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Preliminary Recommendations from the MetroAccess Best Practices Working Group. National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board May 17, 2006. Working Group Scope. Reservations, Scheduling, Dispatch and Vehicle Operations Door-to-Door Service
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Preliminary Recommendations from the MetroAccess Best Practices Working Group National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board May 17, 2006
Working Group Scope • Reservations, Scheduling, Dispatch and Vehicle Operations • Door-to-Door Service • Changes to the MetroAccess no-show and late cancellation policy • Human Service Transportation Coordination • Same-Day Service
Members • Jon Monson MV Transportation, Inc. • Penny Reeder MetroAccess User • John Smolenski Maryland Transit Administration • Dr. Harold Snider Montgomery County Commission for People with Disabilities MetroAccess User • Mary Williams Metro Riders Advisory Council MetroAccess User • Steven Yaffe Fastran • Carolyn Bellamy MetroAccess User • Dan Dalton Easter Seals Project ACTION • Buffy Ellis KFH Consulting Chair, TRB Paratransit Committee • Jachebed Jordon IONA Senior Services • Christian Kent Office of MetroAccess Services • Wendy Klancher, Chair TPB Staff
Observations • Problems experienced with the transition are a symptom of long-standing structural problem • Unusual in large urban areas to have one contract and broker operation • Brokers do not usually operate service and have responsibility for service monitoring • Multi-contract strategy utilized in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Denver and Seattle • More oversight and management of contract key to improvement
Preliminary RecommendationsImprove Customer Service and Communication • MetroAccess needs a “Customer-First” focus • WMATA should hold off implementing more advanced technology (i.e. web-based reservations) until operation is running smoother • WMATA should ensure stranded passengers calling after normal business hours have the option to quickly contact an employee
Preliminary RecommendationsEnsure Adequate, Experienced and Stable Staffing • WMATA should require MV to increase staffing levels • Each MV scheduler manages between 70 and 125 runs • Best Practice: Scheduler should be managing about 40-50 runs • WMATA should ensure pay and benefits attract experienced and stable workforce (especially drivers)
Preliminary RecommendationsUtilize scheduling and software strategies • WMATA should reduce 14-day advanced reservation window to 7-day • MV Transportation should keep vehicles and drivers in familiar geographic areas
Preliminary RecommendationsStrengthen Contract Oversight and Monitoring • WMATA is working on verifying performance data and monitoring service quality • Independent audit a good first step • WMATA should increase the number of staff in the Office of MetroAccess to allow for: • Performance data verification • Service quality monitoring • Customer service • Complaint resolution and response • WMATA should ensure adequate vehicle availability • Industry “best practice” spare vehicle ratio: 20% • MetroAccess ratio: 10%
Preliminary RecommendationsProvideDoor-to-Door Service • WMATA should provide door-to-door service to all MetroAccess customers (instead of curb-to-curb) • Reduce the vehicle wait time from 10 minutes to 5 minutes
Next Steps • Final recommendations will be presented at MetroAccess Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee on May 24 • Final report to the WMATA Board expected in June • TPB will begin work on Human Service Transportation Coordination Plan in June • TPB work program includes “independent review” of MetroAccess in Fall 2006