Memorandum

Date       October 15, 2015

TO           Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

FROM      Karl H. Quackenbush
CTPS Executive Director

RE            Work Program for: Access Advisory Committee Support: FFY 2016

Action Required

Review and approval

Proposed Motion

That the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization vote to approve the work program for Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA Support: FFY 2016, presented in this memorandum

Project Identification

Unified Planning Work Program Classification

Certification Requirements

CTPS Project Number

90024

Client

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

CTPS Project Supervisors

Principal: Elizabeth M. Moore

Manager: Janie Guion

Funding

MPO Planning Contract #89787

MPO §5303 Contracts #84080 and Subsequent Contract

Impact on MPO Work

This work is supported by the MPO on behalf of the MBTA and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.

Background

For many years, the MPO has assisted the MBTA in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements by providing staff and funding for the ongoing support of the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT).

AACT is an outgrowth of an advisory group called the Special Needs Advisory Committee (SNAC), which was established in 1975 to provide advice and recommendations to the MBTA on improving accessible transportation services in the Boston area for individuals with disabilities and for seniors. SNAC was initially a subcommittee, and later an independent member, of the Joint Regional Transportation Committee (JRTC), which is now the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (RTAC).

Over time, SNAC, and later AACT, entered into several legal agreements with the MBTA in conformance with Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and subsequent federal legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. These agreements gave AACT the right to participate more fully in the MBTA’s evaluation and decision-making processes. Today, in addition to being a voting member of RTAC, AACT has a vote on the MBTA committee that selects THE RIDE contractors. AACT also advises the MBTA on all accessibility matters relating to the use of MBTA fixed-route services and THE RIDE paratransit services by people with disabilities.

Objectives

The purpose of this work program is to support the activities of AACT, which in turn supports the MBTA in meeting the requirements of ADA. The objectives of AACT’s work are:

1. To reach out to individuals with disabilities and seniors and create a forum where they can voice their ideas and concerns
2. To keep the disability community informed of issues relating to THE RIDE program and services, other MBTA services, and other matters that are related to transportation accessibility, such as station design and evacuation procedures
3. To monitor accessibility in the MBTA system, track the performance of THE RIDE, and give feedback on these matters to the MBTA
4. To identify accessibility problems in MBTA’s fixed-route and paratransit systems and to work on solutions

Work Description

The MPO staff works to support AACT by coordinating the activities and communication of AACT and the AACT Board of Directors, providing general information and assistance to AACT members and other individuals with disabilities, and supporting the MBTA Department of System-Wide Accessibility’s effort to expand AACT membership and increase participation in AACT meetings and activities.

Task 1  Support AACT Membership Meetings

AACT holds monthly meetings of its members, which are also open to the public. These meetings provide a forum for the disability community to learn about MBTA services and programs that affect persons with disabilities and seniors and to give feedback to the MBTA.

In support of these AACT membership meetings, the staff completes the following activities:

• Working with the AACT chair, vice chair, and board members to identify issues to be discussed
• Managing logistics for each meeting, including arranging for speakers, scheduling a room, ensuring proper room and audio equipment setups, and scheduling sign language interpreter services
• Preparing agendas, notices, flyers, meeting minutes, and other materials for the meetings. These are prepared in print, electronic, audio, and Braille formats and are distributed by US mail or email
• Maintaining a database of AACT members and interested parties for distributing information
• Supporting the AACT chair in managing meetings, including passing the microphone, recording the meetings, taking attendance, taking notes, and helping to ensure compliance with the bylaws and implementation of organizational procedures, such as elections

Products of Task 1

Meeting notifications and materials for monthly AACT membership meetings

Task 2  Support AACT Board of Directors

AACT’s board of directors meets monthly to discuss issues that are of concern to the disability community, topics for presentation to and discussion with the AACT members, AACT organizational matters, and information gathered at meetings with transportation agencies and committees and the MBTA’s executive staff.

In support of the monthly AACT board meetings, the staff completes the following activities:

• Representing or accompanying board members at meetings of other entities to assist with note taking, listen to the discussion, or deliver a comment
• Preparing correspondence to transmit AACT comments to the MBTA, express concerns, and make requests for actions important to AACT members regarding accessibility, and other correspondence, as needed, for program planning and follow-up
• Planning special events
• Coordinating activities of special committees of AACT’s board of directors
• Serving as a resource to board members for information on federal and state regulations pertaining to accessibility requirements

Products of Task 2

• Meeting notifications and materials for monthly meetings of AACT’s board of directors
• Correspondence

Task 3  Provide Support for Annual Disability Summit

In November 2015, AACT will hold its third Annual Disability Summit, for which planning is already underway, in partnership with the MBTA. Staff will continue to support the work of the planning committee for the summit by assisting with committee and summit meeting logistics, coordination, and follow-up; producing an attendees’ booklet; creating and distributing invitations to interested parties; developing informational flyers; planning forum logistics; preparing banners and name tags; and coordinating activities during the summit.

During federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016, staff will plan another summit, which will be held in late FFY 2016 or early FFY 2017. Planning activities for this fourth summit will mirror those described above for the upcoming November 2015 summit.

Products of Task 3

Correspondence, meeting notes, flyers, mailings, and other materials needed to support the Disability Summit

Task 4  Provide Information and Assistance to AACT Constituents

The staff provides additional support to AACT members and other individuals in the disability community and seniors in a variety of ways, including:

• Serving as AACT’s liaison to the MBTA on a variety of issues
• Gathering information from various departments at the MBTA and other organizations and agencies for dissemination to AACT members, the disability community, and seniors
• Forwarding information to AACT members electronically or by US mail in audio, print, and Braille formats
• Mailing AACT information packets to prospective members and adding new members to the contact list
• Receiving complaints and relaying them to the AACT chair or the MBTA for resolution
• Answering questions and providing information
• Providing a calendar of AACT events for posting in RIDE vehicles to inform users about AACT

Products of Task 3

Copies of informational materials produced in electronic, print, Braille, and audio formats

Task 5 Support Mobility Assistance Program

In the past, the staff has participated in the interagency committee that reviews and provides recommendations on applications from local agencies, such as councils on aging, for grants for the purchase of accessible vans funded by the federal Mobility Assistance Program. This work will be continued, as time allows.

Estimated Schedule

The tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2016. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.

Estimated Cost

The total cost of this project is estimated to be $85,900. This includes the cost of 44.3 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 98.88 percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.

KQ/EM/em