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ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM ABOUT ISSUES[Focus on Abilities (#188): "Director of METROLift Art Jackson"]
AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
I'M PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON, AND I DIRECT THE SOUTHWEST A DA CENTER AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
WE HAVE A VERY INTERESTING GUEST TODAY, AND, UH, I'LL INTRODUCE HIM AFTER WE TAKE A BREAK.
BUT BEFORE WE GO, I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT WE'LL ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
HOW MANY HOUSTONIANS USE THE METRO LIFT PUBLIC TRANSIT PARATRANSIT SERVICE EVERY MONTH IN HOUSTON? WE'LL ANSWER THAT BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S SHOW NOW.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
I'M LEX FRIED, YOUR HOST, AND OUR GUEST TODAY IS ART JACKSON.
UH, ART, WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
ART, YOU ARE THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, THE SUPER VICE PRESIDENT.
YOUR JOB IS TO MANAGE SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICES AT METRO.
WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT TITLE? WELL, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PROMOTIONAL X.
IT'S ACTUALLY VICE PRESIDENT OF SPECIALIZED TRANSIT SERVICES WITH HOUSTON METRO, AND THAT JOB ENCOMPASSES A LOT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO IMPLY WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UH, TITLE.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, UH, OVERSEEING METRO'S, TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTORS.
UH, IT INCLUDES THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE KNOWN AS METRO LIFT.
UH, IT INCLUDES THE, UH, MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE THAT WE OFFER ACROSS THE REGION CALLED CURB TO CURB SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM OF FOLKS, UH, PROVIDING A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES FOR OUR, OUR HOUSTONIANS.
YOUR JOB AT METRO, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A LONG TIME AND I'VE KNOWN YOU THROUGHOUT THE TIME.
YOU STARTED THERE, UH, WHAT YEAR? UH, I'VE STARTED AT HOUSTON METRO IN 1989 AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
AND I STARTED OUT AS A PART-TIME CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WORKING ABOUT 25 HOURS A WEEK.
AND, UH, I PROGRESSED, UH, THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION OVER THAT TIME.
WELL, THAT'S A, THAT'S A HUGE ADVANCEMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO ONE THAT WAS WELL EARNED BY MY JUDGMENT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO THERE.
UH, BEFORE YOU, UH, STARTED WORK THERE, YOU WERE A COLLEGE STUDENT, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU WENT TO WORK THERE RIGHT? OUTTA COLLEGE? I'M A, THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
LEX, I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, UH, BORN AND RAISED HERE.
UH, ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL OVER AT, UH, LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THAT'S WHERE I SUSTAINED A OFF SEASON FOOTBALL ACCIDENT.
A GENTLEMAN FELL ON MY BACK ACCIDENTALLY AND BROKE MY SPINAL CORD.
AND, UH, THAT WAS AS A JUNIOR AT LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL.
THEN I CONTINUED ON WITH MY EDUCATION, UH, WENT OFF TO SCHOOL AT NORTH TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE I, UH, OBTAINED MY, UH, DEGREE IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT.
HOW LONG WERE YOU OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER YOU BROKE YOUR BACK? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GO TO A FACILITY THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, TIER, THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND REHABILITATION, WHERE I DID MY REHAB WORK.
AND I BASICALLY, UH, FROM JANUARY, 1984 THROUGH THAT SUMMER, DID REHAB AT THE HOSPITAL AND, UH, RECOVERED WELL AND WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL THE FOLLOWING, UH, TERM ONCE IT, ONCE IT RESTARTED.
AND I GRADUATED WITH MY CLASS IN 1985.
AND THEN WENT OFF TO, UH, SCHOOL AND I, I CREDIT, UH, TIER WITH A LOT OF THAT WORK.
HOW DID YOU, SO YOU GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB.
HOW DID YOU WIND UP WORKING FOR HOUSTON METRO? WELL, UH, WHEN I CAME BACK FROM, UH, COLLEGE, I WAS, I, I GOT AN APARTMENT OVER IN THE, UH, MEDICAL CENTER AND MY BEST FRIEND, HIS DAD WAS A, UH, MECHANIC
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WITH HOUSTON METRO, AND HE SAW US HANGING OUT AT MY APARTMENT ONE DAY AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIVING IN THE MEDICAL CENTER, BUT YOU'RE DARN SURE NOT A DOCTOR, SO YOU NEED TO GO GET A JOB.AND HE TOLD ME TO GO DOWN TO HOUSTON METRO.
I APPLIED, AND I, I WAS ACTUALLY HIRED ON THE SPOT.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE TODAY, METRO IS STILL EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO COME THROUGH THE DOORS AND, UH, BEGIN A GOOD CAREER WITH, UH, HOUSTON METRO.
SO THAT WAS IN 1989? YES, SIR.
JUST ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON HAD BEEN THROUGH A LONG DEBATE WITH METRO ABOUT WHETHER THEY WERE GONNA PROVIDE LIFTS ON BUSES, BUT YET THEY, DURING THAT TIME AND PRIOR TO THAT, WERE PROVIDING SOME SERVICES MM-HMM
USING A MODEL WE CALL PARATRANSIT.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT FOR THE VIEWERS? YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY UNDER, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND AS, AS A MEMBER OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID, UH, ALONG WITH MY PREDECESSOR AND GOOD FRIEND JIM LAUGHLIN, WHO'S, WHO'S SINCE PASSED.
UH, BUT THE METRO LYFT AND THE LEADERS WITHIN HOUSTON AND AT METRO HAD THE FORESIGHT TO SEE THAT PARATRANSIT SERVICE WAS THE RIGHT THING TO OFFER TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNABLE TO RIDE THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
IN 1990, UH, THE FIRST PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNED THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES LAW, UH, IN, INTO LAW.
AND AGAIN, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS WITH THAT.
AND IT WAS, UH, TREMENDOUS BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN PROVIDING PARATRANSIT SERVICE FOR 11 YEARS.
SO AT THAT TIME, IN 1990, AS I WAS COMING ONTO METRO, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES WERE CALLING US TO SAY, HEY, THIS NEW LAW IS IN EFFECT.
I HEAR YOU ARE ALREADY PROVIDING THE SERVICE.
WHAT DO, HOW DO, HOW DO WE GET THIS GOING? AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION FROM WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE IN HOUSTON WITH, UH, CITIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION.
SO, UH, KUDOS TO YOU AND THE OTHER CITY LEADERS FOR, FOR PUTTING THAT IN PLACE.
WELL, THAT'S AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION THAT THERE, THE REALITY IS IN, UH, NOW WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE A DA IN WASHINGTON, UH, FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
AND, UH, CONGRESS WAS AT THE POINT OF CONSIDERING IT SERIOUSLY, AND WE HAD TO HAVE HEARINGS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND WE HAD THE FIRST HEARING OUTSIDE DC IN HOUSTON.
AND ONE OF THE TESTIFIERS WAS, UH, BOB LANIER, WHO AT THE TIME WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF, UH, METRO.
AND MR. LANIER CAME BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE AND SAID, UH, THAT HE BELIEVED, UH, PUBLIC TRANSIT SHOULD BE FOR THE PUBLIC THAT INCLUDED PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND IF THAT REQUIRED LIFTS ON BUSES AS WELL AS THE PARATRANSIT SERVICES, THAT SHOULD BE WHAT WE ARE OBLIGED TO DO.
AND, UH, THAT'S HOW IT GOT INTO THE LAW.
WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD AND, AND JUST TO WATCH THE MATURATION OF THE, UH, SERVICES THAT, UH, PEOPLE RECEIVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVE HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, AGAIN, IT'S A REAL ROLE MODEL FOR, FOR OTHER CITIES BECAUSE AT, AT HOUSTON METRO, WE'VE GONE FROM NOT JUST MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, BUT WE'VE WORKED HARD TO EXCEED THOSE.
AND SO WE, WE, WE APPRECIATE, UM, THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
WELL, WE DO HAVE A GOOD, UH, ADVOCACY, UH, LEGACY IN HOUSTON.
UH, ART, I WANT VISIT MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT ALL SERVICES METRO PROVIDES IN ADDITION TO THE OBVIOUS ONES.
AND WE'LL DO THAT RIGHT AFTER WE TAKE A BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
ANYTIME YOU'RE DRIVING, HAVE THE SEATBELT BUCKLE TIGHT, BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND YOUR PHONE OUT OF SIGHT.
WHEN NOT IN YOUR HANDS, TRYING TO TEXT SOMEBODY BACK, BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOUR CAR MIGHT GET SMACKED THE MORE OF THE STORY.
THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD WILL STAY SAFE AND SOUND.
PEOPLE ON THE ROAD WILL STAY SAFE AND SOUND.
WE COULD PROMOTE THE FACT THAT EVEN TRAFFIC SIGNALS GIVE IT THE GREEN LIGHT AND THAT IT MOVES SO QUICKLY.
WE HAD TO GIVE IT ITS OWN LANE.
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YOU COULD JUST RIDE, DISCOVER WHERE THIS RAIL LIKE RIDE IS GOING NEXT.VISIT RIDE METRO.ORG/METRO NEXT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON HAS EVERYTHING YOU'RE CRAVING THIS SUMMER.
LIVE MUSIC AND OUTDOOR FUN GALORE.
EVENTS FOR THE WHOLE FRIEND GROUP AND THE FAMILY.
OF COURSE, ICE COLD DRINKS, BRAND NEW DISHES AND VIEWS YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
JOIN US DOWNTOWN ALL SEASON LONG.
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS AMBULANCE, POLICE, OR FIRE, THE FIRE HYDRANT IS GUSHING EVERYWHERE.
CALL 3 1 1 FOR CITY RELATED SERVICES LIKE WATER LEAKS, TRAFFIC TICKETS, AND MORE, I NEED HELP FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
CALL 2 1 1 FOR ALL SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD BANKS, HOUSING, SHELTER ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
MR. RHODES, THAT WAS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE FOR ANYONE'S COMFORT.
THE CROSSWALK STRIPES ARE SENDING YOU A MESSAGE STOP FOR PEDESTRIANS.
NO, I'LL KEEP MY EYES OPEN FROM NOW ON AND WE'LL ALL GET WHERE WE'RE GOING SAFELY.
DOES ANYBODY NEED A HUG THIS TIME YET? IT'S TIME.
OH, DONATING PET FOOD IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN HELP FAMILIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
PETS AND PEOPLE BELONG TOGETHER.
LEARN MORE AT PETS AND PEOPLE TOGETHER.ORG.
YOU ARE WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES ON HTV.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PARATRANSIT AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE BUS SYSTEM HAVING, UH, LIFTS ON THE BUSES AND RAMPS NOW FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, AND SOME PEOPLE I THINK WONDER, WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE BOTH? WHY DO WE HAVE THE LITTLE VANS, UH, THAT COULD CARRY PEOPLE WITH WHEELCHAIRS AND OTHER MOBILITY AIDS? AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE BUSES.
UH, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE, WHY WE NEED THOSE, UH, SERVICES? WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S GOT TO BE THE FIRST PREMISE.
IF A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WANTS TO UTILIZE THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BUS SERVICE IS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE, UH, THE RAMPS ON THE BUSES.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE SIGNAGE ON THE BUSES.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEMS, UH, ON THE BUSES, UH, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO USE LOCAL, UH, BUS SERVICE, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY WANT TO USE THAT SERVICE.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY WHO DON'T HAVE THE, UH, UH, ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO RIDE THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE.
UM, PERHAPS THEY HAVE A COGNITIVE DISABILITY OR SOME TYPE OF DEBILITATING CONDITION THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE LOCAL BUS SYSTEM OR THE PARK AND RIDE SERVICE.
WELL, THAT'S WHERE THE PARA TRANSIT SYSTEM COMES IN.
IT BECOMES AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, COMPLIMENTARY PARA TRANSIT.
WE COMPLIMENT THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR, UH, OUR, WITH OUR PARATRANSIT SYSTEM KNOWN AS METRO LIFT, WHERE AGAIN, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE BO LOCAL BUS SERVICE, THEY, UH, THEN HAVE ACCESS TO THE, UH, THE PARA TRANSIT SERVICE.
WELL, THERE'D BE A LOT OF REASONS WHY SOMEBODY COULDN'T USE THAT SERVICE.
UM, MAYBE THEY LIVE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE STOP THAT THEY LITERALLY CAN'T GET THERE IN A WHEELCHAIR ON A SCOOTER OR USING A CANE.
UH, MAYBE THE STOP THAT THE, THE DESTINATION IS NOT NEAR, UM, A BUS STOP.
UH, CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.
UM, COULD BE A NUMBER OF REASONS.
ONE THING I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT THE PARATRANSIT IS THAT LIKE THE BIG BUSES,
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IT'S A SHARED RIDE SERVICE.YOU GET ON A BIG BUS, UH, HOPEFULLY, I MEAN, GENERALLY OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE RIDING A BUS WITH YOU.
AND THE SAME THING IS TRUE WITH PARATRANSIT.
YOU, UH, YOU MAY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE, UH, GOING TO DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS WHO ARE USING THAT VEHICLE WITH YOU.
AND, AND THE, THE, THE KEY PART OF THAT, I THINK IS THE COMPARABILITY THAT IF WE WERE, UH, TAKING A RIDE FROM HERE TO SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ON A LOCAL BUS SERVICE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT A CUSTOMER SPENDS ON METRO LIFT FROM THE SAME WITH THE SAME TRIP NEEDS TO BE COMPARABLE.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO, UH, GIVE ANYONE AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER.
THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPARABLE SERVICES, UH, COMPARABLE QUALITY SERVICES, AND THAT'S WHERE WE STRIVE.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS A DIRECT TRIP.
YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO STOP AND PICK UP OTHER PEOPLE, AS YOU SAID, THE SAME WAY THAT YOU WOULD ON A LOCAL BUS.
WELL, AND I THINK THAT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING TOO.
UM, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR AN UBER RIDE WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT PARATRANSIT.
AND WE, WE, METRO DOESN'T PROVIDE UBER RIDES.
IF YOU WANT UBER, YOU CALL UBER, RIGHT? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT.
NOW, IN FAIRNESS, WE, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AT METRO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRIPS ARE GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS.
YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE ONE PERSON NORTH AND THE OTHER PERSON SOUTH AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO WE HAVE TO WATCH OUR SCHEDULING SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON, UH, PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS TO, IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT DOES ISN'T QUITE RIGHT, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING 6,000, 7,000 TRIPS A DAY, THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME NUANCES THERE.
AND WE RELY ON OUR DRIVERS AND DISPATCHERS AND CUSTOMERS TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP PEOPLE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
WELL, THAT'S A COMPLEX PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
I THINK WHAT, WHAT IS THE RULE? THE LAW REQUIRES HOW MANY DAYS NOTICE IS IT ONE DAY NOTICE FOR USE OF A PARATRANSIT SYSTEM, TRANSIT AGENCIES CAN ALLOW UP TO 14 DAYS.
WE, UH, ALLOW ONE DAY IN ADVANCE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THAT GIVES US THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF THE RESOURCES.
A PERSON CALLS TODAY TELLS US WHEREVER THEY WANT TO GO, UH, WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA, WHATEVER TIMES THEY WANT, AND WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CERTAINTY.
WHEREAS A PERSON THAT CALLS IN 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE, YOU MAY FORGET, I DEFINITELY DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I DID 14 DAYS AGO, OR, OR WHAT I'M GOING TO DO 14 DAYS FROM NOW.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO USE THE RESOURCES A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SO OUR CITY ACTUALLY ABLE TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO BOOK MORE THAN A DAY AHEAD? NO, NO.
THEY, THEY MAY WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY IF THEY GOT IT.
SO CHOOSE TO CALL, UH, THREE OR FOUR DAYS IN THE ADVANCE.
WELL, TO KEEP TRACK OF 6,000 PEOPLE WHO MAKE RESERVATIONS TODAY THAT WANT TO RIDE TOMORROW.
RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE TWO OR THREE FOLKS DOWN THERE IN AN OFFICE WITH A PENCIL AND A SPREADSHEET, DO YOU? IT, IT, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS AND WE HOPE THAT OUR RIDERS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY, THERE ARE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS THAT THEY CAN USE TO SCHEDULE THEIR TRIPS.
THEY CAN SCHEDULE THEM ONLINE BY TELEPHONE OR BY SPEAKING WITH THE LIVE REPRESENTATIVES.
SO WE PROVIDE QUITE A FEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SCHEDULE THEIR TRIPS, UH, WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN SPEAK WITH A LIVE AGENT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THOSE TRIPS ARE ACTUALLY PUT INTO A COMPUTER AND AN ALGORITHM FIGURES OUT WHO'S MOST LIKELY GONNA FIT RIDING ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WITH THAT PARTICULAR DRIVER AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT RE THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF PROGRAMMING.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER POINT WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
HOUSTON USED COMPUTERS TO PROGRAM TRIPS BEFORE MOST PEOPLE EVEN KNEW WHAT A COMPUTER COULD DO.
WE, WE, JIM JIV LAUGHLIN, YOUR PREDECESSOR, I REMEMBER, SET UP SOME OLD COMPUTERS DOWN THERE ON A SHELF AND, UH, AND TAUGHT THEM HOW, OR PROGRAMMED THEM TO SCHEDULE TRIPS, WHICH, UH, ENABLED THE SYSTEM TO BE YAY, MORE EFFICIENT, UH, AND TO CARRY MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN OTHERWISE.
IT WAS A, I I, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO USE WHAT WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS AN OLD DOS BASED SYSTEM.
AND IT WAS, UH, IT, IT, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
AND, AND TO, TO WATCH THE TECHNOLOGY JUST, UH, MATURE OVER TIME HAS JUST BEEN, UH, TREMENDOUS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, YEAH, WE, WE'VE COMMUNICATED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS WITH DRIVERS.
WE'VE USED, UH, BEEPERS AND CELL PHONES AND PAGERS AND ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
I REMEMBER RIDING METRO LIFT WHEN THE DRIVER ACTUALLY HAD TO STOP AND USE A PAYPHONE.
IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHERE TO GO FOR THE NEXT TRIP.
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THE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES, UH, HAS JUST BEEN TREMENDOUS.AND, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE COMING UP FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET BETTER.
WE'RE, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT WE WANT TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE AND WE RELY ON FEEDBACK FROM OUR CUSTOMERS, FROM OUR DRIVERS, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY TO TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHAT THINGS CAN WE DO BETTER? AND WE ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES HERE IN HOUSTON, AND WE WANNA MAINTAIN THAT.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS, UH, SOME ADVICE, UH, WANTS TO, TO TEST THE QUESTION, WHERE DO THEY CALL? WHAT WEBSITE DO THEY GO TO? A CUSTOMER THAT WANTS TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS, UH, WANTS TO OFFER GENERAL COMMENTS, MAYBE THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SERVICE OR MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME POSITIVE THINGS.
THEY CAN GO TO WWW.RIDEMETRO.ORG OR THEY CAN CALL 7 1 3 6 3 5 4,000.
AND THAT'S REGARDING ANY OF OUR SERVICES, WHETHER IT BE METRO LIFT OR THE LOCAL BUS OR THE RAIL SYSTEM.
UH, THE PARK AND RIDE SYSTEM, OUR VAN POOL PROGRAM.
OUR, UH, CURB TO CURB MICRO TRANSIT SERVICES.
THAT'S THE NUMBER TO REMEMBER.
THE FAMILY'S VISIT TO THE FOREST INSPIRED A BEAUTIFUL QUESTION.
MOTHER, MOTHER, AM I A TREE? YOU TELL ME TO STAND TALL.
MOTHER, MOTHER, YOU TELL ME TO STAY ROOTED.
YOU TELL ME TO FOCUS ON MY BREATH AND THE TREES BREATHE FOR THE EARTH.
BUT WHAT KIND OF TREE WILL YOU BE? WILL YOU BE THE KIND THAT MAKES SHADE OR THE KIND THAT SHOWS A NEW WAY? MIGHT YOU BE THE KIND TO HUG OR THE KIND TO CLIMB? DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE SO LONG AS YOU CHOOSE TO BE A TREE.
THE CHILD HAD A FEW MORE QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
AND THE FOREST HAD PLENTY OF ANSWERS.
MAKE THE FOREST PART OF YOUR STORY AT A PARK NEAR YOU.
DO MORE THAN GO BACK TO NORMAL.
GO DOWNTOWN, SOAK UP THE SUN AND SOME TOMBS.
OR STAY CHILL IN THE SHADE WITH A COCKTAIL.
AND IF YOU ARE WAITING FOR A SIGN TO DO MORE THAN THE SAME OLD, THIS IS IT.
WITHIN THIS EVENT, ENTERTAINMENT AND EASE, YOU ARE IN FOR A SUMMER, YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.
WELCOME BACK TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH ART JACKSON FROM METRO.
UH, ART, YOU, YOU, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PARATRANSIT SYSTEM.
HOW MANY TRIPS, UH, PER MONTH? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SERVED BY THIS SYSTEM? WELL, UH, LEX, WE ARE THE LARGEST, UH, PARA TRANSIT SERVICE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE NATION.
WE PROVIDE OVER 130,000 PASSENGER TRIPS.
WE TRANSPORT MORE PEOPLE AT LAST COUNT THAN DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO COMBINED THAT.
UM, AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE USING OUR LIGHT RAIL.
AND, UH, OUR BUS SYSTEM PRE PANDEMIC.
WE, ON THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE, WE PROVIDED OVER 2 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS TWICE THAT NUMBER USED THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE.
TO OVER OR TWICE THAT NUMBER OF, UH, PASSENGER TRIPS WERE PROVIDED ON THE LOCAL BUS SYSTEM.
SO MO FOUR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? YES.
MORE PEOPLE USE THE, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
IF PEOPLE, WHATEVER, HOWEVER THEY NEED TO GET AROUND,
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HOWEVER THEY CHOOSE TO GET AROUND, WE WANT TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.AND THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACTUALLY USE THE LOCAL BUS SERVICE.
PARA TRANSIT SERVICE IS A SAFETY NET FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO.
UM, OUR THAT YOUR EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD ARE JUST PART OF METRO'S OVERALL COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, THOUGH I THINK WE, UH, WE ARE THE ONLY TRANSIT AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY AS ITS, UH, PRIMARY, UH, CHALLENGE AS THE, AS THE MAIN PRIORITY.
UH, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? I MEAN, IS THAT, UH, DO OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS CONSIDER THAT AND THEN SET IT ASIDE? OR WHY ISN'T THAT UNIVERSAL? UNIVERSAL? WELL, UH, AGAIN, UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY IS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE, UH, A DA AND FOR, I THINK IT REALLY GOES BACK TO OUR HISTORY THAT WE BEGAN PROVIDING CERTAIN SERVICES BEFORE WE WERE REQUIRED TO.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST CARRIED US.
WE'VE HAD GREAT BOARD MEMBERS WHO, UH, HAVE A VISION.
WE'VE HAD GREAT CITY LEADERS LIKE MAYOR TURNER AND OTHERS THAT HAVE A VISION FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS REGION.
AND, UH, UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY MEANS THAT EVERY TIME WE CONSIDER A PROJECT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE RAMPS AND THAT THERE ARE, UH, AMENITIES THERE THAT ARE ACCOMMODATING SO THAT EVERYONE IS, UH, COMFORTABLE, UH, WITH THAT.
YEAH, THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW BUS STOPS THAT, UH, METRO IS BUILDING ON THE ROOTS.
AND, UH, I, I THINK ABOUT THOSE COMPLIMENTS, AND I THINK YOU HAVE, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO THANK FOR THAT BECAUSE PART OF THE, UH, UH, AMENITIES THERE ARE IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING THOSE OF US WITH DISABILITIES, CAN USE THE SERVICES AND THE FACILITIES, AND THAT MAKES THE, UH, UH, FACILITY AND THE SURFACES BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
I MEAN, FOR, FOR, FOR MYSELF AS A PERSON AND WHO UTILIZES A WHEELCHAIR, MANY OF THE, UH, AMENITIES OR FEATURES THAT, UH, AN ACCESSIBLE STOP, UH, PROVIDES A BENEFIT OF A MOTHER WITH A STROLLER OR A, A GRANDMOTHER WITH A SHOPPING CART OR A, A DAD ON A BICYCLE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, ACCESS UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY, UH, UNIVERSAL FEATURES JUST, JUST MAKE THE SERVICE SO MUCH BETTER FOR, UH, EVERYONE AND EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO, TO UTILIZE.
AND SO AND SO, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, REBUILDING LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF BUS STOPS IN THE HOUSTON AREA TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE BUSES.
EVERY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION METRO PROVIDES BEING ACCESSIBLE, AND A LOT OF EFFORT GOES INTO THAT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE WORKING ON THESE ISSUES? WELL, WITH, WITH, JUST WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, REGARDING THE PARATRANSIT AND THE MICRO TRANSIT SERVICES AND THE CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE HAVE OVER 150 PEOPLE JUST WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
BUT METRO EMPLOYS THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS.
UH, AND, AND WE'RE ALL FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT WE PROVIDE SAFE, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO THE FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY AND WITHIN THE REGION.
AND SO THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR, UH, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS, UH, CAN UTILIZE OUR PUBLIC
SO, TO, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT THE FIRST OF THE PROGRAM, YOU, YOU ALREADY HIT ON IT, 130,000 PEOPLE A MONTH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES GETTING RIDES FROM METRO VIA THE PARATRANSIT SYSTEM.
ART, THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING OUR SHOW TODAY.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN A PROGRAM ABOUT, UH, ISSUES THAT AFFECT ALL OUR LIVES IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US, AND HOPE YOU JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME FOR MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES ON HTV.