True Cap Metro Horror Stories-Part One

Howdy Comrades!

As promised, we begin to tell a series of Cap Metro horror stories, some frightening, some outrageous and some too stupid for words.  We begin with the reckless change to the "no show/ late cancelation policy."  In the past, if a Metro Access passenger (paratransit user) failed to show up when a Metro Access vehicle arrived or failed to cancel a ride at least one hour in advance, one would be charged a fee of $1.20 per offense.  In October of 2009, Cap Metro implemented a new policy that stated that there would also be a four day suspension in addition to the four no show fees if anyone incurred four or more no shows or late cancelations during a given month.  Both the Access Advisory Committee and the court mandated Metro Mobility Working Group expressed a concern that Metro staff follows a reasonable process before anyone was subject to suspension.  Metro management agreed that a passenger getting two nos shows would be notified that they had only two more offenses left and notified to appeal any incorrect no show charge.  In addition, Metro committed to notify the passenger in an accessible format, a Braille or Large Print letter or by Email.  Anyone who disagreed with a decision by Metro of an impending suspension of Metro Access service was also guaranteed a fair hearing to challenge the penalty prior to the sanction being enforced.

Beginning in 2010, it soon became evident to transit advocates that Metro had broken this agreement and that Metro Access passengers were being suspended without due process.  Notification of a pending suspension and notice of the right to appeal simply did not happen in many cases.  Alarm spread throughout Austin's disability community because jobs were in danger, lives disrupted and onerous taxi fares were being paid by passengers who were suspended by mistake.

In one case, I spoke to a gentleman who had accumulated fees for several no shows prior to the implementation of the new policy but was suspended for nonpayment of penalty fees.  He made numerous attempts to contact Metro staff in order to discover how much he owed and how to pay it in order to have his paratransit service reinstated.  Nobody with Cap Metro or Startrans could tell this man how to pay the bill, how much it was and where he should pay it.  I told him that such a cavalier attitude was unacceptable and to take a cab to the Metro facility on Thompson Lane and find someone who knew what was actually happening in his case.  At my direction, he notified Metro staff of his plans to visit them in order to pay his bill.  He was told that if he showed up at the facility on Thompson Lane that, "we will have to hurt you."  Staff indicated that under no circumstances were passengers welcome to drop by to pay their bills.

Comrades, are we dealing with a transit agency or the mafia?  These people were not joking, but the joke was on him because he had no service and no way to get it back.

Be assured that I was able to get Cap metro to come up with a figure which the gentleman paid in full via a third party. 

I will close for today with the news that Cap metro staff has decided to ask the Cap metro Board of Directors to tweak the new policy and drop the monetary penalties for no shows and late cancellations.  I think it is a wise move on their part.

Regards,

Chairman Mal

Power to the peeps!