A Glimpse into the Mindset of Charlevoix County Transit
In recent posts I have shown that there exist many concerns with Charlevoix County Transit System, and I have even posted the presentation as given to (some) county commissioners in July. Now, as previously stated, I am posting the official answers furnished by Jill Drury, transit manager, Cherie Browe, county clerk, and the transit oversight board.
I have given this issue a lot of consideration as it is my intent to present these concerns in an open and fair manner. While I would welcome the opportunity to debate the issues, until such time, my only course of action is to include my rebuttals to the official responses herein.
Mission of the CCTS
What is the mission statement of the transit system?
CCTS: “Transit mission statement: Charlevoix County Transit was established to provide services to Charlevoix County residents and visitors within the legal service area. Service is open to the general public regardless of age, race, nationality or disability. Charlevoix County’s legal service area is within the boundaries of Charlevoix County”.
Rebuttal: While purported to be a mission statement, the above response seems to be just a hedge against criticism about the termination of service for out of county medical appointments. If this truly is a mission statement, it is perhaps one of the most tone-deaf ever crafted for a government agency tasked with providing service to county residents; there is no focus on community, compassion, or concern for the needs of county residents.
Does it call for equal access to public transportation for all county residents?
CCTS: “Service is scheduled on a first come/first serve basis and is open to the general public”.
Rebuttal: This answer does not address the question, and simply states a matter of operational logistics. Equal access means so much more than “open to the general public”. It means providing the same level of service to all county residents seeking transportation. Choosing which residents are worthy of service, by denying access to some, flies in the face of equal access.
How does it (mission statement) guide the board & management in the general course of business?
CCTS: “The transit oversight board is in place to oversee the general operation of the transit. Management handles day to day operation and keeps the transit board informed of issues and consults the board for direction as needed”.
Rebuttal: This answer also does not address the question. Implied in the question is whether or not the mission statement is a guiding force for transit operations, and what that means to transit management and board. However, the official response simply states the purpose of the transit oversight board and how transit management interacts with it, which is not entirely accurate, as the transit manager, Jill Drury, and one of her assistants actually sit on the oversight board.
System Upgrades
Telephony: Some examples of inadequacy include:
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Inability to reach dispatch
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Inability to leave messages
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Inability to access “emergency backup” system
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Being kicked out of “hold” function after two minutes
CCTS: “The telephone system has been on ongoing problem. We continue to work with the County’s IT to troubleshoot the problems that were created in set-up of the system. The IT Department is now working with the service/system provider to troubleshoot and create new system programming for transit”.
Rebuttal: While the official response admits problems with the telephone system, an effort is made to shift blame by stating the problems were “created in set-up of the system”. The fact is that whatever the cause, the problems associated with the telephone system were known for quite a long time, but were not corrected prior to the investment in dispatch software. Adding new dispatch software would not correct any problems with the telephone system; and the telephone system is where investment should have been made.
Dispatch: The way I understand it, the new computer based system was implemented without any notice to riders other than a bit of word of mouth from various drivers and mentions on Facebook. As with any major change, consumers should have been advised of the change, as well as the possibility of disruption of service, in advance of implementation, in a manner that would reach the majority of riders.
CCTS: “Implementation of the software was a process that became more complex than what was anticipated and some of the glitches that occurred early on where in the initial program design and some were phone system related. As with all new programs or technology, there’s a learning process and it continues to be a work in progress”.
Rebuttal: Again, we can see very plainly an attempt to shift blame, this time to software design as well as the telephone system. As I have already addressed the telephone system, I will simply state that the roll out was plagued by disaster after disaster, including the stranding of riders, and should have been stopped to ensure county residents were provided safe, timely service.
Does the new dispatch system increase mileage & fuel consumption?
CCTS: “The goal of the new software system is efficiency and accountability”.
Rebuttal: Here is another instance of not addressing the question. Nothing was asked about goals, and while one would hope that transit management would be concerned with “efficiency and accountability”, the issue here is whether or not the new dispatch system impacts mileage and fuel consumption in a negative manner. The question was posed because of concern that the new system is not efficient, and I am looking for someone to accept accountability or provide proof that I am mistaken.
Before the implementation of the computer based dispatch system, it was not unusual for multiple riders to be onboard any given bus at the same time. Indeed, that was how I met some of the other county residents. Now it seems to be a rarity, and I am often the only person on the bus. If that is the direction the transit system is going, why not use smaller, more efficient vehicles?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
Does the new dispatch system allow more access to service or less?
CCTS: 'The new dispatch system will only allow for as many trips to be scheduled that can actually fit into the vehicle’s service hours in a timely manner”.
Rebuttal: Once again, the answer does not fit the question. My concern that the new software is less efficient, resulting in more mileage, higher fuel cost and fewer riders is not addressed. The fact that there is no effort made to address my concerns is yet another red flag.
How has the ridership changed since implementation of the new dispatch system?
CCTS: “Ridership changes from day to day/week to week. Summer ridership is different than Fall-Spring ridership. Staffing levels have had a larger impact on ridership levels and the amount of service CCT can provide every day than the software implementation”.
Rebuttal: If an answer to my question exists in the reply, I can’t find it. Common sense dictates that there will be variations in ridership based on season, time of day, and other factors. Where are the statistics illustrating the difference in ridership patterns year to year?
Are there now more riders, the same amount, or less?
CCTS: “Varies depending to the day, time of day, locations of travel”.
Rebuttal: It should be obvious to all that I have provided ample opportunity to show evidence that the new dispatch software has improved transit operations, and that decision making is fair and unbiased. Once again, no such evidence is provided.
Service
Is the new extended weekend service countywide or the Boyne area?
CCTS: “This is a pilot program being tested in one area of the county”.
Rebuttal: This seems to imply that service to medical appointments was terminated to allow for a test of a pilot program subsidized by local bars. The fact that it is only available in one part of the county further illustrates the biased decision making of county transit with regard to access to service for all county residents especially with regard to transportation for needed medical care.
How does this impact the typical rider?
CCTS: "Expanded hours are open the general public in the designated service areas. This expanded service is being used for personal errands, shopping, dining and work related trips at this time".
Rebuttal: While an effort is made to stress general purpose trips in this response, the fact is that the service is subsidized by local bars, and statements by Jill Drury regarding pub crawls and encouraging drinking clearly indicate that the extended service was instituted to help Boyne City bars.
How does the extended service benefit riders in the East Jordan and Charlevoix areas?
CCTS: “The pilot program is limited to the Boyne area”.
Rebuttal: So it doesn’t benefit residents outside of the Boyne area. How long does this pilot program last, and when does service go into effect for the rest of the county?
Would it not be more practical to implement this type of extended service in the off season when both consumers and merchants would benefit such as with winter concerts, restaurants, shopping, classes, lectures and presentations, etc.? It seems somewhat counterproductive to offer this extended service at the busiest time of the year instead of at a time when people tend to be cooped up and businesses are looking for customers.
CCTS: “No”.
Rebuttal: Why not; unless of course this pilot program is designed to provide service for tourists and visitors to the area and provide customers for the local bars at the expense of county residents?
What about service for Wednesday concerts in Old City Park?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
Rebuttal: The concerts in Old City Park would seem to be a good example of providing additional service to local residents that would have a positive impact on quality of life. However that service isn’t provided, and the emphasis seems to be on helping local bars at the expense of the needs and desires of county residents.
What role do various Chambers of Commerce play in the transit system decision making?
CCTS: “None”.
Rebuttal: This question was an attempt to understand the influences that went into the decision to provide service for bar hopping. It seems that the decision to implement extended weekend service was made in cooperation with local bars without input from any chamber of commerce.
Does the extended weekend service promote buzz drinking?
CCTS: “No”.
Rebuttal: Nice and succinct; but almost entirely false. Posts by Jill Drury on the county transit Facebook page show a very obvious bias in favor of providing customers to local bars and encouraging drinking with pub crawls. Sure, the “official” position is that the evening weekend service is for “general purpose” trips; however, most retail outlets are not open late in the evening, nor are the library, post office or medical offices.
What percentage of people in Young State Park, Walloon Village, Boyne Mountain and other areas of the extended weekend service lack transportation?
CCTS: “No statistics available”.
Rebuttal: How is it that a program of extended service hours is put into place without knowledge of the facts concerning need, feasibility, and number of residents served, etc.? Unless of course, the real reason for the program is different than what is being portrayed, namely providing customers to local bars.
Was the extended weekend service implemented at the cost of out-of-county medical appointments during normal service hours, in the normal service range for such appointments?
CCTS: “No”.
Rebuttal: It seems that the extended weekend service was started about the same time trips for medical appointments were terminated. While staffing is used as the main excuse for not providing service, it appears that weekend evening service is always staffed.
How could there be personnel for additional service hours but not medical runs?
CCTS: “Some of our part-time staff have second jobs that make them only available only certain parts of the day/week but allow them to be available in the evenings/weekends”.
Rebuttal: My own informal canvassing indicates that this is not the case. Perhaps drivers that have been hired after the start of the extended hours reflect that based on requirements imposed by county transit, but no evidence has been presented to show this new aspect to the staffing issue.
Why was most, but not all, service for out of county medical appointments suspended or terminated without notice?
CCTS: “In-county transportation is always first priority for scheduling and utilization of vehicle and staff hours. Current staffing levels make it difficult to schedule a vehicle/driver for long distance trips”.
Rebuttal: I am having great difficulty trying to justify the ability to schedule drivers for weekend evening service but not for needed medical services. Charlevoix county residents must seek medical service in neighboring counties because not all needed services available here. To deny them access to the medical care they require is an outrageous perversion of the premise for county transit in the first place. “In-county transportation is always first priority” is simply not accurate, as will be shown next.
Why would some medical appointments be deemed more valid than others? What criteria were used to determine acceptable medical appointments, and how would the transit system board & management know if any particular medical appointment fell within said criteria?
CCTS: “Precedence is given to in-county transportation regardless of trip type. The transit industry, in general, does view on-going life-sustaining treatment, such as dialysis, as a priority”.
Rebuttal: The answer does not match the question and contradicts itself. First, it ignores what is being asked, specifically: Who determines the validity of any given medical appointment, and what criteria are used in the determination? Secondly, it is stated that “in-county” trips of any nature are given priority, and then goes on to state that some out of county medical appointments are given priority. Finally, relying on the excuse that the “transit industry in general” does it, goes against county transit’s own position on autonomy as will be shown later in the section regarding holiday hours of operation.
When I called to schedule a ride for an out of county medical appointment, as I had done in the past, why was I told that service was unavailable, and that it was unknown when service would be restored? How were the dates for extended weekend service known well in advance, but no information was available concerning service for out of county medical appointments?
CCTS: “Service levels are determined by staff availability”.
Rebuttal: While that statement contains some truth, it does not address the concerns raised. I have not seen any evidence that would explain why service was terminated for out of county medical appointments due to staffing issues while weekend service to local bars was implemented virtually at the same time without any apparent staffing issues.
Why were valid medical runs discontinued, endangering the health and welfare of county residents who rely on the transit system for transportation?
CCTS: “Rides inside of Charlevoix County take priority over out-of-county trip whether it’s for a medical appointment, recreation, school, dining or other reasons. Charlevoix County Transit is a public transit provider and non-emergency medical transportation inside the county, is treated the same as other trip types. Out-of-county medical trips, are not inside our service area, but are provided when vehicle/staffing levels are adequate to provide such service.
Rebuttal: As there are two (2) vehicles specifically designated for medical trips, and as the purpose of county transit is to provide needed transportation for county residents, and as all required medical services are not available in Charlevoix County, it would seem an abject failure of responsibility to deny service to county residents seeking medical care. It appears to be even more egregious to place needed medical care at a lower priority than weekend bar hopping.
Holiday Scheduling
Are holiday hours of operation in line with other Michigan transit systems and general business practices?
The Christmas holiday schedule calls for a three day suspension of service, plus Sunday. Is that type of holiday scheduling excessive, or is it typical of other transit systems?
CCTS: “Every transit system is different. As a department of Charlevoix County, our department follows the same holiday schedule as departments/offices in the county”.
Rebuttal: It seems that county transit follows other transit systems’ protocols when it is convenient to do so, as was cited earlier when addressing trips for dialysis patients, while maintaining autonomous decision making when that appears to be the more convenient option. To state that transit “follows the same holiday schedule as departments/offices in the county” is not accurate as extended weekend hours have been operational during holiday weekends. As shown, county transit will say anything at all; even when it contradicts previously stated policy within the same document.
Dissemination of Information
Is Facebook the primary means to get word out to consumers?
CCTS: “Facebook is just one tool used”.
What other modes of communication are used to provide information to county residents?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
Is information presented clearly and in a timely manner?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
Rebuttal: County transit is notorious for not providing adequate information in a timely manner that would reach a majority of county residents. Even some managers and staff of the bars subsidizing the weekend service have complained that the lack of information for consumers had dampened the success of the service. Also, it should be noted that notice of termination of service for out of county medical appointments was not provided to county residents and only became known as residents attempted to schedule rides – after medical appointments were secured.
Rider Surveys
What was the date of the last consumer/rider survey?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
What information was sought, and what information was gathered with the latest survey?
NO ANSWER PROVIDED
How was any survey information used to enhance service for the consumers/riders?
CCTS: “Information is used to determine where improvements can be made”.
Rebuttal: If that response is to be believed, then the logical conclusion is that county transit is operating using false or misleading data as termination of established service can in no way be construed as an improvement.
How was the latest consumer/rider survey conducted, and by whom?
CCTS: “MDOT has contracted with MSU to do surveys for transit provider.
Rebuttal: Partial answer. Still unknown is how surveys are conducted. When added to the use of inadequate information and decisions made “on the fly”, we see a department of county government that is unwilling or unable to meet the needs of county residents.
From my perspective it seems that decisions for the operation of the transit system are made without knowledge of, nor consideration given to, the needs and desires of the consumers using the system. I am very interested in understanding what rider profile information is currently known and utilized by the transit system; because without current and accurate information, efforts to improve service can only be hit or miss.
CCTS: “How are rider profiles used? General information is kept. If a person provides information regarding a disability it is noted so that drivers are aware of such and accommodations can be made if needed.
Rebuttal: Other than providing for riders with disabilities, how does this information affect the delivery of service? What rider profile information or survey data were used to determine the need for bar hopping service on weekends, and how did it provide any basis for the termination of service for needed medical care? This is a serious dose of spin and non-answer. Why did county transit take so long before trying to rectify the problems with the telephone system? Why did county transit terminate service for needed medical appointments? Where is the evidence that rider survey information is used in any decision made by county transit?
Funding & Oversight
Is the transit system currently operating within the guidelines set forth by the State of Michigan & United States Federal Government with regard to fair business practices and funding obligations?
CCTS: “Yes”.
Rebuttal: This can in no way be construed as providing the information inherently requested by the question. If providing service for bar hopping while denying service to county residents seeking transportation to medical appointments is acceptable under state and federal guidelines, then it is probably time to dismantle the entire system and build a new one from scratch.
It seems that some of the decisions made by the transit board & management are not fair & unbiased, and may be discriminatory in nature.
Examples include:
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Inability to access the system
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Stranding passengers
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Denial of service
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Extended suspension of service during holidays
CONCERNS NOT ADDRESSED
Rebuttal: These are some of the most important issues raised and to ignore them is in itself quite telling. I am left to ponder whether or not county transit management and oversight board really have the best interests of county residents in mind when plotting distribution of service.
Qualifications of Board & Management
What criteria were used to determine qualification to manage the transit system? What criteria were used to determine qualification to sit on the transit board?
CCTS: “Determined by the County Board of Commissioners.”
Rebuttal: This in no way addresses the question, and totally ignores the request for the information needed to understand the qualifications of the transit manager and transit oversight board.
What experience in public transportation, management & oversight or related fields, is held by the transit board & management?
NOT ADDRESSED
What type of continuing education and/or training do the board & management of the transit system take part in?
NOT ADDRESSED
How many hours per week does management engage in general staff duties such as dispatch, driver, or other non-management duties?
NOT ADDRESSED
A leader always puts in whatever effort it takes to make the system “hum”, and should be part of the team, not apart from it. A leader will always show willingness and ability to help their staff succeed.
NOT ADDRESSED
Supplemental Questions Submitted July, 28, 2016
What are the details of this cooperation between CCTS and Boyne City Taproom, Cafe' Sante', Red Mesa Grill, Porter Creek Fish House and 7 Monks Taproom?
CCTS: “Business are subsidizing the extended hour service.”
Rebuttal: Since the weekend service is subsidized by local bars, why are riders charged regular fare?
Do any individuals, groups, organizations, associations, or government departments, offices, individuals, or associated services, including but not limited to CCTS board and/or management, gain material benefit from this cooperative effort?
CCTS: “No.”.
Rebuttal: While not a trick question, it may not have been properly worded. The fact of the matter is that county transit, a department of Charlevoix County government does receive material benefit in the form of subsidies from local bars.
Is the extended weekend bus service in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act?
CCTS: “As with all services, the ADA guidelines are followed. The vehicles are handicapped accessable, a discounted fareprovided for those with disabilities during non-peak hours and the demand-response service is open to the public.”
Rebuttal: The question was poorly worded and that is my fault. I was trying to ask if ADA guidelines were infringed upon with the addition of weekend service hours for bar hopping while terminating needed service for medial issues.
Does the extended weekend bus service discriminate against senior citizens?
CCTS: “No, the service is open to all ages. The service is not a part of the agreement with Commission on Aging, therefore seniors are charged $1 fare which is half of regular fare.
Rebuttal: This is another example of a poorly worded question, and my fault. It was an attempt to ask the previous question this time with regard to seniors. However, a serious question is raised in the answer provided by county transit. If the weekend service is being subsidized by local bars, why is anyone charged to ride?
What is the official position of the Charlevoix County commission regarding the extended weekend bus service?
CCTS: “Extended service was approved by the Transit Oversight Board”.
Rebuttal: The response from county transit fails to answer the question as the oversight board can in no way be construed as the county commission. No information was provided that indicates whether or not the full county commission was properly informed of the service change and if they approved such action.
Finally, the question must be asked: Is the Charlevoix County Transit System acting in good faith and in the best interests of the residents of this great county?
CCTS: “Yes.”
Rebuttal: I have serious doubts as to the answer in the affirmative, as the most vulnerable county residents, seniors, disabled, and those without transportation, are denied service for needed medical care while county transit provides service for bar hopping.
Hopefully the seriousness of the issues raised is obvious enough that the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners will take corrective action.
In Charlevoix County the prosecutors and judges have a rather strange sense of justice as one can be charged with rape, plead down to false imprisonment and serve only 6 months incarceration with no fines levied, while a person pleading guilty to abusing a cat, could, and did, get 9 months incarceration with fines in excess of $1,000. Something is wrong with a judicial system that allows such gross sentencing inequities.
In Charlevoix County, regular citizens are unable to access many public documents, as they simply do not exist on the official county website, while empty folders and a photo of a cat are readily available. This is a big red flag; what are they hiding that they must resort to withholding documents and intimidation?
