Title VI Legislation (all files in PDF format)

Title VI

NON–DISCRIMINATION POLICY
We are committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from
participation in or denied the benefits of the transit services we
offer. This policy is consistent with the requirements of Title VI of
the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

If you believe you have been subjected to unequal treatment
because of race, color, or national origin, then you have the right
to file a formal complaint.

Complaints must be filed within one hundred-eighty (180) days
following the date of the alleged discriminatory action. For more
information, or to file a complaint, you must submit it in writing
directly to the following:

Montgomery County Office of Human Rights
21 Maryland Avenue, Suite 330
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Telephone: 240-777-8450
Fax: 240-777-8160
TTY: 240-777-8480
[email protected]

Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights
Attention:
Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor-TCR
1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20590

Title VI Complaint forms are available below. Please download to your computer, fill them out, and mail them in.

English Title VI Complaint Form
Spanish Title VI Complaint Form

Title VI Policies

Montgomery County

Title VI Policies

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Circular 4702.1B requires grantees that operate more than 50 peak hour vehicles establish Title VI policies providing:

Definitions for Fare Change, Major Service Change, Disparate Impacts, Disproportionate Burdens and Minority Route;
Service Standards for vehicle load, vehicle headway, on-time performance and service availability;
Service Policies related to distribution of transit amenities and vehicle assignment; and,
Approval procedures for Fare Changes and Major Service Changes

These Definitions, Service Standards, Service Policies and Approval Procedures must be approved by the County Council.

DEFINITIONS

Fare Change - A Fare Change is any change in fare or new fare product regardless of the amount of increase or decrease. Except for the circumstances listed below, a Fare Equity Analysis is required for any Fare Change to evaluate the effects of a Fare Change on low-income and Title VI-protected populations.

Exceptions.

“Give and Ride” and/or special events where Montgomery County has decided that all passengers ride free.
Temporary fare reductions that are mitigating measures for other actions such as free or reduced fare due to construction activities.
Promotional fare reductions that last less than six months.

Major Service Change - A Major Service Change is any new route or a reduction or increase in a route’s revenue vehicle hours greater than 25% of the prior schedule’s revenue vehicle hours. A Service Change Equity Analysis is required for any Major Service Change to evaluate the effects of the proposed service change on low-income and Title VI-protected populations.

Disparate Impact - For Major Service Changes, a disparate impact may exist when the minority population adversely affected by a Major Service Change is twenty percent (20%) more than non-minority population adversely affected by the Major Service Change. For a Fare Change, a disparate impact may exist if the difference between the average fare increase (represented as a % change) for minority populations and the average fare increase (represented as a % change) for non-minority populations is greater than 5% (percentage points). For example, if the average fare increase on minority riders was 10% and the average fare increase on non-minority riders was 4%, the difference is greater than 5% and would be considered disparate.
Disproportionate Burden - For Major Service Changes, a disproportionate burden may exist when the low income population adversely affected by a Major Service Change is twenty percent (20%) more than non-low income population adversely affected by the Major Service Change. For a Fare Change, a disproportionate burden may exist if the difference between the average fare increase (represented as a % change) for low-income populations and the average fare increase (represented as a % change) for non-low income populations is greater than 5% (percentage points). For example, if the average fare increase on low income riders was 10% and the average fare increase on non-low income riders was 4%, the difference is greater than 5% and would be considered disproportionate.

Minority Route - A Minority Route is a route that serves an area with a population with a higher percentage of minorities than the Montgomery County average as determined by the most recent and available US Census. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the total population and minority population residing within ¼ of a mile of a bus route are tabulated except for express routes where the service area is 1 mile from the park and ride lot or transfer center.

SERVICE STANDARDS

Standard	Definition	Calculation
Vehicle Load	Average ratio of passengers per seat per bus during a service hour at the maximum load point	Peak period maximum load factor of 1.2 on regular routes and 1.0 on express routes. Off-peak service maximum load factors of 1.0 on all service types.
Headway	Maximum scheduled time interval between buses
Schedule Adherence	Percent adherence to scheduled service.	Goal 85 % on time performance for delivered trips, difference between scheduled time and actual time arriving at a time point based on a window of no more than 2 minutes early or 7 minutes late.
Service Coverage	Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ) that have 3+ households per acre and/or 4+ jobs per acre are served by Ride On and / or Metro Bus routes.	Using the most recent data, TAZs meeting the threshold are analyzed for the presence of Ride On and / or Metro Bus service.

SERVICE POLICIES

Service Policy	Montgomery County Policy
Vehicle Assignment	Vehicles are assigned to routes based on ridership demands, road conditions, service type, and maintenance garage capacity and vehicle technologies (e.g., CNG fueling only provided at EMTOC).
Distribution of Transit Amenities	Ride On will equitably provide amenities such as shelters and kneewalls at bus stops where Ride On has decision-making authority.

APPROVAL PROCEDURES

Fare Change - It is expected that fare changes will be proposed jointly with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA’s Fare Change Equity Analysis will be utilized by Montgomery County in determining potential impacts resulting from a proposed Fare Change. The required public involvement and community outreach will be conducted cooperatively with WMATA. In the event of a Fare Change that only affects Ride On bus services the Division of Transit Services Office of Service Planning will be responsible for completing the Fare Change Equity Analysis and the Division of Transit Services Marketing Office will be responsible for conducting and documenting the public involvement activities. Upon completion of the Fare Change Equity Analysis and the required public involvement, the Montgomery County Council will follow its procedures in reviewing and approving the Fare Change. Additional public meetings may be conducted by the Montgomery County Council.
Major Service Change – The Division of Transit Services Office of Service Planning is responsible for developing service changes and will identify any service change that meets the definition of Major Service Change. For each Major Service Change, the Division of Transit Services Office of Service Planning will complete a Major Service Change Equity Analysis. The Division of Transit Services Marketing Office will conduct and document the public involvement required for Major Service Changes consistent with Ride On’s Public Participation Plan. Upon completion of the Major Service Change Equity Analysis and the required public involvement, the Montgomery County Council will follow its procedures in reviewing and approving the Major Service Change . Additional public meetings may be conducted by the Montgomery County Council.