Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 11, 2009
Metro officials examine reasons for exploding growth, costs of MetroAccess
Service improvements, regional and national trends are key factors
Metro officials are taking a closer look at how to manage the exploding growth and costs of MetroAccess following a number of service improvements and regional and national trends that are increasing demand for the service.
MetroAccess ridership has increased by more than 50 percent in the last five years, and officials say it could easily double over the next five years.
“The huge increase in MetroAccess ridership is due largely to substantial improvements we have made to the service and to the growing number of older adults and people with disabilities in the Washington area, which mirrors the national trend,” said Christian T. Kent, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Access Services.
“In addition, the Washington region is an attractive place for people with disabilities to reside. As the seat of the national government, this region is replete with disability-related organizations, better employment opportunities and exceptional regional mobility made possible by fully accessible and affordable Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess systems,” Kent said.
U.S. Census figures show that 15 percent of the total population of people who live in the jurisdictions Metro serves have a disability, the largest portion of which is people who are age 65 and older.
Metro has made a number of paratransit service improvements in recent years that are attracting more riders. In the past two years, Metro has significantly increased staffing for contract operations and oversight, implemented door-to-door service, expanded the fleet of MetroAccess vehicles and made use of technology enhancements such as GPS for improved on-time performance.
The combination of service improvements and ridership growth has driven costs substantially upward, from a budget of $59.8 million in FY 2008 to a projected $86 million in FY 2010. MetroAccess riders pay a base fare of $2.50 per trip, but the actual cost to Metro is $38 per trip.
A recent review conducted by the American Public Transportation Association found that Metro is delivering quality MetroAccess service that exceeds baseline requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Metro’s Board of Directors plans to review policy options that could potentially help mitigate the rising costs of MetroAccess service, such as limiting the service to three-quarters of a mile from existing Metrobus or Metrorail service and reviewing MetroAccess fare policy. Limiting service to the three-quarter-mile corridor minimum required by the Americans with Disabilities Act could save Metro $2.8 million per year, and while increasing the fare is not expected to be a major revenue source, it can have the effect of promoting greater use of the already successful Free Ride Program. The program, which allows MetroAccess-eligible customers to ride Metrobus and Metrorail for free, is expected to save Metro $17 million in FY 2009.
In addition, Metro plans to implement conditional eligibility later this year with input from its Accessibility Advisory Committee. A 2007 industry study, comparing 28 U.S. transit systems, indicated that systems using conditional eligibility have an average of 48 percent less paratransit demand than agencies that grant eligibility without conditions. “Conditional eligibility would allow people with disabilities to use MetroAccess for certain trips and make further use of the Free Ride Program,” Kent said. “For instance, a person with low vision might be able to take Metrobus during the day but would need to take MetroAccess at night.”
Metro officials plan to fund the paratransit contract through FY 2010. The Board gave preliminary approval today (June 11) of $190 million in contracting authority to adjust the contract’s cost structure to reflect the proposed FY 2010 paratransit operating budget and updated ridership and cost projections for FY 2011. The full Board is expected to vote on the increase at its June 25 Board meeting.
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Media contact for this news release: Angela Gates or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 1:03 pm, June 11, 2009.