ITEM 6-D
Council Meeting: June 9, 1992
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RESOLUTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY PARATRANSIT NETWORK
Introduction
As part of the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed by
Congress in July 1990, cities which offer fixed route transit
service must provide complementary paratransit service to
disabled individuals. In Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles
County Transportation Commission (LACTC) plans to establish,
operate and fund a countywide paratransit network to meet the
requirements of the Act. This report requests that the City
Council adopt the attached resolution to participate in the
LACTC's coordinated paratransit network.
Background
In July 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). One provision of the ADA requires cities which offer
fixed route transit service to provide complementary paratransit
service to those disabled individuals who cannot utilize an
accessible transit vehicle. In order to encourage coordination
in large metropolitan areas, specific provisions of the ADA allow
agencies, such as the LACTC, to coordinate service, and to
prepare and submit one unified countywide plan.
On December 3, 1991, the City Council adopted Resolution 8330
(CCS) which authorized the City to participate in the LACTC's
coordinated paratransit network. On behalf of the fixed route
operators in Los Angeles County, the LACTC prepared an interim
plan for the provision of paratransit services and submitted it
to the U.S. DOT on January 27, 1992. The final paratransit
network plan is to be submitted to the DOT by July 26, 1992. In
order to do this, the LACTC must have resolutions from each
affected city certifying its intention to participate in the
final coordinated plan and to maintain current levels of
paratransit service until the coordinated plan is fully
implemented in January 1997.
Presently, the City uses Proposition A Local Return funds to
sponsor a paratransit system through Westside Independent
Services to the Elderly (WISE). The WISE paratransit service is
available from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday,
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
on Sunday. WISE serves destinations throughout Santa Monica and
a few selected activity centers outside City boundaries. Under
the LACTC Plan, the City would continue to fund WISE paratransit
service at the current level.
The LACTC paratransit network includes five zones, as shown on
the attached map. Currently, service has been implemented in the
eastern San Gabriel Valley. Service in the Westside zone is
scheduled to be implemented in January 1993. Under the LACTC
plan, as service in each zone becomes operational, disabled
patrons will be able to travel between zones without the need to
transfer. Paratransit service would be available during the same
hours that fixed route transit service is available.
The LACTC network will utilize the services of a broker, who will
receive ride requests from eligible disabled individuals and
schedule a trip on an existing public, private, or not-for-profit
paratransit service provider in the area. The provider will be
reimbursed for the cost of providing the trip through the LACTC's
Proposition C program. If the existing provider cannot provide
the service, the broker will arrange for the service to be
provided by a "fill-in-the-gap" overlay provider, such as a
taxicab service or an operator from a nearby area.
There are several benefits for the City if it participates in the
Plan. The City will meet its obligation to provide and fund
expanded complementary paratransit service, and will not be
required to prepare and submit an individual paratransit
implementation plan to the U.S. DOT. These responsibilities will
be assumed by the LACTC. By joining the proposed network, the
paratransit service above the level currently provided by the
City will be funded by the LACTC. Significantly, eligible
residents will benefit since cross-jurisdictional paratransit
services to the disabled will be greatly expanded. In the
future, if the City would like to withdraw from the regional
network, it may do so, providing that it prepare and submit the
appropriate plan to the DOT and undertake the expanded operating
obligations.
LACTC Responsibilities
As the coordinating agency for the Paratransit Plan, the LACTC
would assume the following responsibilities:
o Prepare and submit a coordinated countywide plan by July
26, 1992 and update it annually thereafter beginning January
26, 1993;
o Administer an ADA-eligible certification and registration
process;
o Hold public hearings as required by the ADA;
o Develop and staff a committee comprised of disabled
individuals or agencies representing the disabled as
required by the ADA;
o Implement the coordinated Paratransit Plan;
o Provide funding for the cost of the ADA-mandated service
above that currently expended for disabled transportation.
By adopting this resolution, the City is authorizing the LACTC to
assume its obligations to provide the complementary paratransit
service and submit the plan as required by the ADA.
City Responsibilities
As a participant in the regional paratransit network, the City
agrees to assume the following responsibilities:
o Adopt the final Plan by June 15, 1992;
o Provide relevant fiscal and operating data about its
current fixed route and paratransit services to the LACTC
in a timely manner for inclusion in the required annual
update of the ADA paratransit plan;
o Authorize, by City Council resolution, the annual update
of the Los Angeles County consolidated paratransit plan due
to DOT annually on January 26.
o In accordance with 49 CFR Part 37.141, the City must
maintain its current level of paratransit service,
presently provided through WISE.
Budgetary/Financial Impact
Under ADA, the City is obligated to operate paratransit service
to complement its fixed route service. Adopting the resolution
and participating in the regional paratransit network will result
in expanded paratransit service that will be funded by the LACTC.
Recommendation
City staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached
resolution to participate in the Los Angeles County paratransit
network since it will allow the City to meet the complementary
paratransit provisions of the ADA in a coordinated manner, while
enhancing the level of paratransit service to the disabled
community.
Prepared by: J. F. Hutchison, Director of Transportation
R. L. Ayer, Assistant Director of Transportation
J. Stitcher, Senior Administrative Analyst
As part of this provision, the City was required to submit a plan
to the U.S. Department of Transportation by January 26, 1992,
detailing how it wouldimplement the required paratransit service,
or to participate in a coordinated paratransit network with other
fixed route operators.