Use of Taxi in Paratransit

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Use of Taxi in Paratransit
George Sparks, Administrator
MISSION STATEMENT PVTA provides specialized
transportation services to fulfill the unmet
needs of Pomona Valley residents.
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Pomona Valley Transportation Authority 1977 - 2008
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PVTA

• Los Angeles Countys First Subregional
  Paratransit System
• Broker for Metro Access Project 1991 1995.
  Became Access Services.
• Accessible Cabs Introduced 1992

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PVTA Cab Programs

• Claremont Dial-a-Ride
• Shared ride taxi 1974-1986
• Service redesign 1996
• Immediate response cab
• Group Service
• Ridership 125
• Cost Per Pass. -45

• San Dimas Dial-a-Cab
• Started 1987
• Ridership grew by 500
• Cost Per Pass. -45

• Get About
• Cab Component 1996
• Increased accessibility
• Increased productivity
• Better service to outlying locations

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Get About

• Grassroots Response-1975
• Elderly and Disabled Transportation for
  4 Cities
• 115,000 Annual Passengers
• Taxis Supplement-1996

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Why We Did It

• Serve a broader spectrum of riders
• Increase same-day trips
• Increase productivity
• Improve service quality

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Operating Plan

• Unique scheduling dispatch approach
• Separate contracts w/primary cab contractor
• PVTA sets cab usage
• Primary accepts all requests
• Allocates trips to cabs
• Long trips
• Geographically remote
• Single trips
• Accessible cabs
• Most rides pre-assigned

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Contract Provisions(Make it profitable to do the
right thing)

• Primary Contractor
• Productivity guarantee 4.1
• Limit on cab trips
• PVTA adjusts mix
• Cab Contracts
• Meter rates
• Fixed per trip rate
• Driver Standards
• Driver training / selection
• Drug testing requirement
• Performance Standard
• On-time requirements
• Penalty for late trips
• Bonus for mobility devices

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Accessible Cabs

• Contractor and PVTA units
• Used in regular service
• Four year lease
• Recovers twice regular cab
• PVTA service priority
• Minimum usage guarantee

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Results

• Productivity Increased 5-12
• Utilization by wheelchair users increased by 79
• Cab carried 17 of all riders
• Cab carried 32 of wheelchair users
• Geographic allocation of rides

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Challenges

• Cost Growth 1999-2008
• Cab costs have grown at twice the rate of the
  dedicated vehicle service
• Cab costs are very sensitive to gas prices
• Cab realities
• Market logic Cant control, only influence
• Service disruptions
• Service balance
• Need to limit cab use/maintain quality
• Greater demand for outgoing destinations
• Verifiability-Bills On-Time
• Changes to cab industry
• Automated dispatch making ride sharing less
  effective
• Industry consolidation

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Future

• Electronically verified billing and on-time
• Update reservation and dispatch
• Introduce GPS
• New Freedom Project
• Same day service
• Returnsmedical , shopping