DC ParaTransit Info The Wheels are broken, but it's not our chairs …

24Jun/10

Fare Hike Confusion – Bait and Switch?

MetroAccess riders appear to have been subject to a mailshot over the past week, with postcards arriving to explain the new fares.  This explanatory blurb was on the cards:

In the meantime, MetroAccess will be upgrading its trip scheduling system to prepare for the second phase to be implemented this fall, in which fares will be based on twice the cost of the equivalent trip taken on Metrobus or Metrorail with a $7 maximum.  When this change is made, MetroAccess will no longer serve locations that are more than 3/4 mile from existing regional bus and rail services.  Existing users of MetroAccess who have traveled outside this boundary within the past year will be the only exception.

15Jun/10

WMATA’s Response On MetroRail A/C – Update

DC ParaTransit Info received a followup email this morning from Mr Glenn Millis at WMATA, regarding the ability of MetroRail operators to control the HVAC system:

14Jun/10

MetroRail’s A/C issues – WMATA responds

In light of WMATA's recent decision to implement "Conditional Eligibility" on MetroAccess riders, which will force many riders in time to have to use fixed-route transit, DC ParaTransit Info has started to take a closer look at the conditions of that system and its readiness to provide reliable safe transit for people with disabilities.

Washington, DC Metro logo

Image via Wikipedia

One of the things we have noticed is the number of complaints online regarding the HVAC systems on MetroRail trains.

This can be a critical issue for many disabled riders - heat especially can have an amplified deleterious effect on people, dependent on their disability.  That's not even examining the effects of excessive heat on able-bodied riders themselves.

14Jun/10

One MV Transit trainer’s solution to the MetroAccess budget crisis: Kill the riders?

You would think a "trainer" would understand that the proper place to secure wheelchairs on vehicles are the "hardpoints", the strongest attachment locations of a chair, wouldn't you?

On most wheelchairs, these hardpoints are the bars connecting the seat to the chassis cage.  Usually 4 of them are to be found on wheelchairs, they are amongst the strongest components of any chair as they're designed to keep the seat connected to the wheelbase in motion.

8Apr/10

WaPo: Metro finds opposition to service cuts, support for higher fares

From the Washington Post:

Washington area residents spoke out against cuts in Metro rail and bus service while urging local jurisdictions to increase their funding to help Metro fill a $189 million budget gap for the fiscal year that begins in July, according to a Metro summary of public comment on the budget.

WMATA posted an online survey, which reportedly received 3,633 responses.

I looked over the questionnaire.  The questions relating to MetroAccess were very limited, and essentially boiled down to asking about ways to cut back services.

6Apr/10

Metro Outlines Nuclear Security Summit Service Plans

Updated: 04/09/2010 @ 18:38

[Reposted from Metro ADA eNews] DCPTI comments at the end

Mt. Vernon Square Station will be closed from 9 p.m., Sunday, April 11 through Tuesday, April 13; Metrobus, MetroAccess riders expect lengthy waits, detours

The Mt. Vernon Square/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail Station (Yellow and Green Lines) will close at 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, and will reopen at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14 due to security concerns associated with the international Nuclear Security Summit scheduled during that time at the Washington Convention Center. Trains will be able to pass through the station, but passengers will not be allowed to access the station.

5Apr/10

Metro to Host Discussion on MetroAccess Eligibility Certification

[Reposted from Metro ADA eNews]

Public invited to attend meeting on Monday, April 19

5Apr/10

New Freedom and JARC Applications are Due April 16

[Reposted from Metro ADA eNews]

REMINDER:  Applications are due April 16.

Do you have a great idea about how to improve access to transportation for people who face mobility constraints? If so, submit your project idea for funding consideration!

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board is pleased to announce the 2010 project solicitation under the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom programs. Funds are available for transportation projects that improve transportation options for those who face mobility constraints.

Additional information about the solicitation and application requirements is available at www.tpbcoordination.org

2Apr/10

New Look & Features, Same Purpose

It's been over a year since we last posted to the site.  In that year, we saw many improvements to WMATA's MetroAccess service, and although problems still existed, we felt that the efforts towards accessibility by Christian Kent and Selene Faer Dalton-Kumins at WMATA were going to pay off.

Unfortunately, we've found in recent times that WMATA appears to be backsliding in the quality of accessibility for its disabled customers.  This has become evident both on fixed-route transit (MetroBus, MetroRail), and MetroAccess, the Metro DC area's paratransit service operated by MV Transit.

5Feb/09

MetroAccess IVR/GPS Problems?

While the database issues mentioned previously are continuing, with reports that the Silver Spring staff have been extremely busy today trying to work around unspecified problems performing trips, DC ParaTransit Info is wondering what could cause an IVR reminder call this evening (made to customers the night before to remind them of their upcoming trips) to abort at the beginning of the message, stating:

A GPS Error has occurred

We've asked MetroAccess for more information, but we're curious if this is related to the database issues, and more importantly - if this is indicative of a problem with IVR (and presumably, Trapeze) not being able to access/reference GPS data, what effect is this having on provisioning of trips?

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