Drafter
Clerk 11/01/2018
Title
AN ORDINANCE creating an Access paratransit advisory committee; and amending Ordinance 11431, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.124.010.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. Access paratransit is a supplementary transit service for people with disabilities who are unable to use regular transit services for some or all of their travel needs. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act ("the ADA") requires all transit agencies to provide paratransit services that meet minimum requirements established in the ADA and implementing regulations. The King County Code authorizes additional paratransit service in excess of minimum federal requirements and the program is delivered by contractors.
2. In June 2017, the King County auditor published a report entitled, "Access paratransit: action needed to address cost, quality, and equity," which stated that expenditures for the program had increased while ridership and on-time performance had declined and that Metro transit had not performed adequate outreach to historically underserved populations, such as people with limited English proficiency.
3. In July and August, 2017, the King County council's transportation, economy and environment committee held hearings on the King County auditor's report and heard testimony about Access paratransit from Metro transit staff and Access paratransit riders, family members, advocates and service providers.
4. Following the council hearings, Metro transit paused an ongoing procurement process for a new contractor to operate Access paratransit and convened an Access paratransit workgroup made up of Access riders, family members, advocates, providers and council staff to review Access paratransit service and provide input on the terms of a future contract for the service.
5. In July 2018, the council adopted Ordinance 18766, which added funding to the Metro transit budget to upgrade Access paratransit to provide ninety percent on-time service and a thir...
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