Metro News Release

For immediate release: August 22, 2003

New MetroAccess No-Show/Late cancellation policy begins Sept. 1

Implementation could save $1 Million annually

A new policy which addresses the no-shows and late cancellations of reserved trips by some MetroAccess customers goes into effect on Monday, September 1. The new policy temporarily suspends the MetroAccess paratransit service to customers who repeatedly don’t show up for their reservations or fail to cancel their reservations within the cancellation time frame.

Federal regulations allow for the suspension of customers who establish patterns or practices of missing scheduled trips, and this new policy is projected to save the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) about $1 million per year.

The new policy was approved by the Metro Board of Directors in February and was endorsed by Metro’s Elderly and Handicapped Transportation Advisory Committee this past spring.

In the first quarter of FY 2003, no-shows and late cancellations accounted for 28 percent of all MetroAccess trip requests. A "no-show" is when the MetroAccess vehicle arrives on time and waits 10 minutes for a customer who fails to show up. A late cancellation occurs when a customer cancels his or her trip but fails to do so by 4:30 p.m. on the day before the trip.

The policy proposal has four tiers of dealing with the suspension of customers who demonstrate patterns of missing scheduled trips.
1. Three no-shows or six late cancellations in a rolling 30-day period results in a two-week suspension of service.
2. A second violation within 12 months results in a three-week suspension.
3. A third violation within 12 months results in a four-week suspension.
4. Subsequent violations within 12 months result in four-week suspensions.

As provided by federal regulations, customers cited for no-show or late cancellation violations may appeal.

News release issued on August 22, 2003.