Future of Paratransit Mobility Board Application

Help shape the future of Access paratransit in King County by joining the Future of Paratransit Mobility Board!

A compensated leadership opportunity.

King County Metro is conducting a full review of its paratransit rideshare service, Access Transportation, to develop an improved model and service for the next seven to ten years. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires equal access to public transportation for persons with disabilities. Metro proudly upholds ADA law by providing accessible service to riders with disabilities across our entire transit system. For anyone whose disability prevents them from riding traditional buses and trains, Metro's Access Transportation program operates a network of accessible vehicles. Access helps customers ride from their starting location to many local destinations within the King County Metro service area.

The review of Metro’s Access Transportation program, called the Future of Paratransit, is scheduled to be completed the summer of 2025. Along with broad community engagement, Metro is recruiting for the Future of Paratransit Mobility Board, to guide and provide direct feedback throughout the review process.

The purpose of the Future of Paratransit project is to:

Improve mobility for people with disabilities that are not able to use fixed-route transportation due to their disability.
Improve efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impacts of the Access paratransit service.
Equitably inform, engage and consult with current and potential Access customers, care givers, and service providers.

For the Future of Paratransit Mobility Board, Metro seeks community members that meet the following criteria:

Current Access paratransit riders or caregivers to Access paratransit riders.
Representatives of organizations that provide services to/or support Access paratransit riders.
Representatives of organizations that support Access paratransit riders and/or potential riders who have limited English proficiency.
A history of riding Access or providing transportation support to other Access riders (at least one-year of experience).
Experience identifying transportation challenges of multiple Access riders (at least one-year of experience).

Metro aims to form a mobility board that equitably represents groups of people who have historically been left out of decision-making conversations related to paratransit and who are disproportionately affected by these decisions. This includes Black, Indigenous, and people of color; people with physical and/or cognitive disabilities; people with low to no income; immigrants and refugees; and linguistically diverse communities. We are also seeking representation from older adults, students and youth, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ within those groups.

Mobility Board Member expectations and compensation

This is an approximate 1-year commitment beginning May 2024, meeting an average of 3 hours per month. Dates and times will vary depending on project timeline and selected board member availability.
Additional reading before or after meetings may be required averaging 1 hour per month.
Most meetings will be held virtually.
Technical Expectations:
- Regular access to email.
- Access to a device (computer, phone, tablet) where Zoom or Microsoft Teams can be used.
Metro will meet accessibility needs for meetings and meeting materials, including language access.
Members will be compensated $75 per hour for their time, expertise, and any related transportation costs.

Mobility Board applications are being accepted through Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Applicants who provide valid contact information will be notified of a selection decision in May. If necessary, interviews will be conducted in May. The first meeting will be held late May or early June with the exact date to be determined based on board members' availability.

This application will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. If you have any questions about the listed expectations or believe you will require accommodations, or if you need assistance filling out this application or prefer to complete this survey in another language or format, please email HaveASay@kingcounty.gov or call (206) 263-9768 by March 28.

10% of survey complete.