Language Assistance Plan for Newtrax, Inc
Effective: February 1, 2017
Purpose
The purpose of this Language Assistance Plan (hereinafter ”plan”) is to meet Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) requirements to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. As a subrecipient of FTA funds, this transit system is pledged to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to its transit services for persons who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. The FTA refers to these persons as Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons.
The completion of this plan for persons with Limited English Proficiency conforms to the requirements of the FTA Circular 4702.1B Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients.
The U.S. DOT’s FTA Office of Civil Rights’ publication “Implementing the Department of Transportation’s Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients’ Responsibilities to Limited English Proficient Persons – A Handbook for Public Transportation Providers,” dated April 13, 2007, was used in the preparation of this plan.
The plan for Newtrax, Inc contains:
A needs assessment based on the four-factor analysis
Language assistance measures
A staff training plan
Methods for notifying LEP persons about available language assistance
Methods for monitoring, evaluating and updating the plan
LEP Needs Assessment – the Four-Factor Analysis
Factor 1. The number or proportion of LEP persons in our service area who may be served or are likely to encounter a transit program, activity, or service.
We assessed the following information (as checked) about LEP persons to determine the number or proportion of LEP persons who might use or want to use our transit services:
X 2010 US Census data/American Community Survey data
Survey results:
X Local school district data (PENDING)
Locally Coordinated Human Services Plan
Other Human Services data
Area/Metropolitan Planning Organizations/Regional Development Commission data
X Information from local organizations (religious, legal, social service, etc.) about LEP persons in our service area
Reports from drivers, dispatchers and others about contact with LEP persons
Other information: Describe:
The total number of LEP persons in our service area is _________.
The total eligible population in our service area is _____________.
The proportion of LEP persons to the total eligible service population is _________.
The population Newtrax serves is driven by the client/rider make up of our partner organizations (Merrick and PAI) as well as Senior Community Service coordinators. Therefore, general population mix of potential LEP riders is consistent with the communities served by them.
Factor 2. The frequency with which LEP persons come in contact with our transit programs, activities, or services.
As noted earlier, the client/rider population is specific to Adult with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities served by Merrick and PAI as well as Senior Communities in the greater Ramsey and Washington Counties.
Daily scheduled rides are provided to over 500 Adults with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities from home to program sites and return. The capabilities may range from 100% assistance to minimal supports. Merrick and PAI provide support with all aspects of the varied needs of the clients served. This can include assist with physical needs, emotional supports and communication. Should a new client/rider begin riding the Newtrax buses, prior meetings would have taken place with Merrick and PAI staff to address supports that may be needed. This may include LEP and communication support.
Additional scheduled services are being provided to Senior Communities. Prior meetings and procedures have been put in place with Newtrax Community Services coordinator and the various Senior Community Service coordinators to address potential needs of the client/riders to be served.
The conclusions drawn from examining this information about LEP persons seeking transit services are:
Rider population is driven by the Program or Senior Communities
Support for LEP will be driven by the Program and Senior Communities
Newtrax works closely with organizations to put the necessary support and communications processes in place prior to scheduled rides.
Factor 3 . The nature and importance of programs, activities, or services provided to the LEP population.
Our transit system considers transit to be an important and essential service for a more specific/targeted populations in the Senior Communities and DTH (Day Training and Habilitation) organizations living and working within our service area in Ramsey and Washington counties. Some LEP persons may use our transit service to travel to DT&H Program locations, work, community outings and appointments.
Newtrax vehicles will travel nearly 1.25 million miles in 2016. Most rides are for the daily scheduled routes in the AM and PM to transport over 500 adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from home to one of six DT&H Program locations supported by Merrick and PAI. In addition, many evening and weekend outings are scheduled for this same rider base as well as Senior Communities and Churches. The outings may be for:
Movies
Shopping
Visit Zoo, Parks or Lakes
Eating Out
Seasonal Parties
Factor 4. The resources available to our transit system and the overall cost to provide language assistance.
Our current budget for marketing to or communicating with LEP persons in their language about transit services that are available to them is $1,000. This may include funding for staff training, translation services, brochures, flyers, posters, website, etc.
In addition, NEWTRAX leadership and staff are involved in numerous community organizations such as Consortium of Lake Area Senior Services (CLASS), White Bear Lake Area School District Community Services Advisory Council, Vadnais Heights Community Foundation, White Bear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, and Nonprofit Finance Group. Newtrax also has a Community Services Coordinator on staff that engages community organizations to explore other service offerings and chairs a monthly community engagement meeting with members of the public, business leaders, MNDOT, city planners and others with interest in expanding transportation access within their communities.
Language Assistance Measures
There are several language assistance measures that are available to Newtrax, Inc. These include:
X Translation of key documents in the following language(s): Spanish, Hmong, Somali. Posted on vehicles, office area and Dispatch Office
X Arranging for availability of oral translators via our partner organizations as they inform us of potential riders that may need assistance.
X Posting notices in appropriate languages informing LEP persons of available services on vehicles, office area and Dispatch Office.
X Other: Describe: As additional services are added or requested, the Newtrax
Community Services coordinator will continue to work with the various agencies supported to insure the necessary documentation, tools and notices are in place.
Staff Training
To ensure effective implementation of this plan, the transit system will schedule training at orientations for new staff and for all relevant employees on an annual basis to review:
the transit system’s Language Assistance Plan
demographic data about local LEP population
printed LEP persons’ materials
how to handle verbal requests for transit service in a foreign language
responsibility to notify transit manager about any LEP persons’ unmet needs.
Notice to LEP Persons about Available Language Assistance
Our transit system plans to notify LEP persons in their own language about the language assistance available to them without cost by using the following methods:
X signs on buses or at bus stops
X brochures
X posters
X website notices
XOther: Describe: Monthly Community Service team discussion and efforts to address as needed.
Annual Monitoring, Evaluating and Updating Plan
The transit system will review this plan during its annual review with its Mn/DOT transit project manager by:
assessing its effectiveness (e.g., comparing numbers of LEP persons served by year, number of requests for language assistance received during the year),
assessing the sufficiency of staff training and budget for language assistance,
reviewing current sources for assistance to ensure continuing availability, and
reviewing any complaints from LEP persons or about their needs that were received during the past year.
This plan will be reviewed by our transit system annually. Revisions of this plan will be approved by the Executive Director, Community Services Manager and the Transportation Director and dated.
Dissemination of Plan
This Language Assistance Plan is available on our website at ____www.newtrax.org____________
This plan is also available at no cost in English upon request by telephone, fax, and mail or in person.
If requested to be provided in another language and it is feasible to have it translated, information will be provided at no cost to the requester.
Contact Information
Questions or comments about this plan may be submitted to:
Mike Greenbauim
Executive Director
3700 Hwy 61 N, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Telephone 651-846-9301
Fax number 651-407-7181
mikeg@newtrax.org