Is someone dropping the ball with PACE paratransit mechanical issues?

This column is about things that make you go hmmm.

In October, I had a conversation with Bob Smith, a driver with MV Transportation Inc., one of several carriers that handles paratransit for Pace.

Paratransit is the pickup service for people with disabilities who can't take buses or trains. For many users, it's the difference between being housebound and getting to work or seeing a doctor and other essential tasks.

Smith, 60, is a former taxi driver/owner who previously worked for the Chicago paratransit contractor CDT Transportation and was considered a trustworthy employee. He moved to MV, a California-based company, and received commendations such as a Good Driving Award and Safety Bonus Program Certificate of Excellence.

His issue? When mechanical issues arise with vehicles, MV is dropping the ball, Smith contends, a claim the company and Pace deny.

On several occasions, Smith said he's driven vans that shook violently when braking, and once bounced into another lane. He also drove a van with failed turn signals and flashers and a vehicle that developed a flat tire.

Whenever he called dispatch, Smith said, he was told to finish his route. That's not right, he said. The best practice is for the problem vehicle to be returned to the garage and another van be sent to pick up any passengers.

"I care for the customers, that's why I'm in this job," he said. "I have to protect them at all costs."

Smith said he tried to bring his concerns to Pace officials but ended up being fired in November, accused of giving out false information. His union is looking into the case, he said.

MV administrators said they don't comment on personnel issues.

But both MV and Pace said safety is of the utmost importance to them and Smith's claims are without merit.

Company policy requires that drivers experiencing mechanical problems should call in and MV will dispatch a road supervisor to check out the situation, the van would usually be returned to the garage for service and a replacement vehicle would be sent out for passengers if necessary, officials said.

"When a driver complains, we take it seriously," MV Vice President of Communications Nikki Frenney said, adding that an internal review did not substantiate Smith's concerns.

"If drivers think a vehicle is unsafe, they have every right to bring it back or stop proceeding," she said. "We don't want anyone to proceed when they think it's unsafe."

Pace also conducted its own investigation and came to similar conclusions. Other drivers used the same vehicles and reported no flaws and there were no work orders for repairs, agency spokesman Patrick Wilmot noted. Officials also said in two cases there were discrepancies between driver reports on file with MV and reports Smith gave the Daily Herald.

As part of a regular safety screening program, Pace inspectors looked at all MV vehicles in October, and found only minimal or no defects.

But Smith is not the only employee to raise concerns about repairs and maintenance issues.

Earlier this fall, MV driver and instructor Samantha Pena said she found herself driving a van with faulty brake lights, no turn signals and no hazards, requiring her to use her arm to indicate turns. At one point, the gears stuck in park and wouldn't shift to drive, although she fixed it after getting advice from MV maintenance by phone.

"I said, 'Nothing is working. How do you expect me to drive like that?'" Pena recalled, adding she was told by her dispatcher to carry on.

Both MV and Pace dispute that account.

"Our investigation found that the passengers on board Ms. Pena's vehicle were moved to another vehicle to complete their trip," Wilmot said, adding that the vehicle was returned to the garage.

"If the question is whether there's some systemic issue of failure to properly maintain vehicles at MV, there isn't anything we've found to support that," Wilmot said. "Even if there were, our vehicle inspections would catch these issues."

Frenney said, "We operate a service for people with special needs. Any indication that someone feels something is unsafe, we have an open-door policy and will make every effort to fix the problem."

An independent audit by the Regional Transportation Authority of Pace paratransit stated that a visual inspection of MV vehicles indicated they were in good condition. Five out of six drivers interviewed said repairs were done promptly, although the sixth told auditors that sometimes MV didn't do repairs promptly. The audit also noted that vans with lifts are in constant use and the carrier needs more.

For a little rider perspective, I talked to Gloria Nichols of Chicago who uses MV frequently. She said there have been times when straps securing her wheelchair fail and the automatic lift doesn't work and it has to be operated manually. It's disconcerting to use the lift in those cases, Nichols said.

"There's all kinds of things crossing your mind," she said. "Is this thing really going to do what it's supposed to do?"

If riders are worried, they should report issues to MV or Pace, Frenney said.

"We try to be as accommodating as possible," she said. "We take our job and our responsibilities very seriously."

One thing's certain. It's crucial that people with disabilities using paratransit have a safe and comfortable trip. Any irregularities "should be a major concern for everyone," said Jim Watkins, a co-chair of the Regional Transportation Authority's ADA advisory committee and a paratransit user.

What do you think? Please e-mail or write with any concerns about paratransit vehicles. And, if you think the service couldn't be better, let me know too.