Audit of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (August 29, 2023)

This is a state performance audit of the MetroWest 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 MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) for the period October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021.”

Auditors checked whether MWRTA’s ADA paratransit rides were on time and whether complaints from ADA paratransit riders were handled as required.

“We also examined MWRTA’s ADA paratransit complaint resolution procedures to determine whether MWRTA responded to ADA paratransit complaints in accordance with both Section 27.13 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and The MetroWest Ride Guide.”

This matters because late pickups and weak complaint tracking can reduce service quality for riders who rely on accessible transportation.

“This may also impact the quality of services MWRTA provides to its ADA-required paratransit riders.”

If you are a rider, caregiver, taxpayer, or local resident, the audit is about whether a public transit service is dependable and responsive when people report problems.

“Each public entity operating a fixed route system shall provide paratransit or other special service to individuals with disabilities that is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the fixed route system.”

MWRTA reported 99% on-time performance, but auditors calculated 94% using MWRTA’s 15-minute pickup-window standard.

“Therefore, MWRTA’s on-time pickup rate for ADA-required paratransit services was actually 94%.”

The auditor recommended that MWRTA improve monitoring, fix how it calculates on-time performance, and better document complaint investigations and responses.

“MWRTA should develop performance reports that correctly calculate on-time pickup rates based on its internal performance standard of a 15-minute pickup window.”

The audit points to real accountability issues: MWRTA needs to know whether contracted service is meeting its own standards and whether complaints are being resolved on time.

“By not ensuring that MWRTA responds to all ADA paratransit complaints, significant issues regarding MWRTA’s transportation services may not be resolved in a timely manner or at all.”

“Paratransit” means transportation for people with disabilities who cannot use regular fixed-route transit in the same way; “demand-response” means rides are requested and scheduled instead of running on a fixed route.

“Demand-response transportation services are non-fixed-route services that must be requested by riders and scheduled by dispatchers through a transportation service.”