Public Meetings - Louisville, Kentucky

The Louisville Metro Public Works Committee met on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, from 4:04 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in Council Chambers to discuss ID 23-0211, MV Transportation, TARC's paratransit services provider. Chair Donna L. Purvis (D-5) presided. Six members were present (Kumar Rashad, Purvis, Dan Seum Jr., Jennifer Chappell, Stuart Benson, and Madonna Flood); Vice Chair Robin Engel and Brent Ackerson were excused. The meeting was held under KRS 61.826. No formal action was taken; the item was a special discussion hearing testimony from riders and advocates. Public Comments & Testimony - Dewayne Gant, a TARC 3 rider, testified that he scheduled a pickup for December 9, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. and a return at 11:35 p.m. from 630 South 4th Street. Beginning December 7, reservation staff called repeatedly and tried to persuade him to change the return trip, saying their latest pickup was 10:30 p.m. He refused. At 6:50 p.m. on December 9, dispatch confirmed the 11:35 p.m. return, but when he called after 11:00 p.m. no one answered. He was stranded and paid for an Uber after midnight. He said MV did not reimburse him, but Bruce Withers later forwarded a partial reimbursement "under the table" with no paper trail. He stated this happened three or four times whenever he requested a return after 10:30 p.m. to 630 South 4th Street or 434 West Market Street. - Marcellus Mays, president of the Metro Disability Coalition and a District 3 resident, said MV Transportation is a for-profit company operating as a monopoly, which he called a possible violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. He referenced a seven-year contract worth $118 million negotiated by former TARC executive director Ferdinand Risco. He alleged poor oversight, self-reported statistics, and subcontractors focused on profit. He cited prior incidents, including an earlier MV contract in Louisville that ended after boxer Greg Page was injured on an MV vehicle and died, and a lawsuit after a woman with multiple sclerosis was left on a lift. He called on TARC to run paratransit from inside or for the city to take over, and said the TARC board should be dissolved or changed. - Reverend George Mays Jr., an advocate and paratransit rider, said his grandson Major Jeremiah Mays has autism and drivers do not always come to the door despite door-to-door service. He said he worked with MV in Nevada and that Las Vegas terminated MV because of similar issues. He questioned the reported 92% on-time performance, saying the numbers can be skewed and that he has asked for an independent audit for six months without success. He also said his late mother was afraid to ride the service. He called for equal representation and inclusion, saying "taxation without representation is not acceptable." - Shedrick Jones Sr., a rider since 1966 on public transportation and on TARC 3 since 2001, said the problems are worse than reported. He said Southwest Jefferson County Community College and a nearby medical facility lack TARC 3 service, forcing people to walk from Dixie Highway. He described an incident in which a driver got lost on a trip toward Henryville, Indiana, and dispatch communications failed, ultimately reaching a dispatcher in Des Moines, Iowa. He expressed concern about subcontractors, health issues such as bed bugs during the pandemic, and hidden lawsuits. He proposed putting all paratransit services under one entity and offered to work with the committee. - The agenda listed Melinda McCullough, Kathy Denn, and Terry Reed as speakers, but they did not appear. Instead, Reverend George Mays Jr. and Shedrick Jones Sr. testified, as reflected in the action summary. Discussion Items - Chair Purvis acknowledged the testimony and said the MV Transportation director of transportation had a schedule conflict and could not attend. Purvis said she would contact her with questions and hoped to share the information publicly. - Council members asked questions of Mr. Gant about reimbursement and of Mr. Mays about prior problems and dispatch hours. Key Outcomes - No motions or votes were taken. - Chair Purvis committed to following up with the MV Transportation director about the concerns raised. - Shedrick Jones Sr. offered to review the committee's notes with the local MV Transportation director at a future time. - The meeting adjourned without objection at 4:45 p.m.