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Paratransit riders report missed pickups, confusing recertifications and noisy call‑center experiences at MBTA RIDE meeting
Summary
At the Oct. 24 R‑TAG meeting, riders described eligibility notification failures, suspended on‑demand service and scheduling/missed‑pickup problems; MBTA staff acknowledged a notification 'hiccup', said flex trips were restored, and outlined staffing and technology steps to improve communications and investigations.
Michele Stiehler, chief of Paratransit Services for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, presented RIDE performance metrics at the R‑TAG meeting on Oct. 24 and then took an extended series of rider reports about service problems, eligibility notifications and reservation‑center quality.
Stiehler said September 2024 RIDE totals were about 147,000 trips (up roughly 4,800 from August and about 21,000 over September 2023). She reported a TRAC answer‑within‑two‑minutes goal that TRAC met at 96% for the month and said the team performs root‑cause analysis on any trip that exceeds the 120‑minute threshold. Stiehler noted RIDE is piloting a text‑based 'ride‑along' tracking feature and is pursuing software and staffing changes to automate manual processes; she also said the RIDE program has 27 authorized positions with 18 currently filled and several postings to fill key roles.
Multiple riders described disruption and hardship. Gina, who identified herself as blind, said she did not receive timely, accessible notices about her eligibility recertification, which led to suspension of her on‑demand and regular RIDE services and left her unable to make appointments. "My services were suspended... it turned my life upside down. I feel like a prisoner in my house," she said. Staff replied that the mobility‑center notification system had a "minor hiccup" that prevented the notice from being sent and that the team restored her flex ridership earlier that day; staff committed to follow up to ensure account balances and trip allowances were corrected.
Other commenters described reservationists working from home with poor audio quality, confusing phone‑menu loops when callers attempted to reach recertification options, and scheduling errors that produced overlapping trip manifests or drivers arriving at the wrong building entrance. One rider said she waited at a main entrance while a driver was elsewhere on the property; another urged that drivers should not leave until confirming the passenger was present. Riders urged automated reminders such as text notifications and clearer, accessible online forms; staff said they are exploring text prompts, planning more call sampling and recording reviews, and expect to add two customer‑facing positions soon to help speed case resolution.
On contractor behavior, a rider reported a contracted UZURV driver who asked a passenger to sit in the front seat while a child rode in the back; MBTA staff said that vendors are required to meet MBTA service standards and asked the rider to file a complaint so the team could investigate.
Stiehler said investigations are opened for long trips, and MBTA will continue to work with TRAC and third‑party providers to address driver conduct, scheduling logic and call quality. R‑TAG members asked MBTA staff to return with updates on notification reliability, the effectiveness of the ride‑along pilot and progress on hiring two additional staff devoted to customer issue resolution.
The meeting closed with an invitation to submit complaints and a reminder that R‑TAG’s next meeting is Nov. 21.
