2000-01-27
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DIAL-A-RlDE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
Report of Meeting January 27, 2000
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The first order of business was the introduction of the new members to the Board. The
minutes to the last meeting were given out as well as the monthly statistics of rider ship.
These are attached to this report.
In the past months there had been a change in picking up Dial a Ride passengers.
Drivers were not going into apartment complex parking lots or to areas in which they
were required to back up. Many of the clients (seniors) could not walk to the area where
the bus stopped to pick them up. This caused a hardship for many ofthe elderly. This
policy has already been reversed and reverted back to the original policy. Clients will be
picked up at their door unless unsafe conditions prevent it.
Dial-A-Ride is recruiting volunteers to be used on the buses to help the elderly on and
off the bus and to carry packages to their door. Many of the seniors cannot manipulate
shopping bags and their cane or walker. The response for volunteers is slow. I suggested
using high school students that want or are required to do community service.
A Client Satisfaction survey was reviewed. This will be printed and distributed through
the drivers to the clients. The survey will help determine the needs of the clients and
areas in need of improvement.
There was a discussion regarding the problem of "no shows" when drivers go to pick
up a client. This is a regular occurrence and usually caused by ''repeat offenders." When
a client does not call to cancel their pickup, it effects the scheduling, the other clients or
seniors on the bus and deprives other seniors use of service on that given day.
It was agreed that a uniform letter would be sent to the Town Supervisors and their
Boards asking them to take a position on the following:
That after three "no shows. II the client would be suspended from service for a
specific amount of time and would send out letters regarding this.
A public notice would be posted on all the buses regarding this policy. Past experience
has shown that when the clients are reminded that there may be consequences for not
canceling when they are not going to use the scheduled service that they are more apt to
follow the cancellation policy.
The Head Dispatcher, Katrina Davis requested that the seniors be reminded to call the
office themselves in regard to scheduling and canceling and not to tell the driver.
Also Ms. Davis stated that when Dial a Ride is closed due to inclement weather the
seniors scheduled for that day are not automatically scheduled for the next day.
Kathi DeLi~, ;:
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