Draft Memorandum for the Record
Access Advisory Committee to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (AACT) Executive Board Minutes
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
10:00 AM–11:12 AM; 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
Chair—James F. White
Vice Chair—Lisa Weber
James Tozza
Nadine Jones
Mary Ann Murray
Beverly Ann Rock
Lisa Weber
Sandra Tozza
James Tozza
Rob Sampson
Introductions/Agenda Review
No minutes were presented.
Work on the new community engagement group, named the Accessible Transportation Committee (ATC), is nearing completion. Its bylaws and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are being finalized, with the goal of launching the group in July. When ATC’s MOU goes into effect, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will dissolve AACT’s MOU. All current AACT members will be automatically invited to become a member of ATC; there will be an additional form to submit, which will be provided to members.
ATC’s Executive Board will consist of five individuals and six representatives of organizations. There will be one representative from a selected organization as chair and one individual will serve as co-chair. The initial Executive Board will consist only of organizations, and will be selected by the Community Engagement Committee in consultation with the MBTA and Judge King. These individuals will be selected following the first ATC meeting. Every general member will be able to nominate individuals for the Executive Board; if the person accepts, she or he will submit a letter of intent and resumé to the Executive Board. The Executive Board will vote on the nominees following a public comment period; the MBTA will voice its opinion, though it will not have control of the vote. Individuals will serve a term of two years.
ATC will address both THE RIDE and fixed route service. At the beginning of each year, ATC will formulate a work plan to guide its efforts and increase accountability. ATC will not meet on a monthly basis, but work in subcommittees will allow for consistent involvement. Meetings will be held in locations other than the State Transportation Building (STB), although the group could potentially meet at the STB as well. Public comments at ATC meetings will have a format similar to the Fiscal and Management Control Board; people will be given two minutes to speak, and they may not receive an immediate response.
ATC group will allow the MBTA to receive more input from a more diverse group of individuals. In addition to the ATC general membership, the organizations on the Executive Board will represent their constituents. ATC is the result of joint conversations with the MBTA and various stakeholder groups, including AACT. The new MOU is stronger and more detailed, providing more responsibilities and updated information on communicating with the MBTA.
S. Tozza asked how Saugus will be included in the discussion. L. Weber noted that Saugus is part of the Boston Region.
L. Weber encouraged everyone to continue to report complaints to the MBTA customer service line at 617.222.3200.
Jim Tozza, AACT representative to the Rider Oversight Committee (ROC), reported that he was unable to attend the meeting in person, but viewed the session electronically with some difficulty.
He also reported that the MBTA is looking to have credit card transactions on local buses for a small fee.
He also attended the Boston Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities. He noted that the topic of discussion was UBER drivers who refuse to provide transportation to persons traveling with service animals. He noted that people are frustrated with the way that UBER is allowed to bypass the Americans with Disabilities Act.
There were none.
The AACT meeting location is accessible to people with disabilities and is near public transportation. The AACT Executive Board meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, except when noted, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (noon). The Membership meeting follows immediately from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
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.
Comments and questions concerning AACT should be directed to Chair James White by contacting the AACT Coordinator, Ms. Janie Guion, at 857.702.3658 (voice); 617.570.9193 (TTY); AACT@ctps.org (email); or c/o CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116 (US mail).
The MBTA has advised AACT that interpreter services will be canceled the Friday before each Wednesday monthly meeting unless you notify, the AACT Coordinator, Janie Guion, by the close of business the Friday before the Wednesday meeting. Contact information at AACT@ctps.org or by leave a voicemail at 857.702.3658. Upon request every effort will be made to provide accommodations such as assistive listening devices, materials in accessible formats, and in languages other than English, and interpreters in American Sign Language and other languages.
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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
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