What to know about TARC3, Louisville's troubled public paratransit system

TARC3 is a vital public transportation service Louisville offers for people with disabilities. But it has a checkered past plagued by late arrivals and missed pick-ups.

Passengers share stories of sometimes waiting for hours for their ride to arrive, if it shows up at all.

TARC3 officials, however, say the system is on time far more than it isn't and that they are working diligently to improve service.

Here's what to know about how TARC3 operates:

How does TARC3 work?

The Transit Authority of River City, which began in 1974 as a successor to the Louisville Transit Co., operates Louisville's bus system, but its paratransit service is contracted to MV, a private firm in Dallas.

MV Transportation says it is the "largest privately-owned passenger transportation contracting firm in the United States" and has seen revenue exceed $1.3 billion.

Louisville, like other cities, offers paratransit service to meet federal requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

TARC3, which began in 1994, offers "door-to-door" service to those with physical, cognitive or visual disabilities.

Section 12143 of the ADA, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law in 1990, notes paratransit service and trip times must be "comparable" to the "fixed route" public transit service offered to all riders.

"Since TARC3 is a shared-ride service, you will travel with other riders," the agency's website says. "Most trips aren’t direct and may take up to 80 minutes."

Previously:Metro Disability Coalition says TARC is failing to meet needs of paratransit passengers

The paratransit service includes small buses, vans and taxis and takes customers to any destination in the metro Louisville area that is within three-quarters of a mile of a regular, non-express TARC route during "comparable days and times."

TARC, a quasi-government agency that has its own executive director and board of directors but also reports to Metro Council and Mayor Greg Fischer, uses a contractor and subcontractors to serve TARC3 customers.

TARC3 had 34 vehicles in service as of mid-July, according to agency data, with another 60 available for service if needed. Roughly 100 vans, cabs and sedans are also available for TARC3 trips through a half-dozen subcontractors, such as zTrip and Alpha Medical.

"We have the appropriate number of vehicles to serve the current demand," TARC spokeswoman Jenny Recktenwald said.

More:Louisville's troubled paratransit service is better, leaders say. Riders aren't convinced

Who is eligible to use TARC3?

Having a disability does not automatically qualify you for paratransit service, according to TARC3's website. An application process is required to determine if your disability prevents you from using regular TARC public transportation and makes you eligible to use TARC3.

Paratransit eligibility is based on a TARC staff assessment, using information supplied by you and your doctor. Additional information is gathered by phone or in interviews. Sometimes a free functional assessment is conducted at Spalding University’s School of Occupational Therapy.

How do I apply for TARC3 service?

You can call (502) 213-3217 or visit the TARC3 office at Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to discuss your travel needs, according to the TARC3 website.

If you can't ride the bus or do not have transportation, TARC will mail an ADA Paratransit application packet for your disability. Applications are available online.

What's included in Louisville's $100+ million paratransit contract?

In 2020, not long before its executive director Ferdinand Risco Jr. resigned amid sexual and financial misconduct allegations, TARC began a 5-year, $114.5 million contract with MV Transportation to operate TARC3, with the option of two additional 2-year extensions.

The contract says MV can earn $3,000 per month for each percentage point above 93% for monthly on-time performance, and an additional $1,000 per month for each percentage point above 95%.

MV also can earn $1,000 per month for a customer complaint ratio of fewer than two complaints per 1,000 completed TARC3 trips.

TARC's contract with MV also includes penalties for poor performance, including $3,000 fines for each percentage point below 93% on-time performance in a month. Some of the additional penalties include:

• $50 fine for each TARC3 customer pickup that is 30 minutes late.

• $100 fine for each pickup that is 60 minutes late.

• $150 for each pickup that is 90 minutes late.

• $200 for each pickup that is late by two hours or longer.

MV has 20,000-plus employees and serves more than 110 million passengers annually in 30 states and Canada, according to its website.

Some cities over the years, like Richmond, Virginia, and Alameda, California, have reconsidered or cut contracts with MV following complaints from disabled riders about missed trips or poor communication.

How is TARC3 performing?

TARC's 2023 budget, which features nearly $103 million in operating funds, includes about $20.7 million for TARC3.

TARC3 served 319,814 passengers and completed 296,197 trips in 2021, totals that remained well below pre-pandemic levels of 618,362 passengers and 560,095 completed trips in 2019, according to agency data.

Annual on-time performance fell short of the agency's 93% goal in the past five years, with TARC3 reporting 90% of rides on time in 2017 and 2018, 88% in 2019, 85% in 2020 and 91% in 2021.

Officials expressed optimism at this year's TARC3 on-time data, with January and February seeing 90% of rides on time, March with 92%, April with 94%, May with 93% and June with 92%.

Last October, by comparison, saw 69% of TARC3 rides on time.

Officials said during June's board meeting the agency had gone six straight months with a missed trip rate less than 2%.

But customer service complaints, while declining in recent months, still keep coming, with TARC reporting at its July board meeting about 3,500 paratransit complaints for the fiscal year, a 69% increase over 2021.

For fiscal year 2022, MV faced over $1.4 million in penalties, a 276% year-over-year increase, according to agency data.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about Louisville TARC3 paratransit public transportation