HomeMy Public PortalAbout05 May 15, 2000 Citizens advisory Committee / Social Services Transportation Advisory Council87876
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RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE/
SOCIAL SERVICE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
MEETING AGENDA*
TIME: 1:30 P.M.
DATE: Monday, May 15, 2000
LOCATION: RCTC OFFICE - Conference Room 'A'
3560 University Avenue
Riverside, California 92502
(909) 787-7141
*By request, agenda and minutes may be available in alternative format; i.e., large print, tape.
Ace Atkinson
Peter Benavidez -
Jim Collins
Beverly Copeland
John Davenport ,.//
Bill Densmore
Richard Galope
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Judylynn Gries -
Lucia Moran --
Lori Nickel
Fortunato Penilla -
Michelle Rainer
Tanya Love, Program Manager
11.36.10
" R I V E R S I D E C O U N T Y T R A N S P O R T A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N
C I T I Z E N S A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E /
S O C I A L S E R V I C E S T R A N S P O R T A T I O N A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L
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k G E N D A *
' ' A c t i o n m a y b e t a k e n o n a n y i t e m l i s t e d o n t h e a g e n d a .
R C T C O f f i c e
3 5 6 0 U n i v e r s i t y A v e n u e , R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a 9 2 5 0 1
M o n d a y , M a y 1 5 , 2 0 0 0 - 1 : 3 0 P . M .
" 1 . C A L L T O O R D E R
S E L F - I N T R O D U C T I O N
A P P R O V A L O F M I N U T E S - A p r i l 1 7 , 2 0 0 0 ( A t t a c h m e n t )
4 . P U B L I C C O M M E N T S - ( F o r c o m m e n t s o n i t e m s n o t l i s t e d o n t h e a g e n d a .
C o m m e n t s r e l a t i n g t o a n i t e m o n t h e a g e n d a w i l l b e t a k e n w h e n i t h e i t e m i s b e f o r e
t h e C o m m i t t e e )
5 . S H O R T R A N G E T R A N S I T P L A N S /
6 . U N M E T N E E D S H E A R I N G T R A N S C R I P T S U M M A R I E S A N D R E S P O N S E S
7 . C H A R G E F O R P A R K I N G P L A C A R D S
8 . R T A U P D A T E
- M u l t i S y s t e m s E v a l u a t i o n
9 . S U N L I N E U P D A T E
10. SUB -COMMITTEE REPORT - Bus Stop Accessibility / Municipal Responsibility, RTA
Evaluation by Multi Systems & Capacity Constraints
11. COMMITTEE REPORT - (This item provides an opportunity for Committee members
to report on items related to transportation. No action can be taken on any issues
raised or presented)
12. OTHER BUSINESS (for discussion only - no action)
13. ADJOURNMENT
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C I T I Z E N S A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E S O C I A L S E R V I C E
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L
A p r i l 1 7 , 2 0 0 0
1 . C a l l t o O r d e r
V i c e - C h a i r p e r s o n A c e A t k i n s o n c a l l e d t h e R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n ( R C T C ) C i t i z e n s A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e / S o c i a l
S e r v i c e s T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o u n c i l ( C A C ) t o o r d e r a t 1 : 3 5 p . m . a t t h e o f f i c e s
o f t h e R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n , 3 5 6 0 U n i v e r s i t y
A v e n u e , C o n f e r e n c e R o o m " A " , i n R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o m i a .
2 . S e l f I n t r o d u c t i o n s
M e m b e r s P r e s e n t :
A c e A t k i n s o n
P e t e r B e n a v i d e z
B e v e r l y C o p e l a n d
B i l l D e n s m o r e
F o r t u n a t o P e n i l l a
S t a f f V o u n d y
O t h e r s P r e s e n t :
R a y G r e e n i d g e
T a n y a L o v e
H e l e n W a r i n e r
M e m b e r s A b s e n t :
J i m C o l l i n s
R i c h a r d G a l o p e
J u d y l y n n G r i e s
L u c i a M o r a n
L o r i N i c k e l
M i c h e l l e R a i n e r
T a m m y L e s s a
J e r r y R i v e r a
R o n W i l l i a m s
3 . A p p r o v a l o f M i n u t e s F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 0 0
M / S / C ( B e n a v i d e z / P e n i l l a ) a p p r o v e t h e m i n u t e s o f 2 / 2 8 / 0 0 .
4 . P u b l i c C o m m e n t s
T h e r e w e r e n o c o m m e n t s f r o m t h e p u b l i c a t t h i s t i m e .
5 . P r e s e n t a t i o n O n I s s u e s R e l a t e d T o W h e e l c h a i r T i e - D o w n s
S t a f f V o u n d y f r o m R i v e r s i d e T r a n s i t A g e n c y ( R T A ) p r e s e n t e d a w h e e l c h a i r
t i e d o w n v i d e o o n t h e " Q R T S y s t e m s f r o m Q - s t r a i n t " . M r . V o u n d y a d v i s e d
t h e m e m b e r s t h a t t h i s i s t h e t i e - d o w n s y s t e m R T A w i l l u s e o n t h e i r n e w
v e h i c l e s .
P e t e r B e n a v i d e z a s k e d i f R T A h a d p l a n s t o r e t r o f i t t h e i r e x i s t i n g b u s e s
w i t h t h e n e w s y s t e m o r i f t h i s s y s t e m w o u l d o n l y b e o f f e r e d o n n e w
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vehicles. Mr. Voundy stated that information was not available, however
he felt confident RTA would take this under consideration.
Bill Densmore asked for information concerning the cost per vehicle for
installation of these QRT tie -downs on RTA's existing "large" buses. Mr.
Voundy stated that information was not available, however he will provide
this information to the committee at a future date. Mr. Voundy further
stated that all of the new vehicles RTA purchases will be fitted with the
QRT System.
6. Charge for Parking Placards
It was decided, by the Committee, to reschedule this item to the next
meeting since Jim Collins and Lucia Moran were not in attendance.
7. Selection of Representatives for SB821 Evaluation Committee
Vice Chairperson Ace Atkinson appointed Beverly Copeland, Lucia
Moran and Fortunato Penilla as representatives.
8. RTA Update
Staff Voundy presented an update for the month of February 2000.
Ridership was 554,742, up 3.1 % system wide YTD compared to last year.
Fixed route services were up 4.31 % YTD compared to last year. Contract
fixed routes were down 9.7% YTD compared to last year. Routes 31, 32,
100 & 149 were down from last year due to route realignment and lower
ridership volume. Paratransit services were up 6.49% YTD compared to
last year.
The complaints received for January 2000 were 0.013% of total ridership.
Fixed route complaints were 0.013%, while paratransit complaints were
0.006% of total ridership.
The RTA Transportation Center handled 51,038 calls in February 2000;
this was the second month in a row that the RTA Transportation Center
handled over 50,000 calls. The average calls per hour for the month of
February 2000 was 110 versus 49 calls per hour last year.
Mr. Voundy advised the committee that a presentation from Multi -Systems
was made on February 23, 2000 at 1:00 p.m. An invitation was sent to the
Citizens Advisory Committee. Multi -Systems' final report is expected to be
available in about one month.
Vice -Chairperson Ace Atkinson asked if any members of the sub-
committee on Bus Stop Accessibility/Municipal Responsibility, RTA's
evaluation by Multi -Systems and Capacity Constraints were present. In
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their absence Vice -Chairperson requested that next months agenda
packet contain whatever information is available from Multi -Systems for
review by the Sub -Committee. Vice -Chairperson Atkinson further
requested that this be listed under the RTA Update.
9. SunLine Update
Ron Williams requested time to discuss SunLines' current wheelchair tie -
down systems. Ray Greenidge, field supervisor for SunLine gave a
presentation on SunLine's current tie -down systems. Mr. Greenidge
reported the majority of the problems SunLine is having with wheelchair
tie -downs are occurring with scooters as opposed to wheelchairs.
Vice -Chairperson Ace Atkinson requested an agenda item be put on next
months meeting regarding scooters, wheelchair tie -downs and retrofit of
existing vehicles in response to Mr. Greenidge's report. Vice -Chairperson
Ace Atkinson proposed this item include input from RTA, SunLine and all
other interested parties, in order to bring forth a position statement from
the Citizens Advisory Committee which could then be taken forward to the
Transportation Commission.
Ron Williams gave an update on SunLine advising the members that the
information on fixed routes was not available today, however information
on SunLine's Paratransit Service was available. Mr. Williams reported
that during the month of March 2000, SunLine provided Para -Transit
transportation for a total of 9,460 riders, with 59 denials for a total of 1 %.
In March 1999 a total of 7,364 rides were provided. In March of 1999
SunLine provided 730 wheelchair transports. In March 2000 1,383
wheelchair transports were provided.
On -time performance had actually gone down: last year's on -time
performance was 94%, this year it is 92.6%. Mr. Williams attributed this
slight decrease to wheelchair transports.
Complaints YTD last year were eight complaints, with 17 complaints YTD
for this year. Eight of the complaints were for on -time performance and
tardy cards were issued. Mr. Williams reported SunLine has been very
pleased that service has increased and that complaints have not risen in
proportion.
Mr. Williams reported SunLine would acquire seven new vehicles in June
2000. Four or five of these will be to replace vehicles scheduled for
retirement.
In March 1999 Vets Express transported 262.veterans to Loma Linda VA
Medical Center and in March 2000 the Vets Express transported 406
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veterans. Mr. Williams reported that talks are under way at SunLine on
expanding the Vets Express. Mr. Williams advised he would keep the
committee updated.
Mr. Williams reported that Same Day Service is not getting the public
response that was expected. The service is scheduled to expand to Palm
Springs in approximately four weeks then to Desert Hot Springs in 6-8
weeks. This will complete the Same Day Service Expansion.
10. Sub -Committee Report
There was no business on this item.
11. Committee Report
Beverly Copeland reported on the Grand Opening of the combination
Senior Center/Work Force Center in Hemet. Ms. Copeland advised the
committee Care -A -Van is now operating out of this center.
12. Monitor List
a. Welfare to Work
There is no business on this item today.
13. Other Business
Jerry Rivera of RCTC gave a preview on the Unmet Needs Hearing held
in March 2000 in Blythe, California. This item is scheduled for the May
2000 meeting. Mr. Rivera supplied the committee with a copy of the
summary of the testimony taken on that day.
Mr. Rivera gave a brief summary of the requests which are listed below.
1. Chuck Grotke submitted a request for the City of Blythe to return to a
fixed route system. Mr. Rivera stated that the City Manager and the
Mayor of Blythe had advised him that an Origin and Destination study
is currently in progress.
2. Four of the next five requests were for service for the veterans to the
Palm Desert Clinic and the VA Hospital in Loma Linda.
3. Bud Schaff requested service north of the City of Blythe.
Bill Densmore added that the VA transportation issue is a work in
progress. As it stands now Blythe has been asked to quantify the nature
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of the needs. Mr. Densmore stated that his personal effort is to join
Blythe's efforts with the Vets Express. Mr.- Densmore advised the
committee that the VA Hospital has obtained funding for pilot projects to
look at alternatives to bringing medical care to these rural areas.
14. Adjournment
There being no further business for consideration by the Citizens Advisory
Committee Social Service Transportation Advisory Committee, a motion to
adjourn was made at 2:47 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tanya Love, Program Manager
ATTENDANCE ROSTER
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE/SOCIAL SVC TRANPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
MONDAY, MAY 15, 2000
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3560 University Avenue Suite 100 • Riverside, California 92501
phone: (909)787-7141 • fax: (909)787-7910 • www.rctc.arg
TO: Citizens' Advisory Committee/Social Service Transportation Advisory
Council
FROM: Jerry Rivera, Program Manager
DATE: May 15, 2000
SUBJECT: FY 2000-01 Unmet Needs Hearing Transcript Summaries and Responses
State law requires that a public hearing be held annually to receive comments from the
public concerning public transit needs. Approximately $393million dollars in local
transportation funds (LTF) will be available in the county for transit purposes in
FY00/01. These funds are derived from 1 /4 of one cent of sales tax. As a priority,
these funds must be used for public transit. If there are funds remaining after meeting
all reasonable transit needs, these funds may then be used for construction and
maintenance of streets and roads. In the Western County and Coachella Valley, all
available local transit funds are being used for transit services. In the Palo Verde
Valley, however, there have been sufficient "funds left over after funding transit
services to make street and road improvements.
The Commission requests the assistance of the CAC/SSTAC in reviewing the
testimony and responses collected during the unmet needs hearing process to
determine what improvements should be made to the Palo Verde Valley Transit
system.
Attached is a summary of the testimony from the Palo Verde Valley hearing. Also
included are the proposed staff/operator responses. We worked with staff from the
City of Blythe to determine what improvements were reasonable to meet based on
projected productivity. The requests relating to connecting service to the VA clinic in
Palm Desert and the hospital in Loma Linda appear to be primary concern at this time.
The City of Blythe and RCTC staff will work with the County Veterans Service and the
Veterans Advisory Committee to develop a program to transport clients to their
appointments. Also, a concerted effort will be made by PVVTA and the contractor
staff to better inform the public of the TRIP program and its policies.
Staff recommends that the CAC/SSTAC request that the Commission adopt the unmet
transit needs hearing testimony and responses and find that based on review of the
existing services, that there are no unmet transit needs that are reasonable to meet in
the Palo Verde Valley.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
That the Citizens' Advisory Committee/Social Service Transportation Advisory Council
recommend adoption of the FY 2000-01 Unmet Transit Needs responses for Riverside
County and that based upon review of the existing services, find that there are no
unmet transit needs which can be reasonably met in the Palo Verde Valley.
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B L Y T H E C I T Y H A L L
M a r c h 2 , 2 0 0 0
N a m e / O r g a n i z a t i o n
F Y 2 0 0 0 - 0 1 U N I K T T R A N S I T N E E D S
S u m m a r y o f T e s t i n W y a n d S t a f f R e s p o n s e s
S u m m a r
- - - - - - - - - - - - - V I C G 1 , . a c l 1 J w 1 0 0
C h u c k G r o t k e
8 4 0 1 E . H o b s o n W a y
B l y t h e , C A 9 2 2 2 5
C o n s i d e r g o i n g b a c k t o a f i x e d r o u t e s y s t e m
w i t h i n t h e n e x t 3 t o 5 y e a r s .
'
R C T C a p p r o v e d a s u m o f
m o n e y t o c o n d u c t a n O r i g i n /
D e s t i n a t i o n S t u d y t o d e t e r m i n e
t h e f e a s i b i l i t y o f a f i x e d - r o u t e
s e r v i c e . P V V T A i s g o i n g t o
r e q u e s t t h e C o m m i s s i o n t o
a l l o w t h e c a r r y o v e r o f t h e s e
f u n d s t o d o t h e s t u d y i n
2 0 0 1 / 0 2 .
J i m C a r n e y
B l y t h e V e t e r a n s C o m m i t t e e
2 6 0 N . S p r i n g S t r e e t
B l y t h e , C A 9 2 2 2 5
R e q u e s t i n g t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r v e t e r a n s f r o m
t h e B l y t h e a r e a t o P a l m D e s e r t a n d b a c k .
T h e T R I P p r o g r a m w h i c h
p r o v i d e s r e i m b u r s e m e n t t o
v o l u n t e e r d r i v e r s i s c u r r e n t l y
a v a i l a b l e . T h e P V V T A i s
c o n t i n u i n g t o w o r k w i t h
R i c h a r d S m i t h i n i d e n t i f y i n g a
d r i v e r p o o l t o b e t t e r u t i l i z e t h e
T R I P p r o g r a m .
P . H . B u d S c h a a f
C o l o r a d o R i v e r S e n i o r C e n t e r
H C R 2 0 B o x 2 7 2 5 M
B l y t h e , C A 9 2 2 2 5 ? ? ?
R e q u e s t e d b u s s e r v i c e N o r t h o f B l y t h e u p t o
t h e C o u n t y l i n e o r a t l e a s t u p t o L o s t L a k e .
A l s o r e q u e s t e d R C T C ' s a s s i s t a n c e t o h a v e
C a l t r a n s m o v e u p t h e s c h e d u l e o f w i d e n i n g
a n d r e p a i r o f H i g h w a y 9 5 .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , p o p u l a t i o n
d e n s i t y i n t h e a r e a w i l l n o t
s u p p o r t t h e c o s t e f f e c t i v e
o p e r a t i o n o f a v a n s e r v i c e . T h e
T R I P s e r v i c e i s a v a i l a b l e a n d i t s
u s a g e i s e n c o u r a g e d .
_ p e o Q I ) 2 - -
BLYTHE TRANSIT NEEDS HEARING
March 2, 2000
Page 2
Name/Organization Summary of Comments
Staff Response
Col. Tom Henry
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Trying to set up a new transportation
system to get Veterans from Blythe to the
clinic iri Palm Desert and to the hospital in
Loma Linda.
Staff is working with the local
Veterans Advisory Committee,
County Veterans Services, and
RCTC to identify possible
options.
Bill Densmore, Director
Riverside County Veterans
Services
1 153A Spruce
Riverside, CA 9250
Wants support to help link -up the veterans
of the Palo Verde Valley with the VA
Hospital in Loma Linda.
See above response.
Annie Tuttle
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
11201 Benton Street
Loma Linda, CA
Followed up on requests made by Bill
Densmore.
See above response.
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R I V E R S I D E C O U N T Y T R A N S P O R T A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N
U N M E T T R A N S I T N E E D S
P U B L I C H E A R I N G
M a r c h 2 , 2 0 0 0
C a l l t o O r d e r
V i c e - C h a i r m a n W i l l i a m G . K l e i n d i e n s t c a l l e d t h e R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n
C o m m i s s i o n , U n m e t N e e d s H e a r i n g t o o r d e r a t 2 : 3 0 p . m . a t t h e B l y t h e C i t y H a l l
C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s , 2 3 5 N . B r o a d w a y S t r e e t , B l y t h e , C a l i f o r n i a .
R C T C M e m b e r s P r e s e n t :
R o b e r t C r a i n , C i t y o f B l y t h e
R i c h a r d K e l l y , C i t y o f P a l m D e s e r t
W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t , M a y o r o f P a l m S p r i n g s / R C T C V i c e - C h a i r m a n
R o y W i l s o n , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y / R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n
O t h e r s P r e s e n t :
J i m C a r n e y , B l y t h e V e t e r a n s C o m m i t t e e
T o m C l i f f o r d , C i t y o f B l y t h e
B i l l D e n s m o r e , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s S e r v i c e s
L e t i c i a D e L a r a , S u p e r v i s o r R o y W i l s o n ' s O f f i c e
G e o r g e E a p e r s o n , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e
T o m F r e e m a n , S u p e r v i s o r R o y W i l s o n ' s O f f i c e
C h u c k G r o t k e , C i t y o f B l y t h a n d B u s i n e s s m a n
L o r a i n e H u n t e r , C i t y o f B l y t h e
M a r y J o h n s o n , V a l l e y R e s o u r c e C e n t e r
L e w M i l l e t , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e
T e r e s a S a t o , V a l l e y R e s o u r c e C e n t e r
P . H . B u d S c h a a f , C o l o r a d o R i v e r S e n i o r C e n t e r
J a c k E . S m i t h , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e
J a c k L a R o c h e , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e
M a r y T h e i r y , D e s e r t C o m m . E Z
A n n i e T u t t l e , V e t e r a n s A f f a i r s M e d i c a l C e n t e r
E r i c H a l e y , R C T C E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r
J e r r y R i v e r a , R C T C S t a f f
T r a c i M c G i n l e y , R C T C S t a f f
Commissioner William Kleindienst: I have a text that I am to read into the record and
then we'll begin the actual opening of the hearing after these comments. State law
requires that a public hearing be held annually to receive comments from the public
concerning public transit needs. Approximately $707,000 are available in the Palo
Verde Valley for transportation purposes pursuant to State Transportation
Development Act. As a priority these funds must be used for public transit. If there
are funds remaining after meeting all reasonable public transit needs these funds may
be used for the construction and maintenance of streets and roads. In previous years
there have been sufficient funds left over after funding transit service to assist in
construction and maintenance of streets and roads.
The purpose of this hearing is to receive comments from the public on whether there
are reasonable transit needs that are not being met in the Palo Verde Valley. Please
note that the key word here is reasonable, reasonable transit needs.
This means that there must be evidence that there will be sufficient ridership to justify
any expansion of existing service or addition of any new services. The service needs
raised through this public hearing will also be used to assist in the evaluation of current
services.
If you have comments or complaints about drivers or a missed trip on a Dial -A -Ride,
these comments should be made directly to the Palo Verde Transit Agency, since they
are the operator of that service. We are here to receive comments about transit
services that are not currently being met.
If you would prefer to just listen today, the Commission will accept letters on unmet
transit needs until March 3rd, or early next week if extra time is needed. Please send
them to the Commission Office at 3560 University Avenue, Suite 100, Riverside,
California, 92501.
Those of you who wish to address the Hearing Board should fill out a card, it can be
obtained from Commission Staff. Please make sure that you include your mailing
address so that we can send you a response to your comments, also include phone
numbers in case staff needs to clarify any parts of your testimony. I would ask that
you limit your presentations to five minutes.
At this point we would like to open the public hearing and allow any of you to give
comments to this Board. Please come forward.
Chuck Grotke, 8401 E. Hobson Way, Blythe, California: I don't have a card.
Commissioner William Kleindienst: That is fine.
Chuck Grotke: Thank you very much. Members of the Board my name is Chuck
Grotke, I am a businessman in the community, I am also a member of the Blythe City
" C o u n c i l .
" C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : W e l c o m e .
C h u c k G r o t k e : I s p e a k t o y o u p r i m a r i l y a s a b u s i n e s s p e r s o n a t t h i s p o i n t , a l t h o u g h m y
c o u n c i l d u t i e s o v e r l a p . I w o u l d l i k e y o u t o c o n s i d e r , n o t n e c e s s a r i l y f o r r i g h t n o w b u t
i n t h e n e x t 3 t o 5 y e a r s , t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f g o i n g b a c k t o a f i x e d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n l i n e i n
B l y t h e . I s e e a n e e d c o m i n g f o r t h t o r u n a l i n e a s w e d i d s e v e r a l y e a r s a g o , f r o m t h e
r i v e r t o M e s a V e r d e , w h i c h c o v e r s t h e e n t i r e l e n g t h o f H o b s o n w a y L a n e w h i c h i s o u r
s h o p p i n g a r e a . B u t m o r e s o w i t h t h e n e w C o l l e g e g o i n g o u t i n t h e l o c a t i o n t h a t i t i s ,
w h i c h i s a b i t o u t o f t o w n a n d o f f t h e b e a t e n p a t h . I s e e t h e n e e d f o r p u b l i c
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t o t h e C o l l e g e . D i a l - A - R i d e i s d o i n g f i n e . D i a l - A - R i d e i s r e a l l y g e t t i n g
i n u n d a t e d . T h i s p e r h a p s c o u l d w o r k w i t h D i a l - A - R i d e , p e r h a p s t a k e s o m e o f t h e
b u r d e n o f f D i a l - A - R i d e f o r t h e " g o t o t o w n t o d o s h o p p i n g a n d c o m e h o m e " , a s
o p p o s e d t o t h e s p e c i a l t y n e e d s t o g e t t o t h e D o c t o r ' s o f f i c e o r t o s o m e a r e a . T h a t i s
m y s u b m i s s i o n . I t i s n o t f o r i m m e d i a t e n e e d b u t i t i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t w e s h o u l d s t a r t
t h i n k i n g a b o u t n o w , b e c a u s e I d o e n v i s i o n a r e a l n e e d f o r i t i n t h e n e x t 3 - 5 y e a r s .
T h a n k y o u v e r y m u c h , I w i l l f i l l o u t m y c a r d .
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"
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : T h a n k y o u w e a p p r e c i a t e y o u r c o m m e n t s s i r . I s
t h e r e a n y o n e e l s e h e r e t o a d d r e s s t h e s e n e e d s t o d a y a t t h i s h e a r i n g ?
G o o d a f t e r n o o n .
J i m C a r n e y , B l y t h e V e t e r a n s C o m m i t t e e , 2 6 0 N . S p r i n g S t r e e t , B l y t h e , C a l i f o r n i a :
G o o d a f t e r n o o n , I a l s o d o n ' t h a v e a c a r d . I d i d m a k e a c o p y o f w h a t I w a n t t o p r e s e n t
i f y o u f o l k s w o u l d l i k e a c o p y o f t h a t w h i l e I d o t h i s . M y n a m e i s J i m C a r n e y a n d a s
y o u c a n s e e I w o r k f o r t h e S h e r i f f ' s D e p a r t m e n t b u t I a m n o t r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e S h e r i f f ' s
D e p a r t m e n t t o d a y . I a m r e p r e s e n t i n g a l o c a l B l y t h e V e t e r a n s C o m m i t t e e . W e a r e
r e q u e s t i n g s o m e t y p e o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n b e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e v e t e r a n s i n t h i s a r e a . A s
y o u k n o w t h i s a r e a i s a l i t t l e i s o l a t e d f r o m t h e m a i n s t r e a m o f p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t a t i o n ,
o t h e r t h a n p e r s o n a l a u t o o r t h e g r e y h o u n d b u s l i n e s . W e a r e a s k i n g f o r , o r m a k i n g a
r e q u e s t f o r a b u s a n d a d r i v e r t h a t c o u l d b e u t i l i z e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e m o n t h f o r t h e c i t y ,
b u t a s k i n g f o r a d a y o r t w o p e r m o n t h t o t r a n s p o r t v e t e r a n s f r o m t h e B l y t h e a r e a t o
t h e P a l m D e s e r t a r e a a n d b a c k . I k n o w L o m a L i n d a h a s w o r k e d v e r y h a r d t r y i n g t o
p r o v i d e s o m e t y p e o f b u s s e r v i c e t o t h e v e t e r a n s . O u r p r o b l e m i s t h a t w e h a v e t o g e t
t h e v e t e r a n s f r o m h e r e t o I n d i o b y 7 : 0 0 i n t h e m o r n i n g t o g e t t h e m t o L o m a L i n d a a n d
t h e n s o m e t i m e s t h e y d o n ' t m e e t a l l t h e i r a p p o i n t m e n t s t i m e s . I f t h e T r a n s p o r t a t i o n
C o m m i s s i o n c o u l d c o n s i d e r a r e q u e s t t o h a v e a b u s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e v e t e r a n s o n e t o
t w o d a y s a m o n t h t o t r a v e l f r o m B l y t h e t o t h e P a l m D e s e r t a r e a a n d t h e n b a c k t o
B l y t h e t h e v e t e r a n s c o u l d b e s e e n o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s . I t h i n k t h e l e t t e r t h a t I h a v e t h e r e
e x p l a i n s i t a l i t t l e b e t t e r b u t , t h a t ' s o u r r e q u e s t .
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : C a n y o u a d d r e s s t h e n u m b e r o f i n d i v i d u a l s t h a t
n e e d t h i s s e r v i c e ?
Jim Carney: Per the 1990 census there is 103 veterans in this area that are currently
using the VA Services. In the past 10 years that amount has gone up. But probably
right in the vicinity of 200 to 225 veterans need to go out. Some of them don't go
because they have no ransportation. At times they try to buddy up to go and we're
working on getting them to all go to one area and signing up the ones that really need
to go now. The Palm Desert Clinic we've been in contact with and they're willing to
try to set up 1 to 2 days a month for just the Blythe Veterans and can see up to 10
new veterans at a time. Once that gets established and we go through the ones that
need the medical services, it would me more of a monthly type trip to go back to see
the doctor.
Commissioner: Can you address the frequency of this need? Is it weekly, monthly?
Jim Carney: Most :of them go on month to three-month deal. Once they get
established and they can be maintained with just medication, they can get up to a year
at a time, of medication. Most of them go no longer than six months.
Commissioner: Thank you. Anyone else wising to address this Commission? Please
come forward sir we welcome your comments. We'll give you a card to fill out and
you can just take it off to the side. We'd appreciated it.
P.H. Bud Schaaf, Colorado River Senior Center, HCR 20 Box 2725M, . _, s I'm here
I guess on two different items. One is we have tried to get some bus service North
of Blythe up to the County line, . The last attempt was
through the Empowerment Zone '_�_, :°`� �- �. and I believe that Mr.
Nelson has some information on that. We are trying to establish what we have to do
from here to go further along in getting some transportation. The second Item is
Highway 95. We have put in reports, petitions, pictures and through the good offices
of our County Supervisor we have gotten some action. However the long-term gain
on this is yet to be obtained. We are getting band -aids on a Highway that has a lot
of traffic. I'd like to see if there is any way that RCTC can put any kind of pressure
on Ca!trans to up the schedule of the widening and repair of that Highway. That,
according to Mr. Carr from the District Maintenance office, is in engineering and it will
be sometime in the year 2003 before we see any action on that. I'm not sure that
road is going to last that long even with the upkeep that they are trying to do on it,
which is a piecemeal project. So anything collectively that you can do and the
Commission can do would be appreciated.
Commission Robert Crain: Mr. Chairman I would like to add to that, this particular
road, Highway 95 is very much in need of safety improvements. There is no shoulder.
Major trucks go back and forth and sometimes just passing the trucks is so bad that
you have no place to go. If you're off the side of the road you're rolling because it is
dirt and there is a drop-off. And I would like to see the Commission address that. But
there is also a related problem I know Hideo has been working on and it's dealing with
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c a l l b o x e s i n t h a t a r e a . N o w t h e r e i s a l a c k o f c e l l u l a r s e r v i c e b u t I u n d e r s t a n d t h e y
a r e a t t e m p t i n g t o g e t a r e l a y t o w e r e s t a b l i s h e d t h e r e s o o n . A n d I w o u l d h o p e t h a t
R C T C w o u l d e x t e n d t h e c a l l b o x e s i n t h a t a r e a i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e y g e t t h e s e r v i c e .
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : V e r y g o o d , t h a n k y o u R o b e r t . I s t h e r e a n y o n e e l s e
w i s h i n g t o a d d r e s s t o d a y ' s i s s u e s o n U n m e t T r a n s i t N e e d s ? T o m I ' m l o o k i n g a t y o u .
C o l . T o m H e n r y : W e l l t h e r e s t o f m y w e e k w e ' v e h a d t h r e e m e e t i n g s . W e ' v e j u s t h a d
a m e e t i n g w i t h t h e V e t e r a n s o v e r a t t h e V F W . T h e p o i n t w e w e r e g o i n g t o b r i n g u p
t o d a y w a s a b o u t t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r t h e , t r y i n g t o s e t u p a n e w t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s y s t e m
t o g e t o u r V e t e r a n s f r o m h e r e t o t h e C l i n i c i n P a l m D e s e r t a n d t o t h e h o s p i t a l i n L o m a
L i n d a .
N o w w e j u s t h a d t w o g o o d m e e t i n g s t h i s m o r n i n g , a n d w h a t w e s e t u p i s a g a m e p l a n .
W h a t w e a r e g o i n g t o t r y t o d o i s t o a p p r o a c h t h r e e d i f f e r e n t p r o b l e m s , r e g i s t r a t i o n
b e c a u s e w e h a v e t o g e t t h e p e o p l e h e r e r e g i s t e r e d , g e t t h e m i n t h e s y s t e m . S o w e
a r e g o i n g t o o n , i n M a y , w e ' r e g o i n g t o h a v e a V e t e r a n s F a i r o u t h e r e f o r o n e w h o l e
d a y a n d b r i n g p e o p l e f r o m t h e d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f t h e V e t e r a n s C o m m u n i t y a n d g i v e a n
e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m a n d t h e n t a k e p i c t u r e s a n d s i g n p e o p l e u p a n d g e t t h e m e n r o l l e d
i n t h e h o s p i t a l . W h a t w e ' v e , w h a t t h e h o s p i t a l h a s f i n a l l y d e c i d e d , i n s t e a d o f u s
h a v i n g t o g o o v e r t h e r e t o g e t o u r p i c t u r e s t a k e n , w e a r e g o i n g t o g e t t h e p i c t u r e s
t a k e n h e r e . S o w e ' r e g o i n g t o b r i n g t h e t r e a t m e n t t o t h e p e o p l e i n s t e a d o f t a k i n g t h e
p e o p l e t o t h e m . O n c e t h a t i s a c c o m p l i s h e d I ' v e f o u n d a p i e c e o f l e g i s l a t i o n t h a t t i e s
i n t o t h i s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s y s t e m w h e r e w e c a n t r y t o g e t a p i l o t p r o g r a m f o r B l y t h e .
W h a t h a p p e n s i s t h e r e i s a n e w p i e c e o f l e g i s l a t i o n t h a t h a s j u s t b e e n p a s s e d a n d w h a t
w e a r e g o i n g t o d o , w i t h S u p e r v i s o r W i l s o n ' s p e r m i s s i o n , w e ' r e g o i n g t o p r o v i d e a
l e t t e r t o C o n g r e s s w o m a n B o n o t o s e e i f w e c o u l d m a k e a p i l o t p r o g r a m o u t o f t h i s
c o m m u n i t y . T h i s i s s o m e t h i n g n e w i n t h e V A s y s t e m a n d w e w i l l s e e i f w e c a n
q u a l i f y . A n d i t w i l l i n c l u d e o t h e r t h i n g s . S e e , w h a t w e w e ' r e t a l k i n g a b o u t i s a
c o m m u n i t y b a s e d o u t p a t i e n t c l i n i c . W e a r e s t i l l g o i n g t o n e e d a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s y s t e m
t o g e t t h o s e p e o p l e w h o r e q u i r e f u r t h e r c a r e t h a n j u s t o u t p a t i e n t c a r e . S o w h a t w e
w a n t t o a d d r e s s i s l i k e w h a t w e h a v e i n C o a c h e l l a V a l l e y , t h e V e t e r a n s E x p r e s s . W e
w a n t t o g e t a s y s t e m h e r e t h a t w o u l d h e l p t h e p e o p l e o u t h e r e , b e c a u s e w e a r e t a l k i n g
a b o u t a n e l d e r l y g r o u p a n d w e a r e g e t t i n g u p i n t o o u r 8 0 ' s , o u r W o r l d W a r I I V e t e r a n s .
W e c a n ' t m a k e t h a t l o n g d r i v e , t h e h e a t , i t i s 1 1 0 d e g r e e s , t h e w i n d s . T h e w h o l e
t h i n g i s , w e a r e g o i n g t o b r i n g i n a l l t h e s e p r o b l e m s s o w e c a n s e e i f w e c a n a t t a c k i t
f r o m t w o l e v e l s . O n e l e v e l i s t o b r i n g m o r e o u t p a t i e n t c l i n i c t r e a t m e n t h e r e a n d t h e
o t h e r l e v e l i s t o t r a n s p o r t o u r p e o p l e f o r f u r t h e r c a r e . B u t a s a n i n t e r i m , w e c a n d o t h e
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t h i n g f i r s t i f w e c a n w o r k t h a t o u t a n d t h e n p r o c e e d d o w n t h e l i n e t o
g e t t h e o t h e r a s p e c t s o f t h e p r o g r a m . A n d B i l l d o y o u w a n t t o a d d a n y t h i n g t o t h i s ?
B i l l D e n s m o r e , R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y V e t e r a n s S e r v i c e s , 1 1 5 3 A S p r u c e , R i v e r s i d e ,
C a l i f o r n i a : I p r o b a b l y w o u l d n ' t b e a b l e t o a d d t o i t .
" C o l . T o m H e n r y : B i l l w h y d o n ' t y o u c o m e d o w n a n d r e a d y o u r n a m e i n t o t h e r e c o r d
book.
Bill Densmore: Sure. Bill Densmore Riverside County Veterans Services. This is similar
to what we discussed last year. I came up and testified and I wasn't sure if I was
going to do that today but I'm certainly glad to. The Vets Express Line is well known
by RCTC, hopefully it is a 5-day a week free transportation for veterans basically in the
Coachella Valley. It leaves its first stop in Indio at 6:00 a.m., which is very, very
difficult for veterans for Blythe to hook-up with simply because that is about a 4:00
a.m., probably even earlier than that, time to get up in the morning and to get into that
service. So, we are, we've had the veterans of Blythe on our minds for quite some
time and we want to get something done. I'm simply going to remind RCTC that I got
a lovely letter of support as a result of our testimony last year. It said that they would
work with us in putting something together and we're now going to pick up that
marker, we're ready to go and we need your support. Whether or not it is going to be
simply monetary or just your expertise in transportation remains to be seen, but we
want someone dedicated to helping up link -up the veterans of the Palo Verde Valley
with the VA Hospital in Loma Linda. And so if RCTC would give us that support we
will be happy. And by the way Cathy Bechtel at RCTC was a major player in helping
us get Vets Express. It's not so much that there was any money flowing its just that
there is so much knowledge and expertise and we used them as a resource and that's
what I'm referring to. We have with us today Annie Tuttle from the VA Medical
Center and she is one of the partners for the Vets Express and obviously a key player
to anything that has it's destination to the VA Medical Center. I'm wondering if Annie
would care to say anything or if it would be appropriate?
Commissioner William Kleindienst: I think so, but I want to ask you a question. Maybe
it is for you or for Tom. There were discussions being added regarding the idea of
joining Arizona from two congressional standpoints to build some sort of a clinic here.
What is going on in those efforts at this point?
Bill Densmore: Well if I may.
Commissioner William Kleindienst: We know that if the transportation is moving them
from here to there if we can get the center here.
Bill Densmore: The mountain to Mohammed. If we looked in terms of short term/long
term that I'm afraid or realistically is probably going to be more long term. There is
some legislative things that we're going to have to accomplish. There is a pilot project
that we're going to hope to tap into. Its not so much that it is jurisdictionally going
to be impossible, I think that is going to be the easiest of the things to surmount. But
the problem is going to be in funding and the stream of funding that the VA Hospitals,
who are going to be responsible for providing the care, how their funding is going to
be increased to serve all the veterans. So we do hope that, ultimately, we can place
something in this area more fixed than just rubber tires: But the rubber tires are going
to get the patients to the treatment for the time being. We don't want to sit back and
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w a i t f o r t h e o t h e r . S o w e ' r e h o p i n g t h a t , v e r y o p t i m i s t i c a l l y , w e w e r e t h i n k i n g t h i s
m o r n i n g o f 6 t o 1 2 m o n t h s f o r t h a t a n d I t h i n k t h e p i l o t i s g o i n g t o t a k e l o n g e r t h a n
t h a t a n d t h a t ' s w h y w e w a n t t o g e t t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . "
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : I ' d l i k e t o p u r s u e t h i s a l i t t l e m o r e , i f i n f a c t y o u a r e
t a l k i n g o f h a v i n g a d e p a r t u r e o f a b o u t 4 : 0 0 a . m . , f r o m h e r e t o m e e t t h e V e t s E x p r e s s
a t 6 : 0 0 a . m . i n I n d i o . A r e y o u a s k i n g f o r a s y s t e m t h a t t h e n d o e s t h a t f o r y o u a n d
l e a v e s h e r e a t 4 : 0 0 o r a n i n d e p e n d e n t s y s t e m ?
B i l l D e n s m o r e : W e l l e v e r y t h i n g i s o n t h e t a b l e . I p e r s o n a l l y , I t h i n k m o r e r e a l i s t i c a l l y
d e p e n d i n g u p o n t h e f u n d i n g , b e c a u s e w e ' r e a l s o l o o k i n g a t t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o r
s u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f t h e V e t s E x p r e s s L i n e a n d h o w i t ' s g o i n g t o b e c o n f i g u r e d a f t e r
A u g u s t , t h e f i r s t t w o y e a r s o f i t s s t a r t u p g r a n t . I t h i n k r e a l i s t i c a l l y t h e r e i s g o i n g t o
b e a b r e a k d o w n i n t w o t y p e s o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . O n e w i l l b e f r o m B l y t h e t o t h e
o u t p a t i e n t c l i n i c i n P a l m D e s e r t f o r P r i m a r y C a r e , w h i c h w o u l d b e o u t s i d e o f t h e r e a l m
o f t h e V e t s E x p r e s s . T w o , w h e t h e r o r n o t w e c a n l i n k u p w i t h V e t s E x p r e s s b e c a u s e
t h e y h a v e t o g e t u p s o e a r l y r e m a i n s t o b e s e e n . S o , I w o u l d t h i n k t h a t w e m i g h t w a n t
t o l o o k a t v o l u n t e e r d r i v e r s a n d a s t a r t u p G S A v e h i c l e f o r a s e r v i c e t h a t r u n s
i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e V e t s E x p r e s s , p o s s i b l y e v e n p i c k i n g u p s o m e p a s s e n g e r s i n t h e
d e s e r t f o r a l m o s t a r u n - a n d - a - h a l f o u t o f t h e C o a c h e l l a V a l l e y t o l i n k u p a n d g o s t r a i g h t
f r o m t h e P a l o V e r d e V a l l e y t o t h e L o m a L i n d a V A f a c i l i t y . W h a t w e a r e l o o k i n g a t s o
t h a t i t s n o t a 4 : 0 0 a . m . d e p a r t u r e t i m e i s t h e u s e o f a s e r v i c e t h e V A H o s p i t a l c a l l s
H O P T E L , w h i c h i s f o r c l i e n t s w h o c a n n o t , p a t i e n t s w h o c a n n o t g e t t h e r e e a r l y e n o u g h
i n t h e m o r n i n g t o s t a r t t h e i r t r i p s , o r t h e y h a v e t o h a v e s o m e m e d i c a l p r o c e d u r e d o n e
w h e r e t h e y h a v e t o t a k e s o m e m e d i c a t i o n t h e n i g h t b e f o r e a n d d r i v i n g i s o u t o f t h e
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t h e A e g i s o f t h e V A H o s p i t a l , a n d t h e n g o t o t h e i r c l i n i c s a n d t h e n c o m e b a c k t h e n e x t
d a y . I n w h i c h c a s e i t w o u l d b e a l o t e a s i e r . N o w w e ' r e t a l k i n g t w o d a y s b u t n o t t h a t
g e t u p t i m e o f 4 : 0 0 a . m . S o w e a r e l o o k i n g a t a l l t h o s e o p t i o n s t o k n o w w h a t i s t h e
b e s t o p t i o n o r w h a t c o m b i n a t i o n o f o p t i o n s . W e ' r e g o i n g t o h a v e t o g e t t o k n o w t h e
c l i e n t n e e d s o f t h e v e t e r a n s i n t h i s a r e a . S o w e n e e d t o s t a r t t a l k i n g n o t n u m b e r s , b u t
s p e c i f i c n e e d s w i t h i n t h o s e n u m b e r s . I h o p e I a n s w e r e d y o u r q u e s t i o n .
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : Y e s a n d v e r y w e l l t h a n k y o u .
C o l . T o m H e n r y : W e b a s i c a l l y k n o w w e h a v e a r o u n d 1 , 1 8 5 p e o p l e w e c a n i d e n t i f y
f r o m t h e 1 9 9 0 s u r v e y . I ' m s u r e w e ' l l i n c r e a s e w i t h t h e n e w c e n s u s . B u t h o w m a n y
o f t h e s e p e o p l e n e e d t h a t c a r e t h a t ' s w h a t w e ' v e g o t t o f i n d .
C o m m i s s i o n e r W i l l i a m K l e i n d i e n s t : G r e a t , t h a n k y o u . D i d y o u w a n t t o h a v e s o m e o n e
e l s e c o m e f o r w a r d t o s p e a k o n t h i s i s s u e ?
B i l l D e n s m o r e : A n n i e T u t t l e i s t h e P u b l i c A f f a i r s o f f i c e r a t V A M e d i c a l C e n t e r a t L o m a
L i n d a .
Commissioner William Kleindienst: Very good, you filled out your card and everything.
Annie Tuttle, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda,
California: Hey. Thank you. I just want to tell you we had a wonderful meeting this
morning to kind of discuss these issues. You have a great group meeting here. I'm
worked with Jim Carney, I know Les we've worked together a little bit and a lot of
veterans so we're real anxious to look at what we can do. We appreciate your
support. Vets Express has exceeded what Bill and I would ever of thought could have
been done. And I think that there definitely is a need here. So let's start with
transportation, we will not forget the goal of trying to get medical care here locally.
We will not forget that goal but this is the first way to go. So any help you can give
us is, as Bill said either financially or just with your knowledge, it would be greatly
appreciated.
Commissioner William Kleindienst: Very good, thank you. Is there anyone else
wishing to address any issues in this area of transportation?
Supervisor Wilson: Mr. Chairman I wonder if we should call on the Manager of the Palo
Verde Transit Agency to give an update, a report since the Commission doesn't get
out here that often?
Commissioner William Kleindienst: I'd appreciate that.
Les Nelson:: Yes Supervisor Wilson. Just in front of you on the desk today is a very
brief overview of the agency as indicated. I know you can all read it. It is created by
the joint powers authority between the County of Riverside and the City of Blythe back
in 1978. It is a General Purpose Dial -A -Ride, although prior to 1981 the agency did
operate a fixed route service. But again don't place to much emphasis on that because
Blythe was certainly a much different community pre-1981. We currently are
operating the Dial -A -Ride on a contract basis with the Valley Resource Center and have
since September 1981. Service level is Monday through Friday, the times are
indicated. Basically about 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and it is again Monday through
Friday no weekend service. We have tried, based on past Unmet Needs Hearing,
implementing some weekend services but the numbers did not substantiate continuing
that and that was discontinued. Service area, I know somebody brought it up, is
dictated by the JPA joint powers agreement. And it specifies in there, I suppose that
could be amended, that it would be the City of Blythe and the adjacent unincorporated
area, which is 18 miles and the request for services is certainly outside that 18 miles
radius. The fare structure, $1.50 for less than five miles, $2.00 over five. As
Councilman Grotke indicated, ridership characteristic for a Dial -A -Ride operating on a
Monday through Friday, in 1999 we carried 20,446. Five years ago we were carrying
about 7,500 people a year. We're now over 20,000 and the passengers per mile the
0.35 is somewhat of a concern but really reflects more the geography of the area, the
fact that things are a far distance apart. Passengers"per hour of almost 3. Subsidy
per passenger; my recollection is that's a pretty reasonable number for a Dial -A -Ride
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operation and the farebox recovery ratio 18.7%. Again we are a rural area and I
believe our requirement is 10, but we're up closer to the 20 that you might see in an
urbanized area. Fleet inventory; 3 Diplomats Intermediate size, all diesel operated, 16
passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. All of the vehicles are lift equipped. And basically
Monday through Friday during peak periods we are having to use all three of those
vehicles. We have two back-ups, a Chevy intermediate size and a Chevy van. We
also did implement the special TRIP services, primarily to get to and from the Coachella
Valley. The particulars are there which I continue to work with Richard Smith, we are
trying identify a driver pool, so people can actually make better utilization of that
service. But the 23 participates we have do use it actively, and it has been beneficial,
and it has taken some of the people to and from the Coachella Valley. Hopefully that
is somewhat of an overview. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Supervisor Roy Wilson: I think one of the other things too for the Commission
members that it would be nice if you would touch on, is the fact that the Palo Verde
Valley Transit Agency and the budget that has been approved by RCTC will be doing
a fare, or not a fare but an origin/destination study, and we hope to have that
completed within this next, well within this year. Basically looking or moving towards
the ultimate of some type of a fixed route with a Dial -A -Ride supplement.
Les Nelson:: Right, we had in the current fiscal year requested and RCTC did approve
a sum of money to do an origin/destination study to determine the feasibility of the
fixed route service. We know that , ..sting at the seams with the Dial -A -Ride.
We really we're going to try and s =Y# - the O&D study with the new college
opening on the Mesa. That new college is being built, but the funding was delayed
about a year so that whole process of getting the O&D study has slipped. What we
will probably do is request the Commission to allow us to carry those funds over into
next year recognizing that the college will be a huge trip generator. Certainly,
something that would be best served by a fixed route, and the college will take up
occupancy in September 2000. So those time frames should dovetail pretty well.
Commissioner William Kleindienst: Very good. Is there anyone else wising to address
the hearing today? I would like to acknowledge that in the audience is Colonel Lew
Millet, a Medal of Honor recipient, warrior, patriot, great American. Lew always good
to see you, sir. Always good to see you, sir. He is a good man. Did you know that
Tom?
Colonel Tom Henry: Yes, indeed.
Commissioner William Kleindienst: Again is there anyone else wishing to address the
hearing today? If not, we appreciate your comments. Member's do you believe it is
appropriate at this time? We'll take your input back to RCTC and use it in trying to
deal with your issues. Thank you all very much for coming down today. Stand
adjourned.
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a n d d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f a c o o p e r a t i v e m o d e l o f t e c h n i q u e s t o : I d e n t i f y p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s i n t h e
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b a s e d h e a l t h a g e n c y d e d i c a t e d t o i n c r e a s i n g t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s . E a s t e r
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e f f o r t s o n b e h a l f o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s . T h r o u g h a n a t i o n w i d e n e t w o r k o f 1 7 0 a f f i l i a t e s , m o r e
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l e n g t h s v a n e d f r o m 4 3 t o 5 5 1 / 2 i n c h e s . W h e n a w h e e l c h a i r w a s l o n g e r
t h a n t h e l i f t p l a t f o r m m e c h a n i s m , t h e p r o b l e m w a s n o t e d . P e o p l e u s i n g
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w h e e l c h a i r t o m o v e f o r w a r d o r b a c k w a r d . S e c u r e m e n t i n t h e T r a v e l A r e a -
S e c u r e m e n t d e v i c e s p r e v e n t i n g t h e w h e e l c h a i r f r o m m o v i n g w e r e t e s t e d
b o t h w i t h a n d w i t h o u t t h e w h e e l - c h a i r o c c u p i e d . A l t h o u g h t h e u s e o f
w h e e l c h a i r b r a k e s w a s e n c o u r a g e d , t h i s a l o n e w a s c o n s i d e r e d i n a d e q u a t e
s e c u r e - m e n t . T h e w h e e l s e c u r e m e n t c l a m p w a s a p p r o p r i a t e f o r m a n u a l
w h e e l c h a i r s b u t n o t f o r c e r t a i n p o w e r e d w h e e l c h a i r s o r 3 - w h e e l e d
d e v i c e s . T w o f l o o r m o u n t e d s e c u r e m e n t s t r a p s a n d a n o v e r - t h e - s h o u l d e r
s e a t b e l t u s e d i n c o m b i n a t i o n w e r e f o u n d t o a c c o m m o d a t e a l l w h e e l c h a i r s
t e s t e d . D e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e l i f t s a n d
b u s e s u s e d i n t h e t e s t s , a s w e l l a s t h e d i m e n s i o n s a n d w e i g h t s o f t h e
t h r e e - , a n d f o u r - w h e e l e d m o b i l i t y a i d s t e s t e d c a n b e f o u n d i n t h e
b r o c h u r e , " R T D A c c e s s i b i l i t y P o l i c y , " p r i n t e d i n J u l y , 1 9 8 9 a n d
d i s t r i b u t e d b y S C R T D . A v a i l a b i l i t y o f t h e S C R T D b r o c h u r e a n d o t h e r
s u p p l e m e n t a l i n f o r m a t i o n i s d e s c r i b e d a t t h e e n d o f t h i s b r o c h u r e .
S e a t t l e M e t r o , a s e a r l y a s 1 9 7 8 , w a s a s s e s s i n g n e e d s a n d e s t a b l i s h i n g
p o l i c y u s i n g a s u b j e c t i v e a p p r o a c h . T h e y g a t h e r e d i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e
c o m m u n i t y b y h a v i n g r e g u l a r m e e t i n g s w i t h t h e E l d e r l y a n d H a n d i c a p p e d
"
"
"
T a s k C o m m i t t e e ( E H T A C ) . F u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n w a s o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e
c o m m u n i t y - a t - l a r g e t h r o u g h m e e t i n g s w i t h a c i t i z e n s ' t a s k c o m m i t t e e . A n d ,
i n t h e s e f o r m a t i v e y e a r s , t h e y m e t r e g u l a r l y w i t h a t a s k g r o u p o f b u s
d r i v e r s .
E S T A B L I S H E D P O L I C I E S - B o t h S C R T D a n d S e a t t l e M e t r o f o l l o w e d u p t h e i r
a s s e s s m e n t o f u s e r n e e d s b y e s t a b l i s h i n g p o l i c i e s i n f i v e s i g n i f i c a n t
a r e a s :
1 . W h o c a n u s e t h e l i f t ? S C R T D a l l o w s o n l y r i d e r s u s i n g w h e e l c h a i r s
t h a t f i t o n t h e p l a t f o r m w i t h o u t w h e e l c h a i r o v e r h a n g t o r i d e t h e l i f t .
S e a t t l e a l l o w s w h e e l c h a i r r i d e r s , p e o p l e u s i n g w a l k e r s , c r u t c h e s o r
c a n e s , p e o p l e w h o c a n w a l k u n a s s i s t e d b u t c a n n o t c l i m b s t e p s a n d
a t t e n d a n t s w h o a c c o m p a n y p e r s o n s i n w h e e l c h a i r s t o r i d e t h e l i f t .
2 . W h e n c a n a d i s a b l e d p e r s o n u s e t h e b u s ? S C R T D a l l o w s a p e r s o n i n a
w h e e l c h a i r t o b o a r d a b u s t h a t h a s a n a c c e s s i b l e d e c a l , e v e n i f t h e b u s
i s n o t o n a d e s i g n a t e d a c c e s s i b l e r o u t e . T h e p e r s o n c a n b o a r d a t t h e
d r i v e r ' s d i s c r e t i o n , a t a n y l o c a t i o n w h e r e t h e l i f t c a n b e o p e r a t e d
s a f e l y . S e a t t l e M e t r o w i l l b o a r d d i s a b l e d p e r s o n s o n a c c e s s i b l e b u s e s
o n l y a t d e s i g n a t e d s t o p s o n d e s i g n a t e d r o u t e s a n d w i l l a l l o w o f f - l o a d i n g
a t d e s i g n a t e d s t o p s o n l y .
3 . M a n e u v e r a b i l i t y t h r o u g h t h e b u s . S C R T D r i d e r s i n w h e e l c h a i r s
g e n e r a l l y h a v e e a s y e n t r y i n t o t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a b e c a u s e m o s t o f t h e
l i f t s a r e a t t h e r e a r d o o r a n d t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a i s d i r e c t l y o p p o s i t e
t h e l i f t . S C R T D , a s a p o l i c y , e n c o u r a g e s b a c k i n g o n t o t h e l i f t t o a l l o w
f o r e a s i e r e n t r y i n t o t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a a n d w h e e l c l a m p . S e a t t l e M e t r o
r i d e r s i n w h e e l c h a i r s a r e a l s o e n c o u r a g e d t o b a c k o n t o t h e l i f t b e c a u s e
a l l S e a t t l e l i f t s a r e a t t h e f r o n t d o o r , t h u s r e q u i r i n g m a n e u v e r i n g p a s t
t h e f a r e b o x , p a s t t h e f a c i n g s e a t s , a n d b a c k i n g i n t o t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a
a n d w h e e l c l a m p . O n b u s e s w i t h w h e e l w e l l s u n d e r t h e f a c i n g s e a t s , d r i v e r s
m a y r e q u i r e o t h e r p a s s e n g e r s t o m o v e f r o m t h e i r s e a t s w h i l e t h e r i d e r i n
t h e w h e e l c h a i r m a n e u v e r s t o t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a .
4 . S e c u r i n g t h e w h e e l c h a i r . B o t h S C R T D a n d S e a t l e M e t r o a s k r i d e r s i n
w h e e l c h a i r s t o l o c k t h e b r a k e s w h i l e o n t h e m o v i n g l i f t . B o t h S C R T D a n d
S e a t t l e M e t r o d r i v e r s a r e t a u g h t t o a s k i f a r i d e r n e e d s a s s i s t a n c e i n
s e c u r i n g t h e w h e e l c h a i r i n t h e s e c u r e m e n t a r e a . H o w e v e r , s i n c e t h e
d r i v e r s a r e a l s o t a u g h t t h a t t h e s a f e t y o f t h e i r p a s s e n g e r s i s u l t i m a t e l y
t h e d r i v e r ' s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , a f e w g o b e y o n d t h e n o r m o f a s k i n g i f t h e
r i d e r i s s e c u r e d , a n d a c t u a l l y a t t a c h t h e s t r a p s w i t h o u t a s k i n g o r b e i n g
r e q u e s t e d t o d o s o .
5 . F u t u r e p r o c u r e m e n t s . S C R T D ' s p o l i c y i s t o m a k e e v e r y e f f o r t t o
p r o c u r e b u s e s w i t h l i f t s t h a t a r e s a f e a n d h a v e l e v e l p l a t f o r m s o f
a d e q u a t e s i z e . T h e p r o c u r e m e n t p o l i c y d o e s n o t s p e c i f y t h e l o c a t i o n o f
t h e l i f t a t t h e f r o n t o r r e a r d o o r . C o n s e q u e n t l y , G M C ( n o w T M C ) , w h i c h
p r o v i d e s a l i f t a t t h e r e a r d o o r o n l y , h a s b e e n s u c c e s s f u l l o w b i d d e r i n
s u p p l y i n g m o s t o f S C R T D ' s b u s e s . T h e s e c u r e m e n t d e v i c e s f o r b u s e s w i t h
r e a r d o o r l i f t s , c a n b e s e e n i n F i g u r e s 1 . a n d 2 . a s f o l l o w s : F i g u r e 1 .
"
"
"
S C R T D s e c u r e m e n t a r e a 1 . W h e e l c l a m p m o u n t e d t o s e a t , 2 . L o o p - e n d e d
v e h i c l e r e s t r a i n t b e l t s ( t w o ) , b r a c k e t m o u n t e d , 3 . A u t o m o t i v e t y p e
3 - p o i n t p a s s e n g e r s e a t b e l t . A l l b e l t s a r e f u r n i s h e d w i t h i n e r t i a t y p e
r e t r a c t e r s . I n e r t i a t y p e r e t r a c t e r s p r o v i d e f o r s m o o t h m o v e m e n t a n d a
c o n s t a n t t e n s i o n , t h u s a l l o w i n g f o r e a s e o f e x t e n s i o n a n d c o m p l e t e
r e t r a c t i o n . O n e d i s a d v a n t a g e o f t h e s e d e v i c e s i s t h a t t h e y a l l o w m o v e m e n t
o f t h e s e c u r e d v e h i c l e d u r i n g n o r m a l b u s s t a r t s a n d s t o p s . T h i s m o v e m e n t
c a n b e d i s c o n c e r t i n g f o r t h e p e r s o n r i d i n g i n t h e w h e e l c h a i r . S e a t t l e
M e t r o ' s p r o c u r e m e n t p o l i c y , a s r e f l e c t e d b y i t s J a n u a r y 1 9 8 7 p u r c h a s e
d o c u m e n t s f o r a r t i c u l a t e d b u s e s , i n c l u d e s a l i f t a n d s e c u r e m e n t l a y o u t ,
c o m p l e t e w i t h i l l u s t r a t i o n , r e q u i r i n g a f r o n t d o o r l i f t . T h e w h e e l c h a i r
s e c u r e m e n t a r e a , l o c a t e d i n t h e f r o n t o f t h e b u s , h a s p r o v i s i o n s f o r t w o
w h e e l c h a i r s , a c c o m p l i s h e d b y p r o v i d i n g a f o l d i n g d o u b l e t r a n s v e r s e s e a t
a n d a s i n g l e f o l d i n g l o n g i t u d i n a l s e a t l o c a t e d o n e a c h s i d e o f t h e a i s l e .
T h e s e c u r e m e n t d e v i c e s f o r b u s e s w i t h f r o n t d o o r l i f t s c a n b e s e e n i n
F i g u r e s 3 . a n d 4 . F i g u r e 3 . S e a t t l e M e t r o s e c u r e m e n t a r e a 1 . W h e e l c l a m p
m o u n t e d t o f o l d i n g s e a t , 2 . L o o p - e n d e d r e d v e h i c l e r e s t r a i n t b e l t s
( t w o ) , b r a c k e t m o u n t e d , 3 . A u t o m o t i v e t y p e p a s s e n g e r l a p b e l t . A l l b e l t
r e t r a c t e r s a r e r a t c h e t t y p e t o p r o v i d e p o s i t i v e l o c k i n g w h e n b e l t s a r e
i n s e c u r e d p o s i t i o n . T h e r a t c h e t t y p e r e t r a c t e r s a l l o w n o m o v e m e n t d u r i n g
n o r m a l b u s s t a r t s a n d s t o p s . T h i s s t a b i l i t y c a n b e r e a s s u r i n g t o t h e
p e r s o n r i d i n g i n t h e w h e e l c h a i r . O n e d i s a d v a n t a g e o f t h e r a t c h e t t y p e
r e t r a c t e r i s t h a t t h e b e l t m u s t b e e x t e n d e d a n d r e t r a c t e d s m o o t h l y a n d
s l o w l y o r e l s e t h e r a t c h e t w i l l l o c k p r e m a t u r e l y . I n S e a t t l e , w h e e l c h a i r
t i e d o w n i n s t r u c t i o n s , a r e p r i n t e d b l a c k o n w h i t e b a c k g r o u n d o n 1 8 - g a u g e
a l u m i n u m a n d a r e m o u n t e d o n t h e s e a t b a c k s a s s h o w n i n F i g u r e s 1 . a n d 3 .
F i g u r e s 5 . a n d 6 . i l l u s t r a t e t h e s e c u r e m e n t o f t w o d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f
m o b i l i t y a i d s . F i g u r e 5 . s h o w s a t h r e e - w h e e l e d v e h i c l e s e c u r e d i n
S C R T D ' s r e a r d o o r s e c u r e m e n t a r e a u s i n g t h e t w o l o o p - e n d e d s e c u r e m e n t
s t r a p s . T h e a u t o m o t i v e 3 - p o i n t b e l t i s i n p o s i t i o n t o s e c u r e t h e r i d e r .
T h e d o t t e d l i n e s s h o w t h e c o n t r o l m e c h a n i s m t i l t e d f o r w a r d , w h e n
p o s s i b l e , a s r e q u i r e d b y S C R T D , t o a v o i d p o s s i b l e i n j u r y t o t h e r i d e r i n
t h e e v e n t o f a s u d d e n s t o p . F i g u r e 6 . s h o w s a m o t o r i z e d w h e e l c h a i r
s e c u r e d i n S e a t t l e M e t r o ' s f r o n t d o o r s e c u r e m e n t a r e a u s i n g t h e t w o
l o o p - e n d e d s e c u r e m e n t s t r a p s . I f t h e " m a g " w h e e l f i t s a n d l o c k s i n t h e
w h e e l c l a m p , o n l y t h e l o o p - e n d e d s t r a p o n t h e r i g h t s i d e o f t h e
w h e e l c h a i r i s r e q u i r e d . T h e a u t o m o t i v e l a p b e l t i s i n p o s i t i o n t o s e c u r e
t h e r i d e r . E D U C A T E D D R I V E R S - B o t h S C R T D a n d S e a t t l e M e t r o r e c o g n i z e
t h a t t h e s u c c e s s o f t r a n s i t s e r v i c e u l t i m a t e l y d e p e n d s o n k n o w l e d g e - a b l e
a n d c o u r t e o u s b u s d r i v e r s . B o t h c i t i e s p r o v i d e r e g u l a r t r a i n i n g f o r
d r i v e r s , h a v e f r e q u e n t r e f r e s h e r c o u r s e s o n p r o c e d u r e s , a n d h a v e a n a w a r d
s y s t e m t o e n c o u r a g e b e t t e r a n d m o r e c o u r t e o u s s e r v i c e t o h a n d i c a p p e d
r i d e r s . S e a t t l e M e t r o h a s a 1 1 / 2 h o u r t r a i n i n g s e s s i o n c e n t e r e d a r o u n d
a 1 5 - m i n u t e v i d e o t h a t d e m o n s t r a t e s t h e a p p r o v e d u s e o f t h e l i f t a n d
s e c u r e m e n t e q u i p m e n t . T h e d r i v e r s l e a r n n o t o n l y h o w t h e e q u i p m e n t
s h o u l d b e o p e r a t e d , b u t , e q u a l l y i m p o r t a n t , a r e t a u g h t j u s t h o w v i t a l
"
"
"
t h i s s e r - v i c e i s i n f u l f i l l i n g t h e n e e d s o f p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s .
F o r m a n y o f t h e s e p e o p l e , P u b l i c T r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s e s s e n t i a l i n t h e
c o n d u c t o f b u s i n e s s , s o c i a l a n d c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t i e s . B o t h t h e v i d e o a n d
t h e d r i v e r ' s m a n u a l u n d e r s c o r e S e a t t l e M e t r o ' s " p e o p l e " a p p r o a c h t o
a c c e s s i b l e s e r v i c e . T h e f o l l o w i n g i s s u e s a r e s p e c i f i c a l l y a d d r e s s e d i n
t h e d r i v e r ' s t r a i n i n g m a n u a l : T y p e s o f W h e e l c h a i r s A l l o w e d M a n u a l ,
s t a n d a r d c h a i r s , l a r g e m o t o r i z e d c h a i r s , c u s t o m a n d r a c i n g c h a i r s , c h a i r s
w i t h p e r m a n e n t l y r e c l i n e d b a c k s , 3 - a n d 4 - w h e e l e d s c o o t e r s . S e a t B e l t U s e
- T h e u s e o f t h e a u t o m o t i v e t y p e s e a t b e l t i s a n o p t i o n f o r t h e
p a s s e n g e r . I t i s n o t a r e s t r a i n t d e v i c e t o u s e i n s e c u r i n g a w h e e l c h a i r .
R e s t r a i n t D e v i c e U s e - W h e e l c h a i r s m u s t b e s e c u r e d o n b o t h s i d e s u s i n g
e i t h e r a l o o p - e n d e d ( r e d ) r e s t r a i n t b e l t a n d w h e e l c l a m p o r , i f t h e w h e e l
c l a m p i s n o t u s e d , t w o l o o p - e n d e d r e s t r a i n t b e l t s .
P U B L I C R E L A T I O N S - A t b o t h S C R T D a n d S e a t t l e M e t r o , b u s d r i v e r s a r e
t a u g h t t h a t t h e i r k n o w l e d g e a n d a w a r e n e s s a r e e q u a l l y e s s e n t i a l i n
p r o v i d i n g e f f e c t i v e s e r v i c e . K n o w l e d g e o f b o a r d i n g a n d s e c u r e m e n t
p r o c e d u r e s a l o n g w i t h t h e c o n f i d e n c e a t t a i n e d b y f r e q u e n t u s e o f t h e s e
p r o c e d u r e s w i l l b e r e q u i r e d . H o w e v e r , e q u a l l y n e c e s s a r y i s t h e a w a r e n e s s
a n d p r a c t i c e o f c o u r t e o u s a n d t h o u g h t f u l s e r v i c e e x t e n d e d t o e v e r y p e r s o n
w h o e n t e r s t h e b u s . T h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f S C R T D a n d S e a t t l e M e t r o o v e r t h e
y e a r s h a s f o u n d t h a t s u c c e s s f u l a c c e s s i b l e s e r v i c e r e s u l t s f r o m : 1 .
P o s i t i v e e x p e r i e n c e s f o r b o t h p a s s e n g e r s a n d d r i v e r s a l i k e , i n c l u d i n g ,
b u t n o t l i m i t e d t o , a r e w a r d s y s t e m f o r d r i v e r s w h o p r o v i d e c o u r t e o u s
s e r v i c e , 2 . O v e r c o m i n g f e a r o f f a i l u r e , r e j e c t i o n , o r b e i n g i n j u r e d ,
o n t h e p a r t o f t h e r i d e r w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , 3 . U n d e r s t a n d i n g b y
p a s s e n g e r s a n d d r i v e r s a l i k e , t h a t t i m e w i l l b e n e e d e d t o a c c e p t c h a n g e s .
O n e e x c e l l e n t p i e c e o f a d v i c e o f f e r e d t h e d r i v e r i s , " W h e n y o u a r e i n
d o u b t a s t o w h e t h e r a p e r s o n n e e d s h e l p , A L W A Y S A S K b e f o r e g i v i n g h e l p . "
( Q u o t a t i o n t a k e n f r o m t h e S e a t t l e M e t r o d r i v e r s ' m a n u a l . ) I N F O R M E D
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d i s a b i l i t i e s a b o u t s e r v i c e a n d e q u i p m e n t . T h e " h o w t o " p o r t i o n c e n t e r s
a r o u n d c o m m o n l y a s k e d q u e s t i o n s : W h o c a n u s e b u s l i f t s ? W h i c h b u s e s a r e
a c c e s s i b l e ? W h e n c a n p e o p l e w i t h d i a b i l i t i e s o r w h e e l c h a i r u s e r s r i d e ?
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t o b r i n g c o n c e r n s a n d s u g g e s t i o n s t o t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e P u b l i c
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o r i e n t a t i o n s e s s i o n s o n a c c e s s i b l e s e r v i c e . S C R T D , i n t h e i r b r o c h u r e " R T D
A c c e s s i b l e P o l i c y ' a l s o f o l l o w s t h e c o m m o n l y a s k e d q u e s t i o n s a p p r o a c h :
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u s e o n a b u s ? W h a t w h e e l c h a i r m e a s u r e m e n t s c a n b e u s e d o n a l l R T D l i f t
b u s e s ? I s t h e r i d e r ' s w h e e l c h a i r s t a b l e e n o u g h f o r u s e o n a l i f t ? S h o u l d
b o a r d i n g b e m a d e f a c i n g f o r w a r d s o r b a c k w a r d s o n t o t h e l i f t ? H o w t o
s e c u r e m y w h e e l c h a i r ? W h a t t o d o t o e n s u r e a s a f e t r i p o n t h e b u s ?
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b u s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t h r o u g h i n i t i a t i v e a n d c o m p r e h e n s i v e p l a n n i n g , d e v e l o p i n g p r o c e d u r e s , d r i v e r
e d u c a t i o n a n d p u b l i c a w a r e n e s s a c t i v i t i e s . T h i s e f f o r t h a s g a i n e d n a t i o n a l r e c o g n i t i o n f r o m d i s a b l e d
c o n s u m e r s a n d c o n c e r n e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s s u c h a s t h e A r c h i t e c t u r a l a n d T r a n s p o r t a t i o n B a r r i e r s
C o m p l i a n c e B o a r d ( A c c e s s B o a r d ) i n W a s h i n g t o n , D C . R e c e n t l y , t h e M a s s a c h u s e t t s B a y
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n A u t h o r i t y ( M B T A ) , B o s t o n , a n n o u n c e d t h a t i t h a s d e v e l o p e d a s e c u r e m e n t s y s t e m
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d i s t r i b u t i n g a m e m o d e s c r i b i n g i t s s e c u r e m e n t s y s t e m . T h e s e a r e e x a m p l e s o f t h e e f f o r t s t r a n s i t
a g e n c i e s a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y a r e m a k i n g t o t r y t o a c c o m m o d a t e a b r o a d r a n g e o f c u r r e n t a n d
p o t e n t i a l p a s s e n g e r s w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s . t h e d e t a i l s a n d s p e c i f i c a t i o n s f o r t h e M B T A a n d L a n e
s y s t e m s c o u l d n o t b e i n c l u d e d i n t h i s b r o c h u r e b u t c o n t a c t s a r e l i s t e d b e l o w f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n .
T h i s b r o c h u r e h a s b e e n p r e p a r e d t o a s s i s t l o c a l a n d r e g i o n a l t r a n s i t a u t h o r i t i e s b y p r o v i d i n g
i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e s u c c e s s f u l p o l i c i e s a n d e q u i p m e n t t w o t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s h a v e d e v e l o p e d
o v e r a p e r i o d o f m o r e t h a n t e n y e a r s . I t i s h o p e d t h a t o t h e r t r a n s i t a u t h o r i t i e s w i l l b u i l d u p o n t h e
e x p e r i e n c e o f S C R T D a n d S e a t t l e M e t r o i n d e v e l o p i n g a c c e s s i b l e b u s s y s t e m s i n t h e i r o w n
c o m m u n i t i e s .
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o f C o n t a c t - S C R T D , T e r r y M o r e n P l a n n i n g D e p a r t m e n t S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a R a p i d T r a n s i t
D i s t r i c t 4 2 5 S o u t h M a i n S t r e e t L o s A n g e l e s , C a l i f o r n i a 9 0 0 1 3 ( 2 1 3 ) 3 7 2 4 8 6 4 ; S e a t t l e M e t r o S u e
S t e w a r t S a f e t y O f f i c e r M u n i c i p a l i t y o f M e t r o p o l i t a n S e a t t l e 1 1 9 1 1 E a s t M a r g i n a l W a y , S o u t h
B l d g . A S e a t t l e , W a s h i n g t o n , 9 8 1 6 8 ( 2 0 6 ) 6 8 4 2 8 2 8 ; M B T A H e b e r t P e n c e M a n g e r o f P r o j e c t
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n M a s s a c h u s e t t s B a y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n A u t h o r i t y R a i l E q u i p m e n t D e p a r t m e n t 8 0
B r o a d w a y E v e r t t , M a s s a c h u s e t t s 0 2 1 4 9 ; L a n e T r a n s i t M i c k i K a p l a n L a n e T r a n s i t D i s t r i c t P . O .
B O X 2 7 1 0 E u g e n e , O r e g o n 9 7 4 0 2 . B r o c h u r e s - S C R T D " R T D A c c e s s i b l e S e r v i c e f o r P a s s e n g e r s
U s i n g W h e e l c h a i r s " ( E f f e c t i v e J a n u a r y , 1 9 8 9 ) ; " R T D A c c e s s i b l e P o l i c y " p r i n t e d J u l y , 1 9 8 9 ;
P r o c u r e m e n t S p e c i f i c a t i o n s S e a t t l e M e t r o " M a n u f a c t u r e a n d D e l i v e r y o f A r t i c u l a t e d D u a l P o w e r
B u s e s w i t h W h e e l c h a i r L i f t s " C o n t r a c t T / F 2 6 8 5 , d a t e d J a n u a r y 1 9 8 7 , p p C 3 0 , C 4 2 , C 4 3 , C 7 7 ,
C 7 8 . D r i v e r E d u c a t i o n - S e a t t l e M e t r o W a y n e H u s t o n ( 2 0 6 ) 6 8 4 2 8 2 5 V i d e o " E a s y R i d i n "
1 5 m i n u t e s " R i d e r s a n d D i s a b i l i t i e s " O p e r a t o r s M a n u a l f o r , " A c c e s s i b l e S e r v i c e " , d a t e d J u l y
1 9 8 1 T r a n s i t O p e r a t i n g I n s t r u c t i o n s , " T h e B o o k " S e p t e m b e r 2 , 1 9 8 9 T e c h n i c a l - T o n y C h a v i r a
E q u i p m e n t M a i n t e n a n c e D e p a r t m e n t S C R T D 9 0 0 L y o n S t r e e t L o s A n g e l e s , C a l . 9 0 0 1 2 ( 2 1 3 )
9 7 2 5 8 0 0 R e t r o f i t t i n g - T h e p u r c h a s e o f w h e e l c l a m p s a n d r e s t r a i n t b e l t s t o r e t r o f i t b u s e s s h o u l d b e
a c c o m p l i s h e d w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f t h e b u s m a n u f a c t u r e r s ' p u r c h a s i n g a n d e n g i n e e r i n g
d e p a r t m e n t s .