Capital District
Coalition for Accessible Transportation
(518) 273-1110
Members of:
The Council for Community Services of NYS
The National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates
and
Americans for Transportation Mobility
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Capital District Coalition for Accessible Transportation (518) 273-1110
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| Updated: June 3, 2006 New and Upcoming 
The STAR Town Meeting is on Thursday, June 15, 2006
Coalition's STAR Town Meeting Flyer
Ready
to jump through MORE hoops for STAR? Agenda: STAR is updating their STAR Rider’s Guide & Policies. Most of the proposed changes are at the customer's expense!
For Example: STAR wants to correct being late by (guess how?) - extending the time from 15 minutes to 1/2 hour after your pickup where they consider themselves on time!
Example: STAR is 1/2 hour late - STAR still calls this an on time trip!
You can't cancel your trips because that phone isn't answered correctly at STAR? Too bad, they'll mark you as a no show and if you get a few more than 3 in 30 days - You're suspended for a month!
STAR is blaming most (if not all) of their "on time trip performance problems" on customers canceling trips on the same day or no-showing! (That sounds like a no win situation for the customer)
There is NO complaint policy in the new STAR proposed policy. Their complaint "system" is a bureaucratic mess. Multiple departments handle complaints including
Dispatchers (these complaints usually aren't reported to anyone above- The supervisor (which seems to be most dispatchers) talks to the driver or whomever and that's it.
Public relations: These calls are taken by someone in the PR department. They tend to generate a "generic PR letter" saying the complaint was received, CDTA cares, and something not mentioned will be done or it will be looked into. I don't think anyone has ever received a REAL response that says we're sorry and THIS is what we did. Sometimes customers say they call and no one calls back (from their voicemail) or that they never receive any letter back.
STAR management: People report not getting answers at all from immediate STAR management. Complaints are reported via email, phone and in writing. Sometimes no one writes back. Sometimes multiple calls produce no results. Some complaint emails we've sent in end up with 2nd request - 3rd and even 4th requests.
Sometimes the questions asked generate answers that don't match or answer the question. The question gets side-stepped.
Random staff : There are a few other random offices that take complaints. Same applies here. Customers report problems with all of these above systems.
CDTA states a complaint policy that answers complaints within 10 days but this is far from the case. I know customers that have followed up on complaints for OVER A YEAR with no answer!
While CDTA/STAR is making up some new policies - How about one that really addresses customer complaints and sets up a RELIABLE process where the customer really gets a answer to the complaint along with information on what was done to correct the situation and/or prevent it from happening again????
We believe this so important, this is our next big goal with CDTA.
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Child safety seats for 4 and under as mandatory on STAR???
We don't believe this should be REQUIRED. While we are all for child safety, STAR shouldn't impose this as a mandatory rule simply because STAR has disabled customers! We believe this policy/practice is discriminatory and are in the process of verifying that.
Another issue with this is that STAR is supplying the child safety seats. How do they intend to keep these seats sanitary? Do they think drivers will be cleaning them before and after each use? It's bad enough their seatbelts can have bodily fluids on them and tend to be dirty (because they are on the bus floors if for no other reason)
No-Shows and blame
We believe there is MORE to their on time performance problems and efficiency than they are saying! There's many more reasons for their difficulties.
Telephone ADA violation - Their phone system is a mess and is a ADA capacity constraint. Long ring and hold times are not allowed by Federal law. They also have no dedicated cancellation line. They need more call takers to answer phones at busy times. Their phone lines discourage STAR use and that's a violation of Federal law.
Their TTD line wasn't (maybe still isn't) even currently working (for a while now), and it took the Coalition telling them because they stated it was working when we asked. Shouldn't this line be CHECKED daily?
So just how many times and how long should a call to STAR to cancel a trip take? They shouldn't track late cancellations and no-shows till they correct their phone system so that people can easily and quickly call in and cancel if they must.
STAR is not calling in STAR cancellations to drivers - I can't tell you how many times I've called in that I'm canceling my trip (sometimes even days in advance) only to find STAR pulling up in front of my house on the day of the canceled trip. Others experience this same problem. Seems to me like dispatchers or call takers aren't passing on cancellation information to drivers. (STAR would mark the customer as a no-show for that trip too if it doesn't get caught by the customer!)
STAR Driver Radios STILL aren't working! - After over 4 years, the STAR radios and even cell phones don't work much of the time. Drivers have actually used pay phones (or borrowed a cell phone from someone) to call STAR to ask about a customer's trip at times! This is ridiculous! Now, tell me again - Why does STAR believe WE are the problem here? Seems to me they need to fix their radios - among other things.
3rd party cancellations and subscription service - STAR adds in all the no shows for subscription service - This is where they pick up people routinely every day for work for instance. The person doesn't have to call in to schedule the trip, they simply are picked up daily. If they don't cancel, the bus will arrive.
There are also social workers, case coordinators and others who schedule for their clients. Sometimes this information on the trip doesn't reach the client or the client can't go and the social worker forgets to call. This constitutes a no show for the customer and for STAR's records.
Did I mention that STAR no-showed someone for each of their trips for about a week reportedly before they figured out the person had died?
Doctor offices and staff - There is no way to know if a medical appointment will run late. Short of running out to catch STAR in a paper gown, the customer has no fast way to notify STAR. Most medical offices just don't have 20 minutes to call and call, listen to a ringing phone (100 rings one time) and wait on hold for STAR to answer to let STAR know their customer will be late.
Driver error - Drivers have gone to incorrect addresses or the wrong door to pick people up - regularly (this isn't even an odd occurrence.
IVR - STAR's automated call in system does not allow same day trip changes despite our numerous requests STAR set this up.
Confusion over trip times - STAR calls the customer to confirm their pickup time. That customer forgets or checks on it later and uses the IVR (automated STAR call in system) to check their trip. The IVR will continually change the trip time. This causes customers to be confused on their actual trip time.
Late STAR buses - If STAR is not there at the confirmed time, a customer could go inside to call them and inquire about the trip. Since the STAR phone lines can take forever to be answered and then the customer can be put on hold while staff tries to reach the driver on the (non working) radios, calls can take longer than needed. If STAR shows up and doesn't see the customer outside, they could mark the customer as a no show and leave.
Driver inaccuracy - We've seen and know that sometimes STAR buses don't show up but STAR claims they did. Customers even had witnesses such as the Dean of a college, a nun, 2 employees from an agency. The customer STILL wasn't believed. More than one driver has outright lied claiming they were there and weren not or that they waited the mandatory 5 minutes when they didn't.
Summary: STAR on time performance and efficiency can be increased by drivers knowing the locations of where they are going (they are supposed to map out their trips before they drive to them). Telling drivers when someone canceled, radios that work, better scheduling, and not sending 2 buses to pick up 2 customers living in the same area 10 minutes away from one another. STAR can put more than one customer on a bus at a time to increase efficiency. None of these things have anything to do with customer fault.
Some info:
STAR claims that they have 6000+ people in the STAR database.
Well, they do - because they don't seem to ever remove inactive (and probably dead) customers!
There are 1/2 the 6000+ active STAR customers, around 3,500; and probably 1/2 of them don't use STAR at all or use STAR infrequently (car breakdowns etc).
Come on, you didn't really believe those 30 buses could do STAR trips for 6000+ people daily, right? :)
Why is this a big deal? Because they have always claimed 6000+. It's on their website as public information and this is what they've even told us. Why inflate the number to make it look like more are active?
We get half truths all the time from CDTA.
Ever look at the CDTA budget on line? I'm sure that CDTA figures most people won't bother. It's available at http://www.cdta.org/CDTA%20Budget%20Document%202006.pdf
STAR equals 4.8% of CDTA's entire budget. They always tell us they get no money "to run" STAR. That's side stepping the question. Don't kid yourselves. If CDTA didn't run STAR they couldn't get Federal Grants so there IS money coming in - It's their choice how they use it.
Oh - Ask them just HOW they compute STAR's cost - we did. They add in all kinds of things, including administrative costs. We were asking specifically how much a one way trip costs. They added in administrative cost, their salaries, maintenance etc and then divided it into a per trip cost. No wonder the number sounds a bit hmm... inflated.
STAR's cost is a drop in the bucket compared to the ENTIRE budget. Even compared to some other expenses, STAR just isn't costing enough for the moaning and groaning going on at CDTA.
Why does CDTA complain about STAR's cost?
It's because they really want people to use the regular buses which are less expensive. We've heard statements like, "If we make STAR better, it will make it more attractive" (and people will want to use it more) Well, isn't that the same with anything? Imagine if other businesses thought that way.
STAR could, if they wanted, be the best paratransit service in the country. They could provide FAIR and flexible service aimed at improving the quality of life of Seniors and people with disabilities. Instead, they skimp on it and BARELY provide the bare minimum. They improve the quality of administration by making simple but inflexible scheduling times, no-show policies and just about anything else they can find.
CDTA's goal is the least EXPENSIVE service that doesn't violate the ADA transit regulation. (They haven't even managed THAT much yet).
Our goal is that when STAR is compared to regular buses, it's comparable to using them. It's bad enough we must schedule our lives in advance to use STAR. We shouldn't have to live in fear of being suspended from using STAR because it's easier to administer a harsh no-show policy rather than a fair one.
They blame all their problems on their customers and don't accept THEIR accountability.
Their Survey of the month
Their surveys tend to praise everything they do - READ THEM. They survey only a small percentage (around 20 or so people out of that 3,500).
STAR Town Meetings - We've been told they invite a "random sampling". Why are mostly the same people usually there each time then? I know people who are invited every time. Shouldn't ALL STAR users receive invitations to EVERY meeting? (We were told that costs too much) Truth is, they are worried about being able to provide service if more people than normal attend. Remember, they have to provide normal STAR service too.
Yay for STAR - Many times, customers are afraid to say more than compliments at STAR Town Meetings for fear of getting worse service than they already have or because they are very "nice" people that don't think they should complain. This is why the Coalition always attends and speaks up about problems, complaints and issues!
Sometimes, newer STAR customers think STAR is "ok" and don't realize all the work it's taken to get them to improve their service even THIS much. It's 100% better than before 2000 largely because of ADVOCACY and drastically improved just before that little Federal ADA compliance Review in June 2005.
Customers sometimes think of STAR as charity service and are "grateful for all their effort". Well, we do appreciate good drivers and work too. But this is NOT charity and we shouldn't be any more grateful for this service than the service at a grocery, movie theater or any other business. THOSE employees work hard too.
We have Federal Rights for STAR (paratransit) guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A lot of people, including local people, fought HARD for all of the ADA rights for people with disabilities. This didn't happen in the stone ages, it was only 14-15 years ago. STAR MUST provide paratransit at a minimum level (at least, they are allowed by law to do more if they want to.) They provide minimum level service mostly at best and this new policy wants to severely limit us further and penalize us heavily for no-shows when they haven't even corrected THEIR DEFICIENCIES/Capacity Constraints.
Want more - We can mail out a copy of our problems and suggested corrections to their proposed policy. Just give us a call or email us at: advocate@mobilityfreedom.org Subject: STAR Proposed Policy
This is your one chance to address these changes! Put off the laundry, exercise class, whatever and come to this meeting. It may save you appealing a suspension of STAR service later on!
Bring
your questions, comments, and complaints to this meeting about the new policy
changes that will help STAR far more than STAR Riders! Tired of the STAR phones ringing forever? Tired of not getting a REAL answer to your complaints? Tired of being only approved for only WINTER STAR use? Tired of buses being late or going to the wrong pickup place? Tired of promises for YEARS? Come
to this meeting and let them know!
Community Meetings! - Updated list thru 1996!
Did you have a particularly difficult or upsetting ride with STAR / Taxi / Ambulette or other means of transportation? Do you want assistance with your STAR application or appeal? We have a volunteer "Call Center" running from about 10am - 4pm. It's also answered off hours much of the time as well but please no calls after 6pm unless you have a real SITUATION or 'emergency'. We've already helped people via the call center who were calling in using their cell phones while having the problem. We are willing to advocate for you, you are not in this alone! Keep our call line number handy: (518) 273-1110
Signup by using this link or just email us that you want to join:
You'll receive an email asking for a little info on what your interests are. Make sure to email back so we can add you to the forum quickly! Community Meetings!
2006 Community Meeting Planner Tuesday, July 25, 2006 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Tuesday, November 28, 2006
March 2007
No meetings during winter months. This will give everyone time to plan ahead. Please check monthly to be sure there wasn't a change or cancellation! Remember, you can always call to check!
The real story...
Report it! That information could save a life, maybe even yours or someone you care for. Report it anonymously. We will keep names and email confidential. Give relevant details please. We need to know what mode of transportation as well as what happened or what was / is wrong. Rule of thumb is that more detail is always better than less. Do you have a question or problem? Write us, that's what we are here for. Check the link for contacting us if you rather phone.
Don't allow problems to be swept
under the rug!
CDCAT is NOT the same community organization/group or affiliated with "Citizens for Transportation" located in Albany, NY, though from time to time we may share some of the same issues and concerns. These are 2 completely separate groups. Please don't confuse us! The difference is that CDCAT was created by people with disabilities - specifically to address all DIFFERENT transportation issues for people with disabilities. CDCAT has the support of local Independent Living Centers and other disability organizations who have social workers and advocates that are professionally trained to assist with issues and problems and statewide advocacy. Our board of directors is made up of people with disabilities who use STAR, route buses, and other forms of transportation. We know transportation problems first hand as we use the system! CDCAT address issues revolving around the ADA as well as work with people who request advocacy and assistance with various forms for transportation services specifically for people with disabilities. The Coalition (CDCAT) is just more 'strictly disability concerns' specific.
NAPTA NAPTA is the abbreviation for the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates. NAPTA is a national organization representing local transit coalitions who support increasing federal investment in public transportation. Getting more funding will help public transit in general and leave less reasons for not being able to afford .. whatever it is that day. That's not exactly how NAPTA puts it exactly, but that's how the Coalition views it. We don't mind writing letters supporting funding for public transportation so long as public transportation pulls through with their promises that things will be improving for people with disabilities on both line buses and STAR.
Last Updated: 06/03/2006
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STAR
costs so much for (poor) CDTA!
(While
we're at it, just what is the "Capital Fund" that all their remaining
money (over 3 million in 2006) goes into so it looks like they make no
money? 'Inquiring minds want to know'! )
Our community meetings are held every other month.
All, especially the disabled community, are welcomed to attend public
meetings. 
Our call center is open!
Our Yahoo
egroup also
has new information on transportation issues in the Capital District area. Our
forum's name is: CDCAT_Forum · Capital District
Coalition for Accessible Transportation. Once you sign up, you'll receive
transportation information and meeting/event reminders via your email.
Do you know of ADA violations or safety problems on transportation used by the
disabled community? 
"Citizens
for Transportation" and
the "Capital District Coalition for Accessible Transportation" (CDCAT)
are 2 different community groups!