Spring 2014 We’re listening! If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us at 403-537-7777 and press option #4. Access Calgary welcomes Care Calgary as its newest service provider! As of March 1st, you may see our newest service provider, Care Calgary, coming to pick you up. Who is Care Calgary? Here is an introduction of Care Calgary from the Vice President Gurjeet Dhillon: “Care Calgary Inc. is a new company operated under the umbrella of SCC Group of Companies. Our team has been providing safe and reliable specialized door-to-door accessible transportation service since 1995. We have extensive experience in the accessible transportation industry. We are looking forward to adding the clients of Access Calgary to our list of millions of customers already safely transported. We are committed to being the most trusted accessible transportation company for individuals with special needs, serving municipalities and organizations that require a safe, compassionate, reliable and cost effective option to meet their specialized transportation needs. Our vision is to deliver the highest quality of safe, professional and courteous transportation to all customers, thereby assisting individuals to lead independent lives”. Access Calgary looks forward to a successful working partnership with Care Calgary to deliver great customer service to Calgarians. Calgary Transit’s Mission is to provide safe, accessible and courteous public transportation service in response to the needs of our customers. Onward/ By 2020, 100 percent of the transit fleet will be accessible to all Calgarians. calgarytransit.com call 403-262-1000
Transcript
Spring 2014
We’re listening! If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us at 403-537-7777 and press option #4.
Access Calgary welcomes Care Calgary as its newest service provider!As of March 1st, you may see our newest service provider, Care Calgary, coming to pick you up. Who is Care Calgary?
Here is an introduction of Care Calgary from the Vice President Gurjeet Dhillon: “Care Calgary Inc. is a new company operated under the umbrella of SCC Group of Companies. Our team has been providing safe and reliable specialized door-to-door accessible transportation service since 1995. We have extensive experience in the accessible transportation industry. We are looking forward to adding the clients of Access Calgary to our list of millions of customers already safely transported. We are committed to being the most trusted accessible transportation company for individuals with special needs, serving municipalities and organizations that
require a safe, compassionate, reliable and cost effective option to meet their specialized transportation needs. Our vision is to deliver the highest quality of safe, professional and courteous transportation to all customers, thereby assisting individuals to lead independent lives”. Access Calgary looks forward to a successful working partnership with Care Calgary to deliver great customer service to Calgarians.
Calgary Transit’s Mission
is to provide safe,
accessible and courteous
public transportation service
in response to the needs
of our customers.
Onward/ By 2020, 100 percent of the transit fleet will be accessible to all Calgarians.
calgarytransit.com
call 403-262-1000
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Agency MeetingThe next Access Calgary Agency meeting will be held Wednesday, May 14 from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Calgary Transit Spring Gardens Administration Building (928 – 32 Ave N.E.). The purpose of the meeting is to share information between Access Calgary and agency staff/representatives on initiatives, programs, and changes that affect transportation for people with disabilities.
If you work for an agency and wish to attend, please RSVP prior to May 12 by calling 403-537-7770, press #1.
Customer open houseCustomers are invited to attend our annual Access Calgary Open House on Wednesday, June 11. You don’t need to register for this event. Customers can start dropping in after 2p.m. and wrap up by 5p.m. Access Calgary is located at 928 – 32 Ave. N.E. in the Calgary Transit Spring Gardens Garage. There will be information booths set up with knowledgeable staff to answer questions. We will provide tours of the Access Calgary Operations area. Refreshments will be also be provided. Customers can expect to get lots of information about Access Calgary at this event!
For more information please call 403-537-7861.
20 Minute Pickup Window – A timely reminder!When customers book a trip with Access Calgary, they are provided with a 20 minute pickup window. The 20 minute window is the range of time given to a customer that your vehicle is expected to arrive in. In order to keep our service
on schedule, customers need to be ready to leave at the first time indicated on their 20 minute window. Example: If your pickup window is 10:00 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., you are expected to be ready to go at 10:00 a.m. (If you live in an apartment or condo building please note that drivers are not expected to buzz/ring you when they arrive. You should be waiting
in the lobby). Service is delayed if customers are not ready to go at the start of the pickup window. These delays create a domino effect of late arrivals for the rest of the customers booked for trips. Drivers will only wait for 5 minutes after they arrive before leaving for their next destination. We thank you for your understanding!
City Council Extends Access Calgary Service AreaIn December of 2013, Calgary City Council extended the Access Calgary service area to the City limits.
Access calgary now provides service to all areas within the City of Calgary. This change in policy was well
received by Access Calgary customers.
Manager of Access Calgary receives the ACA Accessible Transportation AwardKarim Rayani, Manager of Access Calgary was awarded the Ella Anderson Accessible Transportation Award by the Advisory Committee on Accessibility. This Award was presented to Karim by Mayor Nenshi on January 27th in Council Chambers at City Hall. Karim has been the Manager of Access Calgary for over 10 years. Karim was recognized for his hard work, dedication, passion and the endless amount of energy he puts in to making Access Calgary a better service for those Calgarians who cannot use the regular fixed route services. Congratulations Karim! This award is certainly very well deserved!
Access Calgary has a revised Application FormGood News! Access Calgary has revised the application form for applicants who wish to apply for our service. We have now shortened the form from 14 pages down to 8 pages. Hopefully this form will be easier to complete while still providing Access Calgary the information required to determine eligibility. Please note: Eligibility for Access Calgary is strictly based on one’s ability to use Calgary Transit. You can view our new application form on our website at www.accesscalgary.ca or give us a call at 403-537-7770 to have one mailed out. Please note: if you are already an Access Calgary customer, you are not required to complete this new form.
Access Calgary Advisory Committee MembersAccess Calgary is accepting applications from customers interested in participating on the Access Calgary Advisory Committee. The committee’s mandate is to provide Calgary Transit with input and advice on transportation services for people with disabilities. The committee reports to the director of Calgary Transit. There will be a total of 10 committee members made up
of Access Calgary service users, representatives from various agencies, interested parties and Calgary Transit staff. Members will serve a one or two-year term. Meetings take place on the second Wednesday of every month from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the Calgary Transit administration building (928 – 32 Ave N.E.). People interested in becoming a member of this committee are asked to respond in
writing indicating their interest and background information that would assist in the selection of candidates.
Responses must be sent to: Access Calgary Attn: Manager of Access Calgary P.O Box 2100, Station M, #170 Calgary AB, T2P 2M5. Applications must be submitted by July 15.
From left: Jade Coultman, Constable Christine Robinson and Karim Rayani accept their awards from mayor Nenshi.
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Michael – Checker Cab September
Jim – Southland November
Fadi – Southland September
Dave – Calgary HandiBus November
Steven – Southland October
Driver Recognition AwardsThe Access Calgary Advisory Committee selected the following drivers for the Driver Recognition award. Two drivers are selected randomly from commendations sent in by you. Please keep sending in your commendations for exceptional drivers to Access Calgary Customer Service at 403-537-7777 and press option #4.
2013 Access Calgary Customer Satisfaction SurveyCalgary Transit periodically conducts a telephone survey to assess customer satisfaction with Access Calgary services. In 2013, another satisfaction survey was conducted for Access Calgary. HarGroup Management Consultants Inc. conducted the telephone survey. A total of 400 interviews were conducted between October 8th and October 12th, 2013.
The types of issues examined in the 2013 survey include:– Use of Access Calgary services,
– Service expectation and performance ratings,
– Customer satisfaction with service, and
– Telephone service and performance ratings
Most customers responded favourably to questions about Access Calgary services. When asked about various aspects of service, a significant majority (at least 86%) agreed strongly or somewhat that the services were being successfully fulfilled.
All four transportation options examined in the survey (Calgary Handi-bus, Shared-ride taxi,
Accessible taxi, Southland Transportation vehicle) received high service ratings from customers. At least nine in ten rated each option as excellent, good or okay.
For Access Calgary services in general, as well as across all transportation options examined, on-time pickups and drop-offs, driver care and courtesy, providing for your safety and security, and door to door service were often cited as the most important aspects of service. It is also important to note punctuality (e.g. being on time for pick-ups and drop-offs) was most often cited as being an area for improvement for Access Calgary services.
The majority of respondents rated the overall service provided by booking agents as excellent, good or okay, which is generally consistent with previous surveys.
Likewise, the Customer Service Line and Late Bus Inquiry/Dispatch Line also received high ratings from respondents.
Access Calgary will continue to strive to improve the service to our customers. Thank you to all who participated. The feedback you give helps shape how service is delivered.
Summer CampCalgary Transit, Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District are joining together to provide the Get on Board Travel Training Summer Camp.
At the camp, participants can expect to learn how to use Calgary Transit services, the cost to ride Calgary Transit, how long a transfer is valid for, when to use the Help intercom, why you need to stand behind the yellow line and where the lost items on Calgary Transit end up.
Participants are youth (age 14 -18) with a disability who would like to learn how to use Calgary Transit.
Participants need to fill in an application form that will be on the Access Calgary website or their school buy the end of May. Camp takes place at City Hall School in the municipal building in three sessions that run consecutively in July. Sessions are a half day long (morning or afternoon). The fee for camp is 25 dollars which is refunded if the participant attends the whole session.
For more information or if you have questions, please call our Travel Trainer at 403-537-7862.
Access Calgary “No Show” ProcedureThere has been some confusion on what is considered a “no show”. This article provides more clarity:
What is a No Show?
A no show occurs when the driver arrives within the 20 minute pickup window but is unable to locate the customer at the pickup location
within 5 minutes. If we are unable to find the customer within 5 minutes, we will have to move on to help out the next customer.
If I am No Showed, what options do I have available to me?
If you miss your trip but still need
to travel, you can request a standby trip by calling the Operations Control Centre (Option #3) and Access Calgary will look for any possible opening.
If you have a concern in regards to a “no show”, please contact Customer Service at 403-537-7777 (Option #4).
Medical Emergencies – we call 911If a customer becomes non-responsive in the vehicle for any reason (seizures, fainting, etc) while being transported our Operation Control Centre has a responsibility to call 911. This is to ensure safety and timely medical attention to the affected customer. Customers will be responsible for 911 costs. This procedure is consistent across most paratransit services in Canada.
No curb cuts? Call 311If you need a curb cut put in place on your street, or if you know of an area that needs one, please contact 311 to make the request. We appreciate your help in making Calgary more accessible for everyone.
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2013 StatisticsTrips 2013 2012 2011
Total shared-ride trips provided 1,036,872 1,022,273 985,747
Preschool trips through Calgary HandiBus 50,568 46,443 48,415
Access Calgary Extra trips 40,329 49,760 56,371
Total number of Trips Provided 1,127,769 1,118,476 1,090,533
Group home applications, ADSP’s, etc. 4,703 4,853 3,853
Appeals 42 30 17
2014 Spring and Summer Holiday ScheduleBooking lines, Customer Serrvice and Eligibility will be closed on:
April 18
April 20
May 19
July 1
August 4
September 1
and October 13.
Dialysis treatment trips on these days will continue as scheduled.
Subscription Trips (Except for Dialysis) will be cancelled on these days.
If you require a trip on a statutory holiday, Call 403-537-7777, press #2, by 1 p.m. the day before the holiday to book the trip. *Note: Due to technical difficulties from the flood, the phone call statistics are estimated for June - September.
5 Point Harness Customers can now use Accessible MinivansCustomers that require a 5 point harness on Access Calgary may start to see accessible minivans being sent for trips in order to increase trip availability. Please note: if a minivan is sent for a pickup and a customer requires a 5 point harness, the customer cannot sit in the front seat as the 5 point harness cannot be secured properly in the front seat. Thank you for your cooperation.
Residential Access Modification Program (RAMP)RAMP is a provincial program available to eligible wheelchair users to modify their home to be more wheelchair accessible. Applicants can apply for a RAMP grant for up to $5,000.
Who is eligible?
All citizens using a wheelchair, regardless of age, within Program guidelines (homeowner, tenants, and persons living with family).
Modifications must be done to person’s principal Alberta residence.You may be eligible for a grant even if you don’t own the property that you live at.
Contact the RAMP program for an application package, which may be sent to you through mail, fax, or email.
CUTA Code of Best Practices for Specialized Transit EligibilityThe Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) sponsored a study of specialized transit eligibility programs in Canada in order to develop an industry Code of Best Practices. CUTA hired Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a U.S.-based transportation consulting firm with experience in the field of specialized transit eligibility programs, to document the Canadian experience and draw on best practices.
Access Calgary’s current Eligibility process was selected as 1 of 4 Best Case Studies as a good example of Best Practices for Eligibility in the industry.
Key Findings of the study included: • In-person assessments are much more effective
than just paper-based applications
• Every large city in Canada includes some form of in-person assessments, and increasingly small and mid-size cities have followed suit.
• No matter how much effort has been invested in refining an application form, no paper-based model alone can truly identify the functional abilities of a significant proportion of applicants.
Access Calgary was very pleased to be recognized as a good example of eligibility standards for specialized transit, and will continue to adopt best practices to ensure that only those customers that cannot use regular transit are eligible for our services.
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Tell your friends and family!This newsletter is available on the Access Calgary website.
Go to: accesscalgary.com and click on Newsletters in the left-hand column.
If you would like to receive an electronic copy of this newsletter, or would prefer it in a different sized font, please call 403-537-7770.
Access Calgary Eligibility Services (Mon. to Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) 403-537-7770
Access Calgary website accesscalgary.com
Calgary Transit website calgarytransit.com
Did you know?The best time to call to request a trip is after 11 a.m. as our phone lines are very busy during 9 a.m. –11 a.m.
Congratulations to all of you!
Our customers’ satisfaction is important to us. Thank you for taking the time to let us know you appreciate the service. If you’d like to submit a commendation for one of our employees, or if you have a concern about our service, contact Customer Service at 403-537-7777 and press option #4.
Judy G (4)
Karn D
Philip W (2)
Wendy M (8)
Joanna S (3)
Ryan Y (2)
Bruce S
Cheryl W
Tannis B (3)
Deb P
Deb C (2)
William C (4)
Blanca F (2)
Devon Y (3)
Mary F (4)
Yasmin D (3)
Azim D
Margaret M
John K
Donna P
Doug B
Jen C (2)
Dawn S
Ben T
Kim H
Marie T
Jacki P
Dana R
Amber S (2)
Sheila W
Lorne L
Elizabeth F
Access Calgary employee recognitionsOur customers have noticed the great work our staff does.
Access Calgary is pleased to take this opportunity to recognize our employees who received customer commendations. They are:
