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ACCESS Transportation Systems
PHONE: (412) 562-5353 or TTY 711
650 Smithfield Street
Centre City Tower, Suite 440
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
myaccessride.com
ACCESS-AT-A-GLANCE
ACCESS-At-A-Glance
• ADA complementary paratransit exceeding all ADA minimum requirements
• Among the largest coordinated systems in the country
• Public – Private Partnership
• 3,300 trips average weekday
• 240 vehicles
• 4 service providers
• 140+ agency sponsors
Outstanding Operating Performance
• On-time performance of 95%
• Administrative Cost of 5.5% of total
Award-Winning Coordination
A distinguishing characteristic of the ACCESS program is the high level of coordination. Service
sponsored by over 140 agencies is combined into a transparent network of paratransit services,
avoiding costly duplication and achieving economies of scale for all the sponsors. More than 11
separate and distinct state and federal funding sources are blended to effectively leverage funds
and share costs between all the sponsors. The ACCESS program has achieved a large
measure of success in coordinating paratransit services within Allegheny County, as evidenced
by the variety of riders, the multiple funding streams and the size of the ridership.
The ACCESS program was the recipient of the United We Ride National Leadership Award. The
Federal Interagency Coordinating Council presented the award, which recognizes the work
done in Allegheny County to create a highly effective coordinated service which stands as a
model for the rest of the nation.
System Design and Service Delivery
The ACCESS program is a decentralized brokerage, a fairly unique model that draws on the
skills and resources of the private sector, avoids duplication of effort but has a high degree of
accountability and flexibility.
Service providers, which currently include three for-profit transportation companies and one
non-profit human service agency operating from four distinct locations, are responsible for
providing service in designated service areas and for meeting service standards as set forth in
provider contracts.
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Person-Centered Service
In addition to the basic paratransit service offering, sponsoring agencies are provided a menu of
amenities that create more user-friendly service. These include assistance with with packages,
hand-to-hand service for individuals who require constant supervision and reasonable
modifications.
Door-to-door transportation means that drivers provide assistance from the door of the origin to
the door of the destination, including boarding the vehicles. The ACCESS system is one of only
a few systems in the US that offers door to door assistance for 100% of the trips and requires
drivers to provide a high level of personal assistance including up and down as many as four
exterior steps and assistance with packages.
Some ACCESS riders require a higher level of supervision and cannot be left unattended. For
these individuals, ACCESS was the first system in the US to provide hand-to-hand service.
These riders carry a special code in their file alerting drivers to ensure they are handed off to a
responsible person and cannot leave the rider unless there is someone available to receive
them. An elaborate safety net is in place in the event of a problem.
Drivers are trained to report incidents which are individually investigated by the ACCESS
program. Although they may not be strictly transportation related issues, the program
collaborates with a network of community providers to resolve individual, personal issues
including lack of accessibility to the house, a change in condition (ex., onset of confusion), signs
of abuse, and problems with personal hygiene or nutrition.
Service Amenities Tailored to the Sponsor or Individual
• Determining and managing individual and trip eligibility
• Assistance with fare collection
• Customized invoicing and reporting
• Reasonable modification of policies
• Hand-to-hand assistance
Cutting Edge Technology
• On-board video cameras
• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology on each vehicle
• On-board computer tablets for driver schedules and GPS technology
• Computer assisted dispatch and scheduling
• RealTIme Inforamation accessible via website, text message, or phone call
• Automated InTouch call-outs advising riders that their vehicle will arrive within 10
minutes, ePurse balance updates and other service updates. Development of the
InTouch call outs was funded through a grant from the National Center for Senior
Transportation. Over 65,000 calls are made monthly.
• ePurse paperless electronic account management for fare payment
• Website and Interactive Mobile Webpage Application
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Vehicles
ACCESS service is provided with a combination of 3-15 passenger, lift-equipped vans and
sedans owned, operated and maintained by ACCESS service providers. All ACCESS service
providers must comply with specific requirements including insurance, maintenance, driver
training, and vehicle safety and accessibility standards.
Driver Screening & Qualifications
• Over age 21 (as required by insurance)
• Clean driving record – 10-year retroactive check
• US DOT physicals for van drivers
• Act 33 (child abuse) and 34 (criminal history) clearances according to PA Adult Protective
Service standards
• Pre-employment, post-accident and reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing
• FBI clearances for a subset of drivers (required to transport unaccompanied minors)
• Driving record checked monthly
• Criminal history checked annually
Driver Training & Monitoring
To ensure training to proficiency, there are training standards which set forth contractually-
mandated minimum requirements including topics to be covered, length of classroom and on-
the road training, trainer certification and retraining requirements.
Each ACCESS service provider is required to have a certified Master Trainer on site to manage
and supervise all aspects of the driver training programs, and certify training to proficiency. To
ensure high quality and consistency, there are standardized training modules on topics including
customer service, providing assistance, use of lifts and securements, ACCESS program
policies, disability awareness and requirements of the ADA. US DOT/TSI modules are used for
fatigue and distracted driver awareness training.
Driver monitoring is conducted regularly. A combination of on the road, unannounced monitoring
and review of on-board videos is used to evaluate performance and take corrective action as
needed. Providers are required to perform a Motor Vehicle Records check on every driver
monthly and provide the results to the ACCESS program.
Service Monitoring and Oversight
The ACCESS program is responsible for monitoring all aspects of performance and compliance.
Multiple audits are routinely conducted including:
• Performance standards
• Provision of training
• Maintenance
• U.S. Department of Transportation compliance
• Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
• Equal Employment Opportunity compliance
• Drug and alcohol program compliance
• Call center performance
• Use of scheduling and dispatch tools
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Public Participation
In cooperation with Pittsburgh Regional Tranist (PRT), the ACCESS program works with the
Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT) to resolve issues and make recommendations
for improvements to both the fixed route and paratransit programs. ACCESS program staff also
participate in a number of local intiiatives working on enhancing transportation including the
Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, The Allegheny County Health Department, the
Jefferson Collaborative, Southwestern Pennsylvania Partnership on Aging, United Way, Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, City of Pittsburgh Complete Streets Advisory Committee, and
Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh.
