Access Services, a local public entity, is the Los Angeles County Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (“CTSA”) and administers the Los Angeles County Coordinated Paratransit Plan (“Plan”) on behalf of the County’s 46 public fixed route operators (i.e., bus and rail). Pursuant to the Plan, Access facilitates the provision of complementary ADA paratransit services to certain persons with disabilities as required by 42 U.S.C. §12143 under the name “Access Paratransit.” Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically, vans or mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also shared taxis and jitneys are important providers as a form of transportation. Complementary ADA paratransit is a federally mandated civil right for persons with disabilities who cannot ride the accessible public fixed route buses and trains.
As required by applicable regulations, Access Paratransit service is available for any ADA paratransit eligible individual for any purpose and to or from any location within ¾ of a mile of any fixed route bus operated by the Los Angeles County public fixed route bus operators and within ¾ of a mile around METRO Rail stations during the hours that the systems are operational. The service area is divided into regions and extends into portions of the surrounding counties of San Bernardino, Orange and Ventura that are served by Los Angeles County Fixed-route bus lines.
Access Paratransit operates seven days a week, 24 hours of the day in most areas of Los Angeles County. It is a shared ride service that is curb-to-curb and utilizes a fleet of small buses, mini-vans and taxis. Fares are distance-based and range from $2.75 to $3.50 for each one-way trip. Personal Care Attendants may ride with the qualified rider free. Different fares may be charged in the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley services areas.
Access Services facilitates Access Paratransit service by entering into and administering federally funded regional contracts with independent private transit providers, which providers, in turn, supplies the reservation taking and transportation service in conformance with the Plan, applicable law and the contract. Access Services also leases vehicles to the regional providers at $1 per month to help facilitate the provision of service under the contracts. In total, the Access Paratransit system provides more than 3.4 million trips per year to more than 115,000 qualified disabled riders in a service area of over 1,950 square miles. Access Services receives its funding for these services from Proposition C sales tax, Federal 5310 grants and fare box revenue.
In its function as the Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA) Access Services acts as a state mandated facilitator charged with the development and implementation of regional coordination of social service transportation to seniors, persons with disabilities, the young, and the low-income disadvantaged.
Access Services is governed by a nine-member board of directors with one appointment by each of: (i) the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, (ii) the City Selection Committee’s Corridor Transportation Representatives, (iii) the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, (iv) the Los Angeles County municipal fixed-route operators, (v) the Los Angeles County local fixed-route operators, (vi) the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, (vii) the Coalition of Los Angeles County Independent Living Centers, (viii) the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and (ix) an alternating appointment by the municipal and local fixed-route operators.