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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 09262000 - D2 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ERVISORSContra FRdM: TRANSPORTATION, WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE Costa COMMITTEE County DATE: September 11, 2000 SUBJECT: Request to Metropolitan Transportation Commission to Study Paratransit Related Issues In Contra Costa County SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors sign a letter requesting that the MTC study paratransit related issues in the county. (See Exhibit A) FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On March 7, 2000, the Board of Supervisors referred an item considering a report on county paratransit operations to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee. The Committee subsequently directed staff to research and report on paratransit operations in the county. Staff prepared and presented a report with input from the transit providers and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority's Paratransit Coordinator. Following review of the report in the Committee, a conclusion was made that a detailed study by the MTC was warranted. A letter was drafted to the MTC requesting the study. The draft letter went through several revisions with input from the Committee, staff, transit operators, and the Paratransit Coordinating Council. Both the scope and recommendations found in MTC's current Transit Coordination Implementation Plan sanction the type of study being requested in the attached letter. Specifically, the Plan places high priority on the development of subregional coordination agreements between connecting agencies and recommends that productivity be improved through the sharing of agency resources. The draft letter is attached and is currently under review by the Paratransit Coordinating Council. The Committee requests that the Board send the letter to the MTC requesting that paratransit related issues in the county be studied. The letter and Board Order have been copied to the transit operators and the Paratransit Coordinating Council so that they may attend the Board meeting when this recommendation is discussed. 09WROWED ON ATTACHMENT: YES RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER 6w&" 441;�- r SIGNATURES : ()SUPERVISOR JOHN GiOIA UPERVIS YLE B. UILKEMA ACTION OF BOARD ON September 26. 2000 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X— OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE AYES: NOES: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: SHOWN. Contact: John Cunningham (925/335-1243) ATTESTED September 26, 2000 cc: Community Development Department (CDD) PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS D COU ADMINISTRATOR wladwtran\Committee hoard Order Shell.doc Phil Batchelor The Board of Supervisors Contra �.� :�::�� Clerk of the Board Cosh and County Administration Building County Administrator 651 Pirie Street, Room 106 1925)935-19°° Martinez, California 94553-1293 County John Glola, 1"District `J Gayle B. Ulikema,2n4 District EXHIBIT Donna Gerber, 3`d District ; ' Mark DeSaulnler, 41" Districty Joe Canciamilla, 51" District g - James T. Beall,Jr.,Chair September 26,2000 Metropolitan Transportation Commission 101 Eighth Street Oakland, CA 94607-4700 Dear Mr. Beall: The Contra Costa County Beard of Supervisors is interested in exploring options for improving ADA paratransit service to residents of the County. Based on discussions with the Contra Costa Paratransit Coordinating Council,the Board believes that a study of current paratransit issues may result in the identification of enhancements to paratransit service to our constituents as well as improvements in regional paratransit travel. While we are most focused on Contra Costa County,we recognize that these issues may be similar throughout the region. The Board of Supervisors is aware of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's interest in coordinating paratransit services between jurisdictions, improving transit system productivity by sharing resources, and exploring alternative methods of delivering transit service to customers. The Board requests that the Commission undertake a study of ways to improve transit service to our paratransit eligible residents. Specifically, we request that the Commission study potential solutions for the following issues: 1. Contra Costa County has multiple paratransit providers. Paratransit patrons must transfer between different providers in order to travel across the county. The study should explore how paratransit patrons traveling within Contra Costa County can be served without requiring a transfer between operators. These transfers introduce safety issues as well as being time consuming and inconvenient. The study should recognize that West County residents most often travel outside the county to Alameda and San Francisco. The study should include how these trips can be made more efficient and safe. 2. With four paratransit providers operating in the county, the study should examine whether other service models could increase the effectiveness of paratransit service. For example, would dispatch, eligibility processing, and vehicle maintenance and operations be more cost effective if consolidated? 3. A variety of public and private paratransit resources exist in Contra Costa County, (e.g. social service,non-profit,public transit, etc). The study should explore if consolidating or coordinating these resources would allow these entities to enhance service to their patrons. Mr. Beall, Jr. September 25, 2000 Page 2 4. The study should include whether a public taxi or sedan service could be established to operate cost-effective long distance trips,providing better service while using resources in the most effective way. 5. The study should explore whether improved travel training that includes integration of paratransit with fixed route service makes transportation more cost-effective and convenient to paratransit consumers of long-distance trips. 6. The study should examine how increasing demand for paratransit services could be met while simultaneously enhancing service within the existing levels of funding. How can adequate funding allocations be secured to meet paratransit service demands? In studying potential solutions to these problems,it is important the Commission define how implementation would take place given current funding levels. The Commission should disclose the impact of any recommendation on existing levels of service. Furthermore,the Board encourages the Commission to work closely with the County's five transit operators and the Paratransit Coordinating Council in this study. Sincerely, Donna Ge Chair Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Cc: Members,Board of Supervisors Sharon J. Brown,MTC Ann Flemer,MTC Members, Paratransit Coordinating Council Charles Anderson,WestCAT Rick Fernandez,AC Transit Jeanne Krieg,Tri Delta Transit Thomas Margro, BART Rick Ramacier, CCCTA