SR-1000-001-02 (10)
Council Meeting: January 27, 2004 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Access Services Incorporated Memorandum of Understanding
Introduction
The report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter
into a Memorandum of Understanding with Access Services Inc. (ASI) that allows
ASI-certified passengers and their personal care attendants to ride the Big Blue
Bus at ASI’s expense.
Background
In 1992, the City of Santa Monica, along with other fixed-route operators,
approved the creation of ASI as the agency responsible for the complementary
paratransit service in Los Angeles County mandated by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). It is governed by a nine member board representing and
appointed by the Los Angeles County municipal fixed-route operators, the Los
Angeles County local fixed-route operators, one seat shared by the municipal
and local fixed-route operators, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA), the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los
Angeles, the Transportation Corridor Representatives of the Los Angeles branch
of the League of Cities, the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, and
the Coalition of Independent Living Centers.
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ASI service is available for any ADA paratransit eligible individual to any location
within ¾ of a mile of any fixed-route bus operated by the Los Angeles County
public fixed-route bus operators and within ¾ of a mile around MTA rail stations
during the hours that the systems are operational.
ASI operates seven days a week, 24 hours of the day in most areas of Los
Angeles County. It is a shared ride service that operates curb-to-curb and utilizes
a fleet of small buses, mini-vans and taxis. Fares are distance-based and range
from $1.80 to $2.70 for each one-way trip.
Eligibility for ASI is based on the person’s inability to use accessible buses and
trains in Los Angeles County. It is not basedsolelyon disability, age, or medical
diagnosis. A transit evaluator will ask questions about the applicant’s ability to
use a bus or train and observe the applicant’s ability to walk or use a wheelchair.
ASI’s service continues to grow at more than 16 percent annually. It currently
costs $27.50 to provide one ride on ASI. It is more economical to encourage
ASI’s customers to use significantly less expensive fixed-route services, when
possible. The MTA and other municipal transit systems currently accept ASI
Identification Cards and are reimbursed for those rides by ASI.
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Discussion
According to information provided by ASI, the agency has 3,380 clients in the Big
Blue Bus’ service area who make 5,900 trips a month. Based on the experience
of participating transit systems, approximately eight percent of ASI eligible trips
are diverted to fixed-route operators. The eight percent rate equates to 15
additional passengers per day using Big Blue Bus service.
The Big Blue Bus will honor the Access Card to recognize eligible participants.
The identification card denotes ASI-certified users and those eligible to travel
with a personal care attendant (someone who assists with personal care of a
rider). An ASI rider, who has been approved for a personal care attendant during
the certification process, may travel with one personal care attendant free of
charge.
The Big Blue Bus will bill ASI on a monthly basis for the program.
Budget/Financial Impact
The program is estimated to generate approximately $1,400 in annual passenger
revenue for the Big Blue Bus.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into
an MOU that allows for ASI-certified passengers and their PCA’s to ride the Big
Blue Bus at ASI’s expense.
Prepared by: Stephanie Negriff, Director of Transit Services
David Feinberg, Acting Deputy Director of Transit Services
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