Executive Summary In the spring of 2015, MBTA staff, in consultation with advisory groups, began developing a pilot project designed to further understand the economic characteristics of RIDE users, and to evaluate the feasibility of using participation in existing means-tested social service programs as a basis for implementing means-based fares. The key principles guiding program development were: financial sustainability, equity across both RIDE and all MBTA customers, and easy implementation. Pilot Project Design The six Pilot Project began on July 1, 2015 and included 600 participants in The RIDE program who are also registered users of one or more of 18 income based public benefit programs. These programs all served customers that were at 300% of the federal poverty level or below. This design included both ADA and Premium trips (non-ADA). ADA trips are booked by 5:00 pm the previous day and begin and end within ¾ mile of a bus/subway route or station and must be offered in accordance with federal law. Premium trips include both same day service and those that exceed the ¾ corridor. All trips received a $1 discount. This equates to a 33 percent discount for ADA trips that normally cost $3 and a 20 percent discount for Premium trips (normally $5). Pilot Project Implementation The Means Testing Working Group developed a schedule of tasks and activities to be completed in order to implement the Pilot Project as of July 1, 2015. The Pilot Project tasks are presented below. Initial Pilot Project Survey Selection of Project Participants Administration Pilot Project Execution The organizations that comprised the Project Working Group included: MBTA’s Office of Transportation Access (OTA); Massachusetts Senior Action Council (Mass Senior Action); Access Advisory Committee (AACT); the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston (Collins Center); and Pierlott & Associates, LLC (PALLC). Pilot Project Evaluation The Pilot Project evaluation rests on the assessment of three goals. These included the following: Feasibility – the first goal of the Pilot Project was determine its feasibility. There are two components of this goal – operational and administrative.
17. Full or Partial Extra Help- Medicare D Low Income Subsidy 24 47 Social Security Administration 18. Prescription Advantage (S0, S1, S2, S3) 6 28 Mass. Executive Office of Elder Affairs (ASAP Network) TOTAL 132 692 Exhibit ES-3: Attitudes toward – Percentage of Respondents Exhibit ES-4: RIDE Use versus Financial Situation – Percentage of Respondents Exhibit ES-4: Estimated Costs of the Pilot (annualized) Category Amount Notes A. Administration Costs $89,639 Annualized administration cost for Pilot Project B. Revenue Loss (Annualized) $71,952 Annualized revenue loss for Pilot Project C. Incentivized Travel (Annualized) $85,436 Additional Trips Induced by Lower Fare *$31 D. Net Project Cost (A+B+C) $247,027 Sum of administration revenue loss and incentivized travel Table of Contents
20BExhibit 5: Pilot Project Implementation Schedule Exhibit 6: Schedule of Tasks and Activities Task Task Activities/Outcomes Revised Task Schedule Status A. Initial Pilot Project Survey Finalize Cover Letter and Application Prepare draft cover letter for review and comment Provide logos for stakeholder organization Prepare cover letter and Application January 21, 2015 – January 27, 2015 Completed: 2/27/2015 Selection of Customer Sample Develop list of ~15,000 RIDE Customers for initial survey January 21, 2015 – February 6, 2015 10,339 customers identified: 2/4/2015 Application Preparation and Distribution Prepare mailing and mail-back for distribution and return Develop on-line survey form Distribute application materials February 6, 2015 – February 16, 2015 by February 23, 2015 Completed 3/17/2015 Process and Evaluate Application Data Process returned surveys and begin data entry data and report results Query RIDE use for past 12 months for survey respondents March 9, 2015 – March 13, 2015 March 13, 2015 – March 27, 2015 Completed 4/23/2015 B. Selection of Pilot Project Participants Screen Applicants for Participation Proportional distribution of 900 potential participants based on completed application response rate by RIDE Region. 23, 2015 – May 8, 2015 Completed 5/12/2015
Random selection of potential participants from among applicants within each RIDE Region. Eligibility Survey/Participation Agreement Prepare notifications, Pilot Project instructions and Pilot Project Agreement Prepare Follow-up Survey Distribute notifications, agreement and survey to 900 potential participants Receive responses Review documentation submitted May 8, 2015 – May 12, 2015 by May 15, 2015 by June 5, 2015 June 8, 2015 – June 12, 2015 Completed 5/12/2015 5/22/2015 Prepare and Distribute Confirmation Letters Develop standard letter for confirmation of Project participation Distribute Confirmation Letters May 8, 2015 – June 5, 2015 by June 15, 2015 Completed 6/12/2015 Completed 6/22/2015 C. Pre-Pilot Administration Finalize Billing/Payment Process Work with MBTA Finance/Accounting to develop billing/payment process for fares January 21, 2015 – 30, 2015 Completed 5/22/2015 Prepare Verification Methodology Identify key documents for verification of Benefit Program participation Develop list of agency contacts for each benefit Program Develop process to verify self-reported information with external agencies January 21, 2015 – December 31, 2015 Completed 12/31/2015 Conduct Verification of Sample Contact external agencies to verify Benefit Program participation for a sample of Pilot Project customers Evaluate sampling process August 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015 Completed 12/31/2015 Develop Evaluation Plan Develop draft metrics (qualitative and quantitative) for Pilot Project January 21, 2015 – July 15, 2015 Completed 7/15/2015
Finalize metrics Develop satisfaction survey for review and comment Finalize satisfaction survey instrument and process Coordinate Reservations and Providers Prepare Project information materials for reservation agents and providers Conduct information sessions for Q&A February 16, 2015 – June 30, 2015 Completed 6/24/2015 D. Project Execution Assemble Pre-Pilot Use Data Query RIDE database for use data for period July through December 2014 (Pre-Pilot Project Use) Prepare use characteristics for Project participants: total trips and average trips per month. June 15, 2015 – June 30, 2015 Completed 9/29/2015 Assemble Pilot Use Data Collect monthly use for Pilot Project participants Compare Pilot Project use to pre-Pilot Project use rates July 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015 Completed 1/11/2016 Conduct Satisfaction Survey Distribute satisfaction survey to Pilot Project participants Process returned surveys and enter data Evaluate survey results December 1, 2015 December 15, 2015 – December 31, 2015 Completed 1/19/2016 Evaluate Project Metrics Prepare monthly summaries of and Project use Prepare monthly summary of lessons learned and recommended changes July 1, 2015 – January 31, 2015 Completed 1/29/2016 Prepare Pilot Project Report Prepare Draft Report of Pilot Project results December 15, 2015 – January 6, 2016 January 6, 2016 – January 13, 2016 Completed 4/29/2016
Exhibit 7: Query Results of RIDE Database Selection of Pilot Project Participants The second task of the Project involved selecting the Pilot Project participants from among the pool of eligible candidates. This task consisted of three activities: 1. Screen Applicants for Participation 2. Eligibility Survey/Participation Agreement 3. Prepare and Distribute Confirmation Letters The eligible applicants were first screened based on a number of factors in order to select the final Pilot Project participants. The criteria included the following: Step 1: reference applicants against RIDE ID for those who were sent an application Step 2: screen out anyone who did not check at least one of the Benefit Plans listed Step 3: screen out anyone who did not sign the application Step 4: group according to service area and community As a result of the screening criteria, 2,030 eligible applicants for the Pilot Project were identified. A group of 900 potential participants were then randomly selected from among the eligible applicants to receive invitations to participate in the Pilot Project. The results of the application and selection process are summarized in Exhibit 8. The selection of applicants for participation in the Pilot Project was completed on May 12, 2015. Exhibit 8: Pilot Project Application and Selection Results Vendor Potential Candidates Eligible Applicants Selection Count Percentage Count Percentage Count Percentage Outside 165 2% 26 1% 11 1% Core 3,722 36% 790 39% 348 39% GLSS 2,978 29% 623 31% 290 32% NE 1,792 17% 343 17% 152 17% VTS 1,615 16% 248 12% 99 11% Total 10,272 100% 2,030 100% 900 100% The notification package that was sent to the selected applicants included a Pilot Project Agreement, a request for documentation verifying participation in at least one of the 18 Benefit
Total Cost for the Pilot Project Taking into consideration the administration costs, revenue loss and cost of incentivized travel, the net cost for the Pilot Project are estimated to be $247,027 in annual terms as shown on Line D of Exhibit 30. Total cost for a full roll out could be determined based on project design and the number of expected participants. Exhibit 30: Estimated Costs of a Means-Based Fare Pilot (annualized) Category Amount Notes A. Administration Costs $89,639 Annualized administration cost for Pilot Project B. Revenue Loss (Annualized) $71,952 Annualized revenue loss for Pilot Project C. Incentivized Travel (Annualized) $85,436 Additional Trips Induced by Lower Fare *$31 D. Net Project Cost (A+B+C) $247,027 Sum of administration costs, revenue loss and incentivized travel