Over the past year, the St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit, a disability advocacy group, released quarterly report cards that assessed Metro Transit’s paratransit service. Many Call-A-Ride customers are pleased with the region’s services. Still, disability rights advocates suggest more support from transit officials is needed to better serve a broader range of the area’s disabled community.
“At this point, the fact that we did get them to revise the ADA advisory committee, that was huge, and the fact that we are getting this new software, that's huge,” said Robyn Wallen, the transportation chair for Missouri Council of the Blind and SMART member. “The biggest struggle has been the communication … but I have a lot of hope right now.”
People with disabilities, advocates and family members with disabled loved ones make up SMART, which Paraquad convenes. The disability rights group decided to release quarterly progress reports last year after finding out that many people with disabilities opted out of using Call-A-Ride because they could not rely on Metro’s reservation system, and the many trip denials stopped them from riding on its vans.
SMART members graded Metro on customer experience, engagement with people with disabilities, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and keeping promises. Members graded Metro with letter grades from A to F. Throughout the year, Metro received a C average for engaging with the disabled community and customer experience. It received some below-average scores for keeping promises, and its ADA compliance score has improved.
Wallen said she is most excited about Metro’s new scheduling and dispatching software, which it is phasing into its system this month and next.
“This new system is much more modern. It offers a lot of the things that we wanted,” Wallen said. “First of all, it has more real-time scheduling. It also will be offering … an app that's been tested even by some of our SMART members that will be accessible, where people can go in and book their own rides and cancel their own rides and track where their van is, which is huge because that's something we've always asked for.”
Transit officials say the new reservation system will make public transportation more dependable for people with disabilities.
"These improvements will give our Metro Call-A-Ride customers more control over their day and will help ensure their paratransit experience is smooth and more reliable,” said Charles Stewart, Metro Transit's chief operating officer. “That is a key factor in helping older adults and individuals who have disabilities live independent lifestyles.”
Metro Transit also recently hired a new paratransit leader, Lewis Lowry III, who says he plans to implement new customer service protocols and advanced customer service training in St. Louis and St. Louis County.
However, SMART members say there is still room for improvement with the phone system. They also have issues with the voice recognition software. Wallen said everyone cannot push the required buttons.
Metro Transit can perform about 80% of what customers ask and that is because of budget and time constraints, but officials are listening to everything advocates suggest, said Taulby Roach, CEO of Bi-State Development Agency, which operates Metro Transit.
“We have a good, healthy and cooperative relationship with folks at SMART,” he said. “Although I think their grades are tough, I would like them to be higher. I value their critiques and use them to make discernible improvements.”
Stephanie McDowell uses Metro Transit’s Call-A-Ride mainly to get to and from work, the grocery store and recreational activities. McDowell is blind and has been dependent on Metro’s paratransit service for 25 years.
McDowell, also a SMART member, said she has encountered many challenges, like long wait times and route changes. Now, her wait time is at most 10 minutes to book a ride, and she no longer has to walk or catch a ride to a paratransit pickup location.
She is mostly pleased with the recent improvements but would like more communication between riders and Metro Transit officials. One suggestion many members brought to transit officials last year is to provide more locations to talk with officials about the issues riders face. Officials are now offering four Community Connect events across the region next month, including a virtual meeting.
“Change takes a long time, and we don't feel like we can let up, as far as continuing to make sure that they are following through with things they've said they are going to do,” McDowell said.
