Recipient ID 5566 office of civil rights october 2019 Title VI Program Update eh©2019 lacmta 19-3732 Table of Contents Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………....…..…………………………….3 General Requirements………………………………………………………….……..…………………………..…………..……………….4 1. Notice to Beneficiaries ……………………………………….……………..………….…………………….…………………………..…4 2. Complaint Procedures and Complaint Form ………………………..……….………….……………………………………….11 3. Record of Title VI Investigations, Complaints, or Lawsuits …………….….……..……………………….……………...14 4. Public Participation Plan ………………………………………………………….……………..…………………………................27 5. Meaningful Access to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Persons …………..…………………………..………………35 6. Language Access Plan ……………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………...91 7. Minority Representation on Planning and Advisory Committees………....………………………………………….103 8. Subrecipient Assistance and Monitoring …………………………………………..…..………………………………………..112 9. Determination of Site or Location of Facilities …………………………………..……..........................................116 Requirements for Fixed Route Transit Providers …………………………………..…………………………………………..132 10. System-wide Service Standards and Policies …………………………………..……………………………………………..132 11. Monitoring of Transit Service …………………………………………………………..………………………………………..….136 12. Collection and Reporting of Demographic Data ……………………………..………………………………………….....146 13. Equity Analysys of Service and Fare Changes …………………………………....….……………………………………....156 Board Approval ………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….................178 14. Approval of System-wide Service Standards and Policies …………………….………………………..................180 15. Approval of Service Monitoring Results …………………………………………….……………………………………….…199 16. Approval of Title VI Policies for Service and Fare Changes ……………….……….......................................204 17. Approval of Title VI Program Update ……………………………………………………………………………………………..216 Appendix Appendix A – FTA Concurrence Letter and Extension Approval Appendix B – Metro Civil Rights Policy Appendix C – Metro LEP Questions and Employee Survey Findings Appendix D– Metro Title VI Equity Policies Public Participation Appendix E – Metro Public Participation Plan Metro’s Profile Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies. It serves as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder and operator for one of the country’s largest, most populous counties. More than 10.1 million people – nearly one-third of California’s residents – live, work, and play within it’s 1,433- square-mile service area. Metro’s Vision Statement Metro provides excellence in service and support. Metro’s Mission Statement Metro’s mission is to provide world-class transportation for all. Metro Title VI Report Purpose The purpose of the Title VI Program Update is to document the steps Metro has taken and will take to ensure that Metro provides services without excluding or discriminating against individuals on the basis of race, color and national origin. In addition to the Title VI protected categories, Metro will take steps to ensure that our programs and activities do not exclude or discriminate against low-income individuals or other classes protected by Federal or State law. Contact Information: Aida Berduo Berry Senior Manager, Civil Rights Programs (Title VI) Metro Office of Civil Rights (213) 922-2748 [email protected] 2 INTRODUCTION The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has prepared this Title VI Program Update in compliance with Title 49 CFR Section 21.9(b) and with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Circular 4702.1B “Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients,” issued October 1, 2012. This Title VI Program Update is being submitted to FTA in accordance with FTA’s Concurrence letter sent to Metro on December 6, 2017. In the Concurrence letter, FTA informed Metro that our Title VI Program Update, submitted on November 17, 2016, met the requirements set out in the FTA Title VI Circular, 4702.1B and that that our next Title VI Program Update would be due October 1, 2019. A copy of this letter is included in Appendix A. On May 24, 2019, Metro staff submitted a request for a 30-day extension due to a five month vacancy of the Title VI staff position. The request was granted by FTA’s Region IX Regional Civil Rights Officer, Lynette Little. The new due date was changed to November 1, 2019. This Program Update will be for the period of December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2022. This plan was prepared through an agency-wide effort to ensure that the level and quality of Metro’s transit services are provided in a non-discriminatory, safe, reliable and equitable manner. Metro ensures that full and fair participation is offered to all those that reside, work, and travel throughout Los Angeles County. Any questions regarding this Title VI Program Update can be directed to the Chief Civil Rights Programs Officer or Aida Berduo Berry, Senior Manager of Civil Rights Programs (Title VI) at [email protected] or at (213) 922-2748. 3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS This section addresses the General Requirements as described under Chapter III of FTA Circular 4702.1B. 1. Notification to Beneficiaries of Title VI Protections Metro is committed to ensuring that the public is aware of the rights and protections afforded to them under Title VI. In accordance with Title 49 CFR Section 21.9(d) and guidance provided in FTA Circular 4702.1B, Metro’s Civil Rights Policy includes: I. A statement that the agency operates programs without regard to race, color, or nation origin; II. A description of the procedures that the public should follow in order to request additional information regarding Metro’s Title VI obligations; III. A description of the procedures that the public needs to follow in order to file a Title VI discrimination complaint. Metro’s Civil Rights Policy can be found on the Metro website at: http://www.metro.net/about/civil-rights-policy/. Notice regarding Metro’s Civil Rights Policy has been disseminated throughout Metro’s rail and bus system. Metro’s Notice of Civil Rights also contains a statement that Metro operates its programs without regard to race, color, or national origin and provides a phone number for customers to call to get information regarding Metro’s Title VI obligations and the procedure for filing a Title VI discrimination complaint. Metro’s Notice of Civil Rights has been placed in backlit cases in almost all rail stations. It has also been posted on all 25 floors of Gateway Plaza, Metro’s headquarters, as well as in all of Metro’s Divisions. A “take-one” brochure of the notice is placed on buses. The notice is also available at Metro’s Customer Centers. The Civil Rights Notice in the backlit cases and the brochures have been translated into the nine languages identified in Metro’s Language Assistance Plan: Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Armenian, Russian, Vietnamese, Khmer, and Thai. The Civil Rights Policy found on Metro’s website has also been translated into the nine languages and with the assistance of Google Translate, may be translated into seven additional languages. Metro’s Civil Rights Notice (Figure 1), including photos of the backlit cases (Figure 2) along with a list of all of the locations the Civil Rights Notice is posted are included in this section. 4 Figure 1 5 Figure 2 (Metro Station Backlit Notice) List of Locations: Station Name Location Description Rail name Florence Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Pico Station Platform South 801-Metro Blue Line Vernon Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Grand / LATTC Station Platform East Entry 801-Metro Blue Line San Pedro Street Station Platform West Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Washington Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Artesia Station Platform South 801-Metro Blue Line Pacific Coast Hwy Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line 1st Street Station Platform North 801-Metro Blue Line Maravilla Station Platform West 804-Metro Gold Line Willow Street Station Platform South Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Compton Station Platform South 801-Metro Blue Line 103rd Street / Watts Towers Station Platform Entry North 801-Metro Blue Line Pacific Ave Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Wardlow Station Platform North 801-Metro Blue Line Memorial Park Station East Platform Center 804-Metro Gold Line Mariachi Plaza / Boyle Heights Station Platform West (double) 804-Metro Gold Line 6 Southwest Museum Station Platform North 804-Metro Gold Line Pico / Aliso Station Platform West 804-Metro Gold Line Fillmore Station Platform North 804-Metro Gold Line Lake Station Platform East 804-Metro Gold Line Memorial Park Station East Platform Center 804-Metro Gold Line Highland Park Station Platform South 804-Metro Gold Line Chinatown Station Platform Center 804-Metro Gold Line Lincoln Heights / Cypress Park Station East Platform South 804-Metro Gold Line Del Mar Station East Platform Center 804-Metro Gold Line Downtown Long Beach Station Platform West 801-Metro Blue Line Anaheim Street Station Platform North Entry 801-Metro Blue Line Vermont / Sunset Station Mezzanine between entrances 802-Metro Red Line Universal / Studio City Station Platform South 802-Metro Red Line South Pasadena Station West Platform South 804-Metro Gold Line Atlantic Station Platform West 804-Metro Gold Line Little Tokyo / Arts District Station Platform North 804-Metro Gold Line Soto Station Platform West