ODOT-Office of Transit

Quality Assurance Review and Action Plan for

Access Scioto County (ASC)

Executive Summary

October 2, 2009

Introduction

The purpose of a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) is to provide an opportunity for ODOT, as the administering and funding agency, to learn more about the rural transit operation; to ensure local compliance with State and Federal requirements; and to provide technical assistance to the grantee in an effort to improve and enhance the Rural Transit Program, both locally and statewide.

On September 16, 2009, ODOT Office of Transit staff conducted a QAR site visit to Access Scioto County (ASC) in Portsmouth, Ohio. ASC provides public transportation using Rural Transit Program funding that flows through the Scioto County Board of Commissioners. ODOT staff met with the ASC Transportation Coordinator, ASC Transportation Operations Manager, and staff to discuss and review ASC operations and planning. ASC prepared for this meeting using questions supplied by ODOT prior to the visit.

The enclosed QAR report summarizes our review and contains a total of 10 requirements and four (4) recommendations that require action. The requirements are noted by bold print in the Action Plan at the end of the report and must be implemented within 90 days. The report should not be viewed as an all-encompassing evaluation of ASC. The report and Action Plan provide a reference for ASC’s improvement and will require on-going communication between ODOT and ASC. Listed below are the participants during the site visit, some areas of strength and weakness, and a conclusion.

Participant
Representing ODOT: Representing ASC:

Dave Seech, Special Projects Planner Larry Mullins, Coordinator

Seth McDonald, System Representative Lisa Potts, Operations Manager

Penny Hubbard, Office & HR Manager

Areas of Strength

· The ASC Transportation Coordinator, Operations Manager, Office Manager and staff are professional, courteous, and eager to make improvements to ASC.

· ASC includes an analysis of its Public Transit Index indicators in its Year End Report to the County Commissioners.

· ASC actively monitors system performance using PTI, budget analysis and customer surveys.

· ASC’s employee training files are organized and well documented.

· ASC conducts employee training beyond the requirements of the Rural Transit Program.

· ASC monitors and documents driver on-street performance.

· ASC cross trains operators in dispatching duties.

· ASC annually reviews and updates its marketing plan.

· ASC maintains an excellent web page.

· ASC’s safety, security and emergency preparedness plans are updated annually and ASC sits on the Local Emergency Planning Committee.

· ASC regularly conducts vehicle accident prevention/safety committee meetings.

· ASC’s vehicles are clean and well-maintained.

· ASC has a 100% accessible fleet.

Areas of Weakness

· ASC’s Policies and Procedures Manual does not include ADA and OSHA-required policies and procedures.

· ASC has not documented in each employee file that all newly hired drivers have a signed statement from a licensed physician that drivers are physically cable of safely transporting riders.

· ASC is not accurately tracking and reporting ADA trip denials.

· ASC’s preventive maintenance plan does not reflect its actual preventive maintenance activities.

· ASC does not document its transportation coordination efforts.

· ASC has not updated its Exposure Control Plan annually or whenever necessary.

· ASC does not have detailed documentation of preventive maintenance on ADA equipment.

· ASC has not conducted its 2009 D&A collection site and backup collection site reviews.

· ASC did not have its current BAT certifications on file.

Conclusion

ASC is a well-managed rural transit system that provides a much needed service to Scioto County. They serve customers in a professional and courteous manner and operate a clean and well-maintained fleet. However, ASC must do a better job of complying with federal and state requirements by: developing and training employees on ADA and OHSA-required policies and procedures, tracking and reporting trip denials, documenting preventive maintenance activities for ADA equipment, and updating its Exposure Control Plan annually and whenever necessary.

ASC should also address some other issues listed in the report that include: inviting its ODOT System Representative to TAC meetings and sending TAC minutes, documenting its transportation coordination efforts and taking a lead role in the development of a Locally-Developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Scioto County.

This QAR provides an opportunity for ASC to address the operational and compliance items identified in this review. The ASC Transportation Coordinator and the ASC Operations Manager have expressed their willingness to cooperate with ODOT by improving operations and correcting areas of noncompliance. ODOT will continue to work with ASC to provide the assistance necessary to resolve these issues.

Access Scioto County (ASC) QAR Action Plan
10/2/09
No.
Requirements
Report Page #
Implementation Date
Action Steps
ODOT Representative Notes
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
1.
ASC must develop ADA policies and OSHA policies and procedures for Job Descriptions, Service Area, Service Hours, Access to Information, Trip Denials, Lift Procedures, Seatbelt Usage, Trip Denials, Preventive Maintenance, Daily Pre-trip Inspections, Bloodborne Pathogens Protection, and Bloodborne Pathogens/First Aid Kits.
4
12/1/2009
ASC will rewrite policies & procedures based on the Statewide Transportation Coordination Task Force Policies & Procedures Manual. Updated Policies & Procedures will be submitted to Commissioners for approval.

2.
ASC must document that all newly hired drivers have a signed statement from a licensed physician acting within the scope of the physician’s practice declaring that the driver does not have a medical condition or physical condition, including visual impairment that cannot be corrected, that could interfere with safe driving, passenger assistance, and emergency treatment activity or could jeopardize the health and welfare of a client or the general public in each employee file.
4
11/1/2009
ASC will ensure that all New Hires pass a DOT style physical examination certifying them as physically fit to transport passengers & ensure documentation of the physical is kept in the New Hire’s employee file.

SERVICE DELIVERY
3.
ASC must track and report trip denials accurately to ODOT.
5
11/1/2009
Staff is being retrained in the definitions and tracking procedures of trip denials to ensure that they are being tracked correctly

FLEET MANAGEMENT
4.
ASC must develop a preventive maintenance plan that is a least as restrictive as the manufacturer’s preventive maintenance plan and reflects ASC’s actual preventive maintenance activities.
6
11/1/2009
ASC will update its current PM plan to include manufacture’s recommended PM schedules and ASC will follow already established PM activities

5.
ASC must document that it follows the manufacturer’s recommended preventive maintenance schedule (or equivalent) for its ADA equipment in each vehicle file.
6
11/1/2009
ASC will update its PM inspection procedure to include manufacture’s recommended PM schedules for ADA equipment

FACILITY MAINTENANCE
6.
ASC must develop and send a Facility Maintenance Plan to ODOT.
6
12/1/2009
ASC will developed & implement a Facility Maintenance Plan

SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY, & VEHICLE RELIABILITY
7.
ASC must update and document that its Exposure Control Plan is reviewed annually and updated whenever necessary.
6
12/1/2009
ASC will ensure that our existing Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Plan is reviewed on an annual basis & updated as necessary. ASC will also have its existing plan reviewed by a health care official to ensure its validity

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
8.
ASC must update and send its Drug and Alcohol Policy to include FTA’s observed collection requirements. ASC must document that all employees receive a copy of the changes to the Drug and Alcohol Policy.
7
12/1/2009
ASC will update its existing D&A policy to reflect the new FTA requirements & distribute the plan to all ASC employees

9.
ASC must conduct and document annual reviews of its primary and back-up Drug and Alcohol collection sites. *
7
10/14/2009
ASC completed an inspection of its primary & back up collection sites. ASC will ensure that the inspections continue on an annual basis

10.
ASC must have current Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) certifications on file.
7
10/14/2009
ASC received an updated copy of all BAT certifications that work at our collection sites

No.
Recommendations
Report Page #
Implementation Date
Action Steps
ODOT Representative Notes
ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING
1.
ASC should invite its ODOT Transit Representative to its TAC meetings and send meeting minutes to its representative.
2
10/1/2009
ASC invited ODOT Rep to 10/21/09 TAC meeting. Mins of meeting were forwarded to ODOT Rep on 10/22.09. ASC will ensure that ODOT Rep is invited to all TAC meetings in the future & forward all mins of future meetings

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
2.
ASC should adopt as necessary the policies and procedures from the Statewide Transportation Coordination Task Force Policies and Procedures Manual (September 2006). ASC should integrate the required policies and procedures in its transportation program documents.
4
12/1/2009
ASC will rewrite policies & procedures based on the Statewide Transportation Coordination Task Force Policies & Procedures Manual. Updated Policies & Procedures will be submitted to Commissioners for approval.

SERVICE DELIVERY
3.
ASC should document its efforts to coordinate trips with transportation providers.
5
11/1/2009
ASC will ensure any efforts to coordinate trips with other transportation providers will be documented in the future

4.
ASC should take a leading role in the development of a Locally Developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Scioto County.
5
10/1/2010
ASC will take the lead role and undertake efforts to develop a LDCPTHSTP for Scioto County

*Open requirement from previous Quality Assurance Review