This document outlines policy options being considered by Capital Metro to reduce costs for its MetroAccess paratransit service while gathering public input. It discusses potential changes to the service area, eligibility determination process, assistance levels, return policies, and call center operations based on peer city practices and estimates the associated cost savings. Feedback from attendees is sought on balancing reductions in costs with maintaining reasonable levels of service. Next steps outlined include further public outreach and board approval of any policy changes.

1. Capital MetroAccess
Policy Options
Summer 2010
Goal: Gather Input on Service Area, Service Level and Eligibility

2. Thanks for Coming!
• Meeting structure & process
• The challenge
• Peer comparison
• Your feedback on policy options
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3. Why we’re here
• Service Area, Service Level and Eligibility
• Your involvement
• We want your input
We need you to be part of the solution.
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4. Sunset Commission
Recommendation
• “Increase paratransit productivity to
achieve a 10-percent reduction in
costs by revising policies that exceed
Americans with Disabilities Act
requirements, including taxi
vouchers, open returns, door-to-door
services, and reservations.”
• Estimated impact: $3 million in
annual savings
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5. Now is the time
• No easy answers
• Some people will lose services
• We want to mitigate those impacts
• We need your feedback to find
reasonable solutions
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6. For a productive meeting
• Staff will be reasonable, fair-minded
and listening for solutions
• We ask that everyone
– Show courtesy and respect
– Make no personal attacks
– Be open-minded
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7. ¾ Mile Metro Access
Paratransit Service Area
Current Practice:
¾ Mile Service Area
Value to CMTA:
Option 1: ¾ Mile Service Area $1.032M
Option 2: ¾ Mile Service Area
$516K
with a transition plan for
displaced passengers
¾ Mile Service Area
¾ Mile Service Area
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8. ¾ Mile Paratransit Service Area
How Austin compares to others across the country
Sacramento
¾ Mile Indianapolis Columbus
¾ Mile ¾ Mile
Kansas City
¾ Mile Louisville
¾ Mile
Memphis Charlotte
1 Mile ¾ Mile
Austin
Orlando
¾ Mile
Tampa
¾ Mile
Peer cities identified in CAMPO’s 2008 Capital Metro Peer
Review Quadrennial Performance Audit – Final Report

9. ¾ Mile Paratransit Service Area
How Austin compares Texas Cities
Lubbock
¾ Mile
Fort Worth Dallas
City Limits City Limits
El Paso
1.5 Mile
Houston
Austin ¾ Miles
San
Antonio
¾ Miles
Corpus
Christi
¾ Mile

10. Eligibility for MetroAccess
Paratransit Service
Current Practice:
Self certification with professional verification
Cost Avoidance
Year 1:
Option 1: In-person interview and functional
assessment administered by Capital $1.363 Million
Metro staff
Option 2: In-person interview by Capital Metro
staff and functional assessment $1.189 Million
administered by 3rd party contractor
Option 3: In-person Interview and functional
assessment administered by 3rd party $1.228 Million
contractor
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11. Eligibility for Paratransit Service
Do our peer cities perform functional assessments?
Sacramento
YES Indianapolis Columbus
YES YES
Kansas City
NO*** Louisville
YES
Memphis Charlotte
YES YES
Austin
Orlando
YES
Tampa
YES
Peer cities identified in CAMPO’s 2008 Capital Metro Peer
Review Quadrennial Performance Audit – Final Report ***Currently working on a contract to begin functional assessments

12. Eligibility for Paratransit Service
Do other Texas cities perform functional assessments?
Lubbock
No
Fort Worth Dallas
YES YES
El Paso
No
Houston
Austin YES
San
Antonio
YES
Corpus
Christi
YES

13. Open Return Policy
Current Practice:
Medical, jury duty, return from travel open returns Cost
Avoidance
Option 1: Medical appointments only with $7k
estimated time required
Option 2: Medical appointments & return from $2k
travel with estimated time required
Option 3: Eliminate open return policy $106k
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14. Open Return Trips
What peer cities have an open return policy in place?
Tampa, FL
Sacramento, CA YES (For double fare)
NO OPEN RETURNS
Charlotte, NC
Kansas City, MO
Orlando, FL
Columbus, OH MEDICAL ONLY
Indianapolis, IN
Louisville, KY
Memphis, TN
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Corpus Christi MEDICAL & JURY DUTY
Lubbock
El Paso
Fort Worth

15. Taxi Voucher on
Request Program
Current Practice:
Capital Metro pays full cost up to 6 miles
for medical, return from grocery, jury duty, Cost Avoidance:
and return from out of town travel
$877k
Option 1: Transition to smart card system
with $10 cost share cap
Option 2: New voucher program with limit on $1.5 Million
vouchers but no limit of trip purpose
Option 3: Eliminate voucher program $187k
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16. Call Center Operations
Current hours:
7am – 7pm Weekdays
8am – 5pm Weekends
Option Value:
Option 1: 8am – 5pm seven days a week $68K
with 1 day advance reservation
Option 2: 8am – 5pm seven days a week
$68K
with 2 day advance reservation
Option 3: 8am – 5pm seven days a week
with 3 day advance reservation $68K
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17. Max # advance days a
Call Center Operations reservation may be made
What do other cities do?
8+ days
Orlando
Kansas City &
Fort Worth
(All @ 14 days)
RESTRICTIVE
Weekday Call Center Hours Louisville
7 days
Columbus
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 San Antonio
CURRENT - AUSTIN Lubbock
El Paso
PROPOSED - AUSTIN
LESS
6 days
TAMPA CURRENT - Austin
CHARLOTTE
LOUSIVILLE
5 days
KANSAS CITY Charlotte
MEMPHIS
4 days
INDIANAPOLIS
COLUMBUS
SACRAMENTO
PROPOSED - Austin
3 days
RESTRICTIVE
ORLANDO Tampa
Indianapolis
DALLAS Memphis
HOUSTON
2 days
SAN ANTONIO Dallas*
MORE
Sacramento
CORPUS CHRISTI
LUBBOCK
1 day
Houston
EL PASO Corpus Christi
FORT WORTH
* Friday = 4 days (closed weekends)

18. Passenger Assistance Level
Current Practice:
Door-through-Door
Cost Avoidance:
Option 1: Curb to Curb for all passengers $145k
Option 2: Curb to Curb with the option of $96k
Door to Door on request
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19. Passenger Assistance Level
What do our peer cities do?
33% What do Texas cities do?
Curb-to-Curb
TAMPA 67% 14%
INDIANAPOLIS
Door-to-Door Door-to-Door
MEMPHIS
FORT WORTH
CHARLOTTE
LOUSIVILLE 86%
KANSAS CITY Curb-to-Curb
COLUMBUS
SACRAMENTO LUBBOCK
ORLANDO
CORPUS CHRISTI
DALLAS
SAN ANTONIO
HOUSTON
EL PASO
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20. Next Steps
July: Outreach for Policy Options
Analyze results
August: Present findings to Board
August-September: Outreach for Proposed Policy
Changes
September: Board action on policies
October: ADA Plan public hearing
ADA Plan update
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