Audit of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (October 4, 2024)

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor performance audit of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority covering January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.

“In accordance with Section 12 of Chapter 11 of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Office of the State Auditor has conducted a performance audit of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) for the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.”

Auditors checked whether BRTA’s ADA paratransit service was on time and whether complaints from ADA paratransit riders were properly investigated and answered.

“We also examined BRTA’s ADA paratransit complaint resolution procedures to determine whether BRTA investigated and responded to ADA paratransit complaints in accordance with Section 27.13(b) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and BRTA’s “ADA Policy Manual.””

Accurate tracking matters because BRTA needs to know whether riders with disabilities are actually getting reliable service.

“If BRTA does not accurately calculate its performance metrics, then it cannot identify how well its ADA-required paratransit service is performing.”

If you use or care about public transit in the Berkshires, this affects whether people who rely on ADA paratransit can count on timely pickups, drop-offs, and complaint follow-up.

“Late ADA-required paratransit services, whether for pickups or drop-offs, may have a negative impact on those relying on these paratransit services.”

The auditor concluded BRTA did not meet the audited requirements for on-time ADA paratransit service or for investigating and responding to ADA paratransit rider complaints.

“Below is a list of our audit objectives, indicating each question we intended our audit to answer; the conclusion we reached regarding each objective; and, if applicable, where each objective is discussed in the audit findings.”

The report recommends that BRTA fix how it calculates performance, monitor whether it meets MassDOT targets, keep better complaint records, separate complaint-handling duties, and strengthen oversight.

“BRTA should establish monitoring controls to ensure that its employees and its contracted paratransit provider follow its ADA paratransit complaint policies and procedures.”

ADA-required paratransit means special transportation service for people with disabilities who cannot use the regular fixed-route transit system.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 recognized that some individuals’ disabilities prevent them from using a fixed-route2 transit system.”