ACAT Meeting - February 24, 2011

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Susan Davidson, Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m. and attendance was taken.

Nil.

Copies of the Revised Election Policy and Procedure for ACAT Elections were distributed.

Dorothy Creaser thanked the Committee members for their support and nomination; however, she withdrew her nomination for ACAT Vice Chair.

Howard Wax and Valdo Tammark were declared Vice Chairs by acclamation.

The two nominees for ACAT Chair, Heather Green and Sam Savona, were provided five minutes to present their reasons for seeking the position of ACAT Chair.

Ballots were then cast and counted by Evelyn Gartner, Tom McPherson, and Ross Visconti. The ballot count was confirmed by the Recording Secretary, Lori Blinn. Ballots will be held in a sealed and signed envelope until the next ACAT General Meeting after which they will be destroyed.

Sam Savona was declared the Chair of ACAT. He expressed his thanks for the Committee’s support and expressed that he is looking forward to working with all of them on upcoming ACAT issues.

On motion of Howard Wax and seconded by Mazin Aribi, ACAT approved the agenda.

Item 7, ACAT Elections, was moved to the beginning of the meeting. The newly elected Chair, Sam Savona, then chaired the meeting.

On motion of Howard Wax and seconded by Robert Muzzy, ACAT approved the minutes of January 27, 2011, on consensus.

a)  Station Layout Pages

The Committee expressed concern that they had not received previously requested information from staff regarding the RFP for Station Layout Pages and asked for an update as soon as possible.

Action:

Heather Green and Evelyn Gartner to meet with TTC Marketing Department on February 25, 2011 and will provide an update regarding Station Layout Pages at the next ACAT meeting.

b)  Elevator Redundancy for New Stations and in Interchange Stations

The February 10, 2011 correspondence from Gary Webster, Chief General Manager, in response to Susan Davidson’s letter of December 8, 2010 was distributed and discussed.

Glenn Johnston advised that, as the correspondence is currently before the Commission which will determine next actions, the item will be placed on the outstanding items list and be referred to the Design Review Subcommittee for their consideration.

The Committee strongly recommended that elevator redundancy be kept at the forefront of their agenda and that their presence at Commission meetings would be beneficial to ACAT goals.

c) ACAT History Project

On January 27th, at Brayan Bratanov’s suggestion, ACAT discussed initiating a project that would accumulate ACAT history and achievements. This project would be particularly useful in celebrating ACAT’s 20th anniversary in 2012. The Chair requested that Brayan Bratanov take the lead in striking an Ad Hoc committee to complete the project.

Action:

ACAT members to advise Brayan Bratanov if they wish to participate in the ACAT History Project.

Nil.

Administration Subcommittee

Susan Davidson reported that the Administration Subcommittee is currently reviewing the Accessible Transportation Subcommittee Guidelines.

Communications Subcommittee (CSC)

Heather Green (Chair) advised that the Communications Subcommittee had two meetings in February.  Some of the items discussed were:

a) Wheel-Trans 101 Brochure and Poster

The Subcommittee reviewed WT101 brochure and discussed Wheel-Trans’ approach to training.

If the number of new WT registrants is 600-1,000 per month, current training programs do not meet the needs of riders and Wheel-Trans. Educating new WT customers to make the service work for them, and generating respectful riding habits, e.g. no-shows, would avert future WT problems and financial losses.

CSC recommended that additional review of WT training plans, Train the Trainer, and outreach programs be considered. The Subcommittee felt that the People in Motion conference in June should be used to reach a large number of people and that centrally located facilities be used for training in addition to the Variety Village location.

b) Snow Contingency Plan

When WT Management determines that a snow contingency plan must be put in place for services, they advise Danny Nicholson, Corporate Communications, who will ensure that a standard advisement is:

• provided to the media
• posted on Twitter and Facebook
• forwarded by e-Alert
• posted on the Wheel-Trans section of the TTC website
• posted on the Reservations/RideLine voicemail greeting.

Currently, TTC cannot post any notices on Wheel-Trans registration web pages due to web page/system restrictions. While snow contingency plans are in effect:

• WT riders are encouraged to make only necessary trips.
• If they cancel their rides, no cancellation penalty will be applied while the snow contingency plan is in effect. 
• Same day bookings will be restricted, except for medical appointments.
• On the rare occasion where WT needs to cancel a ride, the passenger will be notified. 

c) Late Cancellation / No Show Flyer

CSC reviewed an amended the mock-up of the Cancellation and No-Show flyer.

d) Priority Line

Rides can be cancelled on the Internet or on the RideLine.

Design Review Subcommittee (DRS)

Craig Nicol (Chair) advised that the Design Review Subcommittee held two meetings in February. DRS reviewed the amended drawings and plans for Runnymede Station and confirmed that their previous suggestions for modifications to elevators and the ramp were incorporated into the new drawings. As such, DRS agreed that the amended drawings were acceptable. There are still some improvements which need to be made to the Coxwell Station plans.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), the agency that licences elevating devices, has indicated that the buttons on the TTC passenger assistance intercoms are not to current standard.  As such, TTC must modify all passenger assistance intercom buttons; however, DRS does not feel that the changes will enhance the intercom system and would result in inconsistencies with DWA and elevator signage.  With the exception of required illumination, DRS felt that the current standard did not enhance and, in fact, detracted from accessibility. DRS strongly recommended further examination of the new TSSA standards.
DRS reviewed clauses from the Accessibility Regulation and provided their feedback and recommendations.

Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS)

Anna Noviss (Chair) reported that the Service Planning Subcommittee met twice in February. SPS reviewed the clauses in the proposed accessibility regulation pertaining to training, policies, and those which would impact the integration of specialized and conventional services, and commented on the issues, opportunities, and outstanding items for 2011 including those matters from 2010 that Wheel-Trans and the ACAT Communications Subcommittee have yet to respond to.

Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee

The Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee met on February 10, 2011. Some of the items discussed were:

a) Booking Same Day Service

There is a limited number of trips available on the actual day of service. Wheel-Trans registrants must contact Reservations beginning at 5:30 a.m. to inquire about availability.

The WT Ops Subcommittee recommended that details regarding the Same Day Booking be incorporated into all Wheel-Trans’ informational material.

b) Attendants Escorting Customers Expecting Return Trip

It was confirmed that attendants must travel on Wheel-Trans vehicles with a registered customer and that no attendants can board the vehicle without the WT registrant they are accompanying. Attendants must be a WT registrant themselves, or accompany the WT registrant, to obtain a return ride.  Certain situations, such as the WT registrant being dropped off in an obscure area, may require that the WT driver drop the attendant off at the nearest public transportation intersection.

Evelyn Gartner will present the WT Operations Subcommittee comments regarding return ride policy for attendants to the attention of WT management.

c) Outstanding Items for the 2011 WT Operations Subcommittee

The following are the outstanding items:  Code of Conduct - WT Customer Bill of Rights & Responsibilities; Report on Frequently Made Customer Concerns to WT Customer Service; and Wheel-Trans 101. The Subcommittee provided suggestions for expanded registrant training such as holding a Train the Trainer session with ACAT members who could act as training resources to new users.

Action:

Angela Marley to provide a copy of the Report on Auditing Contracted Services Taxi Driver Training to ACAT members.

Susan Davidson and Heather Green attended the Commission Meeting where over seven hours of deputations were regarding bus reallocations were made. Bus reallocations will come into effect on May 8, 2011. The motion on Ashbridges Bay Maintenance TTC Maintenance and Storage Facility was passed.

Action:

Heather Green will prove a detailed report on the Commission Meeting and Accessibility Matters to ACAT members by email.

Action:

The ACAT Chair requested that subcommittees address how they would like to handle meeting cancellations due to inclement weather.

It was noted that ACAT General meetings would not be cancelled due to inclement weather.

Susan Davidson thanked the members who served on the Ad Hoc committee which reviewed the guidelines for ACAT Subcommittee practices.

Action:

Susan Davidson to provide an electronic copy of the proposed Guidelines for Subcommittee Meetings for further development by ACAT Executive.

a) Accessibility Day

Mazin Aribi suggested that awareness regarding accessibility issues be raised in the TTC facilities by holding an “Accessibility Day”. This day would be used to educate the public regarding accessibility and policies and would be an opportunity for ACAT, or people with disabilities, to share what their needs are with the general public.

Tom McPherson advised that this is an admirable suggestion; however, it falls outside of ACAT’s mandate.

ACAT members agreed that an “Accessibility Day” is a good idea and the ACAT Chair recommended its further review as it relates to service integration.

Action:

Sam Savona referred the “Accessibility Day” idea to the Service Planning Subcommittee for further consideration.

b) New Subcommittee Members

Tom McPherson advised that staff is still going through the selection process and will circulate a list of members to ACAT by March 5, 2011.

c) Meeting Schedules

Action:

Sam Savona to provide tentative meeting schedules to staff and ACAT Executive for their consideration.

The next meeting of ACAT will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2011, in the 7th floor Boardroom, 1900 Yonge Street.

Heather Green congratulated Sam Savona on his being declared ACAT Chair. Sam thanked past members, and Heather for her support and asked for her continued input on ACAT. ACAT thanked Susan Davidson for her service as ACAT Chair over the past three years. Susan thanked Heather Green and Marian McDonell for their support as Vice Chairs.

On a motion by Mazin Aribi, the meeting was adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

Lori Blinn
Recording Secretary