All Comments Due No Later Than December 22, 2011 at 4 p.m.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is working to ensure that customers with limited-English proficiency, minorities, and low-income residents are not adversely affected by the region’s transit agencies’ transition from paper tickets to the electronic Clipper® fare-payment system. MTC’s Clipper Title VI Draft Summary Report for Fare Media Transitions, which summarizes the agency’s approach to this issue, was released on September 2, 2011 for public review.
The draft report outlines steps that MTC and transit agency staff have taken to ensure that individuals protected by Title VI of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act or by federal Environmental Justice requirements have equitable access to Clipper program benefits and services. These steps include waiving the $5 card acquisition fee since June 2010, holding more than 800 outreach events around the region to date, improving the multilingual capabilities at the Clipper Customer Service Center, running media campaigns in Chinese and Spanish languages, and widely distributing Clipper cards in communities of predominantly low-income, limited English, and minority residents.
The draft report then summarizes MTC’s requirement that transit agencies transition selected paper passes and tickets to Clipper-only availability, the potential for reinstatement of a card acquisition fee, and how these changes may potentially impact minority, limited-English proficient or low-income communities. The report describes MTC’s efforts to mitigate four potential adverse impacts to these communities related to outreach enrollment opportunities for discount category patrons, Clipper vendor availability in specific census tracts, and the $5 Clipper card acquisition fee.
The public is encouraged to provide feedback on MTC’s efforts to mitigate these potential adverse impacts. MTC is particularly interested in public input regarding the proposal to implement a fee of $3 per card accompanied by a requirement for new card holders to load at least $2 in cash or a transit pass. The $3 fee is to cover the cost of the card. After receiving and addressing public feedback on this draft report, MTC’s Operations Committee, which sets the policies of the Clipper program, will adopt any resulting changes to the Clipper Operating Rules.
Comments are due by 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 22, 2011. MTC also will be conducting a series of focus groups to hear more directly from residents in Title VI protected and low-income communities. Email written comments to info@mtc.ca.gov, or mail them to MTC Public Information, 101 Eighth Street, Oakland, CA 94607-4700, or fax to 510.817.5848.
The report, along with background information, is available here.
For more information on Title VI of the Civil Rights, click here.
If you need a sign language interpreter, if English is your second language and you need translation services, or if you require any other type of assistance please contact us by calling 510.817.5757 or 510.817.5769 for TDD/TTY. We require at least three days’ notice to provide reasonable accommodations.
Si necesita un intérprete del lenguaje de señas, si el inglés es su segundo idioma y necesita un intérprete, o si necesita cualquier otra ayuda por favor comuníquese con nosotros al número 510.817.5757 o al 510.817.5769 para TDD/TTY. Requerimos tres días de anticipación para proveer asistencia razonable.
如果您需要手語翻譯員，或如果英語是您的第二語言，您需要翻譯服務，或者您需要任何其他類型的協助，請致電510-817-5757或致電TDD/TTY電話510-817-5769。我們要求獲得至少三天提前通知才能提供合理的配合安排。
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
MTC Public Information
101 8th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: 510.817.5700; Fax: 510.817.5848
info@mtc.ca.gov