As some TARC3 riders say service is unreliable, director blames staffing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- This weekend, Denise Ervin will likely be stuck at home on the couch.

But that's not her preference. She would prefer to take a couple trips to the gym and pool.

"I have to work out everyday," she said.

However, because of a series of knee and foot operations, she depends on TARC3 — the Transit Authority of River City's paratransit service for people with physical or intellectual disabilities. For Ervin, the service has become too unreliable to risk an unnecessary trip from her home.

"I'm going to say the last three or four months — it's been horrible," she said. "This week alone, I got stuck at Audubon Hospital for some test I was taking."

Recently, other TARC3 riders — and even drivers — have voiced similar complaints.

In May, the Metro Disability Coalition said TARC3 and its contractor, MV Transportation, are failing riders with disabilities in at least 11 ways. Most notably, the group says TARC3 is failing to pick up and drop off passengers in a timely manner and, sometimes, leaving riders stranded.

In a statement on May 20, MV Transportation, headquartered in Dallas, disputed those complaints.

"We are aware of the Metro Disability Coalition’s complaints and we take them very seriously," Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Womack wrote, at the time. "No eligible TARC paratransit riders have been stranded or denied trips in all of 2021, and despite facing the same operator shortages that are impacting the entire industry, we have met on-time performance targets each month this year through April."

However, multiple riders and drivers refuted Womack's assessment and continue to do so.

On Friday alone, multiple people either blind or with low vision who work at LC Industries in Clifton say TARC3 never showed up to take them home from work.

On Thursday, an email sent from TARC to WDRB News — seemingly by mistake — acknowledges another rider who's being stranded at his or her job site on Blankenbaker Parkway.

Friday, Carrie Butler, the Executive Director of TARC, explained the recent shortcomings.

"The biggest source of our riders frustrations right now really is in our staffing or kind of lack of staffing," she said.

Right now, Butler says the transit authority is short 100 employees, 50 of which serve TARC3 directly.

"We have a team here that's really committed to providing good transit and bringing people on-board," Butler said, in part. "Maybe we're not doing that right now ... but we're going to get there. I'm confident we're going to get there."

Butler and TARC held a hiring fair on Friday that she says was successful and is part of TARC's push to hire the workers it needs.

In the meantime, she says the transit authority is paying existing drivers overtime to fill the gap. She hopes to have the shortcomings fixed in no more than two months.

But riders like Ervin, expect a more reliable service more immediately.

"People shouldn't be stranded. People should not be stranded, especially people who are disabled," she said. "It's just a mess."

Ervin says the unreliable TARC3 service has forced her to pay $78.98 in cab fare this week alone.

Sue Ellen Melo, an LC Industries employee who is blind, says she's also paid cab fare out-of-pocket recently when TARC3 was too unreliable.

"At least once a week, I am late to work or border-line late to work," she said.

Melo hopes Louisville's elected leaders, including Metro Council, will get involved.

"We count just as much as the people who ride the big TARC or who are blessed enough to own their cars and be able to come and go when they want. We are votes too," she said. "You guys need to fix this. Whether that's greater oversight on TARC or whether that's replacing (MV Transportation)."

When asked about MV Transportation's job performance, Butler said replacing the contract would not solve the current problem with staffing.

"My answer, right now, is if I'm short fixed-route drivers and we're short paratransit drivers, I don't know that it makes a big difference who operates it or who holds the contract, honestly," she said.

Friday, WDRB News learned that MyCity, a subcontractor who provides TARC3 drivers for MV Transportation, abruptly terminated its contract.

"MyCity has subcontracted to MV since February 2020 when MV took over operational responsibility for the TARC3 service," Womack, the spokesman for MV Transportation, explained in an emailed statement. "MV has offered full-time positions to all affected MyCity employees to provide continuity of employment and minimize any possible disruption of service to our riders."

Womack reminded that MV Transportation and TARC need additional drivers. He says the company is currently offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus for new hires, and a CDL is not required.

According to MV Transportation, interested applicants can apply online at www.mvtransit.com/careers or in person at MV’s Louisville office located at 830 South 13th Street. For additional information, interested parties can call (502) 830-9403.

Those interested can also apply online at ridetarc.org.

Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.