We acknowledge that Access customers are not consistently satisfied with our delivery of service, and we’re focused on taking action on your concerns. As a result, we now have new more comfortable and efficient vehicles, a mobile ticketing pilot project, and new 7-day advance reservations – just a handful of key improvements to King County Metro’s Access services that are underway and on the horizon.
The changes deliver on promises made to Access customers as we worked with the county auditor, reviewed customer needs and looked to establish a new contract and approach to providing Access services. We are in the process of forming an Access community group to help the agency prioritize and address areas of mutual customer concerns – while also developing a vision for ongoing improvements.
As King County celebrates Disability Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the efforts we’ve pioneered in the past and reaffirming our commitments to more improvements for riders. Stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, here are the details on the changes we’re putting in place to make Access services better for riders.
Advance reservations: Customers can now book 7 days in advance!
In response to customer feedback and advisory recommendations, Access now is able to book trips further in advance – instead of three days ahead, reservations can now be made seven days in advance. This allows riders to book more trips – up to a week’s worth – with a single phone call. No more leaving work to make reservations; now you can set up your rides a week ahead.
34 new minivans: 50% less fuel, low-floor and more comfortable
Access has purchased 34 new minivans – able to better serve riders with low floors, ramps, greater comfort and more maneuverability. We’re rolling them into service in phases, with all 34 vehicles expected to be in service by mid-November. By providing these vehicles to better serve riders, we’re also responding to an audit finding that called for a better vehicle mix.
Vehicles cost $45,000 each, were vetted during a test run in 2015, and checked out with several peer agencies (which use 660 of these MV-1 vehicles.) They will be assigned only when appropriate to serve customers for their specific needs.
Test group for Mobile Ticketing
To make it easier to pay – instead of using cash – Access customers will soon have Transit Go Ticket mobile ticketing available via smart phones. More than a dozen Access customers are testing Metro’s mobile ticketing app, giving us feedback so we can fine tune the app before launching it to all Access customers. Once implemented, mobile tickets will allow Access customers to switch from paying cash and transfer their fare to other Metro transit service. This change responds to a county audit finding that called for more fare options for riders, especially those who don’t ride often enough to justify a monthly pass.
Interpreters expedited using language caller ID
When an Access customer who speaks a language other than English calls to make a reservation, our system now uses caller ID to expedite interpreter services. The caller ID also helps the call center with the spelling of customer names. This change, in effect since September, responds to a county audit finding that called for Metro to address barriers to Access for people with limited English.
Regular (standing) rides: easier to revise
Access riders will soon be able to have more flexibility in reserving standing rides and changing existing standing rides, a policy change our advisory group recommended on behalf of customers. The policy change allows exceptions to the 28-day waiting period for making standing reservations for customers who’ve demonstrated stable ridership.
@anonymous on Nov 12, thanks for contacting us. Please use this link https://www.research.net/r/TVFZR3R to help determine whether you qualify for the test pilot project phase.
Hi Jeff, Thank you for sharing many good news, I would like to be part of the test group of the transit go ticket application. It is hard for me to be going to the bank to have the right amount of cash for my access rides so this will definitely simplify things.
(@anonymous Nov 6) Thanks for your feedback, as a result we’ve adjusted the language and will do better in all future posts.
What I think you’re trying to say about caller ID is it will help Metro’s assistors double check phone numbers as well as the spelling of customer names.The sentence “The caller ID also helps people who have hard to spell or hard to pronounce names” could be perceived as ethno-centric (or, to be more specific, Anglo-centric). If you’ve ever seen Office Space, you know what I’m talking about.
Wow, I’m really impressed and appreciative of this advancement! Just the other day I got picked up by one of these mini vans without realizing it was the new thing with Access, and I was so happy not to be bouncing around with the shocks of the big vans. I thought it was a supervisors van. Just recently I came across the email that had been sent out earlier in the week about improvements, and now fully understood. I’m so very grateful, thank you so much for making this happen.
@Shirley, I’m not quite sure about which deal you mean, but all currently eligible customers can take advantage of these enhancements. If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible, call 206-263-3113 to confirm your eligibility. If you’re already eligible, you can call 205-205-5000 and book your Access ride!
@anonymous, glad you like the ride! Yes, we still accept cash. We’re testing mobile ticketing for a small Access group first, but want to make sure it meets the needs of Access customers before launching for all Access users.
Will I be able to return to Access for this deal, I stop using after long hours on the bus. I still work and I now work in Federal Way instead of downtown. I also live in Federal Way, and I really should not drive?
I really like the new vans! Will we able to still pay cash if we do not have a smart phone?