Memorandum for the Record

Minutes are incomplete due to a flawed device.

Access Advisory Committee to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (AACT) Executive Board Minutes

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

10:00 AM–12:00 PM; State Transportation Building, Suite 2150 10 Park Plaza, Boston

Voice: 857.702.3658; Fax: 617.570.9192; TDD: 617.570.9193 email: AACT@ctps.org

Board of Directors:

Chair—James F. White

Vice Chair—Lisa Weber

Executive Board

James Tozza

Nadine Jones

Mary Ann Murray

Beverly Ann Rock

Reading of the Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

Attendees

James White

Lisa Weber

James Tozza

Sandra Tozza

Nadine Jones

Rev. Ellen Frith

Meeting Minutes Approval

A motion to approve the minutes of February 28, 2018, was seconded and carried unanimously.

Chair’s Report

James White, Chair, reported on the following items.

· Jessica Podesva scheduled a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee that excluded the AACT stakeholders. J. White contacted Judge Patrick King regarding the meeting, who said that he, too, was not aware of the meeting and would look into the meeting. Judge King followed up with Mr. White informing him that the meeting had been postponed.

· THE RIDE Access Center staff continues to have problems and continues to show lack training.

Committee Reports

Jim Tozza, AACT representative to the Rider Oversight Committee (ROC), shared that David Barker, MBTA’s Manager of Operations Technology, discussed recent and ongoing projects and plans that are in development at the last ROC meeting.

Lisa Weber, Vice Chair reported the following committees.

· Summit on Accessible Transportation 2018. The summit was a collaboration between AACT and the Boston Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities held at the Boston Public Library and open to the public. She noted that the Summit was well attended.

· Paratransit Taskforce Committee. No report presented.

· Ad Hoc Committee. No report presented.

Announcements

L. Weber announced that the Office of Consumer Affairs Business Regulations launched a new lemon law that will assist and protect consumers with defective wheelchairs. A copy of the lemon law is available upon request.

Notables

The AACT meeting location is accessible to people with disabilities and is near public transportation.

Notices of AACT meetings are posted on the MBTA website at http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/. Visit the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) calendar page at http://www.bostonmpo.org/calendar/month to find AACT agendas, meeting minutes, and past meeting minutes. For more on AACT, see the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MBTA and AACT, the AACT Bylaws, and ADA regulations at http://www.mbta.com/aact.

Also, find articles about topics discussed at AACT meetings in the MPO’s newsletter, TRANSREPORT, at http://www.bostonmpo.org/transreport. For more information on accessibility at the MBTA, please visit http://www.mbta.com/accessibility.

The MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), religion, creed, gender, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran’s status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons to have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or another nondiscrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. Complaints filed under federal law (based on race, color, national origin [including limited English proficiency], sex, age, or disability) must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. Complaints filed under Massachusetts General Law (based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry) or Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4 (based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status [including Vietnam-era veterans], or background) must be filed no later than 300 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO (see above) or at www.bostonmpo.org.