Guide

30
Proxy counts to measure outcomes
It may be important to gather less direct data to measure the "public good" created by
accessible paratransit services. These data often depend on reports about the situation prior
to starting the service and then once the service is under way. Foresight is required to begin
gathering this data prior to initiating service and then after the service starts up. Proxy counts
could include
- Increased education, based on increased enrollment in, e.g., vocational training or
special education programs
- Increased health care, based on reports from hospitals, clinics, physicians, etc.
- Increased employment, based on reports from employers of the number of disabled
employees, or from sheltered workshops or social service settings
- Independent living, based on increased ability to live in independent residential housing
These types of data are often helpful to donor agencies.
The key is not to generate reports that lie on desks, but to generate reports that are used to
improve the service, to compare different types of service, and to communicate with those
who fund your system and with the general public to gain good will and political support.
Cities and other agencies contracting out their paratransit service should include performance
measures in their written requests for proposals (RFPs). The careful preparation of an RFP
is a critically important task and sample requests for proposals can be sought from cities
which are experienced in contracting out for paratransit providers. Some flexibility may be
advisable, so that potential concessionaires and proposers can negotiate phase-in schedules
or modest modifications with transport authorities. Appropriate financial incentives and
disincentives based on objective criteria will help enforce contract stipulations.
Measurements can include customer satisfaction, complaints, on time reliability, telephone
call wait time, and other criteria. 6
This section was prepared by Richard Schultze and Tom Rickert
6 Some of the information concerning the use of indicators and performance measures comes from
Access Exchange International, Transport for All: What Should We Measure? (2005), available by
going to the Resources section at www.globalride-sf.org.