Meeting_Body
FINANCE, BUDGET AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 20, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: ACCESS SERVICES - QUARTERLY UPDATE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status report on Access Services - ADA Paratransit.
Issue
ISSUE
This is a quarterly update on Access Services (Access).
Background
BACKGROUND
Access is the Los Angeles County transit agency that provides paratransit services on behalf of Metro and 45 other fixed route operators, as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Eligibility for Access is based on a person's ability to utilize accessible fixed-route buses and trains in Los Angeles County; Access currently has 124,000 registered riders. Access' paratransit service is a next-day, shared-ride, curb-to-curb service with additional assistance available to qualified individuals. The service operates throughout most of the County of Los Angeles and is operated by six contractors in the following regions: Eastern, Southern, West Central, Northern, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley. Access provides service to customers who are traveling between locations that are located within 3/4 of a mile of local bus routes and rail lines. Customers call Access' service providers directly to make trip reservations or can book trips online.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic
In FY22, Access has been operating its pre-pandemic, next-day, shared-ride service model. Access is also planning for the restart of its in-person eligibility process on December 1st.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some challenges in the transportation market. Qualified vehicle operators and other personnel are in short supply and the taxi industry, which provided 50 percent of Access' trips pre-pandemic, has been slow to recover. Despite these headwinds, Access' contractors have been trying their best to recruit and retain qualified employees and, as of this writing, are meeting most operational K...
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