Riders press MBTA on The RIDE: missed pickups, long holds and cumbersome complaints

Riders at a July 25 R‑TAG virtual meeting pressed MBTA staff for immediate fixes to persistent problems with The RIDE paratransit service and Ride Flex ride‑share support, describing missed pickups, multi‑hour waits on hold, and an onerous complaints process when service‑animal denials or no‑shows occur.

Rhoda described a recent recertification appointment in which intake staff repeatedly recorded her new address but Trac (the provider) went to the wrong address; she said she was left waiting, spent an hour on hold and "wasted an entire day." MBTA staff (Nicola Mukome and Michele Stiehler) apologized and pledged to investigate the specific trip and review hold times and disconnects.

MBTA presented operational metrics for July 2023–June 2024 to provide context: June ridership totaled about 136,000 trips (70,000 dedicated provider trips, 53,000 demand/flex trips and roughly 6,200 integrated trips routed through TRAC), June on‑time performance was 94% (a 2 percentage‑point month‑to‑month increase and 9 points year‑over‑year), and the agency reported a decline in trips exceeding 120 minutes. Call center metrics showed an average speed of answer of roughly 19 seconds in June and a June call volume near 87,000. MBTA staff said complaints per thousand trips have trended lower; in June the agency recorded 155 complaints, 46 commendations and 344 inquiries.

Despite those system trends, multiple riders recounted problems they say persist: drivers who do not provide expected assistance to blind riders, pickups outside service windows, early drop‑offs, long out‑of‑service waits and scheduling or dispatch inefficiencies (one rider said a vehicle sat idle for hours while passengers waited). Riders also described difficulty resolving incidents with ride‑share providers (Uber, Lyft) and the MBTA because there is no single complaint form that submits to both companies and the MBTA simultaneously.

MBTA staff acknowledged those complaints and described actions the agency is taking: investigating individual complaints (including video review where available), retraining providers when problems are found, supplementing oversight, hiring to fill vacancies (two positions were filled in July: a manager of operations and a contract administrator; nine vacancies remain), and pursuing technology improvements (MBTA said it is close to awarding new scheduling software it hopes will improve dispatch efficiency). MBTA staff also said Ride Flex account allocations are reassessed twice a year (the next evaluation was due in August).

On service‑animal denials, MBTA staff said they meet weekly with ride‑share partners, have received some reports of denials and will raise provider accountability when the incidents are verified; the agency said driver termination is a possible outcome but did not provide counts of recent terminations.

Riders urged a streamlined complaint process for incidents that involve both a ride‑share vendor and MBTA oversight; MBTA staff said they are continuing discussions with Uber and Lyft about whether a combined or expedited reporting path is feasible.

Why it matters: For many riders with disabilities The RIDE is essential for medical appointments, work and independent living. Even as the MBTA showed improving system metrics, attendees made clear that individual failures — missed trips, unclear provider communications, and the labor of filing complaints across multiple vendors — are causing real hardship.

MBTA staff asked riders to submit specific complaints so staff can investigate and promised to follow up with complainants directly. R‑TAG’s next meeting is set for Sept. 26; MBTA said it will bring updates on staffing, provider oversight and any changes to complaint processes.