
| **Trips \> 120 Minutes**    | 1                  | 0.1%             |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+------------------+

Additionally, a sample of 10 trips longer than 60 minutes was selected
to compare LIFT and fixed route travel times. Table 6 shows the basic
origin/destination information, time of day, the respective travel times
for LIFT and fixed route, and how many transfers would be required for
comparable fixed route trips. Addresses have been rounded to the nearest
100 block. ADA Complementary Paratransit travel times represent actual
travel times recorded on driver manifests. Fixed route travel times
include on-board time and any wait time for transfers. The scheduling
information for fixed route trips was prepared with the assistance of
Sun Metro's customer service staff.

**Table 6. Travel Time Comparison:**

#### The LIFT vs. Fixed Route

+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| #####         | *              | **The   | **FR  | **Diff | **\#  |
|               | *Destination** | LIFT    | T     | erence | FR    |
| #####         |                | Travel  | ravel | (      | T     |
|               |                | Time**  | T     | LIFT-- | ransf |
| ##### Origin  |                |         | ime** | FR)**  | ers** |
|               |                | **(m    |       |        |       |
|               |                | ins.)** | *     | **(mi  |       |
|               |                |         | *(min | ns.)** |       |
|               |                |         | s.)** |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 9300 Vergel   | 100 W. Hague   | 70      | 85    | -15    | 1     |
| Dr.           |                |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 900 St.       | 7900 N. Mesa   | 58      | 115   | -67    | 1     |
| Laurant Dr.   |                |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 1700 N.       | 5800 Sunnyvale | 60      | 60    | 0      | 2     |
| Oregon St.    | Cir.           |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 2400 N.       | 9400 Beals Dr. | 61      | 80    | -19    | 1     |
| Oregon St.    |                |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 9000 Viscount | 1700 Dean      | 64      | 80    | -16    | 1     |
| Blvd.         | Martin Dr.     |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 300 N. Resler | Civic Center   | 25      | 55    | -30    | 0     |
| Dr.           | Plaza          |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 9100 Geranium | 000            | 68      | 85    | -17    | 2     |
| Dr.           | Butterfield    |         |       |        |       |
|               | Tr.            |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 2300 Gene     | 1800 Yandell   | 69      | 78    | -9     | 1     |
| Littler Dr.   | Dr.            |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 10400 Vista   | 3300 San       | 78      | 95    | -17    | 2     |
| del Sol       | Antonio St.    |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| 11700 Pueblo  | 1400 Brown St. | 112     | 125   | -13    | 2     |
| Fuerte        |                |         |       |        |       |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+
| Average       |                | 66.5    | 85.8  | -14.3  | 1.3   |
+---------------+----------------+---------+-------+--------+-------+

The table shows the average LIFT travel time for the sample trips was
66.5 minutes and the average travel time for comparable fixed route
service would have been 85.8 minutes. On average, LIFT trips were 14.3
minutes shorter than comparable fixed route trips. One trip was 67
minutes shorter. No LIFT trips were estimated to be longer than
comparable fixed route trips. Additionally, most fixed route trips would
have required at least 1 transfer. Based on this analysis, it appears
the ADA Complementary Paratransit travel times compare very favorably to
fixed route travel times for the same origin/destination points.

##### Customer/Advocate Interviews

The Assessment Team asked customers and advocates whether they were
aware of any issues related to ADA Complementary Paratransit travel
time. Although a few said trips were sometimes long (longer than 60
minutes), travel time did not appear to be a major concern for most of
the consumers and advocates who were interviewed.

***Findings***

1.  Overall, Sun Metro does not appear to have a capacity concern with
    travel time for ADA Complementary Paratransit service provided by
    the LIFT.

2.  Sun Metro does not routinely track travel time performance.

3.  Travel time data are not available for trips provided by
    Checker/Yellow Cab.

# 

# *Recommendations* 

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro institute a regular review of
    travel time performance measurement to ensure that ride times to do
    not become excessively long, particularly for members of large group
    trips. A sample of trips in excess of 60 minutes could be compared
    to fixed route service travel times on a monthly basis.

2.  It is recommended that Sun Metro begin to collect and analyze travel
    time data for trips provided by Checker/Yellow Cab to ensure a
    comparable level of service both to the LIFT and to fixed route.

# Observations Regarding Telephone Capacity

As noted in the Background section of this report, Sun Metro does not
have a written policy or standards for telephone system call handling.
Sun Metro has relied on customer service reports to indicate when there
is a problem with access via the telephone system. Since the beginning
of 2000, staffing has increased from 14 to 16 full-time
schedulers/dispatchers who are responsible for answering the phones.

Information reviewed and observations on telephone service and capacity
included:

-   Information from the Sun Metro telephone management reporting
    system;

-   Direct observations in both the reservations/scheduling office and
    the dispatch office; and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Input from customers, advocates, and members of the Sun Metro ADA Ad
    Hoc Committee on issues related to telephone capacity.

###### Telephone Management Reporting System

Telephone management records were available from November 1998 to the
present. During the period from 1998 through mid-2000, there were 9
trunk lines. In 1998, the reports indicate that all lines were busy from
20% to 30% of the time. By 1999, that figure had grown to 30% to 50% of
the time. It was at its worst from January through March 2000, when
phone lines were all busy 80% to 95% of the time. Early in 2000 was a
transitional period when Sun Metro was converting its software and
hardware to be Y2K compatible, so the validity of those percentages may
be questionable. In July 2000, Sun Metro increased the number of trunk
lines to 14 added 2 scheduler/dispatchers to the staff. By November
2000, the telephone management reports show that there were free lines
at all times. A graphic illustrating the percent of busy times is shown
in Figure 1.

Although problems with busy signals appear to be under control, long
hold times continue to be a problem. Telephone records indicate an
average hold time of up to 8 minutes from 3:00-

7:00 p.m. and similar long hold times from 6:00-8:00 a.m.

Additional lines are provided for: a TTY machine for persons who have
speech or hearing impairments; a cancellation line, which is connected
to an answering machine; and a toll free "where's my ride" number, which
rings in the dispatch office.

###### Assessment Team Observations

During the Assessment Team's review of reservations/scheduling, it was
noted that telephone calls were very lengthy (as much as 10 minutes) as
schedulers attempt to schedule trips while passengers are on the
telephone. The Assessment Team also witnessed many passengers calling

repeatedly to attempt to book trips that are in the unscheduled trip
list, or to cancel trips that have already been booked, or to confirm a
scheduled pick-up time.

Further, there is a relatively small percentage of subscription trips --
11% -- which means many calls are made to book individual trips,
resulting in a high number of calls that must be handled. The DOT ADA
regulations do not require systems to offer subscription trips and in
fact limits the percentage of subscription trips that may be scheduled
if there are capacity constraints. However, many systems find that
allowing a reasonable number of subscription trips can be beneficial to
service operations.

It was noted that the ADA paratransit manager does not have
phone-monitoring capabilities in real time. The ability to monitor
conversations with customers is a useful tool for training and for
rating employee performance. This function was available, but was
removed.

##### Customer/Advocate Interviews

All but one of the consumers/advocates interviewed mentioned problems
with telephone access, particularly during the late afternoon, beginning
about 4:00 p.m. Problems included long hold times and difficulty getting
through at all (busy signals). Most said the phone access had improved
in recent months, although it is still difficult to get through in the
late afternoon.

***Findings***

1.  Based on the telephone management system reports and comments by
    consumers, it appears the busy signal problem was resolved late in
    2000.

2.  However, long hold times continue to be a problem, with callers
    having to wait upwards of 8 minutes during early morning and late
    afternoon hours.

3.  There are a large percentage of calls that may be avoidable if the
    system was configured differently. For example, the low percentage
    of subscription trips contributes to a great deal of calls for
    individual trips that might typically be subscription trips in
    another system (e.g., dialysis, school, training, work trips).

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro carefully monitor telephone system
    reports compared to staffing levels and provide adequate staffing
    during busy call times (early mornings and late afternoons) to avoid
    long hold times.

2.  It is recommend that Sun Metro consider methods to reduce the number
    of repeat calls, which tie up telephone lines. For example,
    schedulers could be required to call passengers if a trip pick-up
    time is moved more than 15 minutes or when an unscheduled trip
    request is scheduled.

3.  It is recommended that Sun Metro set a goal for call hold times that
    will help to reduce the time passengers are currently kept on hold.

**Observations Regarding ADA Complementary Paratransit Eligibility
Determination**

The Assessment Team reviewed the process used to determine ADA
Complementary Paratransit eligibility to assess whether determinations
were being made in a timely way and to assess whether determinations
appeared to accurately reflect the functional abilities of applicants.
The process was assessed as follows:

-   An understanding of the handling and review of applications was
    developed through interviews of Sun Metro staff and a review of
    materials and records;

-   The timely processing of applications was assessed by comparing the
    dates on determination letters to the dates of receipt of several
    randomly selected applications.

-   Accuracy of determinations was assessed by reviewing recent
    decisions and overall process outcomes; and

-   The current process was discussed with riders and recent applicants;

###### Overview of the Eligibility Determination Process and Materials

Currently, ADA Complementary Paratransit eligibility is determined based
on a paper application, with telephone follow-up or professional
verification, as needed. The application form is four pages and includes
questions that ask for general information (name, address, phone, etc.),
information about the applicant's disability and mobility aids used, and
a series of questions about ability to use the fixed route service. The
application also asks for the name of a professional (physician, other
health care professional or agency representative) who may be contacted
if additional information is needed. Copies of the application form,
professional verification form, proposed revisions to the application
form, and a copy of a denial letter are provided as Attachment 3.

While the current application form is very basic, it does cover most
functional ability issues. Staff noted that a more detailed application
form was recently developed and presented to the ADA Ad Hoc Committee
for review and approval. That committee had concerns about the length of
the application and it had not been acted upon at the time of the
review.

Sun Metro staff indicated that about half of all determinations are made
based on the information in the paper application. A follow-up call to
the applicant is made about half of the time to get more detailed
information or to clarify information in the application. Also, staff
requests professional verification of disability and functional ability
about 10% of the time.

Applicants who are determined eligible for ADA Complementary Paratransit
receive a copy of *The LIFT\* Book* and an I.D. card. Applicants who are
determined not eligible are sent a denial letter, which includes a
description of the appeals process (see Attachment 3).

###### Staff Interview and Review of Recent Sample Determinations

On Wednesday, January 24, a member of the Assessment Team met with and
interviewed the Sun Metro staff member responsible for reviewing
applications for service eligibility. Various hypothetical eligibility
scenarios were discussed. The issue of residency was raised specifically
to ensure that the staff person knew that persons who live outside the
Sun Metro service area could apply and be determined eligible. Several
recent applications and determinations were also reviewed and discussed.
Through these reviews, the Assessment Team developed a sense of the
staff person's understanding of eligibility. From the interview, it
appeared that the eligibility staff has a clear understanding of ADA
Complementary Paratransit eligibility requirements. They understood the
issues of basing decisions on functional abilities and indicated that
residency is not a factor in making determinations.

The Sun Metro staff person indicated that approximately 130 applications
are received each month. Typically, all but one or two applications per
month are approved. All determinations are for unconditional
eligibility. Sun Metro currently does not issue determinations of
conditional eligibility.

There are an estimated 9,000 persons registered. Of those, 3,614 appear
to have used the ADA Complementary Paratransit service in the last six
months. It was noted that there are current riders who are Mexican
citizens who are traveling in the Sun Metro area.

###### Review of Application Processing Records

A review of 10 applications selected at random revealed that most were
processed the same day they were logged in. Only two took longer than a
week to process (one was processed in 10 days, the other in 11 days).

The Sun Metro staff person indicated that she attempts to process all
applications on the day received, or within two days of receipt. She
noted that processing takes longer if professional verification is
sought. She noted, however, that if a written response is not returned
by the professional contacted in one week, she contacts the professional
by phone. A determination is then made based on the telephone follow-up
(so that a lack of paperwork from contacted professionals does not delay
the processing of applications).

###### Rider/Applicant Comments

Riders and advocates contacted prior to and during the assessment were
asked about the timeliness of processing of applications and also about
the accuracy and fairness of determinations. The persons contacted
raised no issues relating to the eligibility determination process.

***Findings***

1.  Sun Metro appears to process applications within 21 days of the
    receipt of a completed application form.

2.  Almost all applicants appear to be determined eligible. The
    determination process does not appear to limit the availability of
    service. It is likely that some applicants who are given
    unconditional eligibility are able to use fixed route service for at
    least some of their trips.

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro consider a more thorough review of
    eligibility, including the identification of ability to use fixed
    route service for some trips (conditional eligibility) as part of
    its broader efforts to encourage and support fixed route use by
    riders with disabilities.

# Other Observations

During the review, the Assessment Team observed several other items, not
specifically related to capacity constraints, but which should be noted
because of their impact on service.

###### Ridership & Vehicle Capacity

A review of ridership statistics reported to the National Transit
Database (NTD) indicated that paratransit capacity (in terms of
available vehicles) has remained constant since FY 1996, while ridership
has actually dropped (see Table 7). Since FY 1996, the reported number
of vehicles in service has remained at 44 for the LIFT and 20 for
Checker/Yellow Cab. Currently, 45 vehicles are reported as being
routinely available for LIFT service, plus the 20 for Checker/Yellow
Cab. The NTD reports showed ridership at approximately 282,340 in FY
1996, dropping to 270,062 in FY 2000. It is worth noting that
Yellow/Checker Taxi ridership and the LIFT ridership both dropped by
about 6,000 passengers from FY 1999 to FY 2000. This trend is of concern
given the evidence of significant numbers of capacity denials.

**Table 7. NTD Paratransit Statistics Reported by Sun Metro**

+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
|     |           | **Ridership**   |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **F | **V       | **Directly      | **Purchased           | **T    |
| Y** | ehicles** | Operated**      | Transportation**      | otal** |
|     |           |                 |                       |        |
|     | **(In-s   | **(The LIFT)**  | **(Checker/Yellow)**  |        |
|     | ervice)** |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **  | 64        | 236,800         | 45,540                | 2      |
| 199 |           |                 |                       | 82,340 |
| 6** |           |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **  | 64        | 237,818         | 47,244                | 2      |
| 199 |           |                 |                       | 85,062 |
| 7** |           |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **  | 64        | 233,690         | 40,630                | 2      |
| 199 |           |                 |                       | 74,650 |
| 8** |           |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **  | 64        | 237,420         | 44,115                | 2      |
| 199 |           |                 |                       | 81,535 |
| 9** |           |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+
| **  | 64        | 231,959         | 38,103                | 2      |
| 200 |           |                 |                       | 70,062 |
| 0** |           |                 |                       |        |
+-----+-----------+-----------------+-----------------------+--------+

###### Budget Projections

The Assessment Team analyzed the current El Paso Mass Transit ADA
Paratransit Budget, provided by the accounting department (see
Attachment 4). For FY 2000, Sun Metro budgeted \$4,217,073 in operating
expenses; actual operating expenditures were \$3,944,350. The largest
under-expenditure was for personnel services, which was budgeted at
\$3,303,553 and the actual expenditure was \$3,096,622. This \$206,911
difference suggests that additional funds could have been spent on
personnel, which might have increased ADA Complementary Paratransit
system capacity.

Budget requests are prepared by the ADA paratransit manager and approved
for submission by the superintendent of operations. The budget is then
presented to the Mass Transit Board (City Council) for approval. It
appears the city staff developed the budget based on the personnel
positions available and not necessarily based on service capacity issues
or ridership projections.

Future operating budgets should address capacity constraints and the
need to expand capacity by adding drivers and possibly adding additional
schedulers/dispatchers. Sun Metro does have plans underway for
significant service expansion -- drivers, vehicles, facilities -- which
are expected to be operational in a year or so when new vehicles are
delivered and the new facility is completed.

**Civil Service Hiring Limitations**

Although turnover among drivers does not appear to be a big issue, as a
city department, Sun Metro has experienced some Civil Service personnel
limitations that have affected its ability to hire and retain employees.
When Sun Metro began operation of the LIFT in house, employees who were
part of the private contractor\'s work force had to be hired as contract
employees. As contract employees, they were not eligible to apply for
positions within the City or at Sun Metro. If a contract employee is
otherwise qualified for a position with the City, he is required to
resign from his contract position before being considered for the City
position. As a result, there have been limited opportunities for
advancement of contract employees within the LIFT program.

Two days before the start of this ADA capacity assessment, a voter
initiative was passed that will allow these contract employees to be
converted to Civil Service employees, effective July 1, 2001. At that
time, these employees will be eligible to apply for promotions and
upgrades without having to resign their positions. The paratransit chief
of operations is among the positions that are currently open. Sun Metro
is waiting to advertise for that job until the current contract
employees have been transitioned to the Civil Service system and are
eligible to apply for that job.

***Findings***

1.  Overall, ridership has decreased since FY 1996, which may be the
    result of capacity denials identified in this assessment.

2.  Historically, it appears Sun Metro has not fully considered
    ridership and capacity constraint data when preparing annual budget
    requests.

3.  Some of the limitations related to hiring should be addressed with
    passage of the new voter-initiative. This initiative also will allow
    Sun Metro to convert contract employees to Civil Service employees,
    which will allow them to advance within the LIFT program without
    resigning from their jobs.

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro develop budgets that provide for
    service levels needed to meet unmet demand for trips.

2.  It is recommended that Sun Metro, to the extent possible, ensure
    that it has the flexibility to expand service on an on-going basis
    in response to increasing demand. Sun Metro should place a priority
    on securing the resources necessary to increase capacity and
    eliminate capacity denials in the short and long terms.

3.  It is recommended that Sun Metro aggressively pursue filling
    positions and advancing personnel as soon as possible after the July
    1, 2001, hiring changes go into effect to provide adequate resources
    of qualified personnel to expand service and enhance service
    quality.

**Service Animal Policy**

As part of this review, the FTA Office of Civil Rights Assessment Team
reviewed the service animal policy developed by Sun Metro in 1999. A
copy of the draft Service Animal Policy is included as Attachment 5. In
addition to that policy, page 11 of the employee-training manual states:

> **17. CARRYING OF ANIMALS**

"Animals shall not be carried in the buses with the following
exceptions: "Dog Guides" will not be permitted to occupy a seat. "Dog
Guides" do not have to be muzzled. If one dog is already on the bus, the
Operator shall tell additional blind persons attempting to board with a
"Dog Guide" that a "Dog Guide" is already on the bus. "Dog Guides" are
trained not to be aggressive but there is a possibility that this can
happen. Let the boarding passenger be the judge of this."

This verbiage needs to be updated to be compliant with the ADA. The ADA
regulations state:

> *Service animal means any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal
> individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a
> disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with
> impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to
> intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work,
> pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.* 49 CFR 37.3

And

> *The entity shall permit service animals to accompany individuals with
> disabilities in vehicles and facilities.* 49 CFR 37.167(d)

Additionally, Appendix D to Part 37\--Construction and Interpretation of
Provisions of 49 CFR Part 37 describes the intent of the service animal
provision:

> *Service animals shall always be permitted to accompany their users in
> any private or public transportation vehicle or facility. One of the
> most common misunderstandings about service animals is that they are
> limited to being guide dogs for persons with visual impairments. Dogs
> are trained to assist people with a wide variety of disabilities,
> including individuals with hearing and mobility impairments. Other
> animals (e.g., monkeys) are sometimes used as service animals as well.
> In any of these situations, the entity must permit the service animal
> to accompany its user.*

Further, the Sun Metro Draft Service Animal Policy included in
Attachment 5 does not properly reflect the requirements of 49 CFR Part
37. A suggested alternative is included in Attachment 5. Additional
guidance for the development of service animal policies may be found at
the Easter Seals Project ACTION web site:
[http://www.projectaction.org](http://www.projectaction.org/). The
titles of the documents are *Assisting Persons Traveling with Service
Animals Final Report & Training Module*,

Doc No: 96-0138 and Doc No: 96-0139, respectively.

***Findings***

1.  Sun Metro's training material for employees is out-dated and refers
    only to "Dog Guides."

2.  Sun Metro's Draft Service Animal Policy does not properly reflect
    the service animal provisions of the ADA included in 49 CFR Part 37.

***Recommendations***

1.  It is recommended that Sun Metro update its training materials to
    accurately reflect the service animal provisions of the ADA.

2.  It is recommended that Sun Metro revise its Draft Service Animal
    Policy to accurately reflect the service animal provisions of the
    ADA.

    **Attachment 1**

    **On-Site Schedule**

    **ADA Complementary Paratransit Service Assessment**

    **Sun Metro LIFT, El Paso, Texas**

    **January 22-25, 2001**

## Schedule

+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| *       | **Activity**                     | **Who**  | **Where**   |
| *Time** |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| # Mon   |                                  |          |             |
| day, Ja |                                  |          |             |
| nuary 2 |                                  |          |             |
| 2, 2001 |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 2:00    | -   Opening Conference           | All &    | Sun Metro   |
| p.m.    |                                  | FTA      |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 2:45    | -   Meet with staff to:          | All      | Sun Metro   |
| p.m.    |                                  |          |             |
|         | 1.  Tour facility                |          |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | 2.  Review reservations,         |          |             |
|         |     scheduling, and dispatching, |          |             |
|         |     process                      |          |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | 3.  Review system service        |          |             |
|         |     standards                    |          |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | 4.  Review data available on     |          |             |
|         |     site                         |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| # Tues  |                                  |          |             |
| day, Ja |                                  |          |             |
| nuary 2 |                                  |          |             |
| 3, 2001 |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 7:00    | -   Observe trip reservations;   | All      | Sun Metro   |
| a.m.    |     record trip request          |          |             |
|         |     information                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 10 a.m. | -   Data collection              | Barber   | Sun Metro   |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | -   Meet with manager to discuss | Mathias  |             |
|         |     process and collect          | &        |             |
|         |     information for day's trip   | Thatcher |             |
|         |     schedules for taxi           |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 3:00    | -   Meet with Checker Cab/Yellow | Mathias  | Che         |
| p.m.    |     Cab                          | &        | cker/Yellow |
|         |                                  | Thatcher | Cab         |
|         | -   Tabulate statistics          |          |             |
|         |                                  | Barber   | Sun Metro   |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| **Wed   |                                  |          |             |
| nesday, |                                  |          |             |
| January |                                  |          |             |
| 24,     |                                  |          |             |
| 20001** |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 8 a.m.  | -   Observe dispatch at Sun      | Mathias  | Sun Metro   |
|         |     Metro                        | & Barber |             |
|         |                                  |          | Che         |
|         | > Met with General Manager       | Thatcher | cker/Yellow |
|         |                                  |          | Cab         |
|         | -   Observe dispatch at          |          |             |
|         |     Checker/Yellow Cab           |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 10 a.m. | -   Continue data                | Mathias  | Sun Metro   |
|         |     collection/analysis          | & Barber |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | -   Review eligibility           | Thatcher |             |
|         |     determination process        |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 1:30    | -   Trip length comparison with  | Thatcher | Sun Metro   |
| p.m.    |     fixed route                  |          |             |
|         |                                  | Mathias  |             |
|         | ```{=html}                       |          |             |
|         | <!-- -->                         | Barber   |             |
|         | ```                              |          |             |
|         | -   Review complaints            |          |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | -   Continue data analysis       |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| # Thurs |                                  |          |             |
| day, Ja |                                  |          |             |
| nuary 2 |                                  |          |             |
| 5, 2001 |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| Morning | -   Complete preliminary data    | All      | Sun Metro   |
|         |     analysis & remaining detail  |          |             |
|         |     work                         |          |             |
|         |                                  |          |             |
|         | -   Prepare materials for        |          |             |
|         |     debriefing session           |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+
| 2:30    | -   Exit Conference              | All /FTA | Sun Metro   |
| p.m.    |                                  |          |             |
+---------+----------------------------------+----------+-------------+

**Attachment 2**

***The LIFT\* Book***

**(Rider Guide)**

**Attachment 3**

**ADA Complementary Paratransit**

**Eligibility Materials**

**Attachment 4**

**El Paso Mass Transit**

**Paratransit Operating & Capital Budgets**

####### 

**Attachment 5**

####### Service Animal Policies

**Sun Metro Draft Service Animal Policy**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING SERVICE ANIMAL RIGHTS**                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Service Animal rights in the SUN METRO system (fixed route, demand    |
| response/directly operated and demand response/purchased) will be     |
| granted to customers who have a need for service animal assistance as |
| a part of daily activities.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| A service animal can be *specially* trained or equipped to help an    |
| individual with a disability. The service animal must accompany the   |
| eligible passenger or service animal trainer. The passenger may have  |
| completed a specific course of training in the use of the animal. The |
| service animal shall be groomed and under the control of the owner.   |
|                                                                       |
| **TRAINING**                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| A service animal can be trained to assist and behave appropriately by |
| an organization or individual. Documentation of training can be       |
| provided voluntarily but can not be mandated. A service animal in     |
| training shall be permitted access to the SUN METRO System when       |
| accompanied by an approved trainer involved in the rehabilitation of  |
| individuals with disabilities.                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **SERVICE ANIMAL OWNER\'S RESPONSIBILITIES**                          |
|                                                                       |
| Passengers accompanied by and using service animals for assistance    |
| are liable for any damages done to SUN METRO property by the service  |
| animal. Service animals shall be kept under control or restrained and |
| any person who is injured by the service animal due to the failure to |
| properly maintain control of the service animal is entitled to        |
| maintain a cause of action for damages, in a court of competent       |
| jurisdiction, under the same law applicable to other causes brought   |
| for the redress of injuries caused by animals.                        |
|                                                                       |
| **COACH OPERATOR\'S RESPONSIBILITY**                                  |
|                                                                       |
| When a passenger with a disability (recognizable or unrecognizable)   |
| wishes to utilize the SUN METRO System, do not question the service   |
| animal\'s certification. If the service animal is under control and   |
| behaving appropriately, **transport the passenger and the service     |
| animal**.                                                             |
|                                                                       |
| NOTE: A service animal may be a dog of any breed, or a                |
| non-traditional animal such as a pig or a monkey. The service animal  |
| will be trained to provide a service or services for the passenger.   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**Suggested Alternative Service Animal Policy**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **SUGGESTED SUN METRO**                                               |
|                                                                       |
| **SERVICE ANIMAL POLICY**                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| A passenger with a disability who is traveling with a service animal  |
| shall be granted full access to the SUN METRO system (fixed route and |
| demand response). A trainer of service animals also shall be granted  |
| the same access rights as a passenger with a disability when          |
| traveling with a service animal in training. The service animal must  |
| accompany the eligible passenger or service animal trainer and be     |
| under the physical control of the handler at all times.               |
|                                                                       |
| A service animal is not a pet. A service animal may be a dog of any   |
| breed, or a non-traditional animal such as a pig or a monkey.         |
|                                                                       |
| **TRAINING**                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| A service animal is *specially* trained to assist an individual with  |
| a disability. An organization or an individual can train a service    |
| animal. Although many service animals wear capes or harnesses, not    |
| all do and documentation of the animal's training and identification  |
| cannot be mandated.                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| **SERVICE ANIMAL HANDLER'S RESPONSIBILITIES**                         |
|                                                                       |
| Passengers accompanied by and using service animals (and service      |
| animal trainers) are liable for any damages done to SUN METRO         |
| property by the service animal. Service animals shall be kept under   |
| control and any person who is injured by the service animal due to    |
| the failure to properly maintain control of the service animal is     |
| entitled to maintain a cause of action for damages, in a court of     |
| competent jurisdiction, under applicable same law.                    |
|                                                                       |
| **OPERATOR\'S RESPONSIBILITY**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| When a passenger with a disability (recognizable or unrecognizable)   |
| wishes to utilize the SUN METRO System, you may ask whether the       |
| animal is a service animal trained to assist the passenger with a     |
| disability. However, you may not ask for identification or proof that |
| the animal is a service animal. If the passenger says it is a service |
| animal, then transport the passenger and service animal.              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**Attachment 6**

####### Response from Sun Metro

[^1]: An additional 40 vehicles are on order, some of which will be used
    to replace older vehicles; at least 16 of the new vehicles will be
    used to add capacity to the current fleet.

[^2]: Data for December 2000 were not available because the trip
    statistics had not been entered into the computer.