The MATA 30-Minute Window

MATA needs to update the Rider’s Guide to better inform riders with disabilities

By Stephen Tennial, MCIL
In today’s society, nearly everyone requires some form of reliable transportation. Transit can range from walking, driving, or bus riding, to even using peer-to-peer ride sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft. In-fact there seems to be an assortment of effective and efficient transportation services available to nearly every individual who resides within large metropolitan cities; with the exception of persons such as myself who assert a disability. For us, there is only the city’s paratransit service.

According to adata.org, “ADA paratransit is a transportation service that complements public transit bus and rail systems by providing origin-to-destination service for individuals with disabilities who cannot use the fixed route service.” Simply stated, paratransit transportation seeks to accommodate individuals who cannot adequately access their city’s fixed-route bus or rail systems. 

Additionally, there is a dissimilarity with the MATAplus Riders Guide and the ADA rule regarding the 30-minute pick-up window. MATA’s 30-minute pick-up window unfortunately has two divergent points of views. The first point of view is printed in the Rider’s Guide: “MATAplus is committed to arriving within the thirty (30) minute pick-up window. (NOTE: Thirty (30) Minutes before or after the scheduled pick-up time).”

Although, this is MATA’s policy in writing, please keep in mind that this statement is contrary to the Federal Transit Administration guidance on the ADA.

The second view point comes from a MATAplus employee, “In order for MATA to be considered an hour late two things have to occur: The first being that the rider has to take into account the 30-minute window, and give the driver the initial 30 minutes. Then the rider has to give the driver an hour past the initial 30 minute window for them to be considered an hour late.”

There is a third and correct point of view, which is reserved by the ADA and not observed by MATA. According to DREDF.org, https://dredf.org/ADAtg/OTP.pdf:

It is current practice in the paratransit industry to view an on time pickup as a vehicle arrival within an on time window established by the transit agency (alternatively termed the pickup window or the “be ready time”). This is the next important “window” in ADA paratransit. The pickup window serves to distinguish between an on time pickup and a late or early one; it also defines the period during which the rider is expected to be ready and waiting for the vehicle to arrive. Large transit agencies frequently use 20 to 30 minutes as their on-time pick-up window.

For example Pace ADA parasite service in Chicago has established a 20 minute on-time pick-up window from the scheduled pick-up time to 20 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time (0/+20). The Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore regards a vehicle as on time if it arrives 30 minutes after the scheduled pick-up (0/30). Another variation on the 30 minute pick-up window is Miami Dade Transit, where the vehicle can arrive 10 minutes before or 20 minutes after the scheduled pick-up window (-10/+20). The pick-up window should not be longer than 30 minutes. A pick-up window of 30 minutes or less is standard in the industry. FTA has accepted pick-up windows up to that length, and found that 60 minutes to be too long (-30/+30). The pick-up must occur during the window, not earlier or later to be considered on time.

More specifically, MATA’s 30-minute, before-and-after, pick-up window is non-compliant because the 30-minute window according to the ADA is just that; a 30-minute window.

MATA is not supposed to get 30 minutes before-and-after a scheduled pick-up time. MATA is only allowed 30 minutes. The time can bet split 20 minutes before the actual pick-up time, and ten minutes after the pick-up time. MATA may choose to divide the 30 minutes however it sees fit as in the aforementioned example.

Moreover, I as a rider, would like to see all MATAplus employees properly trained on the ADA 30-minute window pick-up rule, and the MATAplus rider’s guide updated to reflect the ADA guidelines.

All in all, I am a proud user of MATAplus services, and also the interim chair of the Specialized Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC). I assure you that it is not my intention to shine an unfavorable light on MATA. However, it is my endeavor to highlight areas of concern so that MATA and STAC can foster a more robust partnership to make a good service even better.

For information on how to become a member of the STAC, or attend the meetings please contact Allison Donald 901-726-6404.