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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-1993-139 Americans Disabilities ActRESOLUTION NO. R-93-139 A RESOLUTION approving and adopting an updated plan to meet Urban Mass Transportation Administration Service requirements for complementary paratransit service consistent with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation has published final regulations implementing the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which regulations include a requirement that public entities operating fixed - route transportation service for the general public also provide complementary paratransit service to persons unable to use the fixed route system; and WHEREAS, the City of Yakima does operate a fixed -route transportation service for the general public and therefore is subject to the above -stated requirement; and WHEREAS, the City of Yakima Transit Division has prepared an updated paratransit plan to meet the above -stated requirement and show progress toward the goal of full ADA compliance by 1997; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA: The Americans With Disabilities Act Plan Update prepared by the City of Yakima Transit Division, a copy of which is attached and incorporated as a part hereof, is hereby approved and adopted for implementation by the City of Yakima Transit Division, as of the date of this resolution's enactment by the City of Yakima Cit\ Council. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 21st day of December, 1993. ATTEST: Mayor City Clerk (is)res/U TA.sc THE 1994 PARATRANSIT PLAN UPDATE IV. BUDGET, COST AND VEHICLE ESTIMATES Table 5. ADA Paratransit Costs Table 6. Total System Costs Table 7. Accessible Fix -Route Buses Table 8. Paratransit Vehicles (Owned or Leased by your System) Jan. 1994 System Name: Yakima Transit City: Yakima ADA PARATR.ANSIT CAPITAL & OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY (projections in thousands of 1993 dollars) ADA PARATRANSIT EXPENSES* Table 5 State: WA 6 Year Actual Actual Est. Proj. Proj. Proj. Total 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 92-97 1. Capital Expenses 56 581 57 83 68 49 894 2. Operating Expenses 376 500 443 591 620 651 3,181 3. Subtotal ADA Paratransit Expenses (lines 1 + 2) 432 1,081 500 674 688 700 4,075 ADA PARATRANSIT EXPENSES** (ADA and non -ADA combined) Capital Expenses Operating Expenses TOTAL PARATRANSIT EXPENSES (sum of lines 4 and 5) 56 581 57 83 68 49 894 376 500 443 591 620 651 3,181 432 1,081 500 674 688 700 4,075 In 1991, TOTAL PARATRANSIT COSTS FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WERE $459.961 * Using a ratio to break out ADA from total paratransit expenses is acceptable. ** If non -ADA paratransit service is provided, add ADA to non -ADA costs to obtain Total Paratransit Expenses. Jan. 1994 System Name: Yakima Transit City: Yakima TOTAL TRANSIT SYSTEM COST ESTIMATES CAPITAL & OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY (projections in thousands of 1993 dollars) TOTAL TRANSIT SYSTEM COSTS* 1. Capital Expenses 2. Operating Expenses 3. TOTAL SYSTEM COSTS (lines 1 + 2) 4. ADA PARATRANSIT EXPENSES (line 3, Table 5) 5. ADA PARATRANSIT AS PERCENT OF TOTAL COSTS (line 4 divided by line 3) Table 6 State: WA 6 Year Actual Actual Est. Proj. Proj. Proj. Total 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 92-97 1,435 2,901 2,001 800 0 0 7,137 3,607 3,814 3,823 4,095 4,300 4,515 24,154 5,042 6,715 5,824 4,895 4,300 4,515 31,291 432 1,081 500 674 688 700 4,075 8.6% 16.1% 8.6% 13.8% 16% 15.5% 13.0% In 1991, TOTAL SYSTEM COSTS FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WERE $4.588.516 * Total transit system costs encompass all system costs, not just ADA -related costs. These transit system costs must include: (1) all fixed -route costs (bus, rail, etc.), plus (2) all paratransit expenses (ADA and non -ADA) Jan. 1994 System Name: Yakima Transit City: Yakima ADA ACCESSIBILITY: FIXED -ROUTE BUSES BUSES IN ACTIVE FLEET Table 7 State: WA Actual Actual Actual Actual Est. Proj. Proj. Proj. 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 . Total number of buses 2. Buses without lift/ramps 3. Buses with pre -ADA lift/ramps 4. Buses with ADA lift/ramps (meets Part 38 lift specifications) (Note: The sum of lines 2, 3, and 4 should equal line 1) Percent with lifts/ramps (sum of lines 3 and 4, divided by line 1) E 21 25 29 29 29 29 29 29 21 21 21 21 20 18 16 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 8 8 9 11 13 15 0% 16% 28% 28% 31% 38% 45%© 52% • ..... :.,. •:. •:. .............:, ....• .?.F.3.. �k.R:C .... .. sr f /Z .fir:. v • . r r..0.7/..:3.>:N-•••%•••-• 1 ... v ,: •, - r Q,�GiF�,l'{r{2#•?Y ni ..... .,.1...,, ...............,. .,, ..x...:, .. .v . ..R:.,..x, .;\• .. .,\ :n..Yr.......�, .... �. .•...,......n......:. .�r.✓9/i.........,�•\...�,........ . n..4? ....,>n.., ...... .•.....................o........ t . ,::v%,:....v,.::r.::./.......r.........n.,... rn.......................:.v::.v:•:r:::::�..!.......if.r....n...n........,,.....................:.............::....,:::,.::,.:: r.:::.:•...i:v:....n..r.... . For 1993, provide an approximate estimate of the number of boardings where lifts/ramps were deployed on the fixed -route system: Jan. 1994 System Name: Yakima Transit City: Yakima PARATR,ANSIT VEHICLES (OWNED/LEASED BY YOUR SYSTEM)* TOTAL NUMBER IN ACTIVE FLEET (owned/leased by your system) 1. Paratransit - vans and minivans 2. Paratransit - buses 3. Paratransit - sedans/wagons (other than taxis) LIFT -EQUIPPED PARATRANSIT VEHICLES 4. Paratransit - buses, vans and minivans (with lifts/ramps from lines 1 and 2) * Please include all your dedicated paratransit vehicles (ADA and non -ADA service combined) that your transit system owns/leases, even if the contractor operates the service. Do not include accessible vehicles used on the fixed -route. Table 8 State: WA Actual Actual Actual Est. Proj. Proj. Proj. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Not Applicable-Paratransit Service Contracted Out 5. For 1993, provide an approximate estimate of the number of buses, vans, and minivans, etc., excluding taxis, owned by your contractors that routinely provide paratransit (ADA and non -ADA) for your system: 12 (vehicles) 6. Prior to ADA paratransit (in 1991 and earlier, our transit system: (P) * * [(N) Did not offer paratransit; (I) Offered paratransit which was provided In-house; (P) Offered paratransit which was primarily Purchased demand responsive service; or (0) Other, please explain) THE 1994 PARA.TRANSIT PLAN UPDATE V. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A notice of an ADA Plan Update public meeting was sent to both English and Spanish speaking newspapers, radio, and TV stations on December 6, 1993. A public service announcement was issued to local community access TV Channel 9. Arrangements for furnishing transportation and sign -language interpreters were made. Forty-three individuals were contacted either by phone or mail and invited to attend the December 15, 1993 ADA Plan update public meeting. The individuals contacted range from those having a general interest in the City's ADA Plan, to those persons ADA certified using the system, to those working in or with organizations that daily address the needs of citizens with disabilities. .A prepared meeting notice suitable for posting was enclosed with each meeting packet. Every person attending an ADA public meeting is invited to participate as a working ADA Committee Member. They may be called upon from time to time to present and/or discuss paratransit issues that directly affect them. The working ADA Committee is self-selecting. That is, an individual's willingness to participate is their key to Committee membership. The Committee is formed as an "on call." Committee, meeting at the call of the Transit Manager as issues may require. A mailing list of ADA interested individuals and organizations is maintained by the Transit Division for notification and informational purposes. For the City Council ADA public hearing, an official public hearing notice was published in the major local newspaper by the City Clerk announcing the time and place for Council's consideration of the Plan Update. Arrangements for transportation and sign language interpreters were made. VI. UNRESOLVED ISSUES The FTA Regional Administrator asked that Yakima Transit address the following issue in the 1994 Plan Update: The 30 -day response letter dated April 8, 1993 includes the total system estimated budget/surplus. The five-year total system deficit is estimated to be $1,646,000. Describe how the ADA Complementary Paratransit service will be in full compliance with the ADA regulations despite the anticipated total system deficit. Describe the measures being sought to eliminate the total system estimated deficit. Answer: Faced with a projected operating budget deficit in the future years, the City of Yakima has no choice but to look at and develop plans to reduce fixed -route bus service. This means (1) looking at reducing and/or eliminating less productive bus routes, (2) reducing the hours of bus service, and (3) reducing the number of transit system employees. The net effect of reducing fixed - route bus service is a like reduction to comparable levels, of the local paratransit service . As an immediate cost saving measure, the City no longer provides paratransit service on those holidays when the fixed -route bus system does not operate. A further example of a cost saving measure, paratransit could end operating on those Sundays when there is no comparable Sunday fixed - route bus service. Sunday fixed -route bus service is provided only during the holiday season, the last six weeks of the calendar year. VII. OTHER ISSUES A fully accessible downtown transit center began operation October 25, 1993. The opening of the transit center required slight modifications to the fixed - route system. Also, during 1993, the red and green downtown trolley routes were combined into a single trolley route, that is free, fully accessible, serving more points of traveling interest while maintaining a twenty (20) minute headway. None of these system improvements affect, change, or modify in any way, the FTA approved ADA service area. In May of 1993, the City of Yakima terminated its paratransit service contract with Diamond Cab, a locally owned taxi company. Since this time, People for People, an non-profit social agency, has performed as the sole provider of paratransit service for the City of Yakima. The capacity constraints experienced during the first half of 1993 have been eliminated. Though service has improved under a single contractor, it is not the intent of the City of Yakima or Yakima Transit that People for People remain as the sole paratransit service provider. The City is actively exploring the potential of establishing a paratransit brokerage system for the local service area. An independent brokerage service offers an opportunity for other transportation providers to supply paratransit service to the local community. Along with the brokerage system, the City will be examining other methods used by the transit industry to provide comparable paratransit service. Yakima Transit ordered 10 electronic public address systems in. December, 1993. The new systems will be installed in buses serving the downtown core area and routes designated as fully accessible. Ten more electronic public address systems are planned for purchased and installation at the end of 1994. This will mean that 20 out of a fleet of 29 buses will have new electronic public address systems for announcing stops. No efforts were made by Yakima Transit to coordinate paratransit service with adjacent jurisdictions for the fact that the City of Yakima is the only public entity in Yakima County that operates a fixed -route bus system.