(Retired as of July 2022; however, I will still accept occasional, limited engagements: either in the S.F. Bay Area or in certain locales that I have a pre-existing reason to travel to. Legal cases must be at the beginning of the process, before any significant discovery has been performed.)
Douglas J. Cross Transportation Consulting specializes in:
- Transit accessibility
- Paratransit policy and operations
- ADA training for drivers and supervisors
- Small transit system operations
- Community transit alternatives
- Program and performance evaluations
- Report and proposal writing/editing
BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE
A seasoned transit/paratransit planner and manager with over 33 years of experience in the following:
- Operations
- Training
- Vehicle and equipment design and research
- Policy and industry standards
- Expert consultation and evaluation
- Service design
- Public involvement
- Funding
- Government relations
- Experience spanning 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
- Representation for US transit industry to national & international wheelchair standards and research bodies (ANSI, ISO, RERC-WTS)
- Experience as operations manager for three 40-vehicle paratransit operations, in Oakland, Cincinnati, and Lake County (Ohio)
VITAE
- Resumé and publications; (61 KB PDF)
[Follow this link to get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader if you don't have it.]
SERVICES OFFERED
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 procedures and training
- Brochure explaining my course in wheelchair securement (100 KB PDF)
- Brochure explaining my course in lift and ramp usage/safety (80 KB PDF)
- Brochure explaining my services for wheelchair marking & tether strap programs: program design and installer training (105 KB PDF)
- 2016 paper — Mobility Device Access and Securement: Standards and Wheelchair Marking & Tether Strap Programs (846 KB PDF)
- 2006 paper — Wheelchair Access: Improvements, Standards, and Challenges (1.2 MB PDF)
- Passenger assistance training
- Accessibility design and equipment
- Accessibility policies and procedures
- Rider orientation to accessibility features
- Bus stop, transit center, and station accessibility
- Disability awareness
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
- System-wide 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
PROJECT EXAMPLES
As a consultant:
- Assistance in bus system wheelchair securement policy, procedures, and training for several transit systems in California, as well as for a statewide insurance pool
- Developed and delivered transit agency training programs in lift & ramp usage/safety and ADA/passenger assistance
- Expert witness evaluation/testimony in litigation involving wheelchair securement, passenger assistance, and paratransit service performance
- On-board service monitoring and analysis for public transit systems in Sacramento and Orange County, Calif.
- Researched and co-authored a national study on wheelchair access in transportation sponsored by Easter Seals Project ACTION
- Frequent presenter at industry conferences and workshops (see “vitae” section for publications and presentations)
- Served as instructor for the California Transit/Paratransit Management Certificate Program (University of the Pacific) course, “A Transit Manager's Guide to Regulations and Funding”
- Operational and needs assessment for a small city senior center-based paratransit program
- Analysis/revision of ADA stop announcement requirements for Sacramento Regional Transit District
- Operational and ADA compliance evaluation for ADA paratransit programs in Baltimore, Austin, Texas, and Breckenridge, Colorado
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's 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 the Sacramento ADA paratransit program
- Wrote and managed ADA paratransit plan updates for Sacramento and East Bay Paratransit & Sacramento light rail key station accessibility plan
- Developed rider policies for East Bay Paratransit, and gave “how to” training presentations at NTI, APTA, and state association meetings
