Paratransit Taxis Could Return in September

A rider boards a paratransit van on N. 10th Street. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

Publicly subsidized taxi service for persons with disabilities that’s available on demand could return to Milwaukee County in September.

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) officials believe they have found a private contractor that can bring back a pared-down version of the service that disappeared last year after officials learned it was out of compliance with federal regulations.

Via, a New York-based transit firm, could begin operating a pilot program for a paratransit taxi service by September, according to a June 28 memo from MCTS Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Kellner and Paratransit Director Fran Musci.

First Transit, the paratransit service operated by MCTS, used to offer same-day, on-demand taxi rides for people with disabilities who use paratransit. The service provided an alternative to the paratransit vans that require riders to schedule a trip 24 hours in advance and have a spotty record for reliability.

MCTS ended First Transit to comply with federal regulations regarding wheel-chair accessible vehicles and random drug testing, which the previous contractor, American United Taxicab Services, did not provide. The county also did not have the funding necessary to set up an entirely new taxi service.

The county created a task force to find a replacement service. In April, members sketched out some parameters for a potential pilot program that officials could bring to private contractors. This public request for information was intended to help the task force better refine its search.

Via was the only contractor — out of six that responded to the request — that could feasibly provide a paratransit taxi service, according to the memo.

“Because of the exhaustive survey of the marketplace and a publicly advertised RFI process revealed there was only one supplier that could provide the desired services, it was determined that a separate bid or RFP (request for proposals) process would be unnecessary and moot,” Kellner and Musci wrote. “Therefore, the next steps involve MCTS staff working with Via representatives to finalize the contract terms. This process is underway.”

Based upon the specifications discussed by task force members, the new service will differ from the old service in a few key ways. First, there will likely be limits on both destination and the number of rides that can be used a month. The old program allowed unlimited rides anywhere. The new service might also provide both private and shared taxi rides.

The new service will also be available to anyone who is already eligible for paratransit rides. The old taxi program was not. Without wheelchair-accessible vehicles, non-ambulatory paratransit users could not use the service.

Riders have been calling for a return of the taxi service ever since it disappeared. Many do not feel the van service, with its scheduling limitations and frequent tardiness, meets their transportation needs.