Paratransit Peer Review

Paratransit Service is public transportation for people who have disabilities that prevent them from using the fixed route, non-commuter bus service some or all the time that is comparable to fixed route service. Paratransit must be available within ¾ of a mile from the fixed route service and rail stations, and it must operate on the same hours and days as the fixed route. It is required by the ADA for all public entities operating fixed route transportation services.

Requirements include:

• Base level curb to curb service -- RTD provides door to door as necessary based on the customer assessment, and when the operator can maintain visual contact with the vehicle.
• FTA considers pick up windows longer than 30 minutes to be unacceptable -- RTD provides 30-minute pick up windows.
• Paratransit fares may not exceed twice the fixed route fare -- RTD charges a fare that is $1 less than twice the fixed route fare.
• Agencies can establish a policy requiring operators to wait at least 5 minutes for riders to board the vehicle upon arrival -- RTD’s policy is to wait 6 minutes for the customer to board the vehicle.

Agencies may implement services that exceed ADA requirements. FTA 4710.1, 8.7 Exceeding Minimum Requirements (Premium Service) states:

“The following are examples of services that can be viewed as a form of premium service:

• Same-day trips
• ‘Will-call’ trips
• Trips beyond the defined service area
• Trips before or after the established service hours

Because premium services are optional under FTA § 37.131(g) and otherwise do not fall under the complementary paratransit requirements, transit agencies may charge higher fares for premium service trips. For example, agencies may charge higher fares for trips requested on the same day of service. The exact fare for this extra service is a local decision."

In February 2024, General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson commissioned a peer review of RTD’s paratransit service delivery, to be conducted by transit industry subject-matter experts. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) convened a peer review panel of subject-matter experts from across the country. During the course of the months-long comprehensive review, the panelists leveraged their knowledge and professional experience to assess RTD’s Access-a-Ride and Access-on-Demand (AoD) premium supplemental paratransit services.

The overarching goal of the months-long peer review was to help the agency better understand the strengths and opportunities of RTD’s complementary paratransit service, as well as its premium supplemental on-demand services. The peer review was also conducted to note potential improvements that support long-term sustainability. The panelists also visited Denver and interviewed agency staff, contractors, paratransit customers, and community stakeholders.

1. Identify best practices employed by similar transit agencies, including for demand-response programs
2. Model program parameters, including responsible cost controls and sound customer-facing processes
3. Review software, hardware, and other tools to ensure optimal service performance and program cost-effectiveness

The final report, which was issued to RTD in August 2024, outlines several observations and recommendations for assessment and consideration. All observations and recommendations must be individually assessed to determine the viability within RTD’s operating environment. Any policy changes related to the agency’s paratransit service delivery will be brought to the RTD Board of Directors for its consideration.

Recommended Initiatives

• Develop a clearly stated vision for paratransit to guide priorities in the Access-a-Ride (AaR) and Access-on-Demand (AoD) services
• Refresh the AoD program structure to create a financially sustainable option that serves customer needs
• Leverage technology and process improvements to streamline daily work to improve staff efficiency, reallocate staff to more impactful work, deliver better service, and reduce costs

Recommended Actions

1. Empower staff and contractors to set boundaries on the AoD service in alignment with service mission
2. Create a technology and data strategy
3. Reduce compliance exposure by evaluating service area “donut holes,” reevaluate enabling legacy customers outside the ¾-mile fixed-route service area, and review the fare policy to the airport
4. Evaluate AaR reporting standards for on-time performance, conduct regular checks on data/parameters used for key performance indicators
5. Identify an “empowered owner” of paratransit who can get into details and lead on policy
6. Implement software that can automate tasks, including trip caps across all AoD providers and reduce manual oversight of the program
7. Review contractor management processes and requirements to improve service and streamline operations

RTD launched a robust communication and outreach plan to directly engage with certified paratransit customers. As part of the outreach efforts, staff hosted in-person and virtual feedback meetings with customers and community stakeholders, as well as completed customer feedback surveys and provided feedback tools.

In November 2024, staff shared all customer and community feedback with the RTD Board of Directors at the Operations, Safety and Security Committee. At that same time, preliminary policy recommendations and operational modifications were shared with the Board. A second round of feedback meetings and outreach efforts was held in December 2024 and January 2025 to solicit input about recommended changes. Staff presented revised policy recommendations to the Board and has now scheduled stakeholder discussions for June 2025 with final recommendations to the board in July.

As part of the comprehensive feedback process, RTD created and disseminated three separate customer surveys. All surveys focused on soliciting input from paratransit customers about potential operational adjustments and proposed recommendations. The first survey was open to all customers, and the second survey was sent to a random sampling of 3,000 active paratransit customers. The third was a brief survey and request for input, posted online. Survey results were shared with RTD’s Board of Directors at the Operations, Safety, and Security Committee.

The peer review was commissioned by the agency to better understand the strengths and opportunities of RTD’s complementary paratransit service and its premium, on-demand service. The peer review was also conducted to note potential improvements that support the long-term sustainability of RTD’s paratransit services.

All members of the community are invited to ask questions, share comments, and provide feedback. However, RTD is specifically focused on receiving feedback directly from currently registered paratransit customers.

All observations and recommendations must be individually assessed to determine the viability within RTD’s operating environment. No final decisions will be proposed or made until after the conclusion of the feedback process.

RTD has provided multiple communications to currently certified paratransit customers about the engagement process. Over the last nine months, information and updates have been emailed to customers and provided using the agency’s interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system. IVR allows customers without access to email to receive a text or phone call with a pre-recorded message. Additionally, RTD has provided updates during Operations, Safety and Security Committee and Board meetings and posted information on its website at rtd-denver.com/paratransit-peer-review.

On the basis of customer feedback, as well as extensive data and industry analysis, RTD developed a set of initial recommendations. Those preliminary recommendations were presented to the Board of Directors in November 2024 at the Operations, Safety and Security (OSS) Committee meeting and posted on the Paratransit Peer Review webpage. A second round of customer feedback was solicited in December 2024 and January 2025, via public meetings, an online outreach form, and other means. Recommendations were presented to the OSS Committee, and discussions are planned with key community stakeholders in June 2025. The current timeline is to present final recommendations to the Board of Directors in July 2025.

RTD is required to provide ADA complementary paratransit service. Additionally, agencies may implement services that exceed ADA requirements. These additional services are defined as “premium” in FTA 4710.1, 8.7 Exceeding Minimum Requirements (Premium Service), which states:

“The following are examples of services that can be viewed as a form of premium service:

• Same-day trips
• ‘Will-call’ trips
• Trips beyond the defined service area
• Trips before or after the established service hours

Because premium services are optional under FTA § 37.131(g) and otherwise do not fall under the complementary paratransit requirements, transit agencies may charge higher fares for premium service trips. For example, agencies may charge higher fares for trips requested on the same day of service. The exact fare for this extra service is a local decision."

Access-on-Demand is meant to be a supplemental service to Access-a-Ride, not a replacement service. Access-a-Ride should be used for scheduling routine and pre-planned trips. Some examples of when Access-on-Demand may be appropriate include:

• Medical Appointments: Use scheduled paratransit for regular, recurring appointments while keeping on-demand services as backup for last-minute changes or when doctor appointments run late or end early.
• Last-minute or Unforeseen Situations: Maintain scheduled paratransit for routine travel while having on-demand as a reliable backup when unexpected situations arise, or scheduled service is unavailable.
• Shopping: Schedule regular shopping trips via paratransit but use on-demand for last-minute, unplanned shopping needs, or to provide returns when grocery shopping contains perishable times or ends early.

Complementary, in the context of paratransit, is a service that exists in an effort to enhance the level of service provided by transportation agencies.

RTD staff are recommending the following changes to the Access-on-Demand program to ensure its long-term operational and fiscal sustainability:

• Implement a fare of $6.50 per trip, or $3.25 for LiVE program enrollees
• Provide up to a $20 subsidy per trip
• Allow up to 60 trips per month
• Limit service to the Access-a-Ride boundary (3/4-mile distance between non-commuter bus routes and rail lines).
• Limit service hours to current fixed-route service hours
• Customers must be enrolled and actively use Access-a-Ride for 90 days prior to enrollment in Access-on-Demand