FTA
What type of evaluation did the FTA do?
The FTA conducted a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the overall ADA compliance system of the MTA. This evaluation consisted of observations, interviews, and quantitative analysis.
Why do you think FTA officials provide an "Introduction to MTA" in the report?
The FTA officials provide the introduction to provide an overall scale of the MTA system. With over $1 billion in its budget the MTA is a very system and integral aspect of the overall Baltimore, Maryland community. The introduction therefore, serves as a starting point to show how important the overall system is to the community and constituents in Baltimore, Maryland. With over 700 buses, 200 subway cars, and 50 light rail cars, the MTA system is critical to the overall functioning of the Baltimore transportation industry. The introduction also provides an overall scale of the transit system in Baltimore, Maryland. Viewers, who read the introduction in its entirety, can realize that Baltimore appears to be thriving and growing economy. To support the growth and overall well-being of the community, the MTA system must be maintained. As the community and overall citizenry grows, so too must the system. The introduction appears to show how large and prevalent the overall MTA system is, within the Baltimore, Maryland community.
What were the objectives of the FTA officials in conducting this evaluation?
The primary objective of this paratransit review is to verify that the fixed-route...
The overall review examines the policies, procedures and operations of the system's paratransit service. Aspects such as origin to destination service and eligibility are being considered within the review. In addition, the objective of the evaluation is to observe dispatch, reservations and scheduling operations and analyze service statistics, basic service records and operating documents. To verify the accuracy of the public operator's reported information and evaluate its methodology, the review team has also been conducting an independent analysis of the data. In addition, FTA will solicit comments from eligible riders and from local disability organizations.
Why did the FTA provide a "Scope and Methodology" section?
The methodology section is very important as it provides reasoning as to how the FTA officials arrived at their statistics. With this section, the independent analyst is better able to determine is the techniques used were warranted, or if the assumptions provided were unreasonable. The scope section is also important as it provides the independent observer with the ability to determine if the overall scope of the investigation was warranted. FTA officials may have missed or otherwise omitted critical component to their investigation. Through the scope and methodology section, the reading is in a position to better determine the merits of the overall investigation. For example,…
