Public Works Committee Hears Rider Complaints About MV Transportation Paratransit — February 21, 2023
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Public Works Committee Hears Rider Complaints About MV Transportation Paratransit — February 21, 2023
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.
Meeting Transcript
All right, pal. Get ready for the day, buddy. Hey Dad. Hey Dad. We have a gun. What's up? We have a gun. This is our second electrical signal box that's being covered with art on vinyl to create a new pop of color, something whimsical and fun that when you're walking down the sidewalk, you get to see uh local art and enjoy being out in the downtown street. I really think beautification takes many forms, color, design, artistry. If that isn't by a mural, that's painted on a building, it's street gallery, if it's the alley gallery, doorways that you see, banners that hang on the light holes, all of these things make somebody know that they're in the right place. It's a place that's being taken care of. There is a reason to appreciate where you are. If you've ever come to one of our recycling drop-off sites, you know that those dumpsters are often very full and overflowing, but we are slowly converting them. We're in the parking lot of the Cyril Algayer Community Center, and this is our first location that has made the switch. So having these smaller dumpsters that can be emptied on site will keep them from overflowing so easily. Once I learned how to dip and got better at it, that's what I love to do. Have the residents out and getting rid of their trash, they yard waste and they recycle. You know, it's a good feeling. But you know, I love it. I've been here three years, you know, I don't see myself going nowhere. It's great. What are you looking for? It is external agency funds, and the amount is six hundred thousand dollars. It's decreasing homelessness, also financial stability, increase access to a targeted population. Those are the three primary focuses for RCS. There's not a specific project in mind as long as they align with those three primary focuses. And I actually work from my home. Good afternoon. Welcome to the Committee for Public Works. I'm Councilwoman Donna Purvis, I'm the chairperson. I have excused absence absences today from Councilman Eckerson as well as my co-chair, Councilman Eagle Ingle. I have in the chambers today, Councilman Syme, Councilman Roshad, and Councilwoman Flood, as well as Councilwoman Chappelle. Today we are here discussing. Oh, I'm sorry. Also have uh in chambers today, Councilman Benson. Today we will be discussing um MV, which is the paratransit transportation that uh is used by transit authority of River City. Um we have some uh riders here who have been um actually what I would call victims of MV paratransit. And today uh they will be here to speak about their experience. And the first one that I will call to speak today will be Mr. Duane Gant. This meeting is being had pursued to KRS six one point eight two six in Council Room Five A, read in full. Okay. Uh I wanna go back to the complaint that I had on uh in December, early December, uh starting with the day that I scheduled my ride, which was December the 6th. After placing my ride on December, I scheduled a ride to be picked up uh from my address going to 4 to 6 30 South 4th Street, and I will had a 7 p.m. pickup and a 1135 return after placing my ride on December the 6th, starting early December the 7th, I started receiving calls from uh the reservationist that placed my call, placed my reservations for me and told me telling me that she made a mistake by placing my return trip, which was 1135 p.m. Uh she started it off by telling me that their latest pickup is only 1030. So she tried to convince me to reschedule my trip. I refused to and request for her to transfer me to Anna's office to discuss why uh shanted to change my ride. I could tell that she was being caught by somebody in the office because uh asked me to hold on and wait, and somebody in the background was telling her what to say, so at that time I refused to change my ride, and I asked her to have Anna to give me a call. So the my trip was scheduled on December the 9th, so from December the 6th up to December the 9th, I received several calls that uh their messages uh left on my voice call, asked me to give them a call, ask me to c they tell me that they made a mistake by scheduling me a ride, a return ride at 11:30, asking me to change my ride.
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