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Emi's Trimet LIFT Appeal

E
EmiKo Yama

1) The document discusses a dispute between a woman named Emi and Trimet LIFT, a paratransit service, over allegations of frequent non-payment of fares. Emi asserts she always shows her valid monthly pass but LIFT records show otherwise. 2) The document analyzes Emi's ride records in detail and finds that for 94% of rides she paid, suggesting she does have a pass. It also finds the new verification system she proposed eliminated further disputes. 3) Given the ride analysis and Emi's efforts, the document argues the suspension was likely unwarranted and due to driver error or inattentiveness, and proposes the suspension be reconsidered in light of

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SUSPENSION, FARES, AND SUSPENSION OF FAIRNESS: AN APPEAL by Emi Koyama June 4, 2012
NOTE FOR PUBLIC EDITION: Trimet is a regional public transit organization that operates bus, light rail, and ADA paratransit in Portland, Oregon and surrounding area. LIFT is an ADA paratransit program of Trimet. Trimet riders, including Trimet LIFT riders, pay fare by cash, ticket, punch card, or monthly pass. Under ADA, Trimet LIFT is permitted to suspend service to people who violate its rules. Suspension can go into effect while appeal is pending.
AT ISSUE: LIFT alleges that there have been a series of non- Trimet payment of fare in the 鍖rst three months of this year. asserts that she always carries a valid monthly Emi LIFT pass, and that she shows it to the driver every time. Why does LIFT record show frequent non-payments?
POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered later.
HOW CAN WE TELL WHAT HAPPENED?
LIFT RECORD INDICATES: 3 non-payments in January, 6 in February, and 3 in March. Warning letters were mailed on February 20th for January, and March 19th for February; Emi did not receive the February 20th letter. LIFT policy is to issue warnings if there are three or more non- payments in a given month, and to suspend the customer if there are three or more non-payments for three months in a row. Even one less non-payment either in January or March would have preempted the suspension.
JANUARY NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
FEBRUARY NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 * 26 27 28 29 * There is a separate customer complaint about drivers inappropriate behavior for February 27th.
MARCH NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PAID RIDES ARE INCLUDED?
JANUARY ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
FEBRUARY ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 * 26 27 28 29 * There is a separate customer complaint about drivers inappropriate behavior for February 27th.
MARCH ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THREE MONTHS TOTAL 6% 94% Paid Unpaid * Data is based on Emis personal record. There is a chance that she forgot to erase some of the rides from the record that she canceled on the day of trip and did not actually take. But the actual 鍖gure would be close enough for our discussion.
OBSERVATIONS 94% of the rides were recorded as paid; only 6% were recorded as non-payment. This means that it is very likely that Emi had a pass. for February 27th, all non-payment occurred Except on different date, and all non-payment occurred on the same day for which paid rides were also taken. This means that it is very unlikely that pass was shared. No non-payment isrecorded after March 19th, the day the second (though the 鍖rst one was not received) warning letter was sent.
FOUR POSSIBILITIES REMAIN 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered by Trimet administration.
PREVIOUS PROPOSALS TO PREVENT N或鰻-永粥額珂掘鰻意
PROPOSALS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED BY TRIMET Emirequested Trimet to instruct drivers issue a receipt or other proof of payment each time. Emi requested Trimet to instruct drivers initial a form she would provide to con鍖rm the payment each time. Emirequested Trimet to allow her to mail in a brand new monthly pass before or on the 鍖rst day of each month to prove purchase while making it impossible to share it. Emirequested Trimet to stop providing transportation without a proof of payment so that there wont be any non- payment rides.
NEW SOLUTION BEING PRACTICED SINCE MARCH 20 Emishows the pass as she has done in the past, but in addition: Emi asks the driver to verbally con鍖rm that he or she saw the pass. Emi asks the driver to mark her payment on manifest. Emi watches the driver as he or she mark the payment on manifest. There has been no non-payment since March 20th, but is the new system working? Or is it just a coincidence?
MARCH ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT New Solution 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
APRIL ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Suspended
OBSERVATIONS Days Rides Paid Unpaid % January 1 - March 19 79 178 166 12 93% March 20 - April 16 28 78 78 0 100% Notonly were there no non-payment after the 20th in March, there were also no non-payment in April all the way until Emis service was suspended. This means that the new system is working. This also suggests that the record is not being altered by Trimet administration; the problem is arising in the bus between Emi and the driver.
ONLY THREE POSSIBILITIES REMAIN 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered by Trimet administration.
SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
THINGS TO CONSIDER We cant tell what happened, but we know how to 鍖x it. Emi is now going above and beyond her responsibility as a rider to avoid being incorrectly marked as non-payment. Suspension is unwarranted if even just one of the six non-payment in January or March was due to driver error or inattentiveness. March, Trimet issued the warning too late into the In month to actually act on it, since Emi did not think her record was anything but impeccable until receiving the letter.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS Suspension of service is an extreme measure that affects ones health, 鍖nancial security, and social participation. records give a strong indication that Emi had paid for Trimet monthly passes, and is not sharing it with anyone else. Thereis a non-negligible possibility that the suspension was the result of a driver error or inattentiveness. After Trimet rejected all other potential solutions, Emi came up with a workable solution and was practicing it for a month before the suspension took place.
SUSPENSION FOR NO FARE, OR UNFAIR SUSPENSION?

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Emi's Trimet LIFT Appeal

  • 1. SUSPENSION, FARES, AND SUSPENSION OF FAIRNESS: AN APPEAL by Emi Koyama June 4, 2012
  • 2. NOTE FOR PUBLIC EDITION: Trimet is a regional public transit organization that operates bus, light rail, and ADA paratransit in Portland, Oregon and surrounding area. LIFT is an ADA paratransit program of Trimet. Trimet riders, including Trimet LIFT riders, pay fare by cash, ticket, punch card, or monthly pass. Under ADA, Trimet LIFT is permitted to suspend service to people who violate its rules. Suspension can go into effect while appeal is pending.
  • 3. AT ISSUE: LIFT alleges that there have been a series of non- Trimet payment of fare in the 鍖rst three months of this year. asserts that she always carries a valid monthly Emi LIFT pass, and that she shows it to the driver every time. Why does LIFT record show frequent non-payments?
  • 4. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered later.
  • 5. HOW CAN WE TELL WHAT HAPPENED?
  • 6. LIFT RECORD INDICATES: 3 non-payments in January, 6 in February, and 3 in March. Warning letters were mailed on February 20th for January, and March 19th for February; Emi did not receive the February 20th letter. LIFT policy is to issue warnings if there are three or more non- payments in a given month, and to suspend the customer if there are three or more non-payments for three months in a row. Even one less non-payment either in January or March would have preempted the suspension.
  • 7. JANUARY NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  • 8. FEBRUARY NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 * 26 27 28 29 * There is a separate customer complaint about drivers inappropriate behavior for February 27th.
  • 9. MARCH NO PAYMENT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  • 10. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PAID RIDES ARE INCLUDED?
  • 11. JANUARY ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  • 12. FEBRUARY ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 * 26 27 28 29 * There is a separate customer complaint about drivers inappropriate behavior for February 27th.
  • 13. MARCH ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  • 14. THREE MONTHS TOTAL 6% 94% Paid Unpaid * Data is based on Emis personal record. There is a chance that she forgot to erase some of the rides from the record that she canceled on the day of trip and did not actually take. But the actual 鍖gure would be close enough for our discussion.
  • 15. OBSERVATIONS 94% of the rides were recorded as paid; only 6% were recorded as non-payment. This means that it is very likely that Emi had a pass. for February 27th, all non-payment occurred Except on different date, and all non-payment occurred on the same day for which paid rides were also taken. This means that it is very unlikely that pass was shared. No non-payment isrecorded after March 19th, the day the second (though the 鍖rst one was not received) warning letter was sent.
  • 16. FOUR POSSIBILITIES REMAIN 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered by Trimet administration.
  • 17. PREVIOUS PROPOSALS TO PREVENT N或鰻-永粥額珂掘鰻意
  • 18. PROPOSALS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED BY TRIMET Emirequested Trimet to instruct drivers issue a receipt or other proof of payment each time. Emi requested Trimet to instruct drivers initial a form she would provide to con鍖rm the payment each time. Emirequested Trimet to allow her to mail in a brand new monthly pass before or on the 鍖rst day of each month to prove purchase while making it impossible to share it. Emirequested Trimet to stop providing transportation without a proof of payment so that there wont be any non- payment rides.
  • 19. NEW SOLUTION BEING PRACTICED SINCE MARCH 20 Emishows the pass as she has done in the past, but in addition: Emi asks the driver to verbally con鍖rm that he or she saw the pass. Emi asks the driver to mark her payment on manifest. Emi watches the driver as he or she mark the payment on manifest. There has been no non-payment since March 20th, but is the new system working? Or is it just a coincidence?
  • 20. MARCH ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT New Solution 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  • 21. APRIL ALL RIDES SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Suspended
  • 22. OBSERVATIONS Days Rides Paid Unpaid % January 1 - March 19 79 178 166 12 93% March 20 - April 16 28 78 78 0 100% Notonly were there no non-payment after the 20th in March, there were also no non-payment in April all the way until Emis service was suspended. This means that the new system is working. This also suggests that the record is not being altered by Trimet administration; the problem is arising in the bus between Emi and the driver.
  • 23. ONLY THREE POSSIBILITIES REMAIN 1. Emi actually does not have a pass. 2. Emi has a pass, but shares it with someone. 3. Emi has a pass, but does not show it. 4. Emi shows a pass to the driver, but the driver does not see it. 5. Emi shows a pass and the driver sees it, but ignores it. 6. Emi shows a pass and the driver records it, but the record is altered by Trimet administration.
  • 24. SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
  • 25. THINGS TO CONSIDER We cant tell what happened, but we know how to 鍖x it. Emi is now going above and beyond her responsibility as a rider to avoid being incorrectly marked as non-payment. Suspension is unwarranted if even just one of the six non-payment in January or March was due to driver error or inattentiveness. March, Trimet issued the warning too late into the In month to actually act on it, since Emi did not think her record was anything but impeccable until receiving the letter.
  • 26. ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS Suspension of service is an extreme measure that affects ones health, 鍖nancial security, and social participation. records give a strong indication that Emi had paid for Trimet monthly passes, and is not sharing it with anyone else. Thereis a non-negligible possibility that the suspension was the result of a driver error or inattentiveness. After Trimet rejected all other potential solutions, Emi came up with a workable solution and was practicing it for a month before the suspension took place.
  • 27. SUSPENSION FOR NO FARE, OR UNFAIR SUSPENSION?