Audit of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority ( April 7, 2023)

This is a state performance audit of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority covering October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021.

“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 Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) for the period October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021.”

Auditors checked whether MVRTA’s ADA paratransit rides were on time and whether complaints about those services were properly investigated and answered.

“In this performance audit, we determined whether MVRTA delivered on-time paratransit services required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in accordance with its procedures and whether MVRTA ensured First Transit’s investigations and responses to ADA paratransit complaints, submitted by riders or the general public, were in compliance with federal law, MVRTA’s “Special Transportation Services Inc., ADA Procedures,” and the “[Merrimack Valley Area Transportation Company] Customer Complaint Procedures”?”

If complaints are not acknowledged and followed up on, serious problems with transportation for riders with disabilities may not get fixed quickly, or may not get fixed at all.

“By not ensuring that it follows required procedures for its ADA paratransit complaint process, MVRTA may not resolve significant issues regarding its transportation services in a timely manner or at all.”

For riders and families, this means MVRTA was told to improve how it responds when people complain about ADA paratransit service problems.

“MVRTA should ensure that complainants receive acknowledgements of their complaints within 24 hours.”

The main problem was complaint handling: some people did not get timely acknowledgements, and some follow-up responses were not documented.

“Seven of 25 complainants did not receive acknowledgements of their complaints within 24 hours.”

MVRTA said it has retrained staff, standardized the complaint process, committed to faster responses, and will review complaints weekly.

“The entire [MVRTA] team commits that all complaints will be handled within 24 hours and that all complainants get calls back.”

ADA paratransit is special transportation for people whose disabilities prevent them from using regular fixed-route transit.

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