Door-to-door transport: Bristol Dial-A Ride, Bristol
A4.20 Bristol Dial-a-Ride ( BDAR) is a charitable, not for profit organisation, which provides a demand responsive transport service for older and disabled people in Bristol. BDAR is a passenger-led organisation which is managed by a 14-strong Management Committee, all of whom are passengers. The focus of the organisation has always been on what disabled people want and need, not acting as a third party deciding what is best for the membership. It has been chosen as an example of good practice because of its willingness to embrace new concepts and ideas in the delivery of door-to-door transport for disabled people, in close collaboration with its membership whilst maintaining its core values. BDAR now has 16 years experience of providing inclusive, accessible, affordable and safe door-to-door transport for older and disabled people in Bristol.
Description of the Scheme
A4.21 BDAR has a fleet of 15 fully accessible vehicles; 13 are fully accessible minibuses (5 of these are Gas LPG/petrol), and two are accessible cars. The BDAR service uses twelve of the minibus fleet, with one older vehicle kept as an emergency back up. The operation is broadly area based, with some pre-allocated longer journeys, such as into the city centre. For example, a request from an individual wheelchair user for a longer journey may be accommodated, ensuring that the area vehicle is carrying as many people as possible on shorter runs.
A4.22 The service allows users to pre-book journeys by telephone via a dispatcher, with most journeys being requested the day before travel. The service operates Monday to Thursday from 9.00am to 5.00pm and from 9.00am to 4.30pm on Friday. Membership is free and fares are set at the equivalent bus fare. In June 2005 BDAR had over 11,000 members registered with the service.
A4.23 In 2003 BDAR launched a new initiative, a demonstration programme of transport projects under the Department for Transport's Urban Bus Challenge ( UBC) scheme. This uses the other two accessible vehicles on the fleet. There are two elements being piloted as part of the scheme, both in the wards of Southmead and Easton. The first, known as "Health Matters", provides disabled and older people unable to use conventional public transport with access to their local health centres for appointments e.g. podiatry, treatment room etc. These services can be pre-booked up to eight weeks in advance. The second project, called "Life Opportunities", enables disabled people to travel to and from a training centre, or to work, on a regular basis.
A4.24 There are currently over 2,000 registered passengers for these new UBC services and 700 journeys were carried out in 2004-5. These are pilot projects, and are taking time to become established. On the UBC funded Health Matters project, BDAR works closely with Southmead Health Centre and Charlotte Keil and Lawrence Hill Health Centres and the local Primary Care Trusts. As part of the pilot they are trying to monitor the number of "Do not attends", before and after their services are introduced, but there is some difficulty in accessing this information from the health centres.
A4.25 There are regular local user forums and an annual survey of all passengers to ensure the wider needs of passengers are addressed and implemented. The organisation currently has a staff team of 26.5 (equivalent) people, and continues to invest in the training and development of staff.
A4.26 The constitution is clear and the organisation believes that the basic objective has never changed: to provide transport to people in the Bristol area who can't access conventional transport. The issue of access is remembered in a statement from one of the early members, who simply said: "I just want to get out (of the house)!" A basic access need that has changed little over time, with a majority of the membership.
A4.27 It has a clear set of service standards that help to maintain its function as a fully inclusive service. At its core are a number of key principles and a clear statement as to the service's purpose; this is as follows:
- to lead in the provision of high quality accessible door-to-door transport services on a day, evening and weekend basis for disabled people living in Bristol, at a similar cost to public transport.
- to enter into partnerships and working arrangements with other organisations to maximise accessible transport available in the Bristol area.
- to carry out research, campaign and educate to influence the Social Model agenda for access and accessible transport issues both locally and nationally.
A4.28 BDAR also has a stated list of values which direct the work of the organisation; these are listed below,
- Bristol Dial-a-Ride works from the Social Model of Disability as a fundamental principle and recognises that people are not disabled by their impairments but by physical, environmental and attitudinal barriers which exist in society.
- Bristol Dial-a-Ride will work towards ensuring that all passengers, staff members, volunteers and organisations / individuals are not discriminated against on grounds of age, HIV status, impairment and emotional distress, race, religion, sex and sexual identity.
- Bristol Dial-a-Ride is committed to high quality service as detailed in the Service Standards leaflet.
- Bristol Dial-a-Ride is committed to being a passenger-led organisation and is managed by a Management Committee of whom 100% are passengers. Bristol Dial-a-Ride holds regular local user forums and carries out an annual survey of all passengers to ensure the wider needs of passengers are addressed and implemented
A4.29 In terms of service delivery, the organisation prides itself on the investment it makes in its staff, both in terms of remuneration - all the operational staff, including drivers are paid, and the training it provides. Staff are motivated and well trained. This is reflected in the high levels of staff retention. Dispatching staff are all trained in call centre / customer care / disability equality issues. Drivers are provided with a uniform - a polo shirt with logo, fostering a casual and friendly attitude 2 both within the organisation and with the customers. The uniform also fulfils the role of maintaining an identity for the end users of the service. Wherever possible the same driver is allocated to the same area of operation. The members appreciate the continuity this provides and this is reflected in comments made in annual member surveys. The work of the drivers is about 60% escorting, which includes helping passengers in to their home, carrying shopping, heavy items etc and 40% driving. Again this shows a high level of customer care in providing a true 'door to door' service.
Area and population
A4.30 Bristol is a city of over half a million people; the population was 551,066 in 2001, which compares with the corresponding population figures of 629,501 for Glasgow, and 430,082 for Edinburgh. BDAR's operation is at present broadly area based, within designated wards of Bristol, with some pre-allocated longer journeys, such as those which go into the city centre. BDAR operates in all of the city's 35 wards. BDAR has 11 operational areas, with one vehicle covering each one of these 11 areas. The computer booking system upgrade planned for summer 2005 will allow BDAR to move away from its current area based system and book journeys and allocate the vehicles more efficiently across the city as a whole.
Number and type of trips facilitated
A4.31 BDAR members use the service for a full range of trip purposes including for health, leisure, work, education and other social purposes. Analysis of trip data for the period April 04 to March 05 revealed that shopping, health and social journey purposes are the predominant uses of BDAR services. Between 1 st April 2004 and 31 st March 2005 they undertook 60,405 passenger journeys, or an average of 5,034 passenger journeys per month.
A4.32 Between July 2003 and June 2004, BDAR undertook 51,696 passenger journeys, an average of 4,308 passenger journeys per month.
A4.33 Membership of the scheme is for people who cannot reasonably use mainstream Public Transport - all trips made by this scheme are, by definition, trips that otherwise would not have been made.
Parties involved in the planning, funding and operation of the scheme.
A4.34 BDAR receives funding from Bristol City Council under a three year Service Level Agreement for Dial a Ride services. Last year this also included matched funding from the European Commission through VIVALDI, to a revenue support amount of £540,561.
A4.35 The funding from Bristol City Council is for a door to door quality accessible transport provision and currently equates to £8.94 per journey. It is expected that, with the introduction of the very latest computer software designed for demand responsive transport and multiple pick up and drops offs currently being installed, that the efficiency of the services will be improved, with increased ridership, and that correspondingly there will be a significant decrease in the subsidy cost per journey. The Council also provide support with advice on disability issues, information and publicity, backed by a dedicated officer.
A4.36 BDAR, as a full partner in the EU supported, four year VIVALDI project, has also received funding for new computer hardware for the dispatchers and some funding towards environmentally friendly Gas LPG/Petrol minibuses.
A4.37 In 2003, BDAR was also successful in bidding for funding under the Department for Transport's Urban Bus Challenge initiative, securing £371,322 for a two year pilot, now extended to three years.
User feedback
A4.38 A recent user forum, held at the Vassall Centre in March 2005, highlighted the important role that BDAR performs for its members. BDAR was identified as important in giving its users "freedom" and a means of "maintaining independence". One wheelchair user identified the service as having been a good replacement to the car, providing them with a safe alternative that they feel comfortable using. It was commonly highlighted that BDAR users can no longer use local bus services, as they either can't get to the nearest bus stop, or can not get on the bus itself (particularly those who use mobility aids). Safety was also raised as an issue when considering the use of public transport.
A4.39 Another recent passenger forum identified that members were extremely positive regarding the service provided by BDAR, all agreeing that the door to door service was "wonderful". Comments were received such as "I couldn't manage with out it", "they are so helpful and kind", and "it's the only way I get out into the community…I enjoy socialising". The vehicles were identified as being excellent; respondents commented: "They use the lifts to get the wheelchair into the bus and always make sure that it is secured and that I am comfortable before setting off" while another stated that "the vehicles are extremely clean, safe and comfortable". Members were also very positive regarding the service provided by the staff and gave high praise to the driver/escorts in particular.
A4.40 No data which might indicate cross-sector benefits, or wider impacts of the use of BDAR's services, have been made available.
Sustainability and plans for expansion
A4.41 On a number of levels BDAR is representative of the disabled community in Bristol. The management committee itself epitomises the attitude that this is a transport service provided for disabled people by members of the disabled community. This in-built commitment to providing a service for disabled people will help to ensure the sustainability of the service into the future. The committee, whilst maintaining a structure, does not rely on any one member to influence the decisions that the organisation makes in its day to day function and long term planning. The Director, whilst holding a position on the management committee, is not the sole individual responsible for the operation of BDAR. The structure of organisation enables all of the committee to maintain a clear understanding of its function, and this is evident in the Business Plan. This written document and record also ensures every member of the organisation has a clear understanding of the aims and goals that it sets out to achieve.
A4.42 Regular training and assessment of the service delivery of the drivers, dispatchers and other members of the operational staff maintains standards and it is felt demonstrates the value that BDAR places on its staff. Furthermore, the management committee also receive annual 'refresher' training on disability issues, recruitment, health and safety etc. in line with BDAR's commitment to maintain standards as an equal opportunities employer and provider of a fully inclusive service.
A4.43 BDAR's five-year Business Plan (2001-2006) expresses the need to extend the service hours of operation, and recognises evenings and weekends as gaps that are currently not provided for. Passenger surveys have indicated that such extensions to the service offered would be welcomed, and further research has shown that such changes should also attract younger disabled people to use the service, as they particularly have expressed interest in travelling at evenings and week-ends. The BDAR Committee is keen to expand the services from 1 st April 2006 and to start incrementally i.e. for 2 or 3 evenings, and one weekend day, to start with, operating with a reduced number of vehicles. Bristol City Council supports this aspiration, and funding bids are currently being prepared.
A4.44 Such future plans are seen as a clear indication of the intent of the organisation to move forward and build a service for the future. In making this part of its service standards BDAR has created a clear approach to its aims and direction as an organisation.
A4.45 Since 1 st April 2005, BDAR has had permission from Bristol City Council to provide services outside of the Bristol boundary but currently only "to medical appointments". This has had a limited take up. It is expected that the service types will be extended during 2005-6.
A4.46 Discussions are underway with local Community Transport groups and dial-a-rides in the Greater Bristol area to see how they can all work together to maximise the amount of accessible transport available, and to more closely meet disabled passenger demands in the future.