Sacramento Regional Transit's paratransit delays caused by new technology
FOLSOM -- Delays on Sacramento Regional Transit's GO Paratransit Services have left some riders stranded for multiple hours due to a new scheduling and dispatch software system.
CBS13 was alerted to the concerns by a viewer who said she waited for her scheduled SacRT GO ride for more than an hour multiple days in a row.
Margie Donovan said that she's used SacRT GO since she moved to Folsom years ago and hasn't had delays or no-shows like this until the software went live. For the last week, she has experienced hours-long wait times or issues with getting in touch with dispatch to communicate.
Donovan is blind and has a brain injury, making it difficult to walk or stand for long periods of time without getting dizzy. In one instance, she said her scheduled SacRT GO bus was late picking her up from grocery shopping at Costco, and she called her partner for a ride.
"It's the feeling of being stranded...when I'm out there. My bus doesn't show up at Costco on Thursday night, and I'm going, 'What do I do? How long do I wait?' I'm calling dispatch. They say they'll answer in 2 minutes. Thirty minutes later, they haven't answered," Donovan said.
She said she uses the transportation regularly for doctor appointments, "for my livelihood, for my basic needs, to get to the grocery store, for recreational purposes."
SacRT GO provides door-to-door, shared rides for individuals with disabilities who cannot always use its bus or light rail services. The service meets ADA standards. Eligibility requires an application and review process.
"What concerns me, I can use Uber, I can use Lyft. If I'm stranded like that in Folsom, I can afford to do that. But a lot of people can't. If you're mobility-impaired, then you're stuck. You're really stuck," Donovan said.
She said she wanted to advocate for improvements to the new system because she says it should work for everyone, not just riders who can call back up if the services are delayed.
CBS13 took some of these concerns to SacRT for answers, and a spokesperson confirmed that they transitioned to a new scheduling and dispatch software system known as QRyde. A statement shared with CBS13 said the new technology allows real-time trip tracking, but with it, they are experiencing "initial challenges as our dispatchers and operators adapt to the new platform."
The statement continued:
"While we are closely monitoring service performance, we acknowledge that during the transition period some riders may be experiencing longer wait times than usual. We are also managing staffing fluctuations that can occasionally impact schedule reliability.
Our team is actively reviewing performance data and addressing any identified service gaps. We encourage riders who have experienced significant delays or service issues to reach out with details so we can investigate and respond to each concern directly.
We appreciate our riders' patience and understanding as we work through the transition. SacRT remains committed to providing safe, accessible, and reliable transportation to the communities we serve."
Donovan said she's been told to have patience, too, and says she understands that no paraservices are perfect.
"This has gone way beyond not perfect," Donovan said.
