Juneau aging commission chair tells Assembly paratransit has failed seniors for nine months

Seniors and disabled riders in Juneau have gone nine months without dependable rides to medical appointments and groceries, the chair of the Juneau Commission on Aging told the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on July 27.

Deborah Craig said the contractor running Capital AKcess, the free door-to-door paratransit service for ADA-eligible riders, has not met contract requirements since taking over. She described missed and misbooked pickups. She said the contractor does not provide phone lines the contract requires. She said SEARHC decided to run its own shuttle after clients missed appointments. In her prepared testimony, Craig also recommended a phone survey of current users. She said the ongoing CBJ transportation survey might not reach the intended audience.

Craig said the commission met with Capital Transit staff several times and called the staff very responsive. The problems continued, she said.

CBJ renewed the contract in June. "It's been nine months and winter is coming," Craig said.

Assembly member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs asked whether the commission had gathered accounts from riders. Craig said the commission has heard many stories. She said conducting surveys is not the role of an advisory commission, and that the issues brought to Capital Transit remain unresolved.

The meeting packet carries only the commission's account. No response from the contractor or Capital Transit appears in it.