RUSSIAN ROULETTE ANYONE??

Where oh where has my ACCESS bus gone!


Sometimes it is better to just state the facts, so here we go!

I scheduled 5 trips on the Orange County Transit Authority (ACCESS) service this week.

Trip 1

I requested they get me to the Tustin Senior Center before 12:30 pm. I was scheduled to be picked up between 11:43am and 12:13pm. The bus arrived at 1158 picked me up and arrived at my destination at 12:12pm. Just as advertised!!

Trip 2

I requested that ACCESS pick me up at the Senior Center after 4:00pm. I was scheduled to be picked up between 4:15 and 4:45pm. Then at 4:40 I called to check on the status of the ride. After spending 27 minutes on hold, Ragina asked me to call back in 20 minutes if they still hadn’t shown up. Let’s see, if I just spent 27 minutes on hold, sit around another 20 minutes then call back for another 27 minute hold. We just stalled another hour! So I called my wife and she graciously changed her plans and came to my aid. As she was pulling into the Center my bus showed up. The time was 5:15pm. Oh, they’ve got a new automated service, you can check the status of your ride without speaking to an operator! I tried it and got nowhere! YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PIN before it is useable. So how do you get this PIN? I’ve found no direction or instructions to get one!!

Trip 3

I requested an arrival at the destination before 9:30am. I was scheduled to be picked up between 8:36 and 9:06am. At 8:57am two ACCESS busses showed up for the trip (I guess they were trying to make up for the previous day)! I arrived at my destination at 9:10am. So I guess this was a satisfactory trip, of course someone could have used the services of the second bus.

Trip 4

I requested arrival at the destination before 9:30am (I had a 10:30 appointment), The pickup was scheduled to occur between 9:09am and 9:39am. At 9:30 I called ride check and got Ragina again. She advised me that the driver had an ETA of 9:59am. At 10:00 my wife left her office to come deliver me to my doctor’s appointment. I arrived there at 10:25.

Trip 5

I requested to depart the doctors office after 12:00pm. The trip was scheduled for 12:15 to 12:45. I was picked up at 12:38 and arrived at my destination at 12:58. Another successful trip!

All in all, OCTA ACCESS failed to meet its Service Level Commitments 40% of the time! Ok, I’m being too negative. My years of service management taught me to always make a positive statement so… OCTA met its Service Level Commitments 60% of the time. FYI I recall being hauled on the carpet if my department’s success at fulfilling service level commitments fell below 90%! Private Sector vs Public Sector productivity standards!!