Memorandum for the Record

Access Advisory Committee to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (AACT) Executive Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday, October 25, 2017, Meeting

10:07 AM – 11:45 AM, State Transportation Building, Suite 2150, 10 Park Plaza, Boston
Voice: 857.702.3658; Fax: 617.570.9192; TDD: 617.570.9193; E-mail: AACT@ctps.org

Board of Directors

Chair – James F. White

Vice Chair – Lisa Weber

Executive Board

James Tozza

Nadine Jones

Mary Ann Murray

Beverly Ann Rock

Reading of the Agenda

Introductions

Attendees

Hang Lee

Jim White

Nadine Jones

Jim Tozza

Lisa Weber

Beverly Ann Rock

Meeting Minutes

August 23, 2017, minutes were unanimously approved.

No September 26 minutes were presented.

1.   Chair Report

The Chair opened with a report and discussion on the following items:

•     Chair thanked Vice Chair Lisa Weber for leading the September meeting, noting positive feedback.

•     Chair participated remotely in the Taxi Subsidy meeting with the Office for Transportation Access staff.

•     Chair attended the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) meeting. He endorsed delaying the transition of Veterans Transportation (VT) to THE RIDE Access Center (TRAC). Because of ongoing issues following the transitions of National Express (NEXT) and Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS), he felt there would be a potentially large Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violation if VT also transitioned to TRAC.

•     Chair reported that an extended trip on THE RIDE arranged by TRAC caused him serious medical issues. He also noted he was physically unable to take another trip the next day.

•     Chair stated that dispatchers need at least one year of experience to learn how to react to certain situations.

•     Chair explained that GLSS has been unable to provide enough drivers; GLSS frequently has more trips than they can comply with under ADA guidelines. NEXT has taken over some of these trips, but these drivers are not familiar with the GLSS area.

•     Chair stated that AACT initially supported TRAC because on-time performance was supposed to improve. He stated that this issue needs to be addressed during the next RIDE Task Force meeting.

•     Chair stated that in the request for proposal, Global Contact Services (GCS) agreed that every department would have half of its workforce fully trained by February 28, 2017; this did not occur. In part, this issue occurred because RIDE employees who would transfer to TRAC were offered less money to transition; therefore, many employees did not transition.

•     Chair noted that a RIDE consumer was left stranded by a no-show driver. A call was made to the Transit Police for assistance.

2.  Rider Oversight Committee (ROC) Report

Jim Tozza, AACT Board Member and representative to ROC, reported that members of the ROC discussed wayfinding signage at Park Street, State Street, and Arborway stations, and found the signage very misleading. In addition, State Street Station has limited signage to direct persons with disabilities.

3.  Open Discussion

•     Chair White explained that when THE RIDE Eligibility Center denies a consumer service, the consumer has the right to appeal the decision and get assistance from AACT. He noted that an appeal hearing was being held at the Office for Transportation Access on Thursday, October 26, 2017.

•     Board Members discussed the following items:

o Complaints from THE RIDE consumers about GCS consumers

o A letter to the MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board about the lack of quality service provided by GCS. No action was taken

o Pending arrival of the new model Orange Line train.

o Training procedures for UBER, LYFT, and taxi drivers to assist persons with disabilities.

Notables

The AACT Executive Board meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, except when noted, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (noon). The Membership meeting follows immediately from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

Notices of AACT meetings are posted on the MBTA website at www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/. Visit the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) calendar page at www.bostonmpo.org/calendar/month to find AACT agendas, meeting minutes, and past meeting minutes. For more on AACT, see the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MBTA and AACT, the AACT Bylaws, and ADA regulations at www.mbta.com/aact.

Also, find articles about topics discussed at AACT meetings in the MPO’s newsletter, TRANSREPORT, at www.bostonmpo.org/transreport. For more information on accessibility at the MBTA, please visit www.mbta.com/accessibility.

Comments and questions concerning AACT should be directed to Chair James White by contacting the AACT Coordinator, Ms. Janie Guion, at 857.702.3658 (voice), 617.570.9193 (TTY), AACT@ctps.org (email), or c/o CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116 (US mail).

The AACT meeting location is accessible to people with disabilities and is near public transportation. Upon request (preferably two weeks in advance of the meeting), every effort will be made to provide accommodations such as assistive listening devices, materials in accessible formats, and in languages other than English, and interpreters in American Sign Language and other languages.

 

The MBTA Custom Call Center at 10 Park Plaza is closed. Please visit the MBTA website at www.mbta.com/customer_support/feedback/ to submit your comments, concerns, and inquiries.

6:30 AM to 8:00 PM Monday–Friday

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturday and Sunday

617.222.3200

800.392.6100

TTY: 617.222.5146

 

 

 

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