Douglas J. Cross
Transportation Consulting
Transit Accessibility
Paratransit policy and operations
Small transit system operations
Community transit alternatives
Program and performance evaluations
Report and proposal writing/editing
P.O. Box 10268
Oakland, California 94610-0268
(510) 530-7198
email: djcross at pacbell dot net
www.douglasjcross.com
Who I am:
A seasoned transit/paratransit planner and manager with 28 years of experience in operations, policy, service design, public involvement, and government relations.
What I offer:
Independent consulting, from technical advice to formal projects, such as plans and evaluation reports, either individually or teamed with other professionals. I offer assistance in many areas of expertise:
Vehicle and service accessibility:
- ADA requirements and compliance.
- Wheelchair access and securement.
- Accessibility design and equipment.
- Accessibility procedures, and training.
- Rider orientation to accessibility features.
- Bus stop, transit center, and station accessibility.
- Disability awareness and passenger assistance.
Paratransit:
- Service structure and design.
- Service policies and eligibility certification.
- Dispatch and operations procedures.
- Scheduling and communications technology.
General transit:
- Contracting with public agencies and private firms.
- Performance monitoring, tracking, and reporting.
- Vehicle selection and specifications.
- Systemwide performance evaluation.
- Employee recruitment, screening, and training.
Customer and public involvement:
- Rider surveys and research.
- Rider? guides and educational materials.
- Complaint procedures and quality monitoring.
- Consumer advisory and advocacy strategies.
Community transit alternatives:
- Development of neighborhood circulators and "hybrid" services.
- Identifying appropriate transit services for senior and disabled travelers.
- Market research for target group mobility needs.
Professional, high-quality writing and editing:
- Studies and evaluation reports.
- Grant applications and proposals.
- Marketing and educational materials.
Examples of my projects:
As a consultant:
- Research and co-authoring of a national study on wheelchair access in transportation sponsored by Easter Seals Project ACTION
- Assistance in bus system wheelchair securement policy, procedures, and training for several transit systems in California
- Expert witness evaluation/testimony in litigation involving wheelchair securement and paratransit service performance
- Facilitation of study for cost effectiveness and future funding options for San Francisco ADA paratransit program
- Operational and needs assessment for a small city senior center-based paratransit program
- On-board service monitoring and analysis for public transit systems in Sacramento and Orange County, Calif.
- Analysis/revision of ADA stop announcement requirements for Sacramento Regional Transit District
- Operational and ADA compliance evaluation for ADA paratransit programs in Baltimore and Austin, Texas
- Serve as instructor for the California Transit/Paratransit Management Certificate Program (University of the Pacific) course, "A Transit Manager? Guide to Regulations and Funding"
As a transit system planner and manager:
- Developed a wheelchair marking and tether strap program for customers, coordinated pilot demonstrations of new wheelchair securement equipment designs, and coordinated the design of new rear-facing wheelchair stations in AC Transit? European BRT-style buses
- Managed a study of the services design and structure of the East Bay Paratransit Consortium (AC Transit and BART)
- Coordinated participation in, and responses to, FTA ADA reviews of ADA Paratransit (East Bay) and Key Station accessibility (Sacramento)
- Managed a performance evaluation and ADA compliance review of Sacramento? ADA paratransit program
- Wrote and managed ADA paratransit plans for Sacramento and East Bay Paratransit, and Sacramento? FTA key light rail station accessibility plan
- Developed rider policies for East Bay Paratransit, and gave "how to"training presentations at NTI, APTA, and state association meetings
My background:
- 12 years as Accessible Services Manager for AC Transit (Oakland) and Sacramento Regional Transit:
- Coordinated all aspects of fixed route bus and light rail accessibility
- Managed contracted regional ADA paratransit programs
- Developed innovative accessibility programs and vehicle features
- Reported to transit boards, local governments, and consumer advisory bodies
- Currently represent US transit industry to national & international wheelchair standards and research bodies (ANSI, ISO, RERC-WTS)
- Operations manager for three 40-vehicle paratransit operations, in Oakland, Cincinnati, and Lake County, Ohio
- Coordinated state and regional Section 5310 and 5311 grant programs in Ohio and Indiana, including creation of a special non-profit vehicle leasing agency
- Bachelor of Urban Planning from the School of Planning at the University of Cincinnati
- Twelve years of bicycle advocacy work in Sacramento and the Bay Area
Vitae:
My vitae is available here as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.
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