TransLink Custom Transit Service Delivery Review · TransLink Custom Transit Service Delivery...

TransLink Custom Transit Service Delivery Review

Broader Stakeholder Engagement – Summary Report

January 2017

Prepared for TransLink by

TransLinkCustomTransitServiceDeliveryReview–BroaderStakeholderEngagement-SummaryReport 1

TABLEOFCONTENTSIntroduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2Part1.WhatWeDid .................................................................................................................................................................. 2

StakeholderNotificationAndPromotion ..................................................................................................................... 2StakeholderEngagementActivities ................................................................................................................................ 2

StaffWorkshop.....................................................................................................................................2StakeholderWorkshops.......................................................................................................................3OnlineSurvey.......................................................................................................................................3IndividualMeetings..............................................................................................................................3

Participation ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3PART2:WhatWeHeard .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

SummaryOfResults .............................................................................................................................................................. 4OverallSummaryofResults.................................................................................................................4ResultsForQuestions1through4.......................................................................................................5ResultsForQuestions5and6............................................................................................................14ResultsForQuestion7.......................................................................................................................19

AppendixA:Demographics .................................................................................................................................................. 25


INTRODUCTION

TransLinkiscurrentlyreviewingitscustomtransitservices(door-to-doortransitservices,suchasHandyDART,forpeoplewhosemobilityneedsmakeitdifficultforthemtouseconventionaltransit).ThereviewprocessisformallyknownastheCustomTransitServiceDeliveryReview(CTSDR),andmoreinformationonitisavailableathttp://www.translink.ca/en/Plans-and-Projects/Custom-Transit-Service-Review.aspx.

TransLinkhasengagedacustom-builtCTSDRStakeholderAdvisoryCommittee(withserviceusers,advocates,andfront-linestaffrepresentation)toidentifyneeds,concerns,andobjectivestoimprovetheserviceforcustomersandtooperatemoreefficiently.Theyhavealsoworkedwithconsultantstoevaluatecurrentsystemperformanceandtoreviewservicesinotherjurisdictions,whichhasalsohelpedtoformdraftrecommendationforimprovements.

Toensurethisreviewaddressedtheneedsandconcernsofarangeofkeystakeholders,TransLinkheldfourworkshopsandtwoindividualstakeholdermeetings.Thiswasdoneincoordinationwiththeexecutionofanonlinesurvey.Thisreportsummarizestheresultsofthestakeholderworkshops,onlinesurvey,andindividualmeetings.ThisreportisprovidedtotheCTSDRStakeholderAdvisoryCommitteetohelpinformdiscussionsonimprovingTransLinkcustomtransitservicessuchasHandyDART.

PART1.WHATWEDID

STAKEHOLDERNOTIFICATIONANDPROMOTION

FromDecember2016toJanuary2017,TransLinkworkedwithMODUStodevelopanddeliverarobuststakeholderengagementprocessaspartofthereviewphase.Invitationstostakeholdersweresentviaemailto155organizationsandindividuals,invitingthemtoattendoneofthreestakeholderworkshopsbeingorganizedwitharequestthattheydistributetheinvitationtointerestedpartieswhowereknowledgeableaboutHandyDART.Representativeswereinvitedfromthefollowingstakeholdergroups:

• Municipalgovernmentstakeholders• FrontlineHandyDARTstaff• Disabilityandaccessibilityadvocacygroups• InformedHandyDARTusers• Seniorsgroups.

STAKEHOLDERENGAGEMENTACTIVITIES

STAFF WORKSHOP

AstaffworkshoptookplaceonJanuary16thattheMVTheadofficeinCloverdalewithafocusonfrontlinestaff.InvitationnoticeswerepostedatallHandyDARTdepots.EmployeessubmittedtheirattendancerequesttotheMVTGeneralManagerbyemailorbyphone.Everyemployeewhoaskedtoattendwasaccommodated.


STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOPS

ThreestakeholderworkshopstookplacebetweenJanuary18and19inthreesub-regions:Vancouver,CoquitlamandSurreyatdifferenttimesofday.Attendeeswereseatedattablesingroupsof7orless.

TheeventbeganwithanopeningpresentationbyTransLinkstaff,introducingstakeholderstotheCustomTransitServiceDeliveryReviewprocessanditsobjectives.Stafftookquestionsfromthefloor,andprovidedanswersbeforemovingon.

Stakeholdersthenparticipatedingroupexercises.Surveyquestionswereusedtoguidetheexercises.Eachquestionbeganwiththetablefacilitatorreadingbackgroundinformation,andthen:

• Forquestions1through4:participantswereposedwithastatementandindividuallyrankedtheirlevelofagreementwiththestatement.Participantswrotetheirthoughtsoneachquestiononstickynotesbeforeengagingingroupdiscussion.

• Forquestions5and6:participantsweregivenseveralstatementsandasktoranktheimportanceofeachinrelationtoanother.Participantswrotetheirthoughtsoneachquestiononstickynotesbeforeengagingingroupdiscussion.

• Forquestion7:participantswereaskedtoshareanyotherthoughtsandcommentsregardingHandyDARTpoliciesorservicedelivery.

TransLinkstaffmemberscirculatedthefloorascontentexperts.Topissuesfromeachtableweresummarizedbyfacilitatorsandsharedwiththeroom.

Followingeachworkshop,individualpapersurveyswereprovidedtoparticipants.Individualswereencouragedtofilloutthesesurveysiftheyfeltthattheiropinionhadchangedthroughouttheworkshoportonoteissuesthattheymayhavebeenuncomfortableprovidinginthegroupsession.Intotal23papersurveyswerereceived.

ONLINE SURVEY

AnonlinesurveywascreatedanddistributedthroughtheTransLinkstakeholderlist.TheonlinesurveyranfromJanuary18toJanuary29th,2017with132totalparticipants.Questionswerethesameasthoseposedattheworkshops.

INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS

Severalindividualmeetingswereheldbyrequestandfollowedtheformatusedatthestakeholderworkshops.Twoworkshopstookplace,oneatVancouverCityHallwithtwoindividualsandoneatVancouverGeneralHospitalwithfourindividuals.

PARTICIPATIONParticipationfiguresareasfollows:

• Atotalof68stakeholdersattendedthefourforums.6stakeholdersattendedindividualmeetings.Intotal,74participantstookpartinthebroaderstakeholderengagementprocess.

• 23papersurveyswerereturned;andtherewere132onlinesurveyrespondents.

Participantsweregiventheoptiontoprovidedemographicdataforboththeonlineandpapersurveyquestions.AsummaryofthedemographicinformationisfoundinAppendixA.


PART2:WHATWEHEARD

SUMMARYOFRESULTS

Thefollowingisasummaryoftheresultsofwhatwasheardfromallworkshops,onlinesurveyandindividualmeetings.Anoverallsummaryofresultswithkeyhighlightsisprovided,withmoredetailedresultsforquestions1through7following.Forallquantitativeresults,thetotalnumberofresponsesmayvarybetweenquestionsassomerespondentsdidnotanswerallthequestionsposed.

OVERALL SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Surveyquestions1through4wereposedwithbackgroundinformationandthenastatement.ParticipantswerethenaskedtoratetheirlevelofagreementwitheachstatementonaLikertscalebyplacingastickydotontheratingbarprovided.Theratingbarrangedfromstronglyagreetostronglydisagree.Asummaryofthelevelofagreementforeachofthestatementswereasfollows:

• Q1:CustomeraccesstoHandyDARTwillbeimprovedbyextendingthetripreservationdeadline,fromnoon(thecurrentdeadline)tolateintheafternoononthedaybeforethetrip.(78%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththisstatement).

• Q2:HandyDARTapplicationsshouldbeexpandedtoincludeinformationabouttheabilitytouseconventionalpublictransitservices,includingbus,SkyTrain,andSeaBus.(62%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththisstatement).

• Q3:TransLinkshouldcontinuetousetaxisforsometrips,tomaximizetheavailabilityofHandyDART.(67%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththisstatement).

• Q4:HandyDARTcustomersshoulduseconventionaltransit(bus,SkyTrain,orSeaBus)forsomeorpartoftheirtripswhentheycan,tomaximizetheavailabilityofHandyDART.(47%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththisstatement).

Therewasonlyonestatementwithahighlevelofdisagreement:

• Q4:HandyDARTcustomersshoulduseconventionaltransit(bus,SkyTrain,orSeaBus)forsomeorpartoftheirtripswhentheycan,tomaximizetheavailabilityofHandyDART.(40%DisagreeorStronglyDisagreewiththisstatement).

Forquestion5,workshopparticipantswereaskedtorankthreestatementsonservicedeliveryinorderofimportance.Themajorityofparticipants(52%)rankedthelaststatement:“Donotdenyanyrequestedtrips(withincertainparameters)”astheirfirstpriority.

Forquestion6,workshopparticipantswereaskedtorankfourstatementsonservicedeliveryinorderofimportance.Therewasnoclearmajorityforfirstpriority:

• 38%oftheparticipantsrankedthefollowingstatementasatoppriority:“ExperienceduringaHandyDARTtrip(e.g.timelinessofpickup,durationoftrip).”

• 30%oftheparticipantsrankedthefollowingasatoppriority:“Providingthehighestnumberoftripspossiblewithinthefundingavailable.”


Generalcommentsfromquestion7focusedonthetopicsof:servicedelivery,availability,andquality;thereservationsystem;taxiandHandyDARTdrivers;screening/registrationandoperationalconcerns:

• Availabilityandaccessibility:Growthesystemandmakeitsafertomeetgrowthduetoanagingandchangingdemographic.

• Servicequality:Ensureschedulingandtripsaremoreefficientwithtimeaccuraciesandgroupingsimilarpick-ups,travelanddropoffs.

• Reservations:Seektoexpandtotheendoftheworkingday,thedaybefore;useoftripoptimizationbookingsystemthatalluserscanaccess(useofapp).

• UtilizationofTaxiservice:Ensuretaxidrivers(ifandwhenused)aretrainedalongwithallstaffanddrivers,todeliverquality,meaningfulandsafeservicetoallclientusergroupsincludinghowclientsarespokento,treated,handledto/fromclient’slocations/homes(especiallyinpoorweatherconditions).Thisincludesenablingtherightinformationforalldriverstobeaware/readyfortheirclients’needs.

• Registration/eligibility:Ensuringtransparentandaccountablemethodofscreeningforregistration:makingiteasyforallusersofthesystem;andincludingmandatorytraveltraining.

• Servicedeliverymodel:whethertheHandyDARTservicefunctionsshouldbecontractedorin-house.

• Operationalaspects:Ensuringsuitableinventorylevelsandimprovingsafetyandaccesswithinandto/fromvehicles.

RESULTS FOR QUESTIONS 1 THROUGH 4

Forquestions1through4,participantswereposedwithbackgroundinformationandthenastatement.Theywerethenaskedtoratetheirlevelofagreementwitheachstatementona5-pointLikertscalebyplacingastickydotontheratingbarprovided.Theratingbarrangedfromstronglyagree,agree,neutraltodisagree,andstronglydisagree.

Belowisasummaryoffeedbackforeachquestionorganizedwithagraphandcomments.Agraphdisplaysthequantitativeresultsforeachquestionbymeetinglocation.Ratingsaredisplayedbythelocationswheretheworkshopstookplace:MVTheadoffice,Coquitlam,Surrey,andVancouver.Ratingsfromonlineandpapersurveysaredisplayedunder“Surveys.”Datafromindividualmeetingsarealsoincluded.Commentsmadeduringthediscussionofeachstatementarenotedbeloweachgraph.1Commentsaregroupedbythemeandarenotorganizedinorderofweightingorpriority.

1“Comments”areintendedtoberepresentativeofwhatwasdiscussedattheworkshopsforeachsurveyquestion.Itisnotacomprehensivedocumentationofeverycommentreceived.


1. CUSTOMER ACCESS TO HANDYDART WILL BE IMPROVED BY EXTENDING THE TRIP RESERVATION DEADLINE, FROM NOON (THE CURRENT DEADLINE) TO LATE IN THE AFTERNOON ON THE DAY BEFORE THE TRIP.

Backgroundpresented:

OtherCanadiantransitagencieshaveasimilarreservationwindowtoHandyDART,allowingcustomerstorequesttheirridesupto7daysinadvance.However,theendofthereservationwindowisdifferentacrossagencies.Today,theHandyDARTbookingwindowclosesfortripsat12:00pm(noon)thedaybeforeadesiredtrip.

Figure1Responsestothelevelofagreementforthestatement"CustomeraccesstoHandyDARTwillbeimprovedbyextendingthetripreservationdeadline,fromnoon(thecurrentdeadline)tolateintheafternoononthedaybeforethetrip”acrossallsources.

Note:Whenthedataissplit,comparingtheresultsofallnon-MVTsources(“generalaudience”)versustheMVTaudience,ityieldsthefollowingresultsforthisquestion:

Forthegeneralaudience(197ratings),85%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththestatementwhile8%DisagreeorStronglyDisagreewiththestatement.

FortheMVTaudience(24ratings),25%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththestatementwhile63%DisagreeorStronglyDisagreewiththestatement.

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78%ofrespondentssupportedthisstatement.


Comments

Current system works

• Currentsystemworksbestforbothschedulersandclients• 12:00pmcut-offallowstimetoschedulerides• Anextensioncouldresultinaninabilitytosecurerides,astherewouldnotbeenoughbusesor

enoughtimeforadditionalpick-ups• Restoreservicespreviouslycut• Clientsalreadyhave7daystobook,soitdoesnotneedtobeanylater• Cityistoolarge,andclientdemandistoohighforthistowork• Usersofthemainstreamtransitsystemcangetlastminuterides

Longer window needed

• Alatercut-offisbetterforusers.Suggestion:whynotendofworkday(5:30pm)• Alongerwindowtomakechangeswillaccommodateriderlastminutechanges(appointments,

work,social)inplansandallowforflexibility• Agreethereshouldbemoreflexibilitywithscheduling• Clientsshouldbeabletobookaslateaspossible,asthatgivesthemflexibility• Thosewithmobilityissuesneedmoretimeinthemorningtogetready• Notalltripscanbeplannedforinadvance.Thereareunpredictableeventssuchasmedical

appointments• Peoplewithcertainmedicalconditionshavegoodandbaddays;needflexibly• Flexibilityhelpscaregivers• Thereareemergenciesandotherspontaneouseventsthatcouldoccur.Extendingthetimewill

assistwiththisissue

Managing bookings

• Thiswouldrequiremoreschedulingstaff• Ifimplemented,thestakeholdersshouldcarrythecostsassociatedandnottheriders• Considerimplementingthisthroughanapp• Thiswillprovidecustomerswithbetterservice,butmaycauseissuesfordispatchers.

Limit to last minute bookings

• Thereshouldbealimit/caponlastminutebookings• Likelywouldnotmakeadifference,asitisalreadyraretogetalast-minutebookingevenwith

currentsystem

Other

• Therealissueisalackofservicehours


2. HANDYDART APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABILITY TO USE CONVENTIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES, INCLUDING BUS, SKYTRAIN, AND SEABUS.


ThemoreinformationwereceivewhencustomersapplyforHandyDART,themoreweunderstandaboutcustomers’abilities.Thisimprovesourabilitytomakesurecustomershavethemostappropriatetravelmodefortheirtrip.

Today’sHandyDARTapplicationdoesnotprovideTransLinkwithaclearunderstandingofcustomers’abilitiestousebus,SkyTrain,orSeaBus.Theapplicationincludesabriefself-assessmentbythecustomer,accompaniedbyamedicalverificationofadisability.

Figure2Responsestothelevelofagreementforthestatement"HandyDARTapplicationsshouldbeexpandedtoincludeinformationabouttheabilitytouseconventionalpublictransitservices,includingbus,SkyTrain,andSeaBus"acrossallsources.

Comments

More customer information is needed to help with trip planning

• Morecustomerinformationisneededaboutridersandindividualneedslikecellphone,detailsaboutchairormobilityaids,capacitytouseothertransitmodes

• Moreinformationfromriderscouldassiststafftoscheduletripsthatmaketripplanninganddirectrouteseasier/safer

• Suggestion:2distinctforms–anapplicationform;andaseparateformthatcollectsdataaboutneeds

• Thissuggestionisperhapsabandaidsolution

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Concern with the assessment process and criteria

• Whodecides/assesseseligibility?• Clientscandetermineforthemselves,whattheyneedfortheirindependence.• Theprocessmustberespectfulandconsiderate.Alongermorecomplexapplicationprocess

maybeabarriertoserviceandfurtherstigmatizeusers• WouldthisleadtoexclusionfromtheHandyDARTservice?Doesthisinformationdisqualify

peoplefromtheserviceortrulyassistriders?• Theapplicationshouldbewithsomeonewhoisqualifiedtounderstandneedsofthepeople

withdisabilitiesandelderlypeople.Concernthatclientsexperiencegoodandbaddaysandcanchangeoften.

• Concernthatclientneedsfluctuate.Disabilityisnotalwaysabletoassessedandmaychangedaytoday.

• Strongereligibilityrequirementsareneededtoreducedemandonsystem;whensomeusersareableto,coulduseothermodes

• Takeintoconsiderationcognitive(non-physical)disabilitiesinelgibilitycriteria• Askingwrongquestions–transitshouldusedataprovidedbyclientstodirectchangesto

conventionaltransitthatwouldallowmoreriderstouseit

Help and train clients to use conventional system

• ClientsmaybechoosingHandyDARToutoffearofconventionaltransit(asopposedtoaneedforHandyDART).

o Informationcouldbeatooltoaddressindividualneeds,andassistthemtogetintotheconventionaltransitsystemslowlyafteratimeusingHandyDART

Clarify the management of information

• Provideclarityonwhowillhaveaccesstothisinformationandhowitwillbestored• Systemisgoingtoneedtoolstoaccommodateagingpopulation.Howwilltheinformationstay

uptodate?• HandyDARTstaffshouldbeinvolvedinapplicationprocess

Physicians should fill out a standardized form

• Provideastandardformforphysiciantofilloutwithspecificmedicalneedsandabilities

Details should be a voluntary disclosure

• Thisraisesprivacyissues.Thedetailsoncurrentclients’conditionshouldnotbemandatoryrequirementrelease.Itshouldbeavoluntarydisclosure;

• Providingadditionalinformationshouldbeuptotheclient


3. TRANSLINK SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE TAXIS FOR SOME TRIPS, TO MAXIMIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF HANDYDART.


TransLinkusestaxistoincreasethenumberoftripsavailabletoHandyDARTcustomers.Taxiscan:

• Helpkeepthenumberofdeniedtripslow• Provideservicetolongandout-of-the-waydestinations• Serveareasandtimeswhenfewcustomersrequesttrips

Taxisarealsousedtoensurecontinuedservice.Forexample:

• Handlingemergenciesandvehiclemechanicalproblems• GettingaHandyDARTvehiclebackonschedule

Figure3Responsestothelevelofagreementforthestatement"TransLinkshouldcontinuetousetaxisforsometrips,tomaximizetheavailabilityofHandyDART"acrossallsources.

Note:Whenthedataissplit,comparingtheresultsofallnon-MVTsources(“generalaudience”)versustheMVTaudience,ityieldsthefollowingresultsforthisquestion:

Forthegeneralaudience(163ratings),79%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththestatementwhile13%DisagreeorStronglyDisagreewiththestatement.

FortheMVTaudience(26ratings),12%AgreeorStronglyAgreewiththestatementwhile69%DisagreeorStronglyDisagreewiththestatement.

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Comments

Do not use taxis due to training/client care concerns

• Taxisarenotthesafestoptionforclientsastheylackcaremanagementtrainingandappropriateequipment.Theydonotfollowaprotocol(ex.Overcharge,donotmakesureclientsareattheirdoor)anddonotfullyunderstandneedsofclients.

• TaxisdonotprovidethesamelevelofserviceasHandyDARTandlacktrainingrequiredforclients.Theyareattimesdisrespectful,makeclientuncomfortableandarenotvestedinthewellbeingofcustomers.TaxidriversneedtrainingandshouldbecertifiedtounderstandhowtoworkwithHandyDARTclients.

• Taxisshouldnotbeused.• Taxisarefocusedonmakingmoney,aretimepressured,andmayrefusetrips.Theyare

unreliableduringrushhour.• Mistreatmentofclientsandoftencauseoperationalcomplaints.

Taxis should only be a supplement to HandyDART

• HandyDARTservicehoursshouldbeincreasedtoreduceuseoftaxis.• Currentlyrelytoomuchontaxiswhentheyshouldbeusedasasupporttothesystem.• Theuseoftaxisshouldbelimited,andforemergenciesorlongdistances.Taxisshouldbeused

tosupplement,notreplacethesystem.• Taxisareneededbutareusedtoooften.• Shouldbeusedasasupplement/emergencies.MoreHandyDARTbusesareneeded.

Taxis not suitable for some clients

• Taxismaynotbeappropriateforpeoplewithcognitivedisabilities.• Taxiscanbeusedforsocialtravelbutnotmedicalappointments.

Use taxis due to increased efficiency, flexibility for client

• Clientsshouldhaveachoicetobepickedupwithtaxisornot.Itmaycauseanxietyinsome.• Taxisenablespontaneity/flexibilityforclient/user.• Taxisareneeded.Taxisoffsetproblemsofefficiencyandavailability.Usingthemprovides

increasedservice.Importanttohaveacontingency/backupservice.• Taxisallowefficiencyinthesystemandbothclientsandservicesbenefitfromthis.• TaxisshouldbeusedasHandyDARTisnotalwaysavailableforappointments.

Manage the use of taxis

• TransLinkshouldprovidetaxiswithalltheinformationneeded,(e.g.,door-to-doorservice).• TransLinkshouldtellclientifataxiiscomingtopickthemup,includingtaxinumber,nameof

driverandtimeofpickup.Thecourtesycallsareinconsistent.• TaxisneedtobeincentivizedtocompletetraininganddeliveryservicetoHandyDARTusers.

LookatCityofTorontomodel.

Use other services

• ExplorepossibilityofusingUberinthefuture.


4. HANDYDART CUSTOMERS SHOULD USE CONVENTIONAL TRANSIT (BUS, SKYTRAIN, OR SEABUS) FOR SOME OR PART OF THEIR TRIPS WHEN THEY CAN, TO MAXIMIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF HANDYDART.


WehaveheardthatcustomerswanttoseeanimprovementintheservicequalityofHandyDARTandincreasetheavailabilityofHandyDARTtrips.Inaddition,thenumberofpeopleovertheageof70inMetroVancouverisexpectedtoincreasebyapproximately55%overthenext10years,whichcouldtranslateintoagreaterneedforHandyDARTservice.

Toprovideimprovementsandaddressanticipateddemand,wehavetoensurethatHandyDARTisthemostappropriateserviceavailableforeachtriprequested.Asaresult:

• Customerscouldberequiredtouseconventionalservices(bus,SkyTrainorSeaBus)forpartoftheirjourney,basedontheirabilities.

• TransLinkwouldprovideacomprehensivetraveltrainingprogramsothatcustomerswhoareabletousebus,SkyTrain,andSeaBuswouldreceivestaffsupporttolearnandfeelconfidentusingourservices.

Figure4Responsestothelevelofagreementforthestatement“HandyDARTcustomersshoulduseconventionaltransit(bus,SkyTrain,orSeaBus)forsomeorpartoftheirtripswhentheycan,tomaximizetheavailabilityofHandyDART"acrossallsources.

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Comments

Use should depend on client’s willingness and ability

• Donotforce/requiretotakeconventionaltransit.• Clientswhoarecapableofusingconventionaltransit,should.• Replace“use”and“whenpossible”with“encouragetouse”• Allowcustomerstodecidewhentheyareabletotakeconventionaltransit.Useshoulddepend

ontheclient’sability,willingnessandcomfortlevelfirst.Needtohave“confidence”• Thereisuncertaintyinlevelofabilityforcustomersonconventionaltransit.Needsmay

fluctuateandabilitiesmayvaryday-to-day.Changestoroutinemaycauseconfusionandanxiety.

• Keyquestionis“whentheyhavetheabilitytodoso.”• Onlyifthecustomeragreesthattheycanuseconventionaltransit

Impartial process is important to avoid concern with exclusion

• ConcernabouthowthiscouldbeusedtoexcludethosewhoneedHandyDART.Orlateron,thepolicycouldbesubjecttointerpretationandresultinlossofservicefortheuser.MistrustTransLinktobeimpartialintheprocess.

• Reduceabuseofthesystembythosewhodon’tneedit

Training for all users as well as HandyDART and conventional transit staff

• Encourageindependence• Otheroptionsshouldbeexploredtoaddressgrowingdemandaswell,suchastrainingalltransit

stafftoassistHandyDARTusersonconventionaltransit• Traveltrainingprogramisagoodidea.Thetrainingshouldberespectful,considerate,sensitive

toneedsofclient• Ifmoreconventionaltransit,educationforalluserstounderstandtheneedsofHandyDART

usersisneeded• ShouldbehandledbyHandyDARTstaff

Increase accessibility of conventional services and address barriers

• Improveexperienceofcustomersonconventionalmodesoftransit.TransLinkmustaddressbarrierstousingconventionalserviceandincreaseaccessibilityoftheseservices.

• MixofconventionalandHandyDARTtripcausesproblems,delays,pass-upsandstrandedcustomers.

• Alsoconsidertheentireroute,includingsidewalkinfrastructureandlackthereof.

HandyDART is still a necessity in some cases

• HandyDARTriderstypicallyusetheservicebecausetheyneedtouseit.• Questionisskewed:conventionaltransitoftennotanoption–HandyDARTisanecessity.• Providemoreserviceoverall.


RESULTS FOR QUESTIONS 5 AND 6

Forquestions5and6,participantswereposedwithbackgroundinformationandthengivenseveralstatements.Theywerethenaskedtoranktheimportanceofeachstatementinrelationtotheother.Usingstickydots,theyplacedtheirvoteontheirfirstpreference,followedbytheirsecondandsoon.Participantswrotetheirthoughtsonstickynotesbeforeengagingingroupdiscussion.

Forquestion5participantswereaskedtorankthefollowingstatementsinorderofimportance:

1. Reducethepick-upwindowfrom30minutesto20minutes2. Reducemaximumon-boardtriptime3. Donotdenyanyrequestedtrips(withincertainparameters)

Forquestion6participantswereaskedtorankthefollowingstatementsinorderofimportance:

1. ExperienceduringaHandyDARTtrip(e.g.timelinessofpickup,durationoftrip)2. ExperiencebeforeandafteraHandyDARTtrip(e.g.bookingatrip,responsetofeedback)3. Abilitytoberesponsiveandflexibletochangesinoperatingconditions4. Providingthehighestnumberoftripspossiblewithinthefundingavailable

Belowisasummaryoftherankingforthesequestionsacrossallworkshopsandsurveys.

5. RANK THREE STATEMENTS


WewantyourfeedbackonsomeproposedchangestoHandyDARTservicequality.

• Reducingthepick-uptimewindow(30minutes)canreducehowlongacustomerspendswaitingforaHandyDARTride.However,thiswouldaffecttheflexibilityoftheHandyDARTscheduletoadjusttoissuessuchasheavytraffic.Toretainflexibilityinscheduling,thetotalnumberofHandyDARTtripsthatcanbeprovidedwoulddecrease.

• ReducingthemaximumtimeacustomerspendsonthebusmakesaHandyDARTtripfaster.However,fewercustomerscanbepickedupalongtheway.Iffewercustomertripscanbegroupedtogether,fewertripscanbeprovided.

• Eliminatingdeniedtripswouldmeaneveryonewillreceivetheirtripsiftheybookwithincertainparameters.Thismayincreasethedemandfortrips,orrequirethatmorepeopleusebus,SkyTrainorSeaBusasapartoftheirjourneyiftheyareableto.


Figure5Theabovegraphshowsthepercentageofvotesgiventoeachofthethreestatementswithineachranking.Thedataistakenfromacrossallsources.

Comments

Reduce uncertainty with scheduling / wait times • Uncertainwaittimesleaveclientsanxious,stressed,waitingoutsideonthecurb.“Waitingis

worsethanalongertriptime.”Somewouldratherreschedulethanbesittingandwonderingifthebusiscoming.

• Optimizeschedulingtoincreasequalityandreliability.Providereliabilityandaccuratepickuptimesforclients.

• Waitwindowsaffectusersdifferent.Forexample,itcreateshighstressanddisorientationfordementiapatients.

• Avoidabuseofscheduling• Windowreductionaffectsbothclientsandtheprovider.

Quality customer service is very important for HandyDART users • Servicemustfocusonclientsandtheircomfort.Qualityofserviceandcustomerexperienceare

important.Thefor-profitmodelhindersthisobjective.• Thereisalreadyenoughavailabilitytoimproveelsewhere.

More service is needed • Morebuses/service/servicehoursareneed.

Reduce trip time/lengths • Overall,tripsaretoolongforclients.Reducemax.on-boardtimetoreducestress.

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Reducethepick-upwindowfrom30minutesto20minutes

Reducemaximumon-boardtriptime

Donotdenyanyrequestedtrips(withincertainparameters)


• Geographyshouldbeconsidered.• Arrivingtodestinationontimeisveryimportant.• Crossboundarytripsareachallengeandverylong.

Trip prioritization is important • Sometripsshouldnotbeprioritizedoverothers.• Prioritizetypeoftripsandtimeofday.

Training of staff will improve service quality and customer experience • Trainedstaffisimportanttoimprovequalityofserviceandcustomerexperience.

No trip denials • Truemobilitymeansnotripdenials.• Moretaxiscanresolvetheseproblems.

Other • HandyDARTisanecessity• Policiesshouldbedefinedandenforced.• Process:Theseissuesareequallyimportantandcannotberanked.Thequestionismisleading.

Theparametersareunclear.Theyareallbadideas.Thesearethewrongfactors.Thisquestionsoundslikerationalizingserviceandnotadjustingresourcestoneedsofusers.


6. RANK FOUR STATEMENTS


TransLinkisdecidinghowtoprovideHandyDARTserviceinthefuture,andwewouldliketoknowwhichofthefollowingitemsaremostimportanttoyou.

Figure6Theabovegraphshowsthepercentageofvotesgiventoeachofthefourstatementswithineachranking.Thedataistakenfromacrossallsources.

Comments

Customer service / experience is most important • Experienceofcustomersshouldcomefirst.Ensureservice/ridesareapositiveexperiencefor

customers.Reinforceservice;ensureitisthereforthosewhoneedit.Thequalityofservicereducesstress,increasesindependenceanddecreaseisolation.

• Donotagreewithprioritizingoneoveranother.Theyareallimportant.• Transitiontimeisneededifanychangesareimplemented.• Customerserviceneedtobestreamlinedsowaittimestogethelpisn’tlonganddifficult.• Thereneedstoberesolutionstoissuesthatarebroughtup.Bookingservicesshouldbeeasier.• Listentocaretakerstounderstandneedsofusers.• HandyDARTdriversareamazingandaddpositiveenergy.

Service before and during a ride is important • Servicebeforeandafterrideisimportantaswell.Driversmustadapttoeachperson’sneeds

andtheymaychangedaily.Systemneedsflexibilitytoadapttochangingdemographics.• Higherqualitytripsisimportant.

30%18% 16%

44%

22%

22% 29%

24%10% 31%34%

25%38%29%

21%7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Rank1 Rank2 Rank3 Rank4

Percen

tageofvotes

ExperienceduringaHandyDARTtrip(e.g.timelinessofpickup,durationoftrip)

ExperiencebeforeandafteraHandyDARTtrip(e.g.bookingatrip,responsetofeedback)

Abilitytoberesponsiveandflexibletochangesinoperatingconditions

Providingthehighestnumberoftripspossiblewithinthefundingavailable


More service is needed • Moreservice,drivers/servicehoursandofficestaffisneededtosupport.• TransLinkmustensurethatHandyDARTservicecanmeetfuturedemand.• Theserviceisalreadynotmeetingdemand.Howwillithandlefuturedemand?• Willingnesstopaymoreandabilitytopaymoreshouldbeconsidered.• Increasingnumberoftrips.Shouldn’timpacttimeliness/qualityexperienceforuser.• MapleRidge/suburbanareashavehighdenialratesandlessservice.• Itisoneroustocancel1weekatatime.

Change HandyDART back to in-house service • Inhouseserviceneeded.• Bringservicein-houseratherthancontractout.• Theserviceistoodependentontaxis.• For-profitmodelreducesthebudgettoimproveservice.

Training improvements needed for all disability ranges and demographic changes • Improvetrainingforstafftohandledisabilities,especiallythewiderangeindisabilities

(suchasMS,strokes,cognitivedisability).


RESULTS FOR QUESTION 7

ThefinalroundoftablediscussionsattheworkshopsfocusedonageneralquestionwhichaskediftherewereanyothercommentsaboutHandyDARTpoliciesorhowservicecouldbedelivered.Belowisasummaryofcommentsfromalltheworkshopsandonlinesurvey,organizedbybroadthemesrelatingtothedeliverysystemoverall;serviceavailability/accessibility;servicequality;reservationprocess;driversandtaxis;screening/registration;andoperationalservices.Followingthissummaryaredetailedcommentexamples.

Question 7 - Highlights

Thefollowingpointssummarizethecombinedtopcommentswrittenforquestion7onworkshoppost-itnotes,onthepapersurveyandtheonlinesurvey:

Serviceavailability/accessibility:Theserviceneedstogrow;pickup/waittimesandon-boardtimesaretoolong;thereareincreasinguserdemandsduetodemographics;increasingmentalandphysicalchangesintheneedsofusersduetodemographics.Seekmorecrossmunicipaltrips/increasedavailability.Safetyisagrowingconcern.

Servicequality:Keeptripsshortanddirectaspossible.Scheduleneedstoberealistic;needmoreaccuratepickup,travelanddropofftimeswithmoreaccuratenoticeofpickuptimes.Enablemorecustomer-orientedHandyDARTfeedback.Givemoreconsiderationtocustomerswhoareblindorpartiallysighted.

Reservationprocess:Changereservationwindowtoendofworkingday,thedaybefore.Sellticketsonweekendsandholidays.Ifarefusaloccurs,shouldbeallowedtohavetriprequestwaitlisted.LargerquantitiesofTaxiSaversshouldbeavailableonacase-by-casebasis,e.g.healthrequirements.Enableimprovedtripoptimizationsoftware/bookingsystemincludinganapp;ensurenewtechnologyisaccessible/useablebyalltypesofriders.

Driversandtaxis:HandyDARTvehiclesanddriverperformanceshouldbespotcheckedregularly,regardlessofwhoisprovidingtheservice(taxidrivers,contractorsorTransLinkdrivers).Taxisrepresentagreatopportunityforincreasingcapacity,responsiveness,timelinessandreducingdenials.However,theyarenotappropriateinallcases.ImprovetrainingforallHandyDARTstaff,includingtaxidrivers,withregardstocustomers’uniquesituations;andtheneedtobesensitive,understanding,helpful,andcompassionatefortheneedsofallkindsofclientstheyserve.

Registration/eligibility:Whowilldecideifclientcanusepublictransportationandtowhatextent?MoreaccountabilitydemandscanbeplacedonthereferringagentstomakesureHandyDARTisservingonlythosewhoneedit.HandyDARTshouldhavedetaileddisabilityinformationonallregisteredcustomers(unlessclientrefusesduetoprivacy).Thisinformationneedstobeprovidedtoalldriversincludingtaxis.BuildtraveltrainingforusersofHandyDARTintotheregistrationsystem;makeinformationaboutHandyDARTeasiertofind(web,brochures,socialmedia).CustomtransitregistrationshouldbeuniversalacrossCanada.Ifyouareeligibleinonesystem,youshouldbeautomaticallyeligibleinotherregions.

Servicedeliverysystem:BringHandyDARTin-house;usefundssavedtoimproveservicedelivery.Moredirectcommunicationwithclientuser;moretransparency;morecollaborationbetweenstakeholders.Employmorepeoplewithdisabilitiesastheywouldprovidemoreinsightintouserneeds.


Operationalservices:Concernwithinsufficientinventorytomaintainservicelevels.Improvesafetyandaccesswithinvehicles;flatfloor/lowfloor.Enabledriverstoknowaboutanddeliveronpickup/dropoffsafetydetails(re:access,backdoordirections.Thecomplaintprocessshouldbeindependent.AppropriatetrackingandreportingbackshouldbetoTransLink,notaseparateprovider,toensuretheprocessiseffectiveandtransparent.

Question 7 - General Comments

Thefollowingaresomeofthemorespecificcommentsmadeattheworkshopsandviatheonlinesurvey.

ServiceAvailability/Accessibility

• HandyDARTisanessentialserviceandforsometheonlywaytogetaround.Thereforeneedstobeavailablemoreoftenasaregulartransitserviceespeciallygivendemographics.

• Keepingthecostoftripslowfortheindividualsisimportant.• ThecoststructureisabarriertoentryandTransLinkshouldconsidersubsidizingalarger

proportionofthecostastaxisarecheaperthanHandyDART.• Increasedrivers,staffandbusservice.Concernwithnotenoughhourstoprovidethelevelof

servicerequired.• HandyDARTneedstogrow.Weareconstantlywaitingforlatearrivalstothedayprogramand

latepickups.Delaysinpickingupfromasiteotherthanarider’shome(e.g.,seniorscentre)impactsthatcommunityagency(e.g.,staffstayslateuntilthepersonispickedup).Wedonotgetpaidforourovertime.Thedurationoftransporttimeforsomeofourclientsisunacceptable.

• Needmorehelpfordispatchers.• Safetyisaconcern:MakeservicesefficientandsafeforallkindsofHandyDARTridersandrider

abilities.Overallensureallpoliciesandservicesconsiderthespecificneedsofagingdemographics.Notedthatseniorswouldmore($3)pertriptoimprovetheirsafety.

• EnsuresafeandaccessibleparkingforHandyDARTusers.• Conventionalbusstopsshouldallbeaccessible.Peoplewithmobilitydevicesshouldnotbe

discriminatedagainst,andshouldbeabletogetoffandonatstopsoftheirchoosing,regardlessoftheaccessibilitylabel.

o TransLinkshouldcloselymonitorconventionalbusestomakesurepeoplewithdisabilitiesaren'tbeingpassedup.

• Candriversprovidepassestoriders?Orcanthepassbepurchasedthroughthemail?Someriders(e.g.blind,intellectualdisabilities)mustrelyontheassistanceofanotherpersontopickuptheirHandyDARTpassbecauseofaccessibilityissues(e.g.Cloverdalelocation).

• Reviewcatchmentzonesassomelocationsareunsafeandpeoplearewaitingtoolongattheseunsafelocations.

• Seekmorecrossmunicipaltrips/increasedavailability.Crossboundarytimesdon’tworkforsome.Increasednighttimetrips;mirrortransitavailability.

o E.g.,VerydifficultforelderlyandriderswithdevelopmentaldisabilitiestochangeHandyDARTsatregionalbordersandpossiblywaitanother20-30minutesateachexchange.Aseparateserviceforlongtripsshouldbeprovided,i.e.fromSurreytoVGHformedicaltesting.


o Prioritizetripsformedicalappointments.E.g.,Chemoandrenal/dialysis,versusshopping.Peoplewhogotohospitalsonaregularbasisshouldbegroupedtogetherandseparatedfromothertrips.

• Morespontaneoustripplanningorbeingabletohopon/offatseveralstopswouldbeidealforsome(beingabletostopbyastoretopicksomethingup).Thisiswherethebusismoreconvenient.

• SpeedupCompassCardcompatibility;linkCompasscardandHandyDARTcardstogether–toomanycardsforuserswithorwithoutdisability.Scannerswouldbenicetoavoiddriversspendingmoretimehavingtocallin.

ServiceQuality

• Customerexperienceusingthesystemisveryimportantwhenprovidingaservice.Enhanceandimprovecustomerservice(lotsoffeedbackonthispoint).

• ManypeopleuseHandyDARTfordifferentreasons;therearelotsofvariablesthatwedidnotdiscusstoimprovethecustomerexperience.

• Considertheneedsofthepeoplewhoareblindorpartiallysighted–especiallybecauseseniors’visiondecreasesovertime.ClientswhoareblindorpartiallysightedneedtobetrainedtousepublictransportationbyacertifiedOrientation&MobilitySpecialist.Whowillprovidethistraining?CurrentlyprovidedbytheCNIB.

• Enablemorecustomer-orientedHandyDARTfeedback.• AddacurrentemployeeontheAdvisoryBoard.• Makeiteasierforcustomerstotravelwithasupportperson:

o Careaidpersonsshouldtoaccompanymentallychallengedriders;donotleavealltheneedstothedrivertomakesuretheridercangetinandoutofthebuildingorbeleftalone.Ifthedriverishelpingonepersontothedoorwhoistakingcareofthetruck.Escortsareimportant.Usemorevolunteerstohelp.

• Keeptripsshortanddirectaspossible.Anytimespentonthebusputsaclient’ssafetyinjeopardy.

o Scheduleneedstoberealistic;needmoreaccuratepickuptravelanddropofftimeswithmoreaccuratenoticeofpickuptimes.E.g.,Becauseofmanypick-upsanddropoffs,thetimetraveledontheHandyDARTcanbeupto2hoursonboardtherebymissing4pmmedsattimes.

o PhoninginthemorningswiththetimeexpectedisaproblemasHandyDARTisneverontimeandonlyagitatestheclientastheyaretolditwillbehereataspecifiedtime.

ReservationProcess

• Changereservationwindowtoendofworkingday,thedaybefore.Sellticketsonweekendsandholidays.

• Decrease7-daywindowandbookingbetween5–8pmwouldbeideal.Change1-weekcancellationprocess.Shouldbeabletocancelexactdates.

• Abilitytobookinadvanceforregulartripsoutsidedayprogram(e.g.WeeklybookingsforspecialOlympicsdoneforawholeseason,notcallingonceaweek).

• WhenHandyDARTcustomersrequestatrip,bookingagentslookatasearchwindowthatisanhouroneithersideoftherequestedtrippickup.Thisistoolarge,asusershavereasonsfornotbeingabletogosignificantlyearlierorlaterthantheyrequest,suchashealthconcernswhilewaitingincoldweather.


• Ifarefusaloccursbecauseausercan’tleavesignificantlyearlierorlaterthantheyrequested,theyshouldbeallowedtohavetheirtriprequestwaitlisted.Currently,ifyouhave'refused'apotentialtrip,youcannotbewaitlistedforyourdesiredtrip.

• Userswhohaveappointmentsshouldbedroppedoffasclosetotheappointmenttimeaspossible.HandyDARTcurrentlyusesawindow,wheretheuserarrivesuptohalfanhourbeforetheirappointmenttime.Ifabuildingisnotopenthatearly,itputstheuserinabadposition.

• AusershouldbeinformedifataxiiscominginsteadofaHandyDARTbus.• Somepatientsliveclosetothehospitalandhaveshortertimesondialysis,buttheyhavetowait

untiltheHandyDARTrunfordialysispatientsinordertogohome.Theyshouldbeabletobooktheirownsubscriptiontrips,apartfromthedialysisruns.

• Amoretransparentprocessforsubscriptionsanduseofthewaitlistsneedstooccur.Somecallforsubscriptionsfortheirclients,andarereceivingalltheirridesonademand-basis,butcontinuetobewaitlistedformonths.

• Whensubscriptionsfordialysischange,thereissignificantlagtimetoamendthesubscription.Thereshouldbeamoretransparentprocess.

• LargerquantitiesofTaxiSaversshouldbeavailableonacase-by-casebasis,e.g.healthrequirements.

• Enableimprovedtripoptimizationsoftware/bookingsystem.o Checkautomatedsystems;giveswronginformation.Buildinaprocesssothatstaffcan

inputreal-timeinformationandon-the-groundrealities(e.g.,taxishaveabuttonthatsendsanupdateofarrivaltimewhentheyareclosetopickingup).

o Ensureallupdatedtechnologiesareaccessibletoallkindsofusers.o Acallbackqueuesystemshouldbeimplementedforbookingtrips.o Createanappforbookingandtrackingposition,arrivalinrealtime.Theapplication

wouldallowusertobooktheirtripsonline,andalsotrackthevehicleslocationanddriverinformation.

o Thiscouldremovetheneedfortheriderandcaregivertowaitforthe30minorlongerpickup.

o Onlinebookingisaveryimportanttool.Thiswouldreducetimespentonholdandwouldgivecareprovidersandhealthprovidersmoretimetocompletetheirintendedwork.

o StreamlinesHandyDARTtripplanning/pickupssothattimeiswellutilized.Wehaveseenseveralbussesarrivetopickuppeoplefromsamelocationthataregoinginthesamedirection.Needtomaximizethenumberofuser/passengerinonetripastotheirdestination.

DriversandTaxis

• HandyDARTvehiclesanddriverperformanceshouldbespotcheckedregularly,regardlessofwhoisprovidingtheservice(taxidrivers,contractorsorTransLinkdrivers).

• Taxisrepresentagreatopportunityforincreasingcapacity,responsivenessandtimeliness.However,rememberthattheyarenotappropriateinallcases.

• FuturegrowthforHandyDARTandexperiencebefore,duringandafteratripcanallbeimprovedbyincreasinguseofTaxiSavers,useoftaxisinHandyDART,andanincentivizedanduniversallyaccessibleconventionalpublictransit.

• SomeTaxidriversandHandyDARTdrivershavebeenseentobelesscaring/understandingorhelpfultowardsusers.Thegoalshouldbetodeliverquality,meaningfulandsafeservicetoall


clientusergroupsincludinghowclientsarespokento,treated,handledto/fromclient’slocations/homes(especiallyinpoorweatherconditions).

o Overallcomment:donotusetaxis,butifneeded,thennotonafull-timebasis;emergencyonly.

o Somecommentsontheneedtoincreasetheuseoftaxistoallowmorespontaneoustrips,reducingwaittimesandremovesdenials.Howeverconcernthatuntrainedtaxisposeadangerfortheriderastheydonotunderstandtheneedsoftherider.

o Considerputtingcontractsinplacewithtaxisforimprovedqualityofoverflowservice.• ImprovetrainingforallHandyDARTstaff,includingtaxidrivers,withregardstocustomers’

uniquesituations;andtheneedtobesensitive,understanding,andcompassionatefortheneedsofhighbehaviourorlowcommunicationclientstheyserve.

o Alldriversshouldbetrainedtoprovidedoortodoorservice(especiallyinextremeweatherperiods;e.g.,appropriatedropoffsandassistanceinicyconditions).

Registration/eligibility

• Askingpeopletousepublictransportationforpartoftrip;whowilldecideifclientcanusepublictransportation&towhatextent?

o MoreaccountabilitydemandscanbeplacedonthereferringagentstomakesureHandyDARTisservingonlythosewhoneedit.

o Doctorsshouldcontinuetoberesponsiblefordecidingwhoneedstheservice,notTransLinkstaff.

o Itisnoteasytoassessifsomeoneiscapableofconventionalpublictransit.SomeonewhoappearstobecapableoftakingtheSkyTrain,doesnotmeantheycancrossbusystreets,andnavigatethetransitsystem.

o AsacertifiedorientationandmobilityspecialistwiththeCNIB,Iteachpeoplewhoareblindorpartiallysightedtotravelsafely.Oftentheirdisabilityiscoupledwithbraininjury,dementia,diabetes,COPD,andotherconditionswhichpreventthemfromtravellingindependentlywithoutHandyDART.Whenunaccompaniedtheseindividualsareoftenatriskoffalls,fatigueanddisorientation.

• HandyDARTshouldhavedetaileddisabilityinformationonallregisteredcustomers(unlessclientrefusesduetoprivacy).Thisinformationneedstobeprovidedtotaxidriverswhenused.Thisisespeciallyimportantforclientswhoareblindorpartiallysightedtoensurethattherearenomissedpickups.

• BuildtraveltrainingforusersofHandyDARTintotheregistrationsystem–forbothHandyDARTandconventionaltransitsystemuse.Acertifiedorientationandmobilityinstructoristheonlypersonwhoshouldbeteachingindependenttravelskillstoapersonwithsightloss.

• Applicationprocessisnoteasytofindorunderstand.Also,needmoreinformationonhowHandyDARTworks.

• CustomtransitregistrationshouldbeuniversalacrossCanada.Ifyouareeligibleinonesystem,youshouldbeautomaticallyeligibleinotherregions.

• Withthecurrentapplicationprocess,socialworkersarehesitanttoindicatethatapatientrequiresanattendant,asitmeansthatthereisonelesspotentialseatforsomeonewhoneedsdialysis;howevertheattendantisoftennecessaryfortravelbetweentheaccessibledoorandthedialysisunit,ortonavigateterrainwithamanualwheelchair.

• Asaparentwithachildeligibleforservice,Ifoundtheapplicationprocessexceedinglydifficult,confusing,redundantandarbitrary.Thereisatremendousopportunitytostreamlinetheprocess.


• Concernwithdementia/disorientationbeinglowpriorityforHandyDART;theseconditionscanleadtolossofdriverslicense;thesepeoplestillneedtogetoutforcoffee/socialeventsforwellbeing(especiallythoselivinginruralareas).Eveniftheyhaveacaregiver,ifthatistheonlydriver,thiscanleadtocaregiverburnout;HandyDARThelpsreducethestressesoftheconventionaltransitforuserswithcognitivedisabilities.

• Someseniorsusetheservicemoreinthewinter;theprocesstore-activateiscumbersometosome,whentheyaredeemedinactiveforaperiodoftime.

• Revisitthesuspensionrulefornoshowpassengers.Itneedstohaveconsiderationsoftheneedsofthepassenger’sabilities.

ServiceDeliveryModel

• Positivecommentsandcongratulationsnoted:o Forprovidingsuchanessentialandenablingservice.Transportationissuchakey

componenttocommunityaccessibility,wellbeingandhealth.Theserviceneedstokeepupwithincreasingdemand.

o HandyDARTissoimportanttothosewhocannottakeothermeansofpublictransportation.Ithasbeenaveryimportantbenefitforthelifeofourwholefamily,makingourson'sgrowthintoadulthoodeasier,andgivinghimmoreindependence.

• Moveawayfromafor-profitbusinessandmoveHandyDARTbackin-house.• MakeHandyDARTastand-alonedepartment;lessfractured.Thisputscontrolbackintothe

deliveryofthesystem.Ifcontractedout,givefullsuccessorrightstoemployeesandunioncertification.

• Increasetransparencywiththepublicandconsiderpublicpeerreviewreports.ImprovecollaborationbetweenHandyDARTandcustomersandstaffforfindingsolutionstodaytodayproblems.SeekanopportunitytobrainstormideasforfindingandofferingsolutionstosomeofthechallengeswithHandyDART.

• Improvetheabilityforauser/clienttoconversedirectlywithsupervisor/managerifdesired.• TransLinkshouldemploymorepeoplewithdisabilitiesastheywouldprovidemoreinsightinto

userneeds.

Operational–DaytoDayClientServices

• Ensuresometrucksarealwaysavailableforemergencypurposes• Concernwithinsufficientinventorytomaintainservicelevels.• Considerseatbeltsforthebus.Handsanitizersforbusdrivers.• Improvesafetyandaccesswithinvehicles;flatfloor/lowfloor.• HandyDARTvehiclesshouldbelowfloor.• Considerothertypesofvehiclesbeyondasedan.• NeedasectiononthemobiledataterminalthatcanbeaccessedandchangedbyDispatchas

needed(re:access,backdoordirections)• Complaintsandfeedback

o Needtobemoreanonymousandnotreflectedbackonthecustomer.Manypeoplereluctanttocomplain.


o Thecomplaintprocessshouldbeindependent.AppropriatetrackingandreportingbackshouldbetoTransLink,notaseparateprovider,toensuretheprocessiseffectiveandtransparent.

APPENDIXA:DEMOGRAPHICS

Participantsweregiventheoptiontoprovidedemographicdataforboththeonlineandpapersurveyquestions.Participantswereaskedtoidentifytheirage,municipalityofresidenceandstakeholdergroupfromalistofcategories.Intotal,112of132onlinesurveyrespondentsand19of23papersurveyrespondentsprovideddemographicdata.

Which age group do you belong to?

2 11

2 21

2

51

2

1716

21

41

14

1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Under19 19-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65andover

Totalnum

bero

frespo

nden

ts

Coquitlam Vancouver MVT OnlineSurvey Other


Select the municipality you live in.

3

1

1

1

2

1

1

2

2

1

1

8

6

2

1

2

11

2

7

9

2

5

2

10

10

29

3

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Abbotsford

Burnaby

Coquitlam

Delta

Langley

LangleyCity

LangleyTownship

MapleRidge

NewWestminster

NorthVancouverCity

NorthVancouverDistrict

PittMeadows

PortCoquitlam

PortMoody

Richmond

Surrey

Vancouver

Other



Which stakeholder category best describes you?

1 2 11

2 1

18

14

49

40

4

1

1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

HandyDARTcustomer Advocateorcaregiver(notaHandyDART

customer)

Serviceproviderorhealthauthorityrepresentative

Municipalrepresentative

HandyDARTstaffrepresentative

Totalnum

bero

frespo

nden

ts


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