People with disabilities who rely on MetroAccess are still facing long trips, with circuitous routes, early arrivals and early drop-offs, according to a report scheduled to be presented today.
The shared-ride, door-to-door transit service for those physically unable to take Metrorail and Metrobus also has more than triple the turnover rate among drivers, 111 percent, than the national average of about 30 percent.
Yet the report by TranSystems Corp., commissioned by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, said the system for disabled riders showed some improvements since its 2006 review. MetroAccess has increased staffing levels and added a complaint tracking system.
“Clearly MetroAccess has improved a lot from the worst days,” said Tim Lovain, an Alexandria councilman who leads the study’s task force. “But I think the report clearly identifies that they need more improvements.”
Metro officials say they were pleased the report cited how far they have come.
“We feel it’s given us some great suggestions of how we can make the service better,” said Christian T. Kent, Metro’s assistant general manager of access services.
Demand for the service is growing. In September, riders took 145,694 trips, and a consulting firm projects ridership will increase as much as 17 percent each year through 2010.
The latest review randomly sampled rides on one day in May and found 19 percent of drop-offs arrived late. But the real problem came from the service coming too early. In more than half of all trips sampled, the riders were dropped off more than 30 minutes early for appointments. That can mean arriving before a doctor’s office even opens, Lovain said.
The findings were not new to Gloria Corn, 60, a D.C. resident who has multiple sclerosis and needs an oxygen canister to breathe. She said she had to wait for more than 30 minutes in the fall for a MetroAccess pickup, causing her oxygen canister to run out.
“With multiple sclerosis, the more stressed you are, the worse you are going to get,” she said.
In June 2007, Metro settled a class-action lawsuit for $2.2 million that accused the service of late pickups, unreasonably lengthy trips, no-shows and rude drivers. The Equal Rights Center, which brought the suit, says it still fields complaints on such issues nearly every day.
“Imagine not being able to plan your life,” said Sharon Moore, an Equal Rights Center senior project coordinator. “Do I leave work early? Or do I run the risk of being stranded for all hours of the night?”
