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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID HOUSTON TX PERMIT NO 2365 Metropolitan Transit Authority 1900 Main St. Houston, TX 77002 NEWSLETTER ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED SPRING 2014 Revising the no-show Policy Thank you to the over 100 contributors who TTI explained to attendees how a no-show will took part in last fall’s outreach regarding the apply only if the circumstances were within the proposed revisions to METROLift‘s No-Show customer’s control. For example, if a METROLift Policy and new Late Cancellation policy. These vehicle arrives late and the customer is not heavily attended public meetings provided found, then the customer is not charged with a METRO with much-needed feedback to help the no-show. agency reshape its policies and improve on-time Out of all the participants, 58% rated the policy performance. as positive, 32% rated negative and 10% did not It’s no secret that when a METROLift customer rate the policy. The most frequently mentioned fails to show up for a scheduled trip, or cancels concerns centered on communication with after it is too late to schedule another customer dispatch, the trip cancellation window and fair in his/her place, vehicle schedules become less application of the policy. efficient, other customers are inconvenienced Changes to the No-Show Policy and the and on-time performance is negatively introduction of a Late Cancellation policy are impacted. To help alleviate this issue, the Texas planned for later this year. More information Transportation Institute (TTI) and METROLift staff on implementation steps will be shared at the explained how the newly proposed revisions METROLift Moving Forward update sessions Greetings! to the current No-Show policy will help to listed below. Access TIMEPOINT Last fall we introduced TimePoint, a mobile- encourage more prompt cancellations of friendly website that allows you to input your unwanted trips. Use the following steps: Client ID number to check and verify your previously scheduled trip(s). I’m excited to inform you that this software will soon provide 1 Enter mlift.thebus. current vehicle location directly on the map. mobi into the browser of your computer or This feature will be tested in the spring with the smart device. goal of having any glitches worked out by the summer. in Development: timePoint vehicle Happy travels! Map Feature Update SeSSionS: New No-Show & Late CaNCeLLatioN PoLiCieS 2 Enter your METROLift ID number and Tuesday, March 18 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Lighthouse of Houston “TimePoint” will show 3602 West Dallas your trip information Michael Andrade, Director of METROLift for that day, including the vehicle map Wednesday, March 26 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PlazAmericas (Old Sharpstown Mall) (under testing). To receive your next newsletter via email, Community Room, 1st Floor please send your name and email address 7500 Bellaire Boulevard to: [email protected]. RideMETRO.org 4 RideMETRO.org The METROLift Safety Manager for On-Time Yellow Cab, Pamela Jefferson, recently nOTe frOm JOhn Gray UPcoMING MAc PerfOrmance received the Transit Safety and Security MEETINGS Program Certificate from the U.S. The next METROLift METROLift continues its Department of Transportation. Pamela wiTh mV Advisory Committee three-year plan to had the opportunity to visit different I was walking in downtown Houston yesterday, and I said meetings will be held: improve on-time transit agencies across the United States, “good morning” to a woman. She looked shocked and performance. which helped her successfully complete Thursday, April 3, 2014 surprised at my greeting. The woman then stopped and the following week long courses: 1 – 2:30 p.m. thanked me. It was the first time in years that someone had The goal of 85% for Year MMSC • Transit Bus System Safety – • Fundamentals of Bus Collision said “good morning” to her while she was walking. We both One has been achieved. 1475 W. Gray San Antonio, TX Investigation – Atlanta, GA laughed, as we remembered when such an exchange was • Transit System Security – • Bus Collision Prevention and simply considered being polite. We often do things out of In Year Two (current Salt Lake City, UT Investigation – Thousand habit, good or bad. Being polite is obviously a good habit; Thursday, June 5, 2014 fiscal year), METROLift is • Effectively Managing Transit Palms, CA however, common courtesy is apparently not so common 1 – 2:30 p.m. working to achieve an Emergencies – Grand these days. In our line of business, passenger transportation, 87% on-time rate. MMSC Rapids, MI we are trained to say “good morning; good afternoon; good 1475 W. Gray evening” to our riders. Being polite to a person goes a long The first four months way in providing a positive experience. Simply put, it is the were a good start and right thing to do. the service is working Pamela sTaTes, “Our motto is safety + service = success, so these to sustain a minimum courses have provided a foundation to help me develop and implement new Safety is also the right thing to do. There is no middle ground of 87% in the months safety initiatives for the meTrOlift yellow cab Program.” with safety. At MV, we practice defensive driving. We teach ahead. our drivers about LLLC (Look Ahead, Look Around, Leave Room and Communicate) and Rock and Roll (look for pedestrians and vehicles at intersections, following distances, The system safety courses covered the following topics: October etc.). Over the years, I have interviewed many drivers who 85% • The system safety concept • Identification of hazards and have been involved in accidents. Some will say “I wish I had 2013 applied across the unsafe practices done this,” instead of what they actually did. Safety is a habit organization • OSHA requirements and, with all good habits, we must do things properly before november • Behavioral safety methods • Fatigue awareness it becomes second nature. The goal of defensive driving is to cUSTOMeR 85% • System safety plan • Safety inspections avoid accidents. Period. ReMinDeR: development and • Organizational safety I am proud of the fact that we have spent the past two Before boarding implementation communication practices December months at over 95% coaching effectiveness. This means that a METROLift the same driver did not repeat the same bad behavior for vehicle, please 87% at least 60 days. This is a testament to our Drive Cam coach Accident investigation tools and methods include: show the driver your and safety team. We are building good habits with our drivers. photo ID or METROLift • Accident investigation tools • Field sketching Those who drive safely and exhibit excellent driving habits Q® Fare Card ID. One and methods • Witness interview techniques will find a place on our Safety Wall of Fame. Simply put, we METROLift ticket or believe that good defensive driving habits help to avoid January • Evidence documentation • Scene photography pass is required for accidents, and our drivers are living proof. 88% • Evidence interpretation • Assembly of documentation each one-way trip. 2014 • Mathematical formulas to into report format John Gray determine speed estimates 2 RideMETRO.org RideMETRO.org 3 eMPloyee sPotlight Sam Barnes has been working in METROLift Reservations since 2012. His visual impairment doesn’t stop him from providing excellent customer service! Sam Barnes and Tess What do you like best about Also, we don’t necessarily know Tell us about your guide working at METROLift? where your cousin’s house is, so dog, Tess. It’s nice knowing I help provide a have those addresses handy Tess is a two year old golden service that I also use personally. before you call. retriever labrador mix. She sleeps under my desk while I’m at work. What kind of training or How do you travel to and Her hobbies include digging education have you had? from work? through the trash and eating jigsaw puzzle pieces. I have a B.A. in Spanish from I travel to work using the METRO Texas A&M University, which is Park & Ride. how I ended up as a bilingual With spring around the corner, customer care rep. I lived in How did you learn to ride do you have any special plans? Mexico for a semester along with the bus? I’m not planning anything in my previous guide dog, Lexie. I had quite a bit of orientation particular, but I’ll be doing a and mobility training while living lot of walking outdoors during What technology do you find in Austin. Bus travel can be scary the week or so of actual spring most useful for you at work or at first, but the buses are very weather before the heat and home? safe, not to mention accessible. humidity get too oppressive. When I was a kid, I would tote around a plethora of rather What advice do you have for heavy gadgets while at school, people with disabilities who A braille writer -- later a laptop want to try riding the bus or rail? -- for writing, a CCTV for reading, If you have usable vision, a monocular for watching the Google maps is perhaps the blackboard, etc. My back is single greatest resource you can hurting just remembering it all. ask for. It will show locations of Now I just have a smartphone. bus stops as well as which bus At work I use a program called routes stop there and when. The Zoom Text to enlarge the screen. METRO T.R.I.P. app is also useful for getting real-time arrival times What advice do you have for if the bus is running late. METROLift riders? You won’t have to wait in line if you use MACS or TimePoint. Editor’s Note: If you are interested in learning to ride the bus or rail, contact the METROLift Travel Training team at 713-750-4234 for a personalized class.