1. Workshop for CalACT Fall 2015 Conference Rohnert Park, CA October 21, 2015 Roy Glauthier George Sparks Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 1

2. Workshop Objectives Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 2 To provide participants with an understanding of the: Impacts of Environment, Service Design, and Policies on paratransit efficiency; The extent to which these may be changed or managed; and The unintended consequences of focusing solely on efficiency in paratransit operations.

3. Workshop for CalACT Fall 2015 Conference Rohnert Park, CA October 21, 2015 Roy Glauthier George Sparks Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 3

4. Efficiency Vs. Effectiveness Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 4 Efficiency = Doing Things Right Effectiveness = Doing the Right Things

5. Measuring Service Effectiveness Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 5 Effectiveness= Is your agency delivering the transit/ paratransit services that your target clients want?

6. Measuring Service Effectiveness Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 6 Effectiveness= Is your agency delivering the transit/ paratransit services that your target clients want? Measures: Passengers carried Complaints or Satisfaction levels Ridership by client type, frequency of use, trip type…

7. Measuring Service Efficiency Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 7 Efficiency = Comparative Measure of Inputs Versus Units of Output

8. Measuring Service Efficiency Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 8 Efficiency = Comparative Measure of Inputs Versus Units of Output Potential Measures: Cost per Vehicle Mile Cost per Vehicle Hour Cost per Passenger Passengers per Hour

9. Measuring Service Efficiency Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 9 Efficiency = Comparative Measure of Inputs Versus Units of Output Potential Measures: Cost per Vehicle Mile Cost per Vehicle Hour Cost per Passenger Passengers per Hour

10. Measuring Service Efficiency Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 10 Efficiency = Comparative Measure of Inputs Versus Units of Output Potential Measures: Cost per Vehicle Mile Cost per Vehicle Hour Cost per Passenger Passengers per Hour

11. Measuring Service Efficiency Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 11 Efficiency = Comparative Measure of Inputs Versus Units of Output Potential Measures: Cost per Vehicle Mile Cost per Vehicle Hour Cost per Passenger Passengers per Hour

12. Passengers Per Hour Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 12 “Passengers” =  One-way Trips ?  Round Trips ?  Booked Trips ?  Unduplicated Clients? “Hours” =  Total Hours ?  Maintenance/Servicing  Training  Revenue Hours ?  Garage to Garage  1 st pick-up to last drop-off  1 st pick-up to last drop-off out of service after 15 minutes of dead time

13. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 13 TOUR Depart Garage10:00 am Pick-Up One [PU1]10:15 Drop Off 1 [DO1]10:30 [Standby] Pick-Up Two [PU2]11:00 Drop Off Two [DO2]11:30 Return to Garage12:00 Garage PU1 PU2 DO1 DO2

14. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 14 TOUR Depart Garage10:00 am Pick-Up One [PU1]10:15 Drop Off 1 [DO1]10:30 [Standby] Pick-Up Two [PU2]11:00 Drop Off Two [DO2]11:30 Return to Garage12:00 Productivity HoursTotal TripsProductivity Garage-to-Garage2.0 2 1.0 1 st PU to Last DO1.25 2 1.6 1 st PU to Last DO w/out of service after1.0 2 2.0 15 minutes Garage PU1 PU2 DO1 DO2

15. Paratransit =Unlinked Passenger Trips ProductivityVehicle Revenue Hours Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 15  Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT) The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles. Passengers are counted each time they board vehicles no matter how many vehicles they use to travel from their origin to their destination.  Vehicle Revenue Hours (VRH) The hours that vehicles are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Vehicle revenue hours include: Layover / recovery time But exclude: Deadhead Fueling Operator training Vehicle maintenance testing, and School bus and charter services. [Source: NTD Glossary]

16. Definition of Vehicle Revenue Hour for Paratransit Services Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 16 Vehicle Revenue Hour (VRH): For paratransit service, a vehicle revenue hour shall be defined as any sixty-minute increment of time, or portion thereof, that a vehicle is actively transporting passengers (proceeding to pick up after already beginning revenue service or having a revenue passenger on the vehicle) within the established hours of service. Revenue vehicle hours, for all services, shall exclude any meal breaks, service breaks, fueling time, mechanical breakdowns and time a vehicle is down due to an accident.

17. Factors Affecting Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 17 Opportunity for Management Change  Environmental Factors-- Minimal  Service Design--Moderate  Policies/Procedures--Significant  Politics-- ??

18. Environmental Factors Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 18 Size of Service Area Population Size & Composition Distribution of Population within Area Road Network/Traffic Conditions Distribution of Origins/Destinations Weather

19. Paratransit Service Design Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 19 Type of Service: ADA Complementary Paratransit Immediate Response v. Advance Reservation Service Area Clientele o General Public o Senior and Disabled [How defined?] o ADA Paratransit Eligible o Special Needs/Agency Trips

20. Policies & Procedures Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 20 Door-to-Door v. Curb-to-Curb v. Origin-to-Destination Scheduling or Pick-Up Window Wait Time Ride Time Cancellations No-Shows and Late Cancels Reservations o How far in advance? o Trip Negotiations o # of requests on one call o Subscription Trips

21. Politics Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 21 Clientele -- Who must be served? Service Area Allocation of services among agency partners Equity of service availability (i.e. no limitations, lesser service levels to certain areas, etc.) Fare levels (no premiums for special service or, conversely, holding fares unreasonably low) Special treatment clients Unwillingness to make hard decisions and enforce policies

22. Strategies to Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 22 Design Opportunities Reservations/Scheduling/Dispatch Policies & Procedures

23. Design Opportunities to Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 23 Clientele: o ADA Paratransit Eligible [only] o Seniors and Disabled o General Public o Agency Trips Areawide v. Limited o ADA: Strict ¾ mile boundaries o Medical trips outside boundaries, how far? Individual trips? All Destinations or Feeder/Zonal o Require transfers to FR for long trips

24. Design Opportunities to Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 24 Demand Responsive Subareas with Connectors o Widely separated communities o Distant or specialty medical facilities Vehicle Selection o Nature of streets and geography o Expected trip types – local, freq on/offs, or long distance o Incidence of school trips, wheelchair passengers, packages o Uniform fleet or variety of sizes & layouts ADA: Premium Same-Day Service Management & Operations o In-House v. Contracted? o Dedicated Fleet v. Taxis v. Mixed o Agency contracts, other subsidy arrangements

25. Reservations/Scheduling/Dispatch Strategies to Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 25 R/S Process: Manual, Computer-Assisted or Computerized? Dynamic v. Prescheduled Shared Ride

26. Shared Riding Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 26 1 hour 3.0 Passengers per Hour 20 minute trips

27. Shared Riding Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 27 1 hour 3.0 Passengers per Hour 5.0 Passengers per Hour 20 minute trips

28. Shared Riding Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 28 Factors Affecting Shared-Riding:  Vehicle Capacity  Policy on Shared-Riding  Adequacy of arrival-time window  Flexible response-time policy  Reasonable demand volume  Trained drivers and passengers  Scheduling system with spacial awareness of trip patterns 1 hour 3.0 Passengers per Hour 5.0 Passengers per Hour

29. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 29

30. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 30

31. Reservations/Scheduling/Dispatch Strategies to Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 31 R/S Process: Manual, Computer-Assisted or Computerized? Dynamic v. Prescheduled Shared Ride Group Trips Stand-by List Call-Aheads Taxicab Backup “Will Call” Returns Dialysis Returns Full-time/Part-time Staffing Driver Shift Scheduling

32. Vehicle Scheduling Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 32

33. Policies & Procedures To Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 33 Eliminate/Minimize Slow-Downs o Establish and enforce late cancellation, no-show policies

34. Sample No-Show Late Cancellation Policies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 34 Greensboro Transit Authority [NC] OCTA Access Warnings, Penalties and Appeals Process A customer may be suspended if the number of no- shows or late cancellations received during any single month exceeds 10% of their overall scheduled monthly trips OR the number of no-shows or late cancellations exceeds five (5) during any single month. A warning letter may be initiated after receiving the third no-show or late cancellation to remind the customer of the policy and inform him/her that his/her ACCESS privileges may be suspended.

35. Policies & Procedures To Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 35 Eliminate/Minimize Slow-Downs o Establish and enforce late cancellation, no-show policies o Delineate operator assistance & package policies

36. Sample Package Policies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 36 Greensboro Transit Authority [NC] Carry-On Items Policy: Riders on GTA and SCAT services are limited to bringing on-board no more than four regular shopping bags or other small packages or parcels. They must be able to carry their carry-on items safely onto and off of the GTA or SCAT vehicle as well as safely control these items during vehicle operations. Packages or parcels may not obstruct the aisle, interfere with the operation of the passenger lift, or prevent seats from being used by other passengers. OCTA Access Packages – Customers are limited to two packages the size of a grocery bag, and may use small shopping carts to transport their items. Drivers are not required to assist customers with packages or shopping carts.

37. Policies & Procedures To Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 37 Eliminate/Minimize Slow-Downs o Establish and enforce late cancellation, no-show policies o Delineate operator assistance & package policies o Define service policies: -- Curb-to-Curb, Door-to-Door -- Response Policy for Immediate Requests -- Pick-Up Window -- Wait Time -- Ride Time

38. Sample Policies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 38 Greensboro Transit Authority [NC] Curb-to-Curb Service: SCAT paratransit service in which, on both the origin and destination end of the trip, the driver gets out of the vehicle and assists the passenger between the vehicle and a sidewalk or other safe waiting area no more than 15 feet from the vehicle. Door-to-Door Service: SCAT paratransit service in which the driver gets out of the vehicle and meets/escorts the passenger from or to the door threshold of a residence, building or main lobby of a public building. This could occur at the trip’s origin and/or destination. Door service is available by request. Door service cannot be provided for those individuals whose pick-up or drop-off locations would cause the driver to lose sight of the vehicle or where the assistance by the driver may harm the individual, the driver or both. An exception may be made for dialysis centers upon approval by dispatch. Drivers may never enter a rider’s residence.

39. Sample Service Policies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 39

40. Sample Policies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 40 Fresno, Handy Ride Will Call Pick-Up: Will-Call service is a “call when ready service”: Will calls are restricted to medical trip purposes. The number of will calls accommodated each day would be limited to a maximum number determined by Handy Ride supervisors and dispatchers, based on the number that they feel Handy Ride can accommodate without negatively impacting the scheduled service. Will call ceilings will be approved by FAX. Will calls will be accommodated within 90 minutes of a request

41. Policies & Procedures To Increase Productivity Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 41 Eliminate/Minimize Slow-Downs o Establish and enforce late cancellation, no-show policies o Delineate operator assistance & package policies o Clarify service policies Minimize Inefficient Trips o Direct sponsored trips to nearest facility o Fully utilize ADA trip negotiation authority o Group similar trip O/D, especially non-ADA long trips Create Incentives Toward Productivity o Group fare policy o Off-peak fares o Define/adopt operator incentives

42. Productivity Trade-Offs Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 42 Emphasis on productivity can affect:  Ride Time  On-Time Performance  Operator Assistance  Complaints

43. Productivity Trade-Offs Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 43 Over-emphasis on productivity can affect:  Ride Time  On-Time Performance  Operator Assistance  Complaints = Unintended Consequences

44. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 44 On-Time Perf Productivity Wait Time Ride Time Complaints

45. Service Monitoring Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 45 Performance Standards  Passenger Trips per Vehicle Service Hour  Wait Time and Wait Time Deviation [demand response services]  On-Time Performance  Ride Time [average and distribution]  Phone System: Avg Hold Time, Max Hold Time, Holds over 3,5, 10 min  Complaints  Road Calls  Accidents

46. Conflicting Standards Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 46  Pass/VSH v.On-Time Performance [productivity]Ride Time Operator Courtesy/Assistance Complaints  Wait Timev. Ride Time

47. Incentives and Penalties Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 47 Can be effective if used judiciously and balanced. Penalties cannot be arbitrary – should represent the most realistic forecast possible of what the actual damages are likely to be. If one-sided or unrealistic, penalty costs will just be included in contractor budgets. Recommend initial benchmarking and annual review to ensure achievable service standards. Avoid two or more penalties of same performance issue.

48. Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 48 Performance CriteriaStandardIncentivePenalty 1. Service Productivity Dial-A-Ride: 2.4 Passenger Trips per Revenue Vehicle Hour Community Bus: 13.0 Passenger Trips per Revenue Vehicle Hour Dial-A-Ride: $200 per month for each 0.1 above 2.5 trips.RVH Community Bus: $200 per month if avg 14.0 or higher Dial-A-Ride: $200 per month for each 0.1 below 2.3 trips/RVH Community Bus: $200 per month if avg 12.5 or less 2. Dial-A-Ride On-Time Performance 95% or better $200 for each month that performance is 97% or higher $200 for each month that performance is less than 95%. 3. Dial-A-Ride: Failure to wait a minimum of 3 minutes after on-time vehicle arrival. Zero (0) occurrencesNone$100 per incident of failing to wait at least 3 minutes. 4. Dial-A-Ride: Missed Trip [Arrival at pick-up location more than 60 minutes after the scheduled time or not at all] Zero (0) occurrencesNone$100 per incident 5. Telephone Hold Times 90% of all calls shall be answered in less than 3 minutes 100% of all calls shall be answered in 5 minutes or less $200 for each month that at least 95% of all calls are answered within 3 minutes $100 per month if 70.1% to 80% of all calls answered in 3 min.; $200 if 70% or less answered in 3 min 5. Vehicle Cleanliness As defined in SOWNone$100 per day, per vehicle not clean 6. Driver Uniform As defined in SOWNone$100 per incident 7. Monthly Management Report Submission As defined in SOWNone $200 for each month that reporting is submitted late, incomplete. or with incorrect data 8. Customer Complaints No more than 3 per monthNone$100 for each verified complaint received over 3 in a month Transit Service Standards

49. Wrap-Up Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 49  Managing paratransit efficiency is a balancing act with service quality.  Tradeoffs should be based on system priorities and common sense.  Environments, clientele and systems are dynamic, so expect change and rebalance as needed.  Educate policymakers and riders to interrelated nature of efficiency and service quality.

50. Maximizing Paratransit Efficiencies Managing Paratransit Efficiencies 50 Roy E. Glauthier Transportation Planning and Policy 949-650-5956 rglauthier@aol.com George L. Sparks Pomona Valley Transportation Authority 909-596-7664 glspvta@gmail.com