10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA. 02116-3968
Voice: 857.702.3658, Fax: 617.570.9192
TDD: 617. 570.9193, E-mail: AACT@ctps.org
Chairman – James F. White
Vice Chairman – Lisa Weber
Mary Ann Murray
Beverly Ann Rock
Lisa Weber
James White, Lisa Weber, Jim Tozza, Nadine Jones, Hang Lee, Reggie Clark
All minutes were passed unanimously.
He stated the following:
Vice Chair Weber suggested choosing the guest speakers and scheduling the Summit based on their availability. She hopes that CTPS staff can assist with coordinating the event.
Chairman White suggested a tentative date of May 24. He stated he would speak with Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh about attending, in addition to sending them formal letters. L. Weber suggested scheduling the first subcommittee meeting after the invitations have been sent.
Chairman White officially added James Tozza and Nadine Jones to the Executive Board. He outlined their responsibilities and what they should familiarize themselves with.
Chairman White stated the following:
J. Tozza agreed to attend the Rider Oversight Committee (ROC).
Chairman White asked the AACT Board to note the on-time performance in the RIDE vendors’ most recent reports, stating they should be at or over 90%; he explained this would be a buffer for a potential drop-off in on-time performance during the transition to TRAC. While the transition to TRAC is occurring, AACT Board members should contact the Office of Transportation Access (OTA) if there is a significant drop in on-time performance. He related a previous incident in which the departure of a senior dispatcher resulted in an on-time performance drop. He added there will be a dedicated OTA staff member on-site at TRAC.
Chairman White stated the goal of the group is to have a stronger influence than AACT and include a wider representation of those involved in the disability community. Representatives will include AACT, Boston Center for Independent Living, MA Senior Action Council, Bay State Council for the Blind, Disability Policy Consortium, and Health and Human Services, among others.
Chairman White suggested having a dedicated area for persons with disabilities for busses at major MBTA stations. This would allow drivers to identify persons who need assistance. He stated he would raise the issue with System-Wide Accessibility (SWA).
N. Jones stated the phone system at Veterans Transportation (VT) was recently down for an extended period. She contacted Greater Lynn Senior Services, who stated they would pass on her information. Chairman White stated she should contact the Contract Administrator for VT at OTA, ideally while the phone system is still down; contact information can be found in the RIDE guide. He suggested asking if the issue was related to a software update, noting that software updates should only occur over the weekend. He stated he would speak to Mike Hulak of OTA about the procedure RIDE users should follow if phone systems are down.
The AACT Executive Board will meet from 10:00 AM to noon and the Membership meeting will be conducted from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on the fourth Wednesday of the month, except when noted.
Notices of AACT meetings are posted on the website of the MBTA at http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/. Visit the MPO’s calendar page at http://www.bostonmpo.org/calendar/month to find AACT agendas, meeting minutes, and past meeting minutes. For more on AACT, see the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MBTA and AACT, the AACT Bylaws, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations at http://www.mbta.com/aact .
Also, find articles about topics discussed at AACT meetings in the MPO’s newsletter, TRANSREPORT, at http://www.bostonmpo.org/transreport. For more information on accessibility at the MBTA, please visit www.mbta.com/accessibility.
Comments and questions concerning AACT should be directed to Chairman James White by contacting the AACT Coordinator, Ms. Janie Guion, at 857.702.3658 (voice) 617.570.9193 (TTY), AACT@ctps.org (email), or c/o CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116 (US mail).
The AACT meeting location is accessible to people with disabilities and is near public transportation. Upon request (preferably two weeks in advance of the meeting), every effort will be made to provide accommodations such as assistive listening devices, materials in accessible formats and in languages other than English, and interpreters in American Sign Language and other languages.
The MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state non-discrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. Any person who believes her or himself or any specific class of persons has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or other non-discrimination statute or regulations may, her or himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date on which the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO (see above) or at www.bostonmpo.org.
Members needing service information or wanting to inquire about MBTA services should do so through the MBTA Marketing and Communications Department at 617.222.3200 or 800.392.6100, TTY 617.222.5146, Monday through Friday 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. There are no weekend or evening hours. You can log on to the MBTA website at www.mbta.com/customer_support/feedback/.
Please sign in at all meetings.
Announcements are always welcome. Please be prepared to give as many details as possible: date, time, location, contact person, and phone number. A written notice is always appreciated.