The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About7.20.22 OUTBoard Agenda PacketAGENDA ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD Wednesday, July 20, 2022 OUTBoard Meeting – 6:30 pm WEST CAMPUS OFFICE BUILDING • LOWER LEVEL CONFERENCE ROOM 004 131 W. MARGARET LANE • HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA No. Page(s) Agenda Item 1. Call to Order 2. 3 – 4 Approval of Minutes May 18, 2022 OUTBoard Meeting 3. Consideration of Additions or Changes to Agenda 4. Regular OUTBoard Agenda 4.a.5 – 58 Orange County Transportation Services (OCTS) – Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Plan (Nish Trivedi) Action: Review revised plan and provide comments 4.b.59 – 76 OCTS – Agency Safety Plan Update (Nish Trivedi) Action: Review revised plan and provide comments 4.c.77 – 82 Small Non-State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Transportation Projects (Nish Trivedi) Action: Staff recommends the OUTBoard review attached materials, ask questions as needed, and provide any particular intersections/roadways in which issues have been observed. 5. Staff Report/Updates 5.a.Metropolitan Planning Organization/Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) and NCDOT (Nish Trivedi) Action: Receive the Update. 6. Information Items 6.a.83 – 88 NC Metropolitan Mayors Coalition (MMC) letter to the General Assembly 7. Adjournment The next potential OUTBoard meeting date is August 17, 2022 Charge of the OUTBoard (Excerpt from Section I, Part C of the adopted Rules and Procedures) 1.The OUT Board is charged with advising the Board of County Commissioners on the planning and programming of transportation infrastructure improvements and other County transportation planning initiatives, as directed by the Board. 2.From time to time the OUT Board may be directed to provide input on regulations on which the Planning Board has primary statutory and local ordinance advisory duties. In such instances, the OUT Board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Planning Board. Meetings (Excerpt from Section IV, Part C of the adopted Rules and Procedures) C.Date, Time, and Location of Regular Meetings 3.Regular meetings of the OUT Board shall be held as needed to address items that require Board action consistent with its Charge and Duties identified herein. Written Public Comments Interested persons who cannot attend the meeting in-person* are invited to provide written public comments by emailing comments to outboardstaff@orangecountync.gov no later than 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of the meeting. Please include in the Subject line of the email the title of the agenda item applicable to your comment. Written comments can also be dropped off at the Planning Department’s offices at 131 W. Margaret Lane, 2nd floor, Hillsborough, NC during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). Please leave your comments in the drop-off box near the front counter and call (919) 245-2575 to notify staff that there has been a drop-off. Written comments will be scanned and emailed to the OUTBoard members and staff. *On occasion, some meetings may be made available for virtual viewing and/or comments, however, the public must contact staff regarding availability. D R A F T 1 MINUTES 1 ORANGE COUNTY OUTBOARD 2 MAY 18, 2022 3 4 MEMBERS PRESENT: : Amy Cole (Vice-Chair), At-Large Representative; Roy Schonberg, Chapel Hill Township Representative 5 Randy Marshall, Bingham Township Representative; Tony Blake, At-Large Representative; Jamie Crandell, Eno Township 6 Representative; Todd Jones, At-Large Representative; Tom Gray, Hillsborough Township Representative; David Laudicina, 7 Cheeks Township Representative; 8 9 MEMBERS ABSENT: Eric Broo (Chair), At-Large Representative; Joshua Mayo, At-Large Representative; Michael Hughes, At-10 Large Representative; 11 12 STAFF PRESENT: Nish Trivedi, Interim OCPT Director; Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor; Jamael Wiley, OCPT; 13 Antoinette Glover, OCPT, Katrina Wall, OCPT; Tina Love, Administrative Support 14 15 TAS MEMBERS PRESENT: Erica Bryant, Child Support; Janice Tyler, Aging; Brandi Beeker, Aging, Erin Sapienza, Library; Serena 16 McPherson, Social Services 17 18 AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER 19 Amy Cole called the meeting to order 20 21 The staff and members went around the table and introduced themselves 22 23 AGENDA ITEM 2: APPROVAL OF MINUTES 24 MOTION by Tony Blake to approve the April 20, 2022 OUTBoard Minutes. Seconded by Todd Jones. 25 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 26 27 AGENDA ITEM 3: CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA 28 29 AGENDA ITEM 4.A.: TRANSIT ADVISORY SERVICES (TAS)/ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (OCPT) 30 31 AGENDA ITEM 4.B.: OCPT STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES 32 33 Nish Trivedi and OCPT staff gave TAS members status updates and presented a PowerPoint Presentation 34 35 AGENDA ITEM 4.C.: ADA TRANSITION PLAN 36 37 Nish Trivedi and OCPT staff presented the ADA Transition Plan to members and answered questions and outlined the process 38 39 Nish requested comments and noted that additional comments can be submitted by email. He noted that he hopes to provide a 40 revised draft for comments as well. The revised draft would then be acted upon by the members before going to the Board of 41 County Commissioners. 42 43 Tony Blake asked that it be footnoted with interaction with emergency services and other facilities. 44 45 Janice Tyler stated that Aging would be happy to host a meeting since the Aging Department is very invested. 46 47 Members will email addition comments 48 49 AGENDA ITEM 5: REGULAR OUTBOARD AGENDA 50 51 AGENDA ITEM 6: STAFF REPORTS/UPDATES 52 53 3 D R A F T 2 AGENDA ITEM 6.A.: MPO/RPO AND NCDOT UPDATES 54 55 Nish Trivedi gave status updates on transportation projects in Orange County 56 57 Members related concerns in areas in regard to speed. 58 59 Tom Altieri related that there is a list of areas for safety concerns and these concerns can be added to the list. 60 61 Amy Cole noted that Chuck Edwards used to come to update the OUTBoard annually and inquired about the progress of the 62 pedestrian count on Orange Grove at New Grady Brown School Road. 63 64 Tom Altieri reported that the ped count report from NCDOT was recently received but is not aware if it has been shared with the 65 schools yet. That was completed and will share that with the OUTBoard. He noted that NCDOT was surprised by the numbers 66 and elaborated that some of the foot traffic is actually some of the people who are walking away from the school and getting into 67 cars to drive offsite. 68 69 Amy Cole noted that there is only a flashing light on one side of the road and suggested that a light should also be on the Oakdale 70 side. She added that the pedestrian bridge which has been asked for going back many years is the ideal solution but if that is not 71 ever going to be done that traffic calming measures should be implemented to possibly include adding a light to the Oakdale side 72 and only allowing traffic to flow in one direction at a time across the bridge. That way the pedestrians would have almost a full 73 lane to walk on during school hours only. 74 75 Randy Marshall asked about the progress of the proposal to create a pick-up/drop-off lane for parents for the elementary school. 76 77 Tom Altieri noted that the Municipal School Transportation Assistance Program (MSTA) pedestrian component was received and 78 there is an extensive list of recommendations from DOT on both the New Brady Brown School campus and Cedar Ridge. He 79 related that it has been delivered to Orange County Schools and they are the client for that study and it’s a matter of funding and 80 DOT has mentioned looking for funding sources to implement that. 81 82 AGENDA ITEM 7: INFORMATION ITEMS 83 84 AGENDA ITEM 8: ADJOURNMENT 85 OUTBoard meeting was adjourned by consensus 86 87 4 ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: July 20, 2022 Action Agenda Item No. 4.a. SUBJECT: OCTS – ADA Transition Plan DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): 1.ADA Plan 2015 2.Public Notice 3.2022 Revised ADA Plan INFORMATION CONTACT: Nishith Trivedi, Interim Orange County Transportation Services Director and Transportation Planner, 919-245-2582 PURPOSE: Receive a revised Orange County Transportation Services (OCTS) American Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Plan update and provide comments. BACKGROUND: Recent changes to the ADA Title II has obliged OCTS to extend complementary ADA- accessible transit service to eligible persons within ¾-mile of any transit stop on dates and times concurrent with normal transit operations. In order to show compliance with this requirement, each system providing fixed-route service is required to draft and adopt an ADA plan detailing all transit services as well as the eligibility certification process. OCTS currently provides three (3) fixed routes and connections to two (2) other fixed-route service providers. OCTS’s services currently consists of: •Fixed Routes o Hillsborough Circulator, Orange-Chapel Hill, Orange-Alamance o Orange-Durham Express – ODX – operated by Go Triangle o Route 420 - operated by Chapel Hill Transit •Mobility of Demand •Demand Response •Connections to other Transit providers In 2015, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted the OCTS ADA Plan, (Attachment 1). With recent changes to ADA Title II regulations and updates to the County Transit Plan, OCTS staff implemented the following public process for the County’s ADA Transit Plan. •July 20, 2022: OUTBoard receives Revised OCTS 2022 ADA Plan •July 21, 2022 - Friday, August 19, 2022: 30-day public comment period •August 17, 2022: OUTBoard makes recommendation on Updated 2022 ADA Plan •September 6, 2022: BOCC conducts public hearing on Updated 2022 ADA Plan •September or October 2022: BOCC action 5 Public Comments A public meeting was held on June 30, 2022, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in Orange County North Campus, Bonnie B Davis EAC Building located at 1020 US-70 West, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Attachment 2 is a copy of the public notice issued through all County resources. To date, no comments have been received by the public. NEXT STEPS: The ADA plan, after being approved by the BOCC, will be forwarded for review and approval to agencies that require the plan for grant eligibility, such as the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Once approved by those agencies, the plan will be published as the County’s official ADA plan and implemented accordingly before any service improvements begin. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Staff recommends the OUTBoard review the revised plan (Attachment 3) and provide comments. 6 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 1 Information About Entity Submitting Plan: Orange County/Orange Public Transportation P.O. Box 8181 600 Highway 86 N Hillsborough, NC 27278 Office: (919) 245-2008 Fax: (919) 732-2137 Contact for Plan: Bret Martin, AICP, Orange County Transportation Planner brmartin@orangecountync.gov Introduction: Transit Requirements of ADA The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that public entities that operate non-commuter fixed-route transportation services also provide complementary paratransit service for individuals whose disabilities make them unable to use the fixed-route system. In addition, public entities subject to the ADA regulations must develop and administer a process for determining if individuals who request service meet the regulatory requirements for eligibility. Essentially, the ADA requires that paratransit service be “comparable” to the fixed-route service in terms of service levels and availability. There are six (6) service criteria that are used to evaluate ADA paratransit service comparability to the fixed route. These criteria only represent the minimum service standards and can be exceeded if the local governing body so chooses. The six (6) basic criteria for determining ADA comparability to fixed-route service are as follows: 1) Availability in the same area served by fixed routes. Specifically, service must be made available to all origins and destinations within a width of ¾ of a mile on each side of each fixed route. This includes an area within ¾ of a mile radius at the end of each fixed route as well; 2)Available to any ADA-paratransit-eligible persons at any requested time on any particular day during which fixed-route vehicles are operating for the respective ¾-mile radius in response to a request for service made the previous day; 3)ADA paratransit fares that are no more than twice the fare that would be charged to an individual paying full fare for a trip of similar length, at a similar time of day on the fixed-route system; 4)There can be no trip restrictions or priorities based on trip purpose; Attachment 1 7 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 2 5) Service must be made available to eligible persons on a next-day basis; and 6) There can be no constraints on the amount of service that is provided to any eligible person. Specifically, there can be no operating practice that significantly limits the availability of service to ADA-paratransit-eligible individuals. ADA paratransit service must be provided to all individuals who are unable, because of their disability, to use the fixed-route system, some of the time or all of the time. The criteria for determining eligibility are also regulated by the ADA, and Orange Public Transportation (OPT) must have a documented process in place to determine if an individual qualifies for ADA service. Who is Entitled to ADA Paratransit Services? There are three (3) major categories of individuals who are required to be served based upon their functional disability interacting with conditions of the service and surrounding environment: 1) Persons who are unable to board, ride, or disembark from accessible fixed-route vehicles as a result of their disability. 2) Persons who could use accessible fixed-route services, but such services are being operated using vehicles that are not fully accessible. 3) Persons who cannot travel to or from a bus stop because their disability prevents it. It is important to emphasize that only those persons who are prevented from using fixed- route services because of their disability are required to be served by ADA paratransit, rather than individuals who would have difficulty using fixed-route services but could, in fact, use it. Within the ADA paratransit requirements, there are also provisions relating to the transportation of personal care attendants, other traveling companions, and persons visiting from other areas. Difference Between ADA Paratransit and Other Types of Paratransit Services Provided by OPT: ADA paratransit is quite different from other types of demand-response and specialized transit services provided by OPT in that its service parameters are highly prescribed by federal regulation. ADA paratransit is required only for a narrowly defined population of individuals who are unable to use fixed-route service because of their disability, unlike OPT’s Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP), which serves any elderly person 60 years of age or older or any individual with a disability. EDTAP-funded services also only provide transportation to medical appointments as opposed to trips for other purposes, which is required of federal regulations pertaining to ADA paratransit. 8 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 3 ADA paratransit also requires a much higher level of service than is provided under EDTAP in terms of response time, days and hours of service, and capacity constraints. For this reason, it is generally recommended that locally operated transit systems treat these programs as two (2) distinct services. While both services may be operated using the same vehicles and drivers, certification processes and community outreach should clearly differentiate between the programs to ensure that EDTAP registrants do not expect the same level of service as ADA paratransit registrants. Orange Public Transportation Background: Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is a division of the Planning and Inspections Department of Orange County government that operates fixed-route, demand-response, contract, and subscription services throughout Orange County, North Carolina, for both general public and human service transportation needs. OPT operates under the unofficial name “Orange Bus.” Orange Public Transportation’s (OPT’s) service area generally involves all areas of Orange County excluding the Chapel Hill Transit service area located in the southeastern portion of the county (Exhibit 1). The population of this service area is roughly 56,986 persons and involves both rural outlying portions of the county and more urbanized areas located along the I-40/I-85 and U.S. 70 corridors extending through the central part of the county. OPT provides specialized demand-response, contract and subscription service to persons deemed eligible for such services within this area. One of OPT’s fixed routes connects the OPT service area to the Chapel Hill Transit service area and serves a small population of those making trips within the Chapel Hill Transit service area. In the spring of 2015, OPT will begin providing additional fixed-route and deviated fixed- route services throughout Orange County that will expand the general public fixed-route or deviated fixed-route service provided by a total of approximately 6,560 service/revenue hours per year, a 238% increase in service/revenue hours over what is currently provided. Of these additional service hours, 5,000 service hours will be purely general public fixed- route service. When fixed-route service is provided, complementary paratransit service is federally mandated by the ADA. This document shall serve as the plan for complying with ADA paratransit requirements. Description of Current Fixed-Route System: Currently, OPT operates two (2) general public fixed routes. One such route is the Hillsborough Circulator, which serves major origins and destinations in Hillsborough with hourly headways during the hours 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday. This route is operated using one (1) wheelchair accessible vehicle (with an electric wheelchair lift) that is 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. No fare is collected for riding the Hillsborough Circulator service. The location of the Hillsborough Circulator and its schedule and stop locations are provided in Exhibit 2. 9 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 4 The other fixed route, the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill shuttle (“Route 420 Midday”), serves major origins and destinations in and between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill Monday through Friday during the hours 10:00am-11:25am and 1:00pm-2:25pm. The 10:00am- 11:25am and 1:00pm-2:25pm time periods each involve the operation of one (1) wheelchair accessible vehicle (equipped with an electric wheelchair lift) that is 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities traveling from Hillsborough to Chapel Hill and back. The fare for this service is $2.00 each way for the general public, $1 each way for persons with disabilities, and free for persons 60 years of age or older. A schedule of stop locations and service times for the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill shuttle is provided as Exhibit 3. Description of Current Paratransit Services: OPT currently provides the following transportation services that involve the provision of ADA-compliant paratransit service: Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance: Service is provided to persons 60 years of age or older and to persons of any age with a disability using EDTAP funding appropriated to Orange County by the State. These funds are supplemented by a local match and additional general County operating funds appropriated by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) annually. The service is provided to medical appointments primarily located within Orange and Durham Counties and involves a fare of $3.00 each way for all patrons. This service is provided on a demand-responsive, point deviation basis in which advance reservations for pick-ups and drop-offs are made at least two (2) business days in advance and routes are structured to efficiently collect clients for a shared ride to medical-related destinations. The service currently involves the provision of door-to-door assistance by vehicle operators for persons who lack the independent ability to access the vehicle from the street, and the vehicles used to provide the service are 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. The vehicles are equipped with electric wheelchair lifts. Medicaid Transportation: Through agreement with the Orange County Department of Social Services, OPT provides door-to-door transportation to medical appointments for persons enrolled in Medicaid. These services are funded through a billing arrangement between OPT and the Department of Social Services and are provided on a demand-responsive, point deviation basis in which advance reservations for pick-ups and drop-offs are made at least two (2) business days in advance. Pick-ups and drop-offs for Medicaid clients are intermingled with those for EDTAP clients, and routes are structured to efficiently collect clients for a shared ride to Medicaid- funded, medical-related destinations. The service currently involves the provision of door-to- door assistance by vehicle operators for persons who lack the independent ability to access the vehicle from the street, and the vehicles used to provide the service are 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. The vehicles are equipped with electric wheelchair lifts. 10 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 5 Senior Center Transportation: Through agreement with the Orange County Department on Aging, OPT provides daily transportation (Monday-Friday) to two (2) Orange County senior centers. The service is funded using Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) funding appropriated to the Department on Aging and is provided at no cost to seniors electing to use the service. The service is provided on a subscription, point deviation basis in which standing reservations for pick-ups at residences and drop-offs at senior centers are maintained by patrons. Routes are structured to efficiently collect clients for a shared ride to the senior centers. The service currently involves the provision of door-to-door assistance by vehicle operators for persons who lack the independent ability to access the vehicle from the street. The vehicles used to provide the service are 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. The vehicles are equipped with electric wheelchair lifts. General Public Demand-Response Transportation: General public demand-responsive, point deviation service is provided to persons throughout Orange County who request pick-ups outside the Chapel Hill Transit service area. These services are funded using Rural Operating Assistance (ROAP) funding appropriated to Orange County by the State and supplemented by user fares and the County’s general operating fund. The service is provided for any trip purpose and involves a $12.75 fare each way. Pick-ups and drop-offs for users are intermingled with those for users of other specialized services throughout the county, and routes are structured to efficiently collect users for a shared ride, in many cases with users of other services, to any destination within the County. Advance reservations for the service are required to be made two (2) business days in advance. The service currently involves the provision of door-to- door assistance by vehicle operators for persons who lack the independent ability to access the vehicle from the street, and the vehicles used to provide the service are 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. The vehicles are equipped with electric wheelchair lifts. Fixed-Route Transportation: ADA paratransit service for OPT’s fixed routes is provided through a combination of separate ADA dial-a-ride complementary service and deviation of regular fixed-route vehicles for ADA-eligible scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs within ¾-mile of the fixed-route corridors served depending on which method can most efficiently and effectively be dispatched to serve the requested trip without compromising the rights of the ADA-eligible user and the timing and service integrity associated with fixed-route service. The ¾-mile buffer surrounding OPT’s existing fixed-route bus service corridors within which OPT is responsible for providing ADA paratransit service is depicted in Exhibit 4. While OPT is still responsible for providing ADA paratransit service within ¾-mile of its fixed-route bus service corridor that overlaps Chapel Hill Transit’s ¾-mile bus service corridors during the same days and hours the fixed-route service is provided, OPT does not typically receive requests to provide the service because Chapel Hill Transit provides the 11 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 6 same service at no charge to the user. There is no fare for ADA-eligible users to take advantage of this service within ¾-mile of the Hillsborough Circulator route, and the fare is $4.00 each way to take advantage of the service within ¾-mile of the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill Shuttle (“Route 420 Midday”), which is twice the full fare for the general public for using the fixed-route portion of the service. Both the fixed-route vehicles that are dispatched to deviate for scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs and vehicles used to provide separate complementary service are 100% accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities and are equipped with electric wheelchair lifts. General Service Details: For demand-responsive specialized transportation services, under normal circumstances, customers ride no more than one hour to reach their desired destination, and customers are delivered to their destinations on time. All specialized demand-response services are provided within a one (1)-hour window to maximize the active fleet’s available resources. Pick-up times are up to one (1) hour before the scheduled appointment with the actual pick- up times being anytime within that hour. Return trips home are provided within a one (1)- hour window. Currently there are no capacity constraints placed on ADA-eligible users of the system for either the specialized services of the fixed-route services. For fixed-route service, reservations are taken from up to 14 days in advance of the scheduled service date until the day preceding the day of service for any trip purpose and for service from any origin to destination during the same days and times of operation and within the respective ¾-mile buffer of each respective fixed-route. Reservation service is available during the normal business hours of OPT’s administrative offices, as well as during the same time as OPT’s normal administrative business hours on days when the offices are closed preceding a service day. Description of Current Eligibility Determination Process: Requirements of Transit System: As previously noted, there are three (3) major categories of individuals who are required to be served based on their functional disability upon interacting with conditions of the service and the surrounding environment: 1) Persons who are unable to board, ride, or disembark from accessible fixed-route vehicles as a result of their disability. This includes persons with mental or visual disabilities who cannot navigate the transit system. 2) Persons who could use accessible fixed-route services, but such services are being operated using vehicles that are not fully accessible. This includes persons who require a lift or ramp to board a bus. Because OPT uses 100% accessible vehicles for its general public and specialized services, this category of persons is inapplicable. 12 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 7 3)Persons who cannot travel to or from a bus stop because their disability prevents it. This includes persons whose path of travel between their origin or destination and the bus stop is inaccessible, such as persons who use wheelchairs but cannot get to or from the bus stop because there is no sidewalk or the sidewalk is blocked (by lack of accessible curb cuts or a barrier that reduces the width of the sidewalk to less than three (3) feet). It also includes persons whose specific disability otherwise prevents them from traveling to or from or waiting at a bus stop, such as persons whose health would be endangered by certain weather conditions during this phase of the trip. Orange Public Transportation’s ADA paratransit service eligibility application screens for functional disability in order to control service demand and reserve assistance for eligible persons who are prevented from reaching fixed-route stops due to their disability. It is important to emphasize that only those persons who are prevented from using fixed-route services because of their disability are required to be served by ADA paratransit, rather than individuals who would have difficulty using fixed-route services but could use it. A formal ADA eligibility determination process is part of federal ADA paratransit requirements. As such, OPT’s ADA eligibility application is used to determine ADA paratransit eligibility (Exhibit 5). There are also requirements for transporting personal care attendants (PCAs), other traveling companions, persons visiting from other areas on ADA paratransit, and the eligibility determination process itself. The application requires certification from a certified and/or licensed professional as to the presence of a permanent or temporary disability preventing the applicant from reaching public transportation fixed routes. The application also collects personal care attendant (PCA) information and information explaining the eligibility determination process. Determination of Eligibility: A determination of whether individuals with disabilities are certified eligible for service is made by completing the attached application and submitting it to the OPT administrative offices (Exhibit 5). Applications are taken by phone, email, fax, or in-person by OPT staff. Applicants are required to provide verification of their disability from a certified and/or licensed professional (doctor, psychiatrist, social worker, case manager, etc.), and documentation as to why they are unable to access fixed-route service must be provided. A determination of eligibility is made in these cases based on the functional ability or inability of a person to access fixed-route service and not solely on their disabled status. Applicants may be determined eligible for some trips and not others depending on circumstances, and eligibility can be temporary based on a temporary disability. ADA service may also be used as a feeder route to transport individuals to the closest public transportation route, which they can then access. Applicants are notified of their eligibility 13 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 8 status by mail within 21 days of submitting a completed application. An eligibility decision may be full or conditional based on the day or functional ability to make trips. If applicants are not notified within the 21-day timeframe, they are presumed eligible and provided service until such time a determination is made. All applications are updated annually. Once a determination of approval is made, the registrant/passenger is added to an eligibility list and can begin scheduling trips. Personal Care Attendants/Traveling Companions: The need for a PCA must be noted during the application process. PCAs are not charged a fare for accompanying an eligible registrant. In addition to a PCA, registrants may have one traveling companion accompany them who pay the price paid by the ADA registrant. Additional traveling companions are allowed on a space-available basis only and are subject to the ADA fare. Traveling companions and PCAs must have the same origin and destination as the customer. Visitors to the Transit System: ADA transportation service is provided to eligible visitors. Visitors are presumed eligible for service after providing documentation of their ADA paratransit eligibility in the jurisdiction within which they reside. If a visitor is unable to provide this documentation, documentation of the applicant’s place of residence is required as well as documentation of his/her disability if the disability is not readily apparent. These persons are additionally required to sign a certification that they are unable to use fixed-route transit. ADA paratransit is provided to eligible visitors for no more than 21 days during a rolling 365- day period. After 21 days of service within this timeframe, applicants/registrants are required to complete OPT’s full eligibility process, which involves completing an application and providing professional documentation of ADA transportation eligibility. Determination of Ineligibility and Appeals: If it is determined that a person is not eligible for ADA service, he/she is notified in writing of the reason(s) in a denial letter and will be given 60 days to appeal the decision. If a request for appeal is received, OPT must render a decision within 30 days. Services are not provided during this review process. Instructions for appeal that are provided to applicants that are determined ineligible for ADA paratransit service are provided in Exhibit 6. The administrative appeals process provides the applicant the opportunity to be heard and to present information to a third party not involved in the initial determination. The County’s designated hearing/appeals officer is the OPT Administrator, who is not involved in initial eligibility determinations. A date, time, and location for the meeting to discuss the applicant’s appeal are sent to the applicant by mail within five (5) working days of the appeal request being received. The meeting is held and a decision rendered within the required 30 days. Should a decision not be rendered within 30 days, the applicant is provided ADA service after the 30-day period until such time a decision is reached. The applicant is not provided service during the 30-day appeal period. 14 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 9 ADA paratransit service may also be affected by a pattern of no-shows in which ADA- eligible registrants abuse the service by making reservations but not appearing to make use of the service. To avert the detrimental effects of this behavior on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service, OPT has adopted an ADA paratransit service no-show policy (Exhibit 7). Description of Proposed Complementary Paratransit Service: As previously noted, in spring 2015, OPT will begin providing additional fixed-route and deviated fixed-route services throughout Orange County that will expand the general public fixed-route or deviated fixed-route service provided by a total of approximately 6,560 service/revenue hours per year. With the addition of the fixed-route service, complementary paratransit service is federally mandated by the ADA. For the additional deviated fixed routes, curb-to-curb service will be provided for general public, non-ADA-eligible patrons as well as ADA-eligible registrants for those requesting a deviation. The fare for a requested deviation for both will be twice the general public fare as for those persons accessing the deviated fixed-route service at the fixed stop locations. Table 1 summarizes these services and the proposed ADA service type associated with each. Exhibit 8 depicts the locations of these service corridors and the ¾-mile buffer surrounding the corridors within which OPT will be responsible for providing ADA paratransit service. Exhibit 9 depicts the areas of ADA paratransit service responsibility by timeframe based on the service times indicated for each route in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of New/Expanded and Existing Fixed-Route Services Beginning Spring 2015 Service/Route Service Days Service Times ADA Service Type Fare Orange-Alamance Connector Monday-Friday 10:00am-3:00pm Combination of separate dial-a-ride service and fixed-route deviation $2 general public and ADA Efland-Hillsborough Commuter Loop Monday-Friday 6:00am-9:00am and 4:00pm-7:00pm Combination of separate dial-a-ride service and fixed-route deviation $2 general public and ADA Cedar Grove-Hillsborough- Chapel Hill Shuttle Monday-Friday 10:00am-3:00pm Combination of separate dial-a-ride service and fixed-route deviation $2 general public and ADA Hillsborough Circulator Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm Combination of separate dial-a-ride service and fixed-route deviation No fare for general public or ADA passengers The additional fixed-route services are scheduled to begin May 1, 2015. Once the new services commence, the same method of ADA paratransit service currently provided as 15 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 10 described in the Description of Current Paratransit Services section of this document will be implemented and will apply to the new and expanded services. The same eligibility determination process will also apply to the new and expanded fixed-route services. Estimate of Demand and Description of Estimation Methodology: The current demand for ADA paratransit service in OPT’s fixed-route ADA service area is estimated at 2.7 paratransit trips per day (based on 2014 data). This estimation is based on an assumption that approximately four (4) percent of trips associated with fixed-route service would be provided as ADA paratransit trips and borrows from the experience of a similar system in a similar hybrid rural/urban environment, Apple Country Transit in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Experiences of other providers in the Triangle region range from a low of approximately 0.9 percent for Chapel Hill Transit to a high of approximately 7.1 percent for C-Tran, the Town of Cary’s local public transportation provider. As such, the four (4) percent assumption lies safely in the middle of the range for the region. When OPT’s fixed-route ADA service area expands in the spring of 2015, demand is estimated to increase to approximately eight (8) paratransit trips per day. Complementary ADA paratransit trips are generally more expensive to provide than fixed- route trips or ADA paratransit trips provided as deviations from fixed-route service. However, given that a good portion of OPT’s existing service is provided in a demand response format, OPT can continue to realize the cost per trip benefit of combining complementary ADA paratransit trips with demand response trips provided for other purposes. Consequently, the use of OPT’s existing cost per trip for the system is a good estimation of the cost per trip for those dispatched to service ADA paratransit clients. The current cost per trip for OPT’s demand response service (using 2014 data), including both pure operating and administrative costs, is $12.85. Assuming a demand of eight (8) ADA paratransit trips per day and 2,000 per year based on an assumption of there being 250 days of service per year, the total cost to provide these trips is anticipated to be $25,700 per year with an escalation of approximately three (3) percent per year to account for inflation/increases in costs over time. Operating and Capital Budget for Proposed ADA Paratransit Service: The operating budget for proposed ADA paratransit service for the next five (5) years is provided in Table 2 and is based on the estimation of demand explained in the previous section. Table 2: Five-Year ADA Paratransit Service Operating Budget Year FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 Budget $27,265 $28,083 $28,926 $29,793 $30,687 Based on the anticipated cost per year to absorb the estimated demand for ADA paratransit service and in the manner it is anticipated to be provided, no additional capital needs are foreseen as necessary. OPT vehicles used for fixed-route service that may deviate to provide service to an ADA-eligible client are ADA-accessible and equipped with lifts. OPT 16 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN 11 vehicles that may be available to provide complementary ADA service independent of fixed- route deviation that also provide other demand response services are also ADA-accessible and equipped with lifts. These vehicles will be used to provide the service exerting no additional demands for capital expenses on the system than what already exists. Description of Public Participation Process Used to Develop Plan: After the development of a draft of the plan, a 30-day public comment period was opened between February 3, 2015, and March 5, 2015, for members of the public to submit comments in response to the draft. A public meeting for the draft plan was held February 12, 2015, by Orange County transportation planning staff, at which a presentation of the draft plan was provided and public attendees were given an opportunity to ask questions and comment. A subsequent public hearing for the draft plan was held March 17, 2015, before the Orange County Board of Commissioners, at which public attendees were given the opportunity to comment on the draft plan before its adoption by the Board. Notices for the 30-day public comment period, public meeting and public hearing were published in the local paper, visibly posted on all OPT vehicles, and posted on the OPT website. Notices for the public comment period, public meeting and public hearing were also distributed to the following agencies having a potential interest in the plan and its implementation: 1) The Orange County Department of Social Services; 2) The Orange County Department on Aging; 3) The Orange County Department of Housing, Human Rights, and Community Development; 4)Alliance of Disability Advocates; and 5)Project Compassion. The public participation notice published in the local paper, on the OPT website and within the OPT vehicles is provided as Exhibit 10. No public comments were received in response to the draft plan, and no significant issues with the draft plan’s effect on ADA paratransit service in OPT’s ADA paratransit service area were raised. The OPT ADA Paratransit Plan was adopted by the Orange County Board of Commissioners by resolution March 17, 2015. Exhibit 11 is a signed copy of the adopted resolution. 17 !"_$!"c$ !"c$ !"_$ ?o ?ª ?ª ?k Aæ ?r IrKÊ I§I§ Alamance Caswell Person Durham Chatham Orange Public Transportation Service Area Chapel Hill Transit ServiceArea Orange Public TransportationService Area ·Orange County Planning and InspectionsBrian Carson (12/9/2014) 0 1Miles 1 in = 3 miles 18 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HILLSBOROUGH CIRCULATOR STOP LOCATIONS AND SCHEDULE 19 HILLSBOROUGH CIRCULATOR STOP LOCATIONS AND TIMES MAP 20 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (OPT) MID-DAY SHUTTLE General Fares - $2.00 Each Way Disabled Fares - $1.00 Each Way Senior Citizen (60+) Fares – Free (OPT does not accept any other transit system passes) LOCATION PICK-UP TIMES North Hills Shopping Center 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Cornelius St. 10:02 a.m. 1:02 p.m. Revere Rd. 10:04 a.m. 1:04 p.m. Hillsborough Police Station 10:06 a.m. 1:06 p.m. Triangle SportsPlex 10:11 a.m. 1:11 p.m. Hwy 86 at Home Depot 10:14 a.m. 1:14 p.m. Durham Tech Campus 10:19 a.m. 1:19 p.m. MLK across from Harris Teeter 10:23 a.m. 1:23 p.m. Seymour Senior Center 10:25 a.m. 1:25 p.m. Columbia & Franklin 10:35 a.m. 1:35 p.m. State Employee’s Credit Union 10:38 a.m. 1:38 p.m. Ambulatory Care Center 10:41 a.m. 1:41 p.m. Manning Dr at UNC Hospital 10:45 a.m. 1:45 p.m. Health Science 10:48 a.m. 1:48 p.m. Sitterson Hall 10:50 a.m. 1:50 p.m. Columbia & Rosemary 10:52 a.m. 1:52 p.m. Seymour Senior Center 10:58 a.m. 1:58 p.m. MLK at Harris Teeter 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Durham Tech Campus 11:10 a.m. 2:10 p.m. Hwy 86 at Home Depot 11:14 a.m. 2:14 p.m. Triangle SportsPlex 11:17 a.m. 2:17 p.m. Orange County Court House 11:21 a.m. 2:21 p.m. North Hills Shopping Center 11:25 a.m. 2:25 p.m. 21 ?ª I§ K© !"c$ !"_$ !"c$!"_$ !"_$ I§ ?r?ª Existing ADA Paratransit Service Area Hillsborough Circulator BusRoute 420 Midday Route Hillsborough CirculatorRoute 3/4 Mile Buffer Route 420 Midday Route 3/4 MileBuffer ·Orange County Planning and InspectionsBrian Carson (10/28/2014) 0 3,000Feet 1 in = 5,000 feet 22 ADA Paratransit Eligibility Application Information and Instructions Orange Public Transportation (OPT) provides complementary paratransit to eligible persons living within ¾-mile of OPT’s fixed routes or those visiting locations within ¾ mile of the fixed routes. Through our Complementary Paratransit services, Orange Public Transportation provides an equivalent accessible transportation option to people who are unable to use the fixed-route bus service because of a disability. Orange Public Transportation provides rides, from origin to destination, within the ¾-mile of its fixed routes. Transportation services are accessed by completing this application and being certified through Orange Public Transportation, or if you are visiting from another area, by providing documentation of ADA certification from a transportation service in another area of the country. Who should apply for ADA Paratransit services? People who are unable to use the fixed-route public bus services because of barriers like steep stairs, busy intersections, hills, lack of curb cuts, lack of sidewalks, unavailability of a lift on a public bus, weather-related heat or cold, difficulty traveling along and/or recognizing new destinations. People with mobility impairments due to visual limitations, arthritis, spinal cord injury, or other physical and/or cognitive limitations that are a barrier to using fixed route services. How do you apply for ADA Paratransit services? Complete this application and sign the Applicant Agreement section. Have your doctor, rehabilitation specialist, or other qualified health care provider complete and sign the professional verification section. Send the completed application to: Orange Public Transportation PO BOX 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Or fax to: (919) 732-2137 If you need an alternative format of this application or additional information, please contact us at (919) 245-2008 or pmurphy@orangecountync.gov. 23 ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE APPLICATION If you have a physical or functional disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which limits you from using Orange Public Transportation’s fixed-route accessible buses, you may be eligible for Orange Public Transportation ADA Paratransit service. The information obtained in this certification process will be used by to determine your eligibility. The information may be shared with other transit providers to facilitate your travel in other areas. This application must be filled out completely, including the verification of eligibility by a qualified professional. Incomplete applications will be returned to applicants. Step 1: Complete the General Information Section Name: Last _________________________ First ____________________ MI ___________ Address: Street _______________________ City ___________ State ______ Zip _______ Phone: Home _________________ Work __________________ Cell _______________ Date of Birth: _______________________ Step 2: Information about your disability 1. What disability prevents you from using Orange Public Transportation Fixed-Route Bus Service? Please specify all that apply. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. How does your disability prevent you from using Orange Public Transportation Bus Service? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 3. Please describe the area where you live (e.g., rural, urban, suburban, flat, very steep hill, gradual hill, etc)? _________________________________________________________________________ 24 4. Are there sidewalks at your residence? ____YES ____ NO 5. What is the most difficult part of riding the bus for you? _________________________________________________________________________ 6. What is the closest bus stop to your home? (Please give location)? _________________________________________________________________________ In the next section, please check “Yes,” “No,” or “Sometimes.” If you answer “No” or “Sometimes” to any of these questions, explain your answer in the space below the question. 7. Can you get to this bus stop by yourself? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES _________________________________________________________________________ 8. Can you board the bus by yourself? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES _________________________________________________________________________ 9. If vision-impaired, are you able to travel a distance of 200 feet without assistance? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES _________________________________________________________________________ 10. Are you able to travel a distance of 3 blocks (1/4-mile) without assistance over different types of terrain? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES _________________________________________________________________________ 11. Able to climb three 12-inch steps without assistance? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES _________________________________________________________________________ 25 12. Able to cross: _____2-way stop _____4-way stop? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 13. Able to cross traffic light-controlled intersection in the following areas: ____residential _____semi-business _____business 14. If you have a cognitive disability, are you able to give name, address, and telephone numbers upon request? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 15. Are you able to recognize your destination or landmark? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 16. Deal with unexpected situations or unexpected changes in routine? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 17. Ask for, understand, and follow directions? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 18. Safely and effectively travel through crowded and/or complex facilities? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 26 19. Do you use Orange Public Transportation fixed-route buses now? If NO or SOMETIMES, what limits or prevents you from using the buses? (e.g. no sidewalks) _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES ________________________________________________________________________ 20. Have you ever received any training to use the fixed-route bus service? _____YES _____NO If not, would you like to participate in training? _____YES _____NO 21. If you do not ride Orange Public Transportation fixed-route buses, how do you currently travel? (e.g. family, friends, volunteer drivers) ________________________________________________________________________ 22. Do you use any of the following assistive devices? Check all that apply: ____ Manual wheelchair – passenger is able to transfer to a seat ____ Passenger is not able to transfer to a seat without assistance ____ High Wheelchair _____ Long Wheel chair _____ Electric Wheelchair ____ Power Scooter _____ Walker (foldable) _____ Cane ____ Crutches ______ Service Animal _____ Oxygen 23. If you use a mobility assistance device such as a wheelchair or power scooter, what is the total weight of the device inclusive of the passenger when the device is in use? ________________________________________________________________________ 27 APPLICANT AGREEMENT I agree that, if I am certified for Orange Public Transportation ADA Paratransit, I will pay the exact fare, if required, for each trip. I agree to notify the office of any changes in my status that may affect my eligibility to use the service. I also understand that failure to adhere to the policies and procedures will be grounds for revoking my application and the right to participate in the program. I understand and agree to hold Orange County and Orange Public Transportation harmless against all claims or liability for damages to any person, property, or personal injury occurring as a result of my failure to equip or maintain the safety of the adaptive equipment or certified guide/service animal that I require for mobility. I hereby authorize the release of verification information and any additional information to Orange County/Orange Public Transportation for the purpose of evaluating my eligibility to participate in the Program. I certify that the information provided in this application is true and correct. _________________________________________________________________________ Signature Date If someone assisted you in completing this application, please provide his/her information and signature below: NAME:___________________________________ DAYTIME PHONE:________________ ADDRESS:_______________________________________________________________ Street_________________________________ Apt. # ___________________ ________________________________________________________________ City State Zip _________________________________________________________________________ Signature Date 28 The Orange Public Transportation Administrator will review your application and may ask you additional questions. You may also be required to participate in an assessment so we can further evaluate your functional abilities. 29 Orange Public Transportation Health Care Professional ADA Paratransit Verification of Eligibility As a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Orange Public Transportation is a federally subsidized public transportation service set aside for passengers who are prevented from using fixed-route service due to a mobility limitation. ADA paratransit service is not intended to include persons who find it inconvenient or even difficult to get to or from fixed-route bus stops. Disability alone is not an automatic qualifying determinant for ADA paratransit bus service. As a medical provider, you are uniquely familiar with the general health and abilities of your patient. As such, please provide answers to the following questions as they relate to mobility limitations resulting from a functional or cognitive disability. ALL INFORMATION FOR VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY MUST BE FILLED IN BY A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL. PERSON COMPLETING VERIFICATON: _________________________________________________________________________ PROFESSIONAL TITLE: _________________________________________________________________________ AGENCY AFFILIATION: _________________________________________________________________________ STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CERTIFICATION ID#______________________________ BUSINESS ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________ Street Ste. # _________________________________________________________________________ City State Zip BUSINESS PHONE NUMBER ________________________________________________ If you mark NO or SOMETIMES on any of the following items, please explain. 1)What is the medical diagnosis that causes the disability? (e.g. epilepsy, intellectual & development disability) ___________________________________________________________________ Is this condition: Temporary _____ Permanent _____ If temporary, what is the expected duration? ________________________________ Dates of Duration 30 2. Does the applicant’s disability require that he or she travel with an attendant? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES Explain: _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Is there any other medical information we should know in the event of an emergency? (e.g. hepatitis, tuberculosis, cardiac) ___________________________________________ 4. If the person has a cognitive disability, is he or she able to give name, address, and telephone numbers upon request? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES Explain: __________________________________________________________________ Recognize a destination or landmark? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES Explain: _________________________________________________________________________ 5. If the person is speech impaired, is he or she able to communicate verbally? _____YES _____NO _____SOMETIMES Explain: _________________________________________________________________________ I verify that the information provided above for verification is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. ________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Qualified Professional Date 31 Orange Public Transportation ADA Paratransit Appeals Process Orange Public Transportation staff will carefully review each application to ensure that only qualified persons are approved. Upon completion of review, a letter of certification or denial will be mailed. If your application for ADA paratransit service is denied, you have the right to appeal this decision. ADA Application Appeals To appeal the decision, you will need to submit your request in writing sixty (60) days within receipt of the denial letter. Appeals may be mailed to: Orange Public Transportation PO BOX 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Or faxed to: (919) 732-2137 Email to: pmurphy@orangecountync.gov Your appeal will be heard by an ADA paratransit hearing officer. The ADA paratransit hearing officer is an individual who was not involved in the initial certification process. His/her decision is made independently of the ADA Certification Process. Upon receipt of your letter, Orange Public Transportation will set up a meeting with the ADA paratransit hearing officer. You will be notified by mail of the date and time of this meeting. You will have the opportunity to submit any additional information and written evidence and/or arguments to support your qualifications for service. You may bring a representative with you to this meeting. You will be notified of the hearing officer’s decision in writing within thirty (30) days of the hearing. The hearing officer’s decision is final. 32 Orange Public Transportation ADA Paratransit No-Show Policy The mission of Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is to provide quality and efficient ADA paratransit service to passengers while complying with the Americans Disabilities Act (ADA). No Shows, as well as late cancellations, result in wasted trips that could have been used by other passengers. It is the policy of Orange Public Transportation to record each customer’s no-shows and apply appropriate sanctions when customers establish a pattern of excessive No-Shows. The policy is necessary in order to recognize the negative impact No-Shows have on the services provided to other passengers. Procedures Orange Public Transportation schedules pick-up and return trips separately. We will assume all scheduled return trips are needed unless notice is given by the passenger. If a passenger is a No-Show for the first trip of the day, Orange Public Transportation will automatically cancel subsequent trips for the day. If, however, the passenger does not need the return or other subsequent trip(s), they will need to cancel them as soon as possible out of courtesy for other riders. If a passenger has been transported to his/her destination but is a “no-show” when the bus returns, the passenger will not be stranded; however, no pick-up window will be guaranteed. Return trips that are not canceled will be counted as a No-Show. Definitions The Orange Public Transportation definition of a “No-Show” is any time a driver goes to pick up a customer and he or she decides not to use the service or is not at the pick-up site and has not called to cancel his/her trip at least one (1) hour before the scheduled pick-up time. Customers who call at least one (1) hour before their scheduled pick-up will not be charged with a “No-Show.” If a vehicle arrives at the scheduled location within the scheduled pick-up time window and the bus operator cannot reasonably see the customer approaching the vehicle after waiting three (3) minutes, passengers will be charged with a “No-Show.” We understand emergencies do occur, and “No-Shows” for reasons that are beyond the passenger’s control will not be counted. Examples of excused “No-Shows” include but are not limited to: Accidents Family emergency Personal Care Attendant who did not arrive on time to assist the rider External acts beyond the control of humans (flood, earthquake, etc.) 33 “No-Shows” are not excused when the trip is not canceled at least one (1) hour prior to the scheduled pick-up time and is missed for one of the following reasons: Passenger did not want to travel today Passenger received another ride Passenger did not contact the OPT administrative offices to convey that they were not planning to travel. Should you encounter an emergency situation, please contact Orange Public Transportation as soon as possible to alert transit staff of your circumstances. Taking these proper steps may prevent your trip from being recorded as a “No-Show” and deter from any possible service suspensions. No Show Policy: Three (3) “No-Shows” within a 90-day period will result in suspension from the service for up to a period of one (1) month. Appeal Process: If you have been suspended from service and you feel information regarding your “No- Show” is incorrect, you have the ability to submit an appeal. You can appeal in writing to Orange Public Transportation, and a representative will contact the passenger within five (5) working days of receiving the notification to schedule a time to visit regarding the appeal. Appeals are granted at the discretion of the Transportation Administrator. All appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days. Please include the time, date and pickup address of the “No-Show” ride you are appealing. Orange Public Transportation PO BOX 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Or email at pmurphy@orangecountync.gov 34 §¨¦85 §¨¦40 §¨¦40 §¨¦85 Fauc e t t e M i l l R o a d Lawrence RoadSt. Marys RoadBaldwin RoadMiller RoadBen Johnston Road Dimmocks Mill RoadOrange Grove RoadOld N C 1 0Churton StreetEfland-Cedar Grove RoadRichmond RoadBrookhollow RoadMt. Willing RoadWest Ten Road Lebanon Road Buckhorn RoadBen W i lson Ro ad ALAMANCE COUNTYORANGE COUNTYCarr Store Ro a d Kenion RoadPhelps Road Hi g h l a n d F a r m R o a d Pearson Road Schley R o a d Walnut Grove Church RoadNew Sharon Church RoadEXHIBIT 8: OPT FIXED ROUTE ADA SERVICE AREASHEET 1 OF 2 0 1.5 3 4.5 60.75 Miles /LEGEND Fixed Route ADA Paratransit Service Area Road/Street Route Locations Orange County Planning and Inspections DepartmentBM - 12/8/2014 £¤70 £¤70 ¬«86 ¬«57 ¬«86 35 §¨¦85 §¨¦40Orange Grove RoadMt. Willing RoadBuckhorn RoadORANGE COUNTYDURHAM COUNTYMt. Sinai Road Whitfield Road Eubanks RoadOld NC 86New Hope Church RoadArthur Minnis Road Dodsons CrossroadsOld Greensboro Roa d EXHIBIT 8: OPT FIXED ROUTE ADA SERVICE AREASHEET 2 OF 2 0 1.5 3 4.5 60.75 Miles /LEGEND Orange County Planning and Inspections DepartmentBM - 12/8/2014 £¤15 £¤501 ¬«86 ¬«54 Route Locations Road/Street Fixed Route ADA Paratransit Service Area 36 §¨¦85 §¨¦40 §¨¦40 §¨¦85 Fauc e t t e M i l l R o a d Lawrence RoadSt. Marys RoadBaldwin RoadMiller RoadBen Johnston Road Dimmocks Mill RoadOrange Grove RoadOld N C 1 0Churton StreetEfland-Cedar Grove RoadRichmond RoadBrookhollow RoadMt. Willing RoadWest Ten Road Lebanon Road Buckhorn RoadBen W i lson Ro ad ALAMANCE COUNTYORANGE COUNTYCarr Store Ro a d Kenion RoadPhelps Road Hi g h l a n d F a r m R o a d Pearson Road Schley R o a d Walnut Grove Church RoadNew Sharon Church Road6am - 7pm 8am - 5pm 10am - 3pm 10am - 3pm 10am - 3pm EXHIBIT 9: AREAS OF ADA SERVICE BY TIMESHEET 1 OF 2 0 1.5 3 4.5 60.75 Miles /LEGEND ADA Service Area 6am-7pm Road/StreetRoute Locations Orange County Planning and Inspections DepartmentBM - 3/3/2015 £¤70 £¤70 ¬«86 ¬«57 ¬«86 ADA Service Area 8am-5pm ADA Service Area 10am-3pm 37 §¨¦85 §¨¦40Orange Grove RoadMt. Willing RoadBuckhorn RoadORANGE COUNTYDURHAM COUNTYMt. Sinai Road Whitfield Road Eubanks RoadOld NC 86New Hope Church RoadArthur Minnis Road Dodsons CrossroadsOld Greensboro Roa d EXHIBIT 9: AREAS OF ADA SERVICE BY TIMESHEET 2 OF 2 0 1.5 3 4.5 60.75 Miles /LEGEND Orange County Planning and Inspections DepartmentBM - 3/3/2015 £¤15 £¤501 ¬«86 ¬«54 Route LocationsRoad/Street ADA Service Area 6am-7pm ADA Service Area 8am-5pm ADA Service Area 10am-3pm 10am - 3pm 6am - 7pm 8am - 5pm 38 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Notice of Public Hearing and 30-Day Public Comment Period on a Draft ADA Paratransit Plan The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires Orange Public Transportation to extend complementary ADA-accessible paratransit service to eligible persons within ¾ - mile of its fixed-route service at concurrent times and dates to the routes and hours of fixed-route operation. A presentation of the draft Orange Public Transportation ADA Paratransit Plan and associated policies was provided at a public meeting held by Orange County staff February 12, 2015, at 7:00pm in the Orange County West Campus Office building located at 131 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278. A public hearing for the draft plan will be held by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners March 17, 2015, at 7:00pm in the Orange County Southern Human Services Center located at 2501 Homestead Road; Chapel Hill, NC 27514, at which time a brief presentation of the draft plan will be provided and the public will be given an opportunity to comment. The public hearing originally scheduled for February 18th was cancelled due to inclement weather. The draft plan will be available for review and inspection on the Orange Public Transportation website (http://www.co.orange.nc.us/transportation/); in the administrative offices of Orange Public Transportation located at 600 Highway 86 N, Hillsborough, NC, 27278; and in the administrative offices of the Orange County Planning and Inspections Department located at 131 W. Margaret Lane, Suite 201, Hillsborough, NC 28278. A 30-day public comment period on the draft plan began Tuesday, February 3, 2015, and will terminate Thursday, March 5, 2015. For further information, to view a copy of the draft plan, or to submit comments, please contact Bret Martin, Orange County Transportation Planner at (919) 245-2582 or brmartin@orangecountync.gov. 39 40 ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Notice of Public Meeting, 30-Day Public Comment and Period Public Hearing For the Draft ADA Paratransit Plan The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires Orange Public Transportation Services (OCTS) provide complementary ADA-accessible paratransit service to eligible persons within ¾ -mile of its fixed-route service at concurrent times and dates to the routes and hours of fixed-route operation. Presentation of the OCTS ADA Paratransit Plan and associated policies will be provided at a public meeting held by OCTS staff Thursday, June 30, 2022, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in Orange County North Campus, Bonnie B Davis EAC Building located at 1020 US-70 West, Hillsborough, NC 27278. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the current adopted 2015 ADA Paratransit Plan. The revised plan will be available for review on the OCTS website (http://www.co.orange.nc.us/transportation/); in the administrative office located at 600 Highway 86 N, Hillsborough, NC, 27278 during the 30-day public comment period starting Thursday, July 21, 2022, and ending Friday, August 19, 2022. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on September 6, 2022, at 7:00pm at the Whitted Building located at 300 W . Tryon St, Hillsborough, NC 27278, at which time a presentation of the Updated ADA Paratransit Plan will be provided and the public will be given an opportunity to comment. For further information on the plan or to submit comments, please contact Nishith Trivedi, Orange County Transportation Services Interim Director at (919)245-2007 or email at ntrivedi@orangecountync.gov. Attachment 2 41 Orange County Government Orange County Public Transit Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008 Paratransit Plan Updated May 2022 Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Services Director P.O. Box 8181 600 Highway 86 N Hillsborough, NC 27278 Attachment 3 42 i Table of Contents Contact Information ................................................................................................................................... 1 Public Participation Process ........................................................................................................................ 1 Population Served ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Description of Fixed Route System ........................................................................................................... 2 Definition of Complementary Paratransit Service .................................................................................. 2 ADA of 1990 and ADA Amendments of 2008 ........................................................................................... 2 ADA Effect on Transportation Services Provided by the Orange County ............................................. 3 Meeting the Requirements of the ADA Regulations ................................................................................ 3 Paratransit Services Currently Provided in the Area .............................................................................. 6 Personal Care Attendant/Caregiver Policy ............................................................................................... 6 Companion Policy ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Door to Door Assistance Policy .................................................................................................................. 7 Shopping Trips ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Trip Cancellation Policy for a Scheduled Trip .......................................................................................... 7 No Show Definition ..................................................................................................................................... 8 No Show Policy/Procedure......................................................................................................................... 8 Policy Relating to Suspension of Riding Privileges .................................................................................. 8 Appeal Process ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Types of Paratransit Service that Orange County Offers ...................................................................... 10 Types of Vehicles Used For Transportation ........................................................................................... 10 Pick Up Times ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Return Trips after Appointment ............................................................................................................... 11 Lift and Securement Use Policy ................................................................................................................ 11 Accommodating Mobility Devices, Life Support Equipment or Service Animals ................................ 11 Other Assistance ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Subscription Service Policy ...................................................................................................................... 13 Visitor Policy .............................................................................................................................................. 13 43 ii Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy ........................................................................................ 13 Fleet Inventory .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Certification ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Attachments ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix C ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix D .................................................................................................................................................. 8 44 3 Orange County Government Orange County Public Transit ADA Paratransit Plan Contact Information Jamael Wiley Transit Operations Manager Orange County Government Office: (919) 245-2008 Fax: (919) 732-2137 Public Participation Process Orange County Public Transit (OCPT) will advertise a public meeting, and 30-day public comment period to solicit input prior to implementing the ADA plan for the Orange County Public Transit service area. Notices will be posted in all Orange County Public Transit service vehicles, at the public library, senior centers, County Hall, and on the Orange County website and social media pages. All comments and input received from the public will be presented to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for final approval prior to full implementation. Population Served According to recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), Orange County’s 2020 population is estimated at 148,696. Orange County, North Carolina Age Under Age 18 19.2% Age 18 - 34 23.5% Age 35 - 64 38.1% Age 65 and over 14.6% Ethnicity and Race White 76.9% Black or African American 11.8% Hispanic or Latino 8.6% Asian 8.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 0.6% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1% Persons of two or more races 2.6% Education High School graduates (age 25+)93.0% Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)60.8% Mean travel time to work (workers age 16+)23.9 min. Median household income $74,803 45 4 Description of Fixed Route System OCPT operates three (3) fixed routes that operate from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. All the fixed-route vehicles are mobility aid accessible. 100% of OCPT’s fixed-route fleet is accessible, with at least 2 ADA- compliant wheelchair positions per bus. 100% of OCPT routes are accessible. Not all bus stops are accessible. OCPT accommodates passengers with disabilities by stopping at the nearest safe and accessible location. Definition of Complementary Paratransit Service The Americans with Disabilities Act regulations require Orange County, as a public entity that operates a fixed route system, to provide complementary paratransit services to individuals with disabilities (“complementary” is that service comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the fixed route system). See 49 CFR Sec. 37.121 (a). ADA of 1990 and ADA Amendments of 2008 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and for persons with disabilities. It provides the general framework and approach for ending discrimination for persons with disabilities. The stated national goals of the ADA are to guarantee that persons with disabilities have equality of opportunity, a chance to fully participate in society, ability to live independently and be economically self-sufficient. Section 223 of the ADA of 1990 requires that public entities that operate non-commuter fixed-route transportation service also provide complementary paratransit service for individuals unable to use the fixed-route system. The regulations define minimum service characteristics that must be met for this service to be considered equivalent to the fixed route service it is intended to complement. ADA complementary paratransit standards are provided for in 49 CFR §37.123 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In general, the law prohibits public transit systems from denying individuals with disabilities the opportunity to use public transportation services, if the individuals are capable of using the system. It also prohibits public entities from providing services that discriminate against persons with disabilities. The ADA is an opportunity to develop programs that will ensure the integration of all persons into not just the transportation system of America, but all the opportunities transportation makes possible. The goal is to ensure non-discriminatory, equitable, and safe public transportation and enhancing the social and economic quality of life for people with disabilities. Specific actions must be taken by public transit agencies to avoid discrimination. For example, the law requires that: 1. All newly purchased or leased vehicles used in fixed-route service must be able to persons with disabilities. 2. Public agencies that provide fixed-route public transportation service also must offer similar complementary paratransit services to individuals with disabilities who are unable to use the fixed-route system. 3. New facilities must be accessible. 4. Alterations to facilities must include features to make them accessible. 46 5 The Orange County public transportation program complies with all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA Effect on Transportation Services Provided by Orange County The ADA regulations require the County, as a public entity that operates a fixed route system, to provide complementary paratransit service to individuals with disabilities that is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the fixed route transit system. ADA regulations require the complementary paratransit service area to be within ¾ mile of the fixed-route system (see 49 CFR §37.131(a)). Per 49 CFR §37.131(g), public entities may provide complementary paratransit service to ADA paratransit individuals exceeding that required by §37.131(a). Meeting the Requirements of the ADA Regulations Under Orange County Public Transit’s Complementary Paratransit Service Plan, the level of service provided to persons determined to be ADA eligible is similar to the Orange County Public Transit fixed-route bus service. Six service criteria are included in the regulations. The following is a description of how the County’s complementary paratransit service meets or exceeds the six service criteria and eligibility standards: 1. Service Area: Orange County Public Transit service must be provided to all origins and destinations within a corridor ¾ mile on each side of the fixed route. Service beyond this area may be provided at the County’s discretion. The County must coordinate where service areas overlap or are contiguous. Orange County Public Transit service exceeds this requirement. The transit service area map is included below. Paratransit service is provided to origins and destinations beyond the ¾ mile corridor of the fixed routes along with service to and within Orange County limits. 2. Reservations: Next-day service must be provided for requests made the preceding day. Requests for service must be taken when administrative offices are open and during comparable normal business hours on days when administrative offices are closed if service is provided on the following day. Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance. Next-day service is provided on Orange County Public Transit for requests made the preceding day during regular business hours Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Reservations are taken seven days a week for next-day service and can be made up to one (1) month in advance. Reservations will be taken by an answering machine on days when the administrative/dispatch office is closed. 3. Fares: Fares can be no more than twice the fixed route adult fare. The fare is $0.00 on Orange County Public Transit fixed routes. A personal care attendant (PCA) is permitted to accompany an ADA-eligible rider at no charge, and a companion may 47 6 ride at the same fare charged the ADA rider only if they have the same origin and destination as the ADA-eligible rider. 4. Service Days and Hours: Days and hours of operation must be at least the same as the fixed route system. Paratransit service is provided during the same time period as the Orange County Public Transit fixed route system, which includes the following: Monday thru Friday service operates from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Sunday service is not currently provided. Like the fixed route, paratransit service is offered Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Service is not provided on County observed holidays. 5. Trip Purpose: Trips must be accepted and handled on an equal basis. There can be no restrictions on trip purposes or prioritizing by trip type. Trips are not prioritized or restricted by trip purpose for ADA riders. 6. Capacity Constraints: Service cannot be limited because of capacity constraints. No waiting lists can be maintained, and the number of trips provided to an individual cannot be restricted. Service is not limited due to capacity constraints. Orange County Public Transit does not maintain waiting lists and trips are not restricted to individuals. 7. Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for Orange County Public Transit service, an individual would submit a completed application to the Transit Operations Supervisor. Within 21 days, staff will review the application and render an eligibility decision. The completed application includes a healthcare professional attesting to the applicant’s disability and that such disability would prevent the applicant’s independent use of fixed route transit or a fixed route transit bus stop. Once approved, the individual is added on the eligibility list and the individual can schedule rides by calling the dispatch office at (919) 245- 2008. The County’s eligibility requirements are in compliance with the ADA. Paratransit Services Currently Provided in the Area Orange County Public Transit as the public transit provider for Orange County is the only provider of complementary paratransit services that meets the requirements of the ADA. Personal Care Attendant/Caregiver Policy 48 7 A Personal Care Attendant (PCA)/Caregiver will be permitted to accompany ADA eligible riders on ADA eligible trips at no charge. The County will require that applicants state the need for a PCA during the eligibility application process. A PCA/Caregiver is not considered to be a companion or guest. Companion Policy One companion/guest will be allowed to accompany an ADA eligible complementary paratransit passenger on an ADA eligible paratransit trip. More than one companion will be allowed on a space available basis. Companions/guests are required to pay the applicable paratransit fare. Door to Door Assistance Policy It is the policy of Orange County Public Transit to provide complementary paratransit services within the ¾ mile service area boundary of the County’s non-commuter bus routes. Transportation service is provided by ADA accessible buses or vans. Drivers are trained to provide minimal assistance only. Drivers will provide assistance to passengers entering and exiting the vehicle which includes securing the passenger in a seat or wheelchair restraints and handling a limited amount of light weight packages into and out of the vehicle. When requested, drivers will also assist passengers from the door of their origin to the vehicle and from the vehicle to the door of their destination. Drivers are not expected to assist passengers into their homes or other destinations. Drivers are not considered personal care attendants, nor are they trained to provide medical assistance. Shopping Trips To ensure timely service, passengers are expected only to bring what they can safely carry on their own in one trip or with assistance of a personal care attendant (PCA). Passengers must keep their packages secure, and packages may not occupy another needed passenger seat or obstruct the aisle way. Passengers are welcome to bring a collapsible shopping cart on board the vehicle to assist them with their purchases. Trip Cancellation Policy for a Scheduled Trip Passengers are encouraged to be cooperative in reducing cancellations. Cancellations are disruptive to the overall operation and the time could have been scheduled by another passenger. There is no penalty for a cancellation as long as the Dispatch office is notified at least one (1) hour in advance of the scheduled pick-up time. Passengers are encouraged to give as much notice as possible if unable to keep the appointment. If a passenger cancels a trip less than one hour before the scheduled pick- up time, it will be considered a Late Cancellation and treated the same as a No Show. All Late Cancellations are recorded in the Passenger Individual Ridership Percentage record, which is maintained in the Dispatch office. Passengers should call the Orange County Public Transit Dispatch office at (919) 245-2008 as soon as known to cancel any trips. 49 8 Cancellations can be made by leaving a message on the answering system 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but every effort should be made to call during business hours which are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5 PM. No Show Definition The County requests that passengers be ready to be transported within the scheduled 30-minute pick-up window. Orange County Public Transit defines a No Show as occurring when all five of the following circumstances have occurred: 1. The customer (or the customer’s representative) has scheduled ADA paratransit service. 2. There has been no call by the customer or his/her representative to cancel the scheduled trip two or more hours before the start of the pick-up window. 3. The paratransit vehicle has arrived at the scheduled pickup point within the scheduled pick- up window time. 4. The driver has waited at least five (5) minutes beyond the scheduled pick-up time, but the customer has failed to board the vehicle or refuses a trip. 5. The driver cannot reasonably see the customer approaching the vehicle. No Show Policy/Procedure 1. If a No Show occurs, the return trip is not automatically cancelled. Staff will attempt to contact the customer to verify the need for the return trip. However, only the customer can cancel the return trip. 2. If a passenger is not ready at the scheduled pick-up time or refuses a trip, the driver will continue with his/her regular schedule and the trip will be considered a No Show. 3. Drivers will notify the Dispatch office to log the trip as a No Show in the Passenger Individual Ridership Percentage record. 4. The driver marks the appointment on the Driver Manifest as a No Show. 5. Designated staff conducts a monthly evaluation of the Passenger Individual Ridership Percentage record to determine ridership/cancellation percentage. A letter of warning is sent to customers that had three or more No Shows and whose ridership percentage falls below 90 percent. 6. Letters are sent out at the beginning of each calendar month. For visually impaired customers, a phone call will be made in addition to the letter. Policy Relating to Suspension of Riding Privileges The County reserves the right to suspend service to an individual who, for reasons within his or her control, has a “pattern or practice” of missing scheduled trips. A monthly review of ridership will be conducted to evaluate every passenger’s ridership percentage or ratio of rides a passenger keeps compared to number of rides a passenger cancels late or fails to show for the scheduled trip. This provision does not apply to trips that are missed for reasons that are beyond the passenger’s control, including trips that are missed due to a family emergency, sudden turn for the worse in a variable medical condition, or County error. The County also reserves the right to suspend service to an 50 9 individual who engages in violent, seriously disruptive, or illegal conduct on a paratransit vehicle or toward a paratransit driver. Before suspending service, the County will take the following steps: 1. The County will monitor the ridership percentage of every paratransit patron monthly. A notice of warning will be mailed to patrons when they had three or more No Shows and whose ridership percentage has fallen below 90 percent for reasons within the individual’s control. The notice will: (a) advise patrons that ridership needs to improve to at least 90 percent during the next evaluation period; (b) invite patrons to adjust their schedule if needed; and (c) notify patrons that service may be suspended at a future date if the ridership percentage continues to fall below the acceptable threshold. 2. If ridership remains below the 90 percent threshold for a second consecutive month or if a notice of warning is issued three or more times in the 12-month period following the initial letter of warning, and the reasons for missed trips are within the patron’s control, the County will issue a written notice of suspension of service. 3. The first suspension of service will be for a period of 14 calendar days. The second suspension of service will be for a period of 30 calendar days. Each subsequent suspension will add 30 calendar days to the previously issued suspension. 4. In the notice of suspension, the County describes an appeal process, which gives the individual the opportunity to be heard and to present information and arguments to an individual that was not involved with the initial decision to suspend service to the individual. The appeal process is described below. Appeal Process An appeal process is established to provide an objective and unbiased process through which individuals who are denied eligibility or service can obtain a review of the denial. An individual may appeal the County’s decision to: a) deny paratransit service eligibility. b) grant conditional or temporary paratransit service eligibility. c) suspend or deny service due to a continuous pattern or practice of no shows or late cancels. d) suspend or deny service due to willful refusal to pay the fare. e) suspend or deny service because an individual engages in violent, seriously disruptive, or illegal conduct on a paratransit vehicle or toward a paratransit driver. An appeal must be submitted within 60 days of the denial or suspension to the Orange County Transit Operations Manager by telephone at (919) 245-2008, TDD/TTY at (919) 245-2008, thru relay service, by fax at (919) 732-2137; in writing, or in person at 600 Highway 86 N, Hillsborough, NC 27278. The appellant shall identify his/her name, address, telephone number and facts supporting the appeal, including any supporting documentation. The appellant shall clearly and concisely state the grounds of the appeal. Once an appeal has been submitted, the appeal will be granted, or a hearing date shall be set to provide an opportunity for the appellant to be heard and to present information and arguments to support his or her qualifications for service. The appellant will be notified in writing of the date and time of the hearing within fourteen (14) business days. The hearing will be held as soon as administratively possible. If necessary, the County will arrange for transportation at no cost for the appellant to and from the appeal hearing within the Orange County Public Transit service area. The 51 10 appellant may bring a representative, advocate, or witnesses to assist with the presentation of the appeal. However, the County will not provide transportation for the representative, advocate, or witnesses. The appeal will be heard in an orderly and professional manner by the Orange County Public Transit Appeals Committee. The Committee is not involved in the initial certification process, nor does it have prior knowledge of why the appellant would be denied or suspended from Orange County Public Transit paratransit service. At the hearing, the appellant will have the opportunity to submit additional information, and written evidence and/or arguments to support his/her qualifications for service. An individual may waive the in-person hearing and proceed on the basis of a written presentation. Appellant will be notified of the Committee’s decision in writing within thirty (30) days of the hearing. The written determination shall state the reasons for confirming or overturning the denial. If no decision is made within thirty (30) days after completion of the appeals process, there will be a presumption of eligibility or termination of suspension unless and until a contrary decision is made. The appeal files will be forwarded to the Transit Manager for safekeeping and storage. The Transit Appeals Committee decision is final. Types of Paratransit Service that Orange County Offers The Orange County complementary paratransit service for ADA eligible users will be origin to destination service. This includes: 1. Door to door paratransit service. 2. Paratransit feeder service to an accessible fixed route, where such service enables the individual to use the fixed route bus system for part of the trip. 3. Coordinated paratransit service with other 5310 or 5311 programs and with regional transit agencies GoTriangle and Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (P.A.R.T) Types of Vehicles Used For Transportation Orange County Public Transit uses accessible small passenger cutaway buses that are high floor with wheelchair lifts. Pick Up Times Passengers will be given an approximate time of pick up when scheduling an appointment. Orange County Public Transit is a federally subsidized, shared ride system and cannot offer exact pick up or drop off times. Drivers strive to maintain a prompt schedule to ensure that all rider reservations are honored. Passengers are asked to allow a 30-minute window of time for arrival. For example, if passengers have a pick-up scheduled for 2PM, the Driver may arrive between 1:45 PM and 2:15 PM. It is highly recommended that passengers be ready to board the vehicle when the Driver arrives. Drivers are instructed to wait at the place of pick up for five (5) minutes before departing from the 52 11 pick-up location. There may be times when traffic, road conditions and/or weather conditions may delay arrival. Return Trips After Appointment When arranging for transportation, passengers will be asked to schedule a return time, if necessary, at a pre-arranged location, or contact the Dispatch center for his/her return at the completion of an appointment. Lift and Securement Use Policy In accordance with ADA regulations, the County will provide service to all individuals using mobility devices. Mobility devices that exceed ADA defined devices or County of securement areas may be transported at the driver’s discretion. Service will be declined if safety or vehicle integrity could be compromised. Passengers are advised that drivers are not permitted to operate a mobility device onto the lift or ramp of the vehicle. The passenger is responsible for getting onto the vehicle with minimal driver assistance. Use of the securement system on the County’s vehicles will be a required condition of service. All wheelchairs and mobility devices must be secured to the passenger’s satisfaction before transport. When transporting passengers using mobility devices, the County can suggest that passengers transfer into a van/bus seat. The passenger, in this case, has the final decision as to whether a transfer is appropriate, given the passenger’s particular ability. As the regulations require, a passenger who cannot enter the vehicle using the stairs or ramp, but who does not use a wheelchair, will be allowed to enter the vehicle using the lift. The County does not provide wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Accommodating Other Mobility Devices, Life Support Equipment or Service Animals The County will permit the use of a lift or ramp for Segway or other personal transportation devices when used as a mobility device by eligible customers as long as safety or vehicle integrity is not compromised. Securement provisions do not apply. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows paratransit passengers to travel with service animals trained to assist them. The ADA (49 CFR §37.3) defines a service animal as one that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. People with disabilities who use service animals will not be charged extra fees, isolated from other patrons, or treated less favorably than other patrons. 53 12 A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove a service animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal’s owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks repeatedly); or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The County will not provide care or food for a service animal or provide a special location for it to relieve itself. Allergies and fear of animals are not valid reasons for denying or refusing service to people with service animals. Passengers will be permitted to travel with respirators, portable oxygen, and other life support equipment. Travel with this equipment will only be denied if it violates rules concerning the transportation of hazardous materials. Other Assistance All material made available to applicants and passengers of the County’s complementary paratransit service will be provided in accessible formats upon request. For visually impaired customers, phone calls will be made in addition to letters referenced in this document. Those persons who would like to learn how to use the lift or ramp equipment on an accessible fixed route bus can practice on a vehicle that is not in regular service. Whenever possible, the County will make available demonstrations, which can be attended by all interested persons, and will arrange transportation to such sites for those needing those services. County staff may be able to accompany passengers on all or part of their first trip if advance arrangements are made. The County will also make mobility training available upon request. Subscription Service Policy Passengers who use Paratransit service to make regular trips (daily, weekly, etc.) can request a standing reservation service through the Dispatch office. These reservations allow passengers to not have to call and schedule each recurring trip. OCPT will take subscription requests on a first come first serve basis. If a passenger makes a standing reservation and has two no-shows, per the OCPT no-show policy, the standing reservation will be cancelled, and that passenger will not be eligible to qualify for subscription service for 30 days. Trips missed by the individual for reasons beyond his or her control (included but not limited to trips that are missed due to operator error) are not a basis for determining that a pattern or practice exists for missing appointments. Visitor Policy Visitors from another area or region have to the use of the complementary paratransit service provided by Orange County Public Transit. A visitor will be asked to provide documentation stating the visitor is ADA paratransit eligible in the area in which the visitor resides. If a visitor is unable to do so, they will be required to present documentation of their place of residence, and documentation of the visitor’s disability, if not apparent. This service is available for a combination of 21 calendar days during a 365-day period beginning with the visitor’s first use of the service. If a visitor exceeds any combination of 21 calendar days within a 365-day period, then that individual is required to submit the required application a resident would be required to submit. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy 54 13 It is the policy of the Orange County and Orange County Public Transit to abide by all provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended, including but not limited to those stated below, in all activities, operations and relationships with—and accommodations of— employees, client-customers, and the public. The ADA requires that persons with disabilities receive the same level of service for transportation as non-disabled persons. Services that are “separate but equal” are not acceptable (i.e., all individuals using wheelchairs on one bus and everyone else on another bus). All recipients must keep federally funded equipment and facilities in good operating condition; have policies and procedures to maintain vehicles; and must maintain, in operative condition, those features of facilities, vehicles, and other capital equipment that are required to make them accessible. ADA accessibility features must be repaired promptly if they are damaged or out of order. Recipients must establish a system of regular and frequent maintenance checks of lifts and ramps sufficient to determine if they are operative. Specific transportation provisions of the ADA as amended include but are not limited to the following requirements: Accessible Vehicle Availability: As required by the ADA, the County shall maintain a 100 percent accessible transit fleet to ensure that persons needing a mobility device have equivalent to our transportation services as ambulatory persons. Maintenance of Accessible Features on Vehicles: As required by the ADA, the accessible features on County vehicles are maintained to a high level, so that persons needing these features receive equivalent service to persons not needing those features. Adequate Time for Vehicle Boarding and Disembarking: As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the County provides adequate time for boarding and disembarking vehicles for persons with disabilities. Use of Portable Oxygen/Respirator Equipment: As required by the ADA, persons using the transportation service may bring a respirator, portable oxygen, and/or other life support equipment on board vehicles, as long as they do not violate the law or rules relating to the transportation of hazardous materials. All equipment must be small enough to fit into vehicles safely and without obstructing the aisle and/or block emergency exits. Service Animals: As required by the ADA any animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with disabilities, including but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision or alerting individuals with impaired hearing, are accepted on County vehicles. Training in Securement, Sensitivity to Passengers: As required by the ADA, County transit operators are trained to proficiency in the use of mobility device equipment and in passenger sensitivity. This training is provided by a trained trainer within three months of employment to drive for the County. Fleet Inventory All Orange County Public Transit in-service vehicles meet the requirements of the ADA, and the fleet is 100% accessible to mobility devices. The fleet as of September 26, 2016, is defined in Appendix B. Certification 55 14 The Orange County Public Transit certifies that a survey of existing services was conducted in 2018. The results of the survey of services provided by Orange County Public Transit are summarized in Appendices A and B of this document. Attachments Appendix A: Orange County Public Transit Summary Appendix B: Orange County Public Transit Fleet Matrix Appendix C: Eligibility Application and Customer Guidelines Appendix D: Public Participation Notices and Public Meeting Sign-in Sheet 56 15 57 58 ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: July 20, 2022 Action Agenda Item No. 4.b. SUBJECT: Agency Safety Plan Update DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Orange County Transportation Services Agency Safety Plan (ASP) - 2020 INFORMATION CONTACT: Nishith Trivedi, Interim Orange County Transportation Services Director and Transportation Planner, 919-245-2582 PURPOSE: Receive the Orange County Transportation Services (OCTS) Agency Safety Plan (ASP) and provide comments. BACKGROUND: OCTS reviews and updates the ASP annually and implements the changes within a timeframe that will allow the agency to submit the annual self-certification of compliance in a timely manner. Annual self-certification will consist of the Director reviewing, approving and signing the document and submitting to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for approval. Necessary updates outside the annual update window will be handled as ASP addenda, which will be incorporated into the body of the ASP during the next review cycle.”. Key updates: 1. OCTS Driver and Public feedback – how these processes are conducted and incorporated 2. Safety Committee – composition, participation and approval of ASP a. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires Safety Committee approval by July 31st 3. Risk Reduction Program – Accidents and injuries, including assault on transit workers 4. Safety Training – Updated to North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) minimum standards, including de-escalation 5. CDC or State equivalent – address pathogens (eg. PPE, cleaning, monitoring, etc.) Schedule: • July 20, 2022: OUTBoard receives OCTS ASP • August 17, 2022: OUTBoard makes recommendation on Updated 2022 ASP • September or October 2022: BOCC action NEXT STEPS: The Updated OCPT ASP will be shared with the relevant MPOs, FTA and NCDOT. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Staff recommends the OUTBoard review the 2020 ASP (Attachment 1) and provide comments. 59 60 0 2020 Orange County Public Transportation Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE Attachment 1 61 1 The Agency Safety Plan addresses all applicable requirements and standards as set forth in FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Program and the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. Orange County Public Transportation System Safety Program Plan Revisions Section Revisions Reason for Revision DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 62 2 Orange County Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan 1. Agency Information Transit Agency Name Orange County Public Transportation Transit Agency Address 600 NC Highway 86 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Name and Title of Accountable Executive Theo Letman, Orange County Transportation Services Director Name of Chief Safety Officer or SMS Executive TeLeishia Holloway, Transportation Administrator Mode(s) of Service Covered by This Plan Bus List All FTA Funding Types (e.g., 5307, 5310, 5311) 5307. 5339, 5311 Mode(s) of Service Provided by the Transit Agency (Directly operated or contracted service) Fixed Route Bus Transit , Complimentary Paratransit, and Demand Response Does the agency provide transit services on behalf of another transit agency or entity? Yes No Description of Arrangement(s) N/A Description of Services Orange County Public Transportation provides demand response services and operates three fixed routes with complimentary paratransit. 2. Plan Development, Approval, and Updates Name of Entity That Drafted This Plan Orange County Public Transportation Signature by the Accountable Executive Signature of Accountable Executive Date of Signature Approval by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners Name of Individual/Entity That Approved This Plan Date of Approval Orange County Board of County Commissioners 9/1/2020 Relevant Documentation (title and location) Governing Body Adopting Resolution The Agency Safety Plan addresses all applicable requirements and standards as set forth in FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Program and the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 9/2/2020 63 3 Certification of Compliance Name of Individual/Entity That Certified This Plan Date of Certification Relevant Documentation (title and location) Version Number and Updates Version Number Section/Pages Affected Reason for Change Date Issued 1 All New Document Annual Review and Update of the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan OCPT management will review the ASP annually, update the document as necessary, and implement the changes within a timeframe that will allow the agency to submit the annual self -certification of compliance in a timely manner and no later than July 15. Annual self-certification will consist of the Executive Director reviewing, approving and signing the document and submitting to the OCPT Board for their approval. Necessary updates outside the annual update window will be handled as ASP addenda which will be inco rporated in the body of the ASP. The OCPT ASP updates will be shared with the relevant MPOs, FTA and NCDOT. 3. Safety Performance Targets Safety Performance Targets Specify performance targets based on the safety performance measures established under the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. Mode of Transit Service Fatalities Fatalities (per 100k VRM) Injuries Injuries (per 100k VRM) Safety Events Safety Events (per 100k VRM) System Reliability Fixed Route Bus 0 0 1 1 1.5 1.5 2 Demand Response 0 0 1 1 1.5 1.5 2 Performance Measures: SAFETY PERFORMANCE MEASURE: FATALITIES (total number of reportable fatalities and rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode)  Customers, employees and the public o DATA – Fatalities by mode o DATA – Revenue miles by mode SAFETY PERFORMANCE MEASURE: INJURIES (total number of reportable injuries and rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode)  Customers, employees and the public o DATA – Accidents with injuries by mode DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 64 4 o DATA – Revenue miles by mode SAFETY PERFORMANCE MEASURE: SAFETY EVENTS (total number of reportable events and rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode)  Combined above with reportable incidents for customers, employees and the public o DATA – Safety incidents by mode o DATA – Revenue miles by mode o DEFINE – Safety incident vs. other incidents SAFETY PERFORMANCE MEASURE: SYSTEM RELIABILITY (mean distance between major mechanical failures by mode)  Relationship with TAM Plan – State of Good Repair (SGR) by mode o DATA – Definition of system SGR in TAM o DATA – Annual target data by mode o DATA – Reference to TAM plan policies impacting system reliability o DATA – Include annual System Reliability o DATA – Revenue miles by mode o DATA – Major mechanical failure by mode with dates o DEFINE – Major mechanical failure  Towed from service  Greater than $X of repairs  Greater than X days out of service Safety Performance Target Coordination The Accountable Executive and Board of Directors shares the OCPT ASP, including safety performance targets with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Burlington/Graham MPO and Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro MPO, year after the board have adopted the plan and OCPT staff have assured that its content has met the requirements of CFR 49, part 673; Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan. Targets Transmitted to the State State Entity Name Date Targets Transmitted Integrated Mobility Division NCDOT Targets Transmitted to the Metropolitan Planning Organization(s) Metropolitan Planning Organization Name Date Targets Transmitted Burlington/Graham Urban Area MPO Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro MPO DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 65 5 ____________________ 4. Safety Management Policy Safety Management Policy Statement The Orange County Board of County Commissioners and Transportation Services Director strive to provide a safe environment for employees, customers and guests of OCPT facilities and services. OCPT aims to support a robust safety culture, and achieve a high level of safety performance. We also work to ensure that all employees are provided with adequate and appropriate safety information and training. We have established safety performance targets to help us measure the overall effectiveness of our processes. OCPT is committed to the following safety objectives:  Communicating the purpose and benefits of the Safety Management System (SMS) to all managers, supervisors, and employees.  Providing a culture of open reporting of all safety concerns, ensuring that no action will be taken against any employee who discloses a safety concern through OCPT’s Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP), unless such disclosure indicates, beyond any reasonable doubt, an illegal act, gross negligence, or a deliberate or willful disregard of regulations or procedures.  Identifying hazardous and unsafe work conditions and analyzing data from all sources. (After analyzing provided data, the OCPT Safety Committee will develop processes and procedures to mitigate safety risk to an acceptable level.)  Establishing safety performance targets that are realistic, measurable, and data driven. Continually improving our safety performance through management processes that ensure appropriate safety management action is taken and is effective. Safety Management Policy Communication Employee engagement is crucial to a functioning Safety Management System (SMS). Communication is in place to enable awareness of OCPT safety objectives/safety performance targets as well as to provide on•going safety communication up, down, and across the organization. Management proactively engages employees and works to keep the lines of safety communication honest and open. All e mployees are made aware of the importance of OCPT’s SMS through the distribution of OCPT’s Safety Management Policy Statement to each employee. OCPT also posts copies of the Safety Management Policy Statement in all facilities. Authorities, Accountabilities, and Responsibilities Accountable Executive The Transportation Services Director serves as OCPT’s Accountable Executive with the following authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities under this plan:  Responsible for ensuring an SMS culture for OCPT operations employees  Controls and directs human and capital resources needed to develop and maintain the ASP and SMS.  and has ultimate responsibility for carrying out the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan of a public transportation agency;  responsibility for carrying out the agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan; and Theo Letman, Orange County Transportation Services Director Date DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 9/2/2020 66 6  control or direction over the human and capital resources needed to develop and maintain both the agency’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 5329(d), and the agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 5326  Designates a Chief Safety Officer who reports directly to the Accountable Executive. Chief Safety Officer or SMS Executive The Accountable Executive designates the Director of Commuter Operations as OCPT’s Chief Safety Officer. The Chief Safety Officer has the following authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities under this plan:  Promotes safety awareness throughout the organization ensuring that safety management has a high priority;  Ensures that ASP documentation is current and accessible to all employees, communicating changes to all personnel;  Monitors the effectiveness of safety mitigations;  Provides Safety Risk Management advice and supports the Executive Director and personnel who conduct and oversee Safety Assurance activities. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 67 7 Agency Leadership and Executive Management Agency Leadership and Executive Management also have authorities and responsibilities for day-to-day SMS implementation and operation of OCPT’s SMS under this plan. OCPT Agency Leadership and Executive Management include:  Transportation Administrator,  Operations Manager,  Transit Operations Supervisor  Transportation Services Manager, and  Senior Automotive Mechanic OCPT Leadership and Executive Management personnel have the following authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities:  Participate as members of OCPT’s Safety Committee as called upon; o OCPT Safety Committee: Reported safety hazards are evaluated by the Safety Committee. Safety Committee members include the Chief Safety Officer, Operations Manager, Safety/Training Manager and the Field Operations Specialist.  Oversee day-to-day operations of the SMS in their departments;  Provide subject matter expertise to support implementation of the SMS as requested by the Accountable Executive or the Chief Safety Officer. The Safety/Training Manager has the following additional authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities:  Provides safety related training to employees;  Maintains full knowledge of all standard and safety operating procedures;  Ensures that employees make safety a primary concern when on the job;  Listens and acts upon any safety concerns raised by OCPT staff;  Oversees day-to-day implementation and operation of OCPT's SMS; and  Maintains OCPT’s Safety Event Log. The Operations Manager has the following additional authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities:  Monitors OCPT’s Safety Event Log and analyzes trends in hazards, occurrences, incidents, and accidents to maintain OCPT’s Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report as part of Safety Risk Management (SRM); and  Identifies substandard performance in OCPT's SMS and develops action plans for approval by the Accountable Executive.  Chairs the OCPT Safety Committee and coordinates quarterly meetings. Key Staff OCPT relies on Dispatch/Supervisors, Operators and Mechanics Technicians as front- line safety personnel take part in monthly Safety Meetings in support of the SMS: DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 68 8  Safety Committee: All Safety Events are discussed as well as any activities that have been put in place to prevent future occurrences. Facility inspections and any hazards identified are also discussed. This committee’s members include the Safety/Training Manager (chair), at least one Dispatch/Supervisor and one or more of the Transit Operators and Mechanics.  All-Employee Safety Meetings: A permanent agenda item in monthly All- Employee Safety Meetings is dedicated to safety. Safety issues are discussed and documented. Hazard reports and mitigations will be shared, safety topics will be brought up for open discussion, further feedback solicited, and hazard self-reporting further encouraged. Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP) OCPT is committed to the safest transit operating standards possible. To achieve this, it is imperative that OCPT have uninhibited reporting of all incidents and occurrences which may compromise the safe conduct of our operations. To this end, every employee is responsible for the communication of any information that may affect the integrity of transit safety. OCPT encourages employees who identify safety concerns in their day-to-day duties and to report them to senior management in good faith without fear of retribution. OCPT encourages participation in the ESRP by protecting employees that report safety conditions in good faith. However, OCPT may take disciplinary action if the safety report received by OCPT is from a source other than the employee, or involves an illegal act, gross negligence, or a deliberate or willful disregard of promulgated regulations or procedures. There are many ways employees can report safety conditions:  Report conditions directly to the dispatcher, who will add them to the daily Operations Log.  Report conditions directly to any supervisor, manager, or director. 5. Safety Risk Management Safety Risk Management Process OCPT uses the SRM process as a primary method to ensure the safety of our operations, passengers, employees, vehicles, and facilities. It is a process whereby hazards and their consequences are identified, assessed for potential safety risk, and resolved in a manner acceptable to OCPT’s leadership. OCPT’s SRM process allows us to carefully examine what could cause harm and determine whether we have taken sufficient precautions to minimize the harm, or if further mitigations are necessary. OCPT’s Operations Manager leads OCPT’s SRM process, working with OCPT’s Safety Committee to identify hazards and consequences, assess safety risk of potential consequences, and mitigate safety risk. The results of OCPT’s SRM process are documented in our Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report and Assessment Log and referenced materials. Safety Hazard Identification Establishing effective hazard identification programs is fundamental to safety management at OCPT. Hazard identification can be reactive or proactive in nature. Occurrence reporting, incident investigation an d trend analysis are essentially reactive. Other hazard identification methods actively seek feedback by observing and analyzing day-to-day operations. Common hazard identification activities include:  Safety audits and inspections of vehicles and facilities;;  Safety event and incident investigation and reporting;  Review of vehicle camera footage; DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 69 9  Results of training assessments;  Review of performance data and safety performance targets;  Observations from supervisors;  Maintenance reports;  OCPT ESRP  Safety Committee, Drivers’ and other staff meetings  Evaluating safety related comments from customers and passengers;  Federal Transit Administration (FTA) oversight The practice of reporting and learning from accident precursors (drive-cam) is a valuable complement to other hazard identification practices. To be successful, hazard identification must take place within a just safety culture. Accident precursors are not only an opportunity to identify potential hazards, but also for supervisors to c oach operators through various safety situations. When a safety concern is observed by OCPT personnel it is reported to OCPT’s Operations Manager—these reports are made in accordance with OCPT’s employee reporting policy. OCPT’s Operations Manager also receives customer comments related to safety, and the dispatch daily Operations Log. OCPT’s Operations Manager reviews these sources for hazards and documents them in OCPT’s Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report. OCPT’s Operations Manager also may enter hazards into the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report based on their review of OCPT’s operations and maintenance, the results of audits and observations, and information received from FTA and other oversight authorities, as well as the National Tra nsportation Safety Board. OCPT’s Operations Manager may conduct further analyses of hazards and consequences entered into the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report to collect information and identify additional consequences and to inform which hazards should be prioritized for safety risk assessment. OCPT’s Operations Manager will then prepare an agenda to discuss identified hazards and consequences with the Safety Committee. This agenda may include additional background on the hazards and consequenc es, such as the results of trend analyses, vehicle camera footage, vendor documentation, reports and observations, or information supplied by FTA or other oversight authorities. Chief Safety Officer and Operations Manager will evaluate recommendations from the Safety Committee and any identified hazard that poses a real and immediate threat to life, property, or the environment will be brought to the attention of the Accountable Executive and addressed through the SRM process (with or without the full S afety Committee) for safety risk assessment and mitigation. This means that the Chief Safety Officer believes immediate intervention is necessary to preserve life, prevent major property destruction, or avoid harm to the environment that would constitute a violation of Environmental Protection Agency or any state environmental protection standards. Otherwise, the Safety Committee will prioritize hazards for further SRM activity. Safety Risk Assessment Once hazards have been identified, OCPT will conduct an assessment to determine the potential consequences. Factors to be considered are the likelihood of occurrence, the severity of the consequences, and the level of exposure to the hazard. The Operations Manager and Safety Committee assess prioritized hazard s using a Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM). Results of the risk assessment process will help determine whether the risk is being effectively managed by prioritizing combined risks into levels, High, Medium, or Low, based on the likelihood of occurrence and severity of the outcome. For purposes of accepting risk:  “High” hazard ratings will be considered unacceptable and require action from OCPT to mitigate the safety risk  “Medium” hazard ratings will be considered undesirable and require OCPT’s Safety Committee to make a decision regarding their acceptability  “Low” hazard ratings may be accepted by the Chief Safety Officer without additional review. The Operations Manager schedules safety risk assessment activities on the Safety Committee agenda. During the meeting, the Operations Manager reviews the hazard and its consequence(s) and reviews available information on severity and likelihood. The Chief Safety Officer and/or Operations Manager may request support from members of the Safety Committee in obtaining additional information to support the safety risk assessment. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 70 10 Once sufficient information has been obtained, the Operations Manager will facilitate completion of relevant sections of the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report, using the OCPT Safety Risk Assessment Matrix, with the Safety Committee. The Operations Manager will document the Safety Committee’s safety risk assessment, including hazard rating and mitigation options for each assessed safety hazard in the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report. The Operations Manager will maintain on file Safety Committee agendas, additional information collected, and the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report and Assessment Tool entries for a period of three years from the date of generation. Safety Risk Mitigation OCPT’s Operations Manager and the Safety Committee also review current methods of safety risk mitigation and establish methods or procedures to mitigate or eliminate safety risk associated with specific hazards. If the risks are unacceptable, OCPT will take steps to lower the risk to an acceptable or tolerable level, or to remove or avoid the hazard. The level of risk can be lowered by:  Reducing the severity of the potential consequences;  Reducing the likelihood of occurrence and/or;  Reducing the exposure to that risk; or  Some combination of 1, 2 or 3 above. In general, OCPT will take the following safety actions to mitigate risk. These actions can be grouped into three broad categories, including:  Physical Defenses: These include objects and technologies that are engineered to discourage, or warn against, or prevent inappropriate action or mitigate the consequences of events (e.g. traffic control devices, fences, safety restraining systems, etc.).  Administrative Defenses: These include procedures and practices that mitigate the likelihood of accident/incident (e.g. safety regulations, standard operating procedures, personnel proficiency, supervision inspection, training, etc.).  Behavioral Defenses: These include behavioral interventions through education and public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing risky and reckless behavior. OCPT’s Operations Manager tracks and updates safety risk mitigation information in the Critical Asset Vulnerability Action Report and makes the Register available to the Safety Committee and to other OCPT staff upon request. 6. Safety Assurance Safety Assurance provides the necessary feedback to ensure that the SMS is functioning effectively and that OCPT is meeting or exceeding its safety objectives. Safety assurance requires a clear understanding of how safety performance will be evaluated, or in other words, what metrics will be used to assess system safety and determine if the safety management system is working properly. Having decided on the metrics by which success will be measured; safety management requires using these metrics within the organization for ongoing performance improvement. Through our Safety Assurance process, OCPT:  Assesses the effectiveness of safety risk mitigations to make sure the mitigations are appropriate and are implemented as intended;  Investigates safety events to identify causal factors; and  Analyzes information from safety reporting, including data about safety failures, defects, or conditions. Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement One purpose of the OCPT SMS is to ensure that OCPT is tracking and addressing safety concerns of all types that arise within OCPT services and facilities. OCPT has many processes in place to monitor its entire transit system for compliance with operations and maintenance procedures including: DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 71 11 Monitoring Activities:  Facility Inspections  Safety Meetings  Training Activities  Accident Investigation Reports  Injury Reports  Bus Inspections  Preventative Maintenance of Vehicles  Comprehensive Vehicle Maintenance Review  Ride-along Evaluations (Driver and Route)  Security Officers  Security Cameras The safety data collected from the above sources will be analyzed by OCPT for potential safety impacts. Data are compared against performance trends by the Operations Manager to determine where action needs to be taken. OCPT is committed to using the data collected and information learned from mitigation efforts to inform decision making and instill positive change. The main objective of all safety mitigations is the improvement of transit system safety. The mechanism for monitoring safety risk mitigations varies depending on the mitigation. OCPT’s Operations Manager and OCPT’s Safety Committee monitor operations to identify mitigations that may be ineffective, inappropriate, or not implemented as intended. When performance goals are not met, OCPT will work to identify why such goals were not met and what actions can be taken to minimize the gap in achieving defined goals.  Identify why the mitigations were unsuccessful o Identify unrealistic expectations that may have been hampering process o GAP analysis  Create new mitigation strategies  Help make informed resource allocation decisions  Identify improvements  Reassessment OCPT maintains documented procedures for conducting safety investigations of events (accidents, incidents, and occurrences, as defined by FTA). Accident management includes following defined accident scene and record keeping procedures. Conducting safety event investigations includes:  Complete accident/incident investigation report  Take photographs if needed  Review available video/audio of event  Collect police reports if available (determining factors may be identified by police report)  Report claims to insurance (determining factors may be identified by insurance investigation professionals)  Coach/council or discipline of personnel if needed The Safety Manager and other staff will be able to use data collected through the investigation process to compile a list of potential determining factors for analysis and to assign mitigation measu res as needed. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 72 12 Internally reported safety concerns can be recorded through an incident report or through the ESRP. These safety concerns are either handled immediately by the Safety/Training Manager and/or brought to the attention of OCPT Safety Manager and the Safety Committee as needed. All concerns are filed for data/record keeping purposes. 7. Safety Promotion Competencies and Training OCPT’s Accountable Executive and Agency Leadership must complete FTA’s SMS Awareness online training and an executive session on safety management sponsored by CT’s transit insurance pool. OCPT’s safety training program applies to all employees directly responsible for safety, including: • Bus vehicle operators, • Dispatchers, • Maintenance technicians, • Managers and supervisors, and • Safety/Training Manager Basic training requirements for OCPT’s employees, including frequencies and refresher training, are documented by the Safety/Training Manager. Operations safety-related skill training includes the following: • New-hire bus vehicle operator classroom and hands-on skill training, • Bus vehicle operator refresher training, • Bus vehicle operator retraining (recertification or return to work), • Classroom and on-the-job training for dispatchers, • Classroom and on-the-job training for operations supervisors and managers, • Accident investigation training for operations supervisors and managers. • Driver Evaluations, • Personal Protective Equipment, • Lockout/Tagout training • Bloodborne Pathogens and • NCDOT Minimum Safety Standards Vehicle maintenance safety-related skill training includes the following: • Ongoing vehicle maintenance technician skill training, • Ongoing skill training for vehicle maintenance supervisors, • Personal Protective Equipment, • Bloodborne Pathogens, • Ongoing hazardous material training for vehicle maintenance technicians and supervisors, and • Lockout/Tagout training Safety Communication OCPT believes safety promotion is critical to the success of an SMS and aids in ensuring that the organization understands safety policies, procedures, and structure. Further, safety promotion involves establishing an organizational and workplace culture that recognizes safety as a core value, training employees in safety principles, and allowing open communications of safety issues. OCPT’s safety communication activities focus on requirements established in 49 CFR Part 673 (Part 673): That a transit agency must communicate safety and safety performance information throughout its organization which conveys information on hazards and safety risks relevant to employees' roles and responsibilities and informs employees of safety actions taken in response to reports submitted through the employee safety reporting program. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 73 13 OCPT maintains safety communication through: • Employee trainings, • Safety Communication Board, • Daily Safety Announcements/Messages, • Monthly Safety Meetings for Drivers and Maintenance Techs, • Driver Award Programs, and • Safety section of employee handbook. Positive safety culture must be generated from the top-down. The actions, attitudes, and decisions at the policy- making level must demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety. Safety must be recognized as the responsibility of each employee with the ultimate responsibility for safety resting with the Transportation Services Director of OCPT. Employees must trust that they will have management support for decisions made in the interest of safety while recognizing that intentional breaches of safety will not be tolerated. The primary goal of safety promotion at OCPT is to develop a positive safety culture that allows SMS to succeed. A positive safety culture at OCPT is defined as one which is: A. An Informed/Learning Culture  Employees understand the hazards and risks involved in their areas of operation;  Employees are provided with the necessary knowledge, training and resources; and  Employees work continuously to identify and overcome threats to safety. B. A Just Culture  Employees know and agree on what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior per policies outlined in their respective employee handbooks; and  Human errors must be understood but negligence and willful violations cannot be tolerated. C. A Reporting Culture  Employees are encouraged to voice safety concerns and to share critical safety information without the threat of punitive action; and  When safety concerns are reported they are analyzed and appropriate action is taken.  Employees are updated on safety issues by management and safety reports are fed back to staff so that everyone learns the pertinent lessons. Additional Information Supporting Documentation This PTASP was developed from information in other Orange County Public Transportation documents, policies and procedures and manuals. Those documents are listed below:  Orange County Public Transportation Employee Handbook  Safety and Security Plan (SSP)  Vehicle Maintenance Plan  Facility Maintenance Plan  Training Manual DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 74 14 Definitions of Special Terms Used in the Safety Plan Term Definition Accountable Executive A single, identifiable person who has ultimate responsibility for carrying out the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan of a public transportation agency; responsibility for carrying out the agency's Transit Asset Management Plan; and control or direction over the human and capital resources needed to develop and maintain both the agency's Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5329(d), and the agency's Transit Asset Management Plan, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5326. Accident An event that involves any of the following: a loss of life; a report of a serious injury to a person; a collision of public transportation vehicles; or an evacuation for life safety reasons, at any location, at any time, whatever the cause. Hazard Any real or potential condition that can cause injury, illness, or death; damage to or loss of the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure belonging to OCPT; or damage to the environment. Risk Composite of predicted severity and likelihood of the potential effect of a hazard. Risk Mitigation Method(s) to eliminate or reduce the effects of hazards. Safety Assurance Processes within a transit agency's Safety Management System that function to ensure the implementation and effectiveness of safety risk mitigation, and to ensure that the transit agency meets or exceeds its safety objectives through the collection, analysis, and assessment of information. Safety Event Is any accident, safety incident or safety occurrence (defined below). Safety Incident An event that involves any of the following: a personal injury that is not a serious injury; one or more injuries requiring medical transport; or damage to facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure that disrupts transit operations. Safety Management Policy A transit agency's documented commitment to safety, which defines the transit agency's safety objectives and the accountabilities and responsibilities of its employees in regard to safety. Safety Management System The formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of a transit agency's safety risk mitigation. SMS includes systematic procedures, practices, and policies for managing risks and hazar ds. Safety Occurrence An event without any personal injury in which any damage to facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure does not disrupt transit operations. Safety Performance Target A performance target related to safety management activities. Safety Promotion A combination of training and communication of safety information to support SMS as applied to the transit agency's public transportation system. Safety Risk Assessment The formal activity whereby a transit agency determines Safety Risk Management priorities by establishing the significance or value of its safety risks. Safety Risk Management A process within a transit agency's Agency Safety Plan for identifying hazards and analyzing, assessing, and mitigating safety risk. Serious Injury Any injury which: (1) requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days from the date the injury was received; (2) results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or noses); (3) causes severe hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage; (4) involves any internal organ; or (5) involves second-or third-degree burns, or any burns affecting more than 5 percent of the body surface. DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 75 15 List of Acronyms Used in the Safety Plan Acronym Word or Phrase ASP Agency Safety Plan CFR Code of Federal Regulations ESRP Employee Safety Reporting Program FTA Federal Transit Administration MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization SMS Safety Management System SRM Safety Risk Management VRM Vehicle Revenue Miles DocuSign Envelope ID: F923E4B7-C3AE-47BA-9137-B078929B7ADE 76 ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: July 20, 2022 Action Agenda Item No. 4.c. SUBJECT: Small Transportation Projects – Non-Strategic Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Summary of NCDOT Non-STIP Funding 2. Small Transportation Projects Progress Map June 2022 INFORMATION CONTACT: Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Planner, 919- 245-2582 Tom Ten Eyck, Transportation/Land Use Planner, 919-245-2567 PURPOSE: To discuss non-Strategic Transportation Improvement Program (Non-STIP) project progress in Orange County and collect new updates to add to the project list. BACKGROUND: On April 21, 2021, Transportation Planning staff presented the Small Transportation Projects – non-STIP – list to the OUTBoard for their bi-annual review. This document is an ongoing list of potential local projects administered by NCDOT. Such projects are: • High Impact-Low Cost Program and Hazard Elimination Program • SPOT Safety and SPOT Mobility – (Online Projects List) • Highway Maintenance Improvement Program (HMIP) – (Online Map) Attachment 1 provides the common characteristics of these local non-STIP projects, such as: • No right-of-way acquisition, construction ready and under contact in 24 months of approval; • Costs over $250,000 typically requires resolution of support from local elected body; • Funding can be paired with other funding sources; and • Subject to Board of Transportation (BOT) approval. OUTBoard members reside in all areas of the county and share familiarity with the roads and possible safety or maintenance concerns. Staff has developed a map of project areas that reflect a degree of progress since last discussing the topic (Attachment 2). Currently, staff are requesting OUTBoard members assist in helping to identify potential local projects, such as: • Dangerous intersections or road segments where accidents are known to occur • Potholes, drainage problems, pavement deteriorations, or similar road conditions • Roadways with line-of-sight issues or other hazardous conditions that could be mitigated with speed reduction, stop signs or some other low-cost mechanism Once non-STIP projects meet NCDOTs quantified funding criteria and are approved, there is little design or public involvement as they are relatively small projects with very low impact and are considered ‘construction ready.’ Maintenance projects aren’t subject to the same type of criteria but are prioritized and implemented based on available funding. 77 FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no immediate financial impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): Staff recommends the OUTBoard review the attached materials, ask questions as needed, and provide to staff any particular intersections/roadways in which issues have been observed; these issues may be from personal observations or based on feedback from neighbors/family/friends/local social media conversations. 78 Attachment 1 Summary of “Non-STIP” Funding Sources for Transportation Improvements High Impact-Low Cost Program: • Purpose- Deliver localized roadway improvements deemed to have substantial benefit while minimizing cost and project delivery time • Introduced in 2017 legislative session • Approx. $3.5 million per Division per biennium • Project cap $1.5 Million • Projects over $250 K require resolution of support from local elected body • Selection Criteria: Traffic volume, accidents, lane and shoulder width, pavement condition, multimodal benefits, other funding sources, County economic prosperity ranking • Local input solicited • Current/Recent Orange County Projects o Extend northbound right turn lane on Churton Street at US 70 • Examples of Potential Project Types o Intersection (turn lanes, radius improvements, realignments) o Signalization or modification of existing signals o Widening lanes and resurfacing, pavement strengthening o Other projects that do not require R/W acquisition or utility relocation Spot Safety Program: • Purpose- Deliver smaller localized improvements to address identified safety and operational issues • Project cap $400K but can be combined with other funding sources • Can be paired with other funding sources • Projects assessed on a quarterly basis for relative cost/benefit scoring based on anticipated reduction in frequency and/or severity of crashes • R/w acquisition and utility relocation costs are eligible but should be minimized • Project delivery in 18-24 months following funding approval • Current/Recent Projects in Orange County o Buckhorn Road at West Ten Road- Install all-way stop o NC 86 at Sawmill Road- Install flasher, channelization and sight distance improvements o Old NC 10 at Lawrence Road- Horizontal Curve and superfetation improvements • Examples of Potential Projects o Horizontal and vertical alignment and sightline improvements o Sight line improvements o Signalization and/or modification to existing signal o Paved shoulders, rumble strips, intersection flashers, all-way stops o Enhanced signing, markings, markers and guardrails 79 Attachment 1 Hazard Elimination Program: • Purpose- Essentially the same as Spot Safety Program but typically used for projects with higher costs and longer delivery timeline • Federal funded program subject to federal regulations • Projects assessed on a quarterly basis for relative cost/benefit scoring based on anticipated reduction in frequency and/or severity of crashes • Projects programmed in STIP but not subject to SPOT process • ROW acquisition and utility relocation costs are eligible but should be minimized • Examples of potential projects o Same as Spot Safety but generally higher cost and longer duration • Current/Recent Projects in Orange County o Efland Cedar Grove Road south of Highland Farm Road- Realign horizontal curve Spot Mobility Program: • Purpose- Deliver smaller localized improvements to address identified congestion and operational issues. • Project cap $750K but can be combined with other funding sources • Projects assessed on a quarterly basis relative to cost/benefit on anticipated reduction in travel time during peak periods • R/w acquisition and utility relocation costs are eligible but should be minimized • Project delivery in 18-24 months following funding approval • Examples of potential projects: o Turn lanes, lane widening, signalization, off-site improvement for schools • Current/Recent Projects in Orange County o Reimbursement to CHCSS for turn lanes at Chapel Hill High School Expansion Highway Maintenance Improvement Program (HMIP) • Program Purpose- Repair and Resurface existing pavements to provide for acceptable operation and maintenance condition • Recurring annual allocation per county/division as stipulated by enacted State budget • 5-year program developed for implementation and updated annually • Projects selected based on relative ranking of biennial pavement condition survey, engineering judgement and local jurisdiction input • Close coordination with local stakeholders is critical in project selection and scheduling • Widening of existing travel lanes and/or installation of paved shoulders possible where warranted but limited to no more than 10% of program. 80 Attachment 2 81 82 June 13, 2022 To the Members of the North Carolina General Assembly, We, the undersigned mayors, join together to support a critically important legislative effort to devote a portion of state sales tax revenues to seriously needed investments in our state’s transportation system. We are pleased to join our state’s business community and state-wide transportation advocates to encourage the General Assembly to take action during the short session. As mayors, we believe additional transportation funding would come at a critical and opportune time. While our economy and population are growing, funding for the transportation system is stretched thin and many important transportation improvements have been delayed or shelved due to a need for additional funding. Several factors make this the right time to take a step forward to modernize our transportation finance:  Our state’s primary funding source for transportation (the gas tax) is expected to decline in the coming years as more electric vehicles are on our roads.  Inflation and population growth both highlight the need for additional funding to keep our short- and long-term projects on track to meet the future needs of our citizens and economy.  Building and maintaining the resilient and responsive transportation system that our businesses and communities need requires additional, and unexpected, investments. Now is the best time to make an important forward-looking adjustment to our state’s transportation financing by modernizing and diversifying the revenue sources that support our system. Current discussions and proposals (such as S793) in the General Assembly have focused on devoting a portion of sales tax revenue to transportation at a level that reflects the transportation- related sales and use tax collections. Sales tax collections from transportation related sales and services (such as car parts and repairs), generates over $500 million a year. Dedicating these transportation related revenues to our transportation system does not raise taxes, but expands upon the long-standing tradition of “user pays” for transportation finance. It just makes sense to make this shift. The collections of transportation related sales and use taxes have been growing at the same time as the demand for state transportation investments to support our economy and mobility are also growing. We are proud of the North Carolina transportation system. The partnership our cities have with the General Assembly and the NCDOT to plan, build, and maintain one of our nation’s best transportation systems is exemplary, but it is a system that should never be taken for granted. It has been a vital part of creating economic opportunity for our citizens, both urban and rural residents. Transportation development and construction require sustainable funding and planning that looks many years ahead and we know, once you fall behind, it is too late. If we are to grow and nurture our economy and protect our quality of life, we MUST INVEST NOW for the future. That is why we stand with our business community and the members of the NC Chamber of Commerce’s Destination 2030 Coalition to ask that the General Assembly take action this short session. The time is right and the conditions for the investments to carry us forward may never be better than they are today. Bold action now will bear fruit for many years to come. CHAPEL HILL Mayor Pam Hemminger Chair WILMINGTON Mayor Bill Saffo Vice Chair CONCORD Mayor Bill Dusch Treasurer GREENSBORO Mayor Nancy Vaughan Past Chair APEX Mayor Jacques Gilbert ASHEVILLE Mayor Esther Manheimer BOONE Mayor Tim Futrelle BURLINGTON Mayor Jim Butler CARRBORO Mayor Damon Seils CARY Mayor Harold Weinbrecht CHARLOTTE Mayor Vi Lyles CORNELIUS Mayor Woody Washam DURHAM Mayor Elaine O’Neal FAYETTEVILLE Mayor Mitch Colvin FUQUAY-VARINA Mayor Blake Massengill GASTONIA Mayor Walker Reid GREENVILLE Mayor P.J. Connelly GOLDSBORO Mayor David Ham HICKORY Mayor Hank Guess HOLLY SPRINGS Mayor Sean Mayefskie JACKSONVILLE Mayor Sammy Phillips KANNAPOLIS Mayor Darrell HInnant MATTHEWS Mayor John F. Higdon MOORESVILLE Mayor Miles Atkins NEW BERN Mayor Dana Outlaw RALEIGH Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin ROCKY MOUNT Mayor Sandy Roberson SALISBURY Mayor Karen Alexander STATESVILLE Mayor Costi Kutteh WILSON Mayor Carlton Stevens WINSTON-SALEM Mayor Allen Joines DIRECTOR William A. (Beau) Mills Beau.mills@metromayors.com (919) 637-0873 www.ncmetromayors.com 83 Sincerely, Mayor Pam Hemminger, Chapel Hill Mayor Bill Saffo, Wilmington Mayor Bill Dusch, Concord Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Greensboro Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert, Apex Mayor Esther Manheimer, Asheville Mayor Tim Futrelle, Boone Mayor Jim Butler, Burlington Mayor Damon Seils, Carrboro Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Cary Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte Mayor Woody Washam, Cornelius Mayor Elaine O’Neal, Durham Mayor Mitch Colvin, Fayetteville Mayor Blake Massengill, Fuquay-Varina Mayor Walker Reid, Gastonia 84 Mayor David Ham, Goldsboro Mayor Hank Guess, Hickory Mayor Sean Mayefskie, Holly Springs Mayor Sammy Phillips, Jacksonville Mayor Darrell Hinnant, Kannapolis Mayor John Higdon, Matthews Mayor Miles Atkins, Mooresville Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin, Raleigh Mayor Sandy Roberson, Rocky Mount Mayor Karen Alexander, Salisbury Mayor Costi Kutteh, Statesville Mayor Carlton Stevens, Wilson Mayor Allen Joines, Winston-Salem 85 86 North Carolina Must Allocate Transportation Dollars for Transportation Needs It seems obvious, all funds collected from transportation-related taxes and fees should be allocated for investment in North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure. Taxes and fees collected for transportation-related purchases are currently allocated to the state’s general fund, which can be used for anything. It is time to change that process. According to the State Sales and Use Tax Statistics for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 report released by the N.C. Department of Revenue, more than $500 million in state sales taxes on more than $11 billion in automotive-related purchases (e.g., auto dealers, auto supply stores, service stations, tire retailers, etc.) went to the general fund during the past fiscal year. This could have provided a significant and desperately needed investment in North Carolina’s transportation needs. North Carolina continues to face a transportation funding crisis and the business community is aligned to find modernized, diversified revenue streams to keep our roads, railways, ports, and airports well-funded over the next decade and beyond. Allocating transportation tax dollars to transportation needs is a solution that can and should be implemented now. North Carolina must build the modernized funding model we need to keep growing good jobs for the people of North Carolina and secure our state’s continued success. The Destination 2030 Coalition needs you to help us make it happen. ncchamber.com 282.6 279.9 299.9 330.8 366.9 432.8 435.2 463.5 470.1 526.5 0.0 100.0 200.0 300.0 400.0 500.0 600.0 2011-20122012-20132013-20142014-20152015-2016*2016-2017*2017-20182018-20192019-2020**2020-2021**State Sales and Use Tax: Automotive Group Gross State Collections ($1,000,000s) 201 Motor vehicle dealers 202 Servic e st at ions 203 Garages 204 Motorcycle and bicycle dealers 205 Automotive supply stores 206 Other automotive businesses 207 Oil and petroleum products dealers 208 Tire dealers, recappers and repairers 209 Manufactured home (mobile home) dealers Data from: www.ncdor.gov/news/reports-and-statistics/state-sales-and-use-tax-reports-fiscal-year 87 Destination 2030 Coalition 2MQ Consulting, LLC ACEC/North Carolina AECOM AMT ATCS Albert J. Ellis Airport Alfred Benesch & Company American Airlines Andrew Consulting Engineers Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Association of Equipment Manufacturers Atkins Austin Powder Company Autobell Car Wash, Inc. BHDP Baldwin Consulting Group Benson Area Chamber of Commerce Black Empowerment Network Blockade Runner Beach Resort Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Branch Civil, Inc. Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce Brooke Cashion and Associates – Allen Tate Burke County Chamber of Commerce Business Alliance for a Sound Economy CTE C&J’s Non-Emergency Transport Services Cameron & Cameron Assembly, Moving & Storage, Inc. Cape Fear REALTORS Carolinas AGC Carolina Asphalt Pavement Association Carolina CAT Carolinas Concrete Paving Association Carolinas Concrete Pipe and Products Association Carolinas Ready Mixed Concrete Association (CRMCA) Cary Chamber of Commerce Caterpillar CES Group Engineers, LLP Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Cintra Classic Stone Supply, LLC Clicksuasion Labs Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Cook Medical Concrete Supply Co. Conjet AB Dane Construction, Inc. Daniels Tours LLC Davis-Martin-Powell Dewberry Domtar Corporation Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. First National Bank Gannett Fleming, Inc. Gaston Business Association Gaston Capital LLC GEL Solutions, LLC GIALink Inc. GlaxoSmithKline GoTriangle Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. Greenfield Development Company Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce Grifols GSM Services HDR HNTB Corporation Hanesbrands, Inc. Hanson Aggregates Southeast, LLC Hedrick Industries Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce Highway 17/64 Association Iredell County Economic Development Organization JMT K&R Group, Inc. Kilpatrick Townsend Kisinger Campo & Associates LTK Lanier Property Group Larry Goode Consulting Lyft Martin Marietta Matthews Chamber of Commerce Mattern & Craig Maymead, Inc. McCarthy Tire Mead & Hunt, Inc. Midstate Contractors, Inc. Milestone Solutions Minet Lacing Technology (MLT) North America Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce Moore County Chamber of Commerce N.C. Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association NC Go NC Metro Mayors Coalition NC REALTORS NCSITE Nexsen Pruet PLLC NHM Constructors, LLC North Carolina Aggregates Association North Carolina CCIM Chapter North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA) North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) North Carolina Ports North Carolina Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers North State Bank North Raleigh Chamber of Commerce NP Strategy Open Book Extracts Parkside Restaurant Piedmont Triad Airport Authority Professional Engineers of North Carolina RK&K RS&H Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Ramey Kemp Associates Regional Transportation Alliance Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina Roadsafe Traffic Systems Robocist, Inc. Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce Rowan Chamber RR Smith Strategic Solutions SAS STV Sand Ridge Materials SEPI, Inc. Shurtape Technologies, LLC Signarama Fayetteville Spangler Environmental, Inc. Stantec Consulting Stewart Summit Design and Engineering Services Sungate Design Group Terracon Consultants, Inc. The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus The Wooten Company Thigpen Engineering Thomas Construction Group Town of Matthews Triangle East Chamber of Commerce Trimble, Inc. Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc. Tropical Smoothie Cafe Truliant Federal Credit Union VHB Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc. Volvo Group Vulcan Materials Company WSP Walls Engineering, pllc Wake Stone Corporation Wave Transit Wetherill Engineering Wilkes Chamber of Commerce Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Wilmington International Airport WK Dickson & Co., Inc. W.M. Jordan 88