Minutes
PCC Executive Committee Meeting
January 25, 2006
711 Eddy Street, San Francisco

PCC Executive Committee Members Present: Stu Smith, Chair; Jeanne Lynch, Vice Chair; Dee Ann Hendrix, Secretary; Jim Gillespie; Silas Telfor; John Lazar; Thomas George-Williams; Genya Ehrlich; Sandra Fancher; Jewel McGinnis; Jacy Cohen; Lisa Rosene; Jesse Lorenz; Bruce Oka; Luis Calderon; Semyon Portnoy; Paul Gillespie; Willie Mae Parish; Cheryl Damico; Ruth Lawner; Griff Humphrey; Ruach Graffis; Erma Brim; Gilda Chico; Laurie Graham; Paul Gillespie

PCC Executive Committee Members Excused: Vince Behan

Guests: Derik Calhoun, MV Transportation; John Murphy, MV Transportation; Feyson Lodde, MV Transportation; Michael Kwok; Russell Green; Elizabeth Grigsby; Nelson Sosa, Trans Metro Express; Arkadiy Gurevich, Trans Metro Express; Leon Schmidt, North and South of Market ADHC; Scott Blum, Medsam; Alan Yu; Marissa Fernandes, Toolworks; Jim Stephens, MV Transportation; Irwin Lum, TWU 250-A

Paratransit Broker: Marc Soto; Tulay Atalay; Kevin McNay; Richard Lesser

Muni: Annette Williams, Kate Toran

Read and Approve Agenda

Stu Smith, PCC Executive Committee chair, called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m. Jeanne Lynch read the agenda. Kate Toran suggested that a report from the Resource Analysis and Allocation Subcommittee be added to the agenda. Griff Humphrey asked to add a report on the debit card. The agenda was motioned/seconded/passed (M/S/P) as amended.

Approve minutes of December 7, 2005 meeting

The minutes were M/S/P as presented.

Comments from the Chair

Stu Smith stated that as the new Chair, he appreciates that the PCC is surrounded by competent, compassionate people. He added that he would adhere to the agenda and he asked that members make their point, but quickly to leave enough time for other discussion.

Election of PC&O Chair Coordinator

Cheryl Damico and Dee Ann Hendrix were nominated from the floor for PC&O Chair Coordinator. Dee Ann was voted PC&O Chair Coordinator 14 to 11.

2006 Draft PCC Workplan

The 2006 draft PCC workplan was motioned/seconded/passed as presented.

Report from the December 14, 2005 PC&O Lift Van/ADA Access meeting

Cheryl Damico provided the following report:

• There was no dialysis center representation.
• Kate Toran reported that the Secret Rider form was updated and asked members to contact her if interested in becoming a secret rider.
• MV reported that Jimmy Exxon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and that prayers and cards could be sent to MV and would be forwarded to him. Constance, formerly an MV driver, is now registered with paratransit as a result of a disabling injury and would be working a desk job for MV.
• Trans Metro Express reported that they are developing a Saturday dialysis run.
• There was an engaging discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of having multiple lift van providers.
• The Paratransit Broker reported that the office would be moving in April. They also announced that Jim O’Connor of National Cab Company had recentlypassed away.
• The next PC&O Lift Van/ADA Access meeting will be held on March 1, 2006.

Report from the January 4, 2006 PC&O Group Van meeting

Jacy Cohen provided the following report:

• Agency representatives reported that overall service quality is going well.
  • L’Chaim reported that they received new vehicles, Fords, in early winter to replace the previous Chevrolet cutaways that they had problems with. The new vehicles appear to be better and L’Chaim reported that their service with Medsam was going very well.
  • Laguna Honda ADHC is having some problems with MV because they changed the vehicle to a smaller van. They also reported that one of the regular drivers from Trans Metro Express resigned and they were in the process of getting another regular driver assigned. Overall service is ok, and when there’s a problem the agency and providers work together to make the needed improvements.
  • Regional Center reported that there were no complaints in the past quarter.
  • Self Help for the Elderly reported that there have been a couple of problems with Trans Metro Express related to no getting the manifests early enough to review them. Trans Metro and Self Help have been meeting to resolve this problem. They reported that their service with MV had been fine.
  • Lighthouse for the Blind reported that they used Trans Metro Express twice in December and that there were concerns regarding safety because passengers were not secured properly after being seated and before the vehicle moved. Concerns were raised that the drivers did not seem to understand how to properly escort blind people. Jewel McGinnis wrote a letter to the Broker’s office detailing the problems. Transmitter’s response refuted the details of the complaint. Trans Metro did say that the points raised by the letter would be brought up in their future training session. Marc Soto stated that the Broker’s office would be included in the planning process for the next Lighthouse for the Blind trip.
  • The ARC reported that at the October 5 meeting an issue was raised regarding poor customer service at Trans Metro. Since that meeting, the issue with Trans Metro was immediately resolved and has not repeated.
• Providers reported:
  • MV reported that their drivers unionized on January 1st and that they are hoping to see a reduction in turnover. Last month they got 5 new class B drivers. Their dispatcher, Lynn Spicer, is out on leave.
  • Medsam reported that service was going well with the Institute on Aging, L’Chaim, North and South of Market, and the Lighthouse for the Blind. They have several new drivers. If there is a problem, they work it out with the clients. Sam personally checks on safety issues, and supervisors rechecks as well. Every evening the supervisors at Medsam meet to discuss issues that arose and propose solutions to problems.
  • Trans Metro Express stated that they are meeting regularly with agency representatives to discuss their service. Trans Metro initiated meetings with Bayview Hunter’s Point ADHC, Potrero Hill and Self Help.
  • The providers each also presented on their driver sensitivity training programs.

Report from the January 20, 2006 Resource Analysis and Allocation Subcommittee

Griff Humphrey stated that the Resource Analysis and Allocation Subcommittee (RAAS) was originally established about five years ago as the fare equity subcommittee. RAAS wrote the well-received Paratransit White Paper, which includes a history of the San Francisco Paratransit program. The January 20th RAAS meeting focused on two issues that had been discussed at the last Paratransit Working Group meeting – fare equity and post-trip eligibility assessment/education.

Griff added that the paratransit program is faced with a deficit, which increases with each fiscal year. The SF Paratransit program received significant funding ($9.7M annually) from the ½ cent sales tax that is managed by the Transportation Authority. The ½ cent sales tax was renewed in the last election. The Select Committee on Paratransit, which is advised by the Paratransit Working Group (PWG), is working on ways to get additional funds to the paratransit program. The TA wants the SF Paratransit program to cut costs, and Griff noted that he believes that their proposals would hurt the paratransit program. He noted that we need to show the TA that we’re doing our best to control costs. Therefore the RAAS met to take up the discussion again.

The fare equity proposal, which was approved by the PCC as part of the White Paper, was discussed at the RAAS meeting. The fare equity proposal was also discussed and recommended by the PWG. The proposal is for the Lift Van and Group Van fares to go from $1.00 per one-way trip to $1.65 per one-way trip. This would equalize all the van fares at $1.65.

Annette Williams added that the PWG also recommended that the taxi medallion offset legislation, which was scheduled to expire December 31, 2005, be extended for one year. The taxi medallion offset legislation was enacted to help keep the costs to the paratransit program level after the last fare increase. Simply put, $.10 of every flag drop goes to the paratransit program. The taxi medallion offset legislation anticipated that when the transportation sales tax was re-authorized that the paratransit program would receive an increase. This increase did not happen, and therefore the taxi medallion offset legislation was recommended by the PWG to be extended for the short term. The PWG is also working on long-term funding solutions. The City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee of the Board of Supervisors recommended a one-year extension to the medallion offset. The full Board of Supervisors sent the recommendation back to committee for more discussion. The paratransit program is getting approximately $1M annually from the taxi medallion offset, so if the legislation is not extended, the paratransit program would incur a large cost.

Update on the Pilot Program for Taxi/ADA Access customers

Annette Williams reported that the PC&O held a series of systemwide meetings over the last year to discuss opening up the taxi program to more ADA Access consumers. The group engaged in a thoughtful discussion about policy and some analysis, and came to the recommendation that the first 100 active ADA Access consumers who were registered after the taxi freeze went into effect should be offered taxi scrip. The PCC brought forth this recommendation to Muni, and it was approved by Muni management. Muni has been working with the Broker to implement the policy. The Broker’s staff sent letters to those qualifying individuals, and ten individuals were contacted in their own language. Out of 100, 55 to date have registered for taxi service. The Broker staff will monitor the taxi and van usage to determine if the program is saving money by offering the lower cost per trip service (taxi) to van users. The Broker’s staff will also continue to offer the scrip to van users until 100 individuals have accepted the offer.

Luis Calderon asked if there is demographic information available on the users’ age. Annette responded that that information can be made available and that she will follow up with Broker’s staff.

Update on Debit Card

Annette reported that the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the debit card project was issued on January 10 but that there are still issues with the taxi companies. Muni is moving forward and trying to resolve the issues. The new Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) general manager, Nathaniel Ford, has been informed of the status of the project.

Michael Kwok asked about the hold up with the project. Annette stated that taxi companies want to choose the vendor that supplies the mobile data terminals, but there is only one vendor in the contract. Ruach Graffis stated that the original agreement was multi-vendor but then it was changed. Annette responded that from Muni’s perspective there was always one vendor, and that the contract is clear that there’s one vendor.

Thomas George-Williams stated that he is surprised that Muni would move forward with the project given the existence of a federal complaint concerning fraud in the debit card project, and the equipment seems to be out-dated. Annette responded that there is a lot of misinformation about the debit card project and that the equipment specified is not outdated. Under the contract, the City has two choices – KS 260 (equipment which is now in all Yellow and Luxor cabs) or the Vector 630 (the new touch screen model). And the City Attorney has reviewed all materials associated with the project and has not determined there to be any legal issues.

Paratransit Broker’s Report

Marc Soto gave the following report:

New Office Location:

The Broker is targeting the first week of April for the move to 68 12th Street. Marc met with the architect and space planner and discussed the chemical sensitivity issues that had been raised at the last PCC meeting. The architect and space planner will use the least toxic paint and carpets and other materials to address those concerns. Marc met with Department of Parking and Traffic to discuss the need for loading/unloading zones in front of the office. DPT is aware of the needs and there will be a public hearing to discuss parking changes. Marc will let the PCC know when the hearing is scheduled so that those interested can attend the hearing.

The Broker issued the required 120-day notice to vacate the current premises to their landlord, and the office will be relocating in April. Marc has met with the space planners and is finalizing the list of needed furniture and IT equipment. The Broker will be relocating their servers to 365 Main Street, which is a remote IT support center that provides 24/7 support and up-time. They also provide emergency service with minimal interruption in the system. Marc indicated the importance of this setup to ensure maximum up-time for the debit card project and multiple paratransit operators.

Information Technology (IT):

The Broker is working on an IT upgrade because the software must be updated to accommodate two providers in the ADA van program, and the existing computer hardware has become obsolete over the past five years. The old equipment will be recycled. The Broker’s computer system will be newly housed at 365 Main Street, which is a remote facility that will allow maximum up time for the system. The Broker’s IT staff is working on establishing the connections between the new office location, 365 Main Street and the van providers. The Mobility Master software will be upgraded to allow for multiple providers to route and schedule.

ADA Van Procurement:

The contract with Muni requires the Broker to conduct a competitive bid for van services. There was a similar competitive procurement process conducted in 2000, which resulted in the selection of the current providers. The Broker started the current competitive procurement process for ADA Lift van and ADA Access contracts about one year ago. At that time, notices were published in Passenger Transport and the SF Chronicle. In July 2005 the Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued. There were six addenda issued to the RFP. Responses were due on November 14, 2005. The Broker received three proposals – one from Trans Metro Express, one from Medsam and one from MV Transportation. In July 2005, a selection committee was assembled to review and score the proposals. The selection committee included two lift van consumers (one of whom was a PCC member), one ADA Access consumer, one SF Paratransit representative, one Muni representative and one social service agency representative. All members of the selection committee are familiar with the paratransit program. The selection committee reviewed the RFP, all the addenda, and the bid responses. The selection committee met and discussed the proposals and developed a list of strengths and weaknesses. Oral interviews were conducted on December 22, 2005 with each proposer. After the oral interviews, the committee had a final discussion of strengths and weaknesses and final scoring.

It was not a low bid contract; there were a maximum of 160 points for technical expertise and 40 points maximum for cost, for a maximum total of 200 points. Proposers could also increase their technical scores by 10% if they agreed to offer jobs to current employees.

The selection committee completed their evaluation of the technical component and the Broker staff computed the cost scores. Trans Metro Express was the clear front-runner and Medsam and MV Transportation were closer in score. Medsam was ahead of MV by 14.3 points in the technical component, even though MV earned the 10% bonus points and Medsam did not. After the cost proposals were scored, Medsam let MV by 20 points.

All three proposers were notified of the outcome of the selection process. This is a significant change since MV has been providing paratransit service for so many years. The Broker will conduct outreach to consumers and social service agencies to notify them of the changes. Not everybody may be happy with the outcome, but Marc indicated that he hoped that they would support the process because it was fair and open.

Ruach Graffis asked if the benefits are comparable with all three companies. Marc responded that all three met the minimum requirements for wages and benefits detailed in the RFP. MV’s benefits were different than the other two – all drivers and their dependents would be 100% covered for medical/dental insurance. The other two companies offer medical/dental insurance to their employees with a 20% employee contribution and benefits are made available to spouses, domestic partners and dependents at full cost.

Silas Telfor stated that he has a big problem with this procurement process because usually PCC members are on the selection committee. Silas does not believe that this was a fair process because the Broker’s software made MV fail.

Jessie Lorenz asked about the outreach to consumers. Marc stated that they are identifying the riders that will be affected by this change and preparing materials in accessible formats and multiple languages. Marc will also work with the social service agencies to inform them of the changes.

Irwin Lum, the president of TWU Local 250-A, stated that he is interested in talking to Trans Metro Express and Medsam about the drivers who are represented by the union, continuing employment.

Luis Calderon asked if Trans Metro Express and Medsam have experience with stair assist trips. Marc responded that they both provide stair assist trips for other contracts currently, so they do have experience with this type of service.

Ruth Lawner stated that she has had problems with MV coming late to pick her up. She had an 8:30 pick up and they came at 9:50. Over $1,000 was paid to MediCal for her missed doctor’s appointment. Ruth added that she tried to talk to MV about this problem because when paratransit riders are late the doctors still bill MediCal and Medicare.

Jeanne Lynch stated that she become involved in transportation through Senior Action Network because elderly people were coming to her in tears because they were getting stranded. The elderly and disabled people should not be ignored. Jeanne wanted to see the people who need this service get it and not have to deal with what Ruth has had to deal with.

Russell Green asked how long Trans Metro and Medsam have been in business. Marc responded that Medsam has been operating since 1991 and Trans Metro has been operating since 1992. Russell added that the contract requires new vans.

Elizabeth Grigsby stated that MV has had problems with being late but that the Broker should let them hire more drivers and give them more vans to correct the problems. Elizabeth feels that it is a day of shame that MV didn’t win the contract and that two new companies will be providing service. MV has been in business for a very long time and they have been doing a good job. Elizabeth stated that if the community can have choice then they could get rid of Marc.

Dee Ann Hendrix welcomed Trans Metro and Medsam to SF Paratransit. She added that change is scary, but that this will be a chance to provide choice. Dee Ann has advocated for choice for a long time, and it’s good that there’s now an opportunity for choice.

Griff Humphrey stated that he was involved in the process and that he did not like the outcome, but it was eminently fair. Ruach asked if the same rules that apply to the service now would apply under the new contracts. Marc responded that the same rules would apply.

Feysan Lodde stated that she was aware that the selection decision was made and that she was fine with the outcome, but she asked whether MV was the only provider that riders complained about. Kate Toran responded that it is hard to get a sense of the number of complaints just based on anecdotal information, so she prepared statistics on formal complaints. Kate read the following statistics:

Table 1: MV Complaints

Table 2: Trans Metro Express (TME) Complaints

Kate added that there have been no formal complaints filed regarding Medsam’s service. Erma Brim stated that the PCC should be getting reports on the complaint statistics regularly. Michael Kwok stated that he hopes that Trans Metro and Medsam will know how to do stair assist trips. It was the Broker’s responsibility to set up the RFP and that Michael will demand that Marc is removed if there is a failure April 1. Luis Calderon stated that he was disappointed because MV has been providing transportation in San Francisco for a long time and it’s going to be an emotional transition. Luis added that there needs to be a look at the structure of the PCC and how the PCC can best serve San Francisco.

Bruce Oka stated that the PCC should give MV a big round of applause because they have been the only lift van provider for many years. Bruce added that the community needs to give the new companies a chance to do a good job, and everyone should work together to make sure that they provide a good service.

Jacy Cohen stated that if the PCC members think there could be a problem with a selection process, they should have spoken up a long time ago. Jacy added that she was part of a selection process five years ago and it was a grueling process. It is disrespectful to the people who were on the committee to criticize the outcome when they took their responsibilities so seriously.

Dee Ann Hendrix asked how the consumers were chosen to be on the selection committee. Marc responded that he consulted with the PCC chair and the Mayor’s Office on Disability.

Derik Calhoun thanked the PCC members on behalf of MV Transportation. He stated that it’s a hard service to run and he wished good luck to Medsam and Trans Metro Express.

Marc thanked everyone for their comments. He is proud of the work that has been done in San Francisco and he reiterated that the process was fair. Marc thanked MV for all their work. Marc asked that the community give Medsam and Trans Metro an opportunity to succeed.

Announcements:

Annette Williams announced that the Accessible Services office will be moving to 1 South Van Ness in February 2006.

Kate Toran announced that there would be a Membership Subcommittee meeting on February 3, 2006, 10:30 – 12:30 at the Paratransit office.

The next PCC meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 29, 2006,

10:30 am – 12:30 pm at 711 Eddy Street.

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