HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - ACCESS SERVICES DIAL A RIDE (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
DATE: January 12, 1999
City Manager Approval:
Item to presented by:
Ron Kilcoyne
SUBJECT: RENEWAL OF CONTRACT WITH ACCESS SERVICES INC. AND
CHANGE IN DIAL -A -RIDE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract between Access Services Inc. (ASI)
and the City of Santa Clarita, modifying the method of payment to be based on each passenger trip,
and changing the eligibility criteria for disabled Dial -a -Ride customers, requiring all disabled
customers to be certified by ASI.
BACKGROUND
ASI is a countywide nonprofit corporation charged with providing complimentary paratransit during
all hours that local bus service is operated, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). Rather than operate a separate standalone service in the Santa Clarita Valley, ASI contracts
with Santa Clarita Transit to provide ADA service, enhancing the local Dial -a -Ride service provided
by the City since 1991. That contract expired on December 31, 1998, and needs to be renewed.
Since October 1996, ASI has paid the City a fixed amount (at a rate of $48.99 per hour) for one van
that operates hours during which Dial -a -Ride service was not available prior to ASI implementation.
Those hours include 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on weekdays; 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. on Saturdays; and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. At any other time that Santa Clarita
Dial -a -Ride carries an ASI certified client, ASI pays $48.99 per hour, in addition to the fixed hours.
ASI no longer wants to pay for the fixed hours, or on a per -hour basis. Instead, they wish to pay on
a per -trip basis, which is consistent with other ASI contracts. Unless ASI boardings increase, this
will reduce revenue to the City.
Modifying and renewing the ASI contract provides the opportunity to address two other issues
related to Dial -a -Ride service. Currently, Dial -a -Ride is at capacity during peak travel periods of
the day, and trip denials are growing. At the same time, the certification process has enabled
individuals with temporary disabilities or who are able to use fixed -route services to continue using
Dial -a -Ride. Therefore, it is proposed that the City require that all nonsenior Dial -a -Ride customers
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CHANGE IN DIAL -A -RIDE POLICY
January 12, 1999 — Page 2
be ASI certified and all trips be ASI trips. This will provide more capacity without increasing cost.
Additionally, it will guarantee that customers who must use Dial -a -Ride can obtain trips when they
need them, provide a consistent ADA compliant eligibility criteria, and increase revenue generated
by the City.
This change will only affect 30 percent of current Dial -a -Ride customers. Everyone 60 years or
older will be unaffected. ASI estimates that 80 percent of those who seek certification will be
certified. Therefore, potentially 6 percent of existing Dial -a -Ride customers could be impacted by
this action.
Specific changes the City proposes to negotiate in the Access Services Inc. contract are as follows:
• Renewal of the contract between the City and ASI through August 4, 2001, to be concurrent with
the contract with the City's service provider, ATC/Vancom.
• Replacement of the current payment method based on fixed hours, with a flat fee per trip for
trips made by ASI certified customers. The fee will be negotiated prior to contract execution.
• ASI will pay for all trips taken by customers from time of application until certification is
determined.
• It is the intent of the City to require that all Dial -a -Ride customers who are not 60 years of age
or older be ASI certified. In addition, the City will develop an appeals process and determine
specific qualifying conditions if ASI rejects an applicant.
• ASI will provide up to three additional vans, if needed, to accommodate growth in ASI
customers during the life of the contract.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Terminate the City's contract with ASI. ASI would contract with another provider to deliver ASI
service in the Santa Clarita Valley. This would result in two separate Dial -a -Ride operations in the
Santa Clarita Valley. This should result in an annual revenue loss of $95,000.00 (based on current
revenue received) and up to $450,000.00 (estimate based on potential revenue if the recommended
changes in the ASI contract and City Dial -a -Ride policy are adopted). The City could also choose
to carry only senior riders, relegating all disabled trips to ASI, thereby reducing costs by
$300,000.00 to $400,000.00 per year.
Modify the City's contract with ASI as recommended; however, do not change Dial -a -Ride
qualification requirements. This would result in an annual revenue loss similar to that shown above.
Other action as determined by the City Council.
CHANGE IN DIAL -A -RIDE POLICY
January 12, 1999 — Page 3
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the recommended changes is expected to substantially increase revenue to the City. It
would also eliminate the need to increase Dial -a -Ride revenue vehicle hours for at least one year,
producing cost savings of $100,000.00 to $195,000.00 per year.
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