Marin Transit to test same-day paratransit service

Several years ago, Michael Harris noticed a gap in Marin Transit service for seniors and people with disabilities.

As designed, paratransit rides required trips to be scheduled in advance. That’s a problem, the Novato resident.

“Imagine you get a call from your doctor and they said, ‘look, you need to come in today,'” he said.

Harris, 78, serves as chair of the Marin Paratransit Coordinating Council, an advisory board that guides Marin Transit on such programs. Harris said he has consistently heard feedback from riders who are unable to get to medical appointments because of a lack of same-day service.

A few months ago, he proposed offering these types of reservations. This month, the district board voted unanimously to test the idea for six months.

“I think that this is really creative, and (it will be) interesting to see how it all goes,” Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni said at the June 2 board meeting.

Paratransit services are exclusively for riders enrolled in Marin Transit’s program. To qualify, riders must demonstrate that they are unable to independently use Marin Transit local bus service some or all of the time.

Riders must also complete an intake application, undergo an interview with staff and provide a licensed professional’s statement to verify their disability.

The service is mandated and all applicants must qualify for certification under the guidelines established by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Under the mandate, the paratransit service must operate on the same hours and days as its local bus service; it must offer rides in the same service area within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed-route; trips scheduled at least one day in advance must be fulfilled; fares cannot be more than two times the adult cash fare; there can be no limitations on the purpose for the trip; and there can be no capacity constraints.

Riders schedule trips by phone or online through the Marin Access passenger portal.

Today, there are 861 active enrolled riders. The program averages about 4,000 trips a month.

Offering same-day service goes beyond what is mandated by the ADA, and because of that, the agency has some more freedom in how it manages it, said Joanna Huitt, program and policy manager.

For example, the same-day service will be for local trips only. Trip requests will be fulfilled on an “as available basis,” meaning, if a request comes in that doesn’t fit into that day’s route schedule, it could be denied. If a ride is denied, a reservationist will assist the rider in finding alternative transportation, Huitt said.

Fares for same-day service will also be at a premium of $15, which would be on par with the cost of a taxi fare or rideshare service, she said.

The six-month pilot program is set to begin in July. The program will enable riders to request same-day service, preferably with two hours advance notice.

Harris explained that Marin Transit staff still want riders to book paratransit trips at least a day in advance when they can. The same-day service aims to provide an option for riders when those unexpected medical appointments arise, “which happens frequently with many seniors and people with disabilities,” Harris said.

Huitt said the pilot program is not expected to require additional hours of service, nor is it expected to increase the program’s established budget.

Board members expressed concern that demand might be greater than what the agency is able to handle.

“We think that the premium fare will control some of the demand,” Huitt said.

Staff estimates that there will be about 250 trips made through the same-day service within the six-month trial.

The trips will be serviced by Transdev Inc., the agency’s paratransit contractor. Marin Transit has a shared agreement with Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District for paratransit service.

Staff estimate that the pilot program will result in a contract payment reduction from the Golden Gate Bridge district equal to about $28,500. However, Marin Transit expects the additional fare revenue to help offset that impact. The expected increased expense for Marin Transit is about $27,000.

In January, staff will evaluate the performance of the program, reviewing the number of trips fulfilled and denied, and any impact to cost and services.

A report is expected to be presented in April to determine whether to continue same-day service.

“We are looking forward to understand whether or not this can improve mobility and the rider experience and remain cost neutral,” Huitt said.

More information will be available at marintransit.org.