VMC’s
Transportation Management division has conducted more than 50 projects,
including the management of the transportation of preschool children with
disabilities in 13 New York State
counties and adult transportation in four counties.
In
Cattaraugus County VMC manages
a county-wide coordinated transportation system for all County departments
and many agencies, coordinating functions (including a call center) a
between VMC’s Central Office and its local Office.
Services
VMC performs for it Transportation
Management clients include
Bid Specifications:
This is the start of the transportation process. In consultation with
the County, VMC drafts the specifications on which the transporters will
bid. This document describes the nature and extent of the services
needed to support the County’s program.
Case Study - Cattaraugus
County
Case Study - Niagara County
Driver and Assistant Certification: This process
ensures the quality of a major component of the program’s transportation
staff. VMC establishes the County’s files and records concerning the
mandated licensing, health, safety training and criminal clearance of
each driver and assistant working in the program, and in continual
interaction with the transporters and DOT, keeps the records current. In
this way not only is compliance with the requirements overseen, but
expirations can be quickly noticed and acted on.
Electronic Vehicle Routing: Using electronic routing
software applied to an electronic map of the County (Geocode), VMC works
with the transporters to establish the safest and most economical runs
and routes and the actual equipment that will be needed.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Case Study -
Cattaraugus County
Case Study - Niagara County
Point of Contact:
• Partial Point
of Contact: All questions, concerns, etc. from the county,
program providers, and transporters regarding the transportation of the
children are directed to VMC. VMC then works with each interested party
in finding answers and resolving problems. Quality Control meetings are
included in this service.
• Full Point of
Contact: All questions, concerns, etc. from the parents
regarding the transportation of the children are directed to VMC. VMC
then works with each interested party in finding answers and resolving
problems.
• Incident and
complaint resolution (included in Point of Contact Service):
Upon receipt of complaints and reports of incidents (including
accidents, driver misconduct, etc.), VMC works with the program
providers, parents and transporters to satisfactorily resolve those
complaints and incidents. This service includes telephone conferences
with parents, program providers and transporters. If an in-person
meeting is required, it would constitute “Other Consulting Services.”
• Transporter
Contract Compliance: Point of Contact includes monitoring
the transporters contractual obligations and limitations as they relate
the children transported to their contracts with the County. This
includes advising the county, transporters of contract requirements
(both on request and on VMC initiative), and determination of
appropriate penalties for non-compliance.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Case Study -
Cattaraugus County
Case Study - Niagara County
Field Inspections: Once the program’s routes are
established, VMC’s experienced Safety Technicians engage in a continuous
process of inspecting each vehicle to be used to ensure compliance with
State and program standards, that the runs and routes follow their
design, that the drivers and assistants understand their assignments,
and that only authorized children are transported.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Parental Mileage Reimbursement: Those parents who elect
to transport their children themselves, are entitled to be reimbursed
for certain costs. VMC’s program staff create and maintain the County’s
files, showing who is eligible for reimbursement and who has applied for
it. VMC also monitors the monthly reimbursement process, making certain
that all necessary information is presented, and calculating the actual
parental payments.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Quality Assurance: On an ongoing basis, VMC’s Safety
Technicians contact the parents of children served by the program,
reminding them of the County’s continuing commitment to the program and
their children, and questioning the parents perception of the quality of
the transportation services being provided. Quality Assurance includes
regular meetings with the County.
Case Study - Niagara
County
Attendance: Through the use of technology of its own
design, VMC tracks the attendance of the children transported. By this
means VMC can ensure that only authorized children are transported and
that routes reflect only children currently participating.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Case Study - Niagara
County
Liquidated Damages: Through this monthly assessment of
violations of varying degrees, VMC enforces the transporters’
contractual requirements.
Transporter Invoice Reconciliation: VMC facilitates
payment by the County to the transporters, and ensures that those
payments apply solely to routes actually run, are within contract
parameters, and comply with the program’s policies and guidelines
concerning cost efficiencies.
Value Added Product - preTrans
Value Added Product - dTrans
Case Study -
Cattaraugus County
Case Study - Niagara County
Writing and design of Parent Handbook: Drafting a
handbook for use by the parents that tells them their appropriate
expectations and obligations in connection with transportation and
provides information concerning who to contact in the event issues or
questions arise.
