Laserfiche WebLink
Task 4. Observation of All Three Operations <br /> Mr. Thatcher and Ms. Monahan shall then spend three days in the first week on-site observing <br /> the three operations (DPTS van operation and the two taxi operations), interviewing staff, and <br /> collecting additional service data. One full day shall be spent at each provider location. <br /> The oals of this first week on-site shall be to: 1)develop a first-hand understanding of all <br /> g � <br /> aspects of all three operations; and(2)discuss all aspects of the operation and service design <br /> and operations issues with management staff and operations personnel. The Contractor shall <br /> work with paratransit staff in advance of the visit to plan-out a schedule for the week. <br /> Van Operation <br /> The Contractor shall meet with the DPTS staff that manages the van operation and shall sit with <br /> the person who takes trip requests and dispatches vehicles. The Contractor shall gather <br /> information about how the operation is currently managed. This shall include gathering <br /> information about: <br /> ♦ The design of the phone system, including the number of incoming and outgoing lines <br /> and any options or voice messages used; <br /> ♦ Staffing and staff schedules for taking trip requests and for scheduling/dispatching <br /> service; <br /> ♦ Procedures for initial scheduling of trip requests, including uses of pick-up and <br /> appointment times and how trip times are negotiated to create the most efficient and <br /> workable schedule; <br /> ♦ Scheduling of the vans, including how standing order/subscription service is requested <br /> and scheduled; <br /> ♦ Operator shifts and how the van runs are structured to provide coverage of all hours of <br /> operation; <br /> ♦ Operator availability, including scheduled and unscheduled back-up; <br /> ♦ The design of the driver manifests in terms of information provided and the organization <br /> of the trips into a logical run; <br /> ♦ Dispatch procedures, including how no-shows and same day "will-calls"are handled; <br /> ♦ Service report preparation, including the type of information captured and how it is <br /> tabulated. <br /> Particular attention shall be given to whether the vans are able to accommodate all trip requests, <br /> particularly requests from riders who use wheelchairs. The Contractor shall ask staff if all trip <br /> requests are typically served and, if not, how information about requests that cannot be <br /> accommodated is recorded. The Contractor shall ask if riders who use wheelchairs are given <br /> scheduling priority(since they are not able to use the taxis) and if so how this is done. The <br /> Contractor shall also discuss if trips are sometimes referred to the taxi subcontractors if they <br /> cannot be handled on the vans(and again how this is done). <br /> To get a sense of how the van service is used by eligible riders and how it is performing,the <br /> Contractor shall gather and develop service information from reports that are regularly prepared <br /> Decatur Public Transit System 12 Paratransit Planning Study Agreement <br />