FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ed Domansky
Director, Corporate Communications
(770) 994-4579
ATLANTA, Oct. 29, 2004 – LogistiCare and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) are negotiating a contract extension that will guarantee uninterrupted transportation service within the MetroAccess program for ADA-eligible persons.
With LogistiCare’s cooperation, WMATA is currently conducting a review of MetroAccess procedures and operations, which has identified areas for improvement for all parties. LogistiCare has not had the opportunity to review WMATA’s findings and cannot therefore indicate its concurrence with the review. It is committed, however, to working with WMATA to help them improve their MetroAccess program.
The extended contract is expected to run through Jan. 14, 2006, and will incorporate recommendations made by the Regional Paratransit Task Force, as well as recommendations made by LogistiCare and WMATA during the current contract term. A competitive procurement process will be used for the next renewal.
“LogistiCare has always viewed the MetroAccess program as a collaborative program with WMATA,” said John Shermyen, president and chief executive officer of LogistiCare. “We believe strongly that the best measure of how we are doing is growth in the program. Reevaluating the contract gives both parties an opportunity to act on feedback from WMATA and suggestions from the many stakeholders of the MetroAccess program.”
Since LogistiCare took over managing the MetroAccess program on Jan. 15, 2000:
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The number of rides has increased from just less than 17,000 per month to more than 96,000 per month through June 2004.
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The program operates at zero reservation denials.
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The number of complaints decreased from five per 1,000 completed trips to just over two complaints per 1,000 completed trips in 2004 (through Sept.).
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The current per trip reimbursement from WMATA is $25.72, a decrease from $38.08* – the previous cost per trip equivalent based on data from the 1999 RFP.
* Source: MetroAccess RFP No. C-93634-1999 and attachments
With the contract extension, MetroAccess riders will notice a few program changes beginning Jan. 15, 2005. At that time, WMATA expects to take over managing the process of determining ADA eligibility for MetroAccess participants.
MetroAccess is the curb-to-curb paratransit service for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. WMATA, along with local governments, and the other local fixed-route transit systems in the metropolitan area sponsor MetroAccess. Only riders whose disabilities prevent use of regular fixed-route transit services are eligible to use MetroAccess.
MetroAccess provides curb-to-curb transportation service for eligible riders. It operates service to any location in the District of Columbia; to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland; and to Arlington and Fairfax counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church in Virginia. MetroAccess provides service during the same hours and on the same days as its Metrorail and Metrobus fixed-route service.
Headquartered in Atlanta, LogistiCare is the nation's leading provider of specialized transportation network management. The company's government clients include state Medicaid agencies, school boards, transit and paratransit authorities. Health care sector clients include hospital systems and many of the nation's largest managed care organizations.
With its market innovation, proprietary software, and proven record of creating budget stability and program integrity, LogistiCare is well known as the leader in improving non-emergency transportation programs. On an annual basis, the company manages a national network of more than 1,750 transportation companies that deliver more than 13 million trips to customers annually.
