Texas Register, Volume 11, Number 19, Pages 1163-1244, March 11, 1986 Page: 1,230
1163-1244 p. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Don Newbury, Western Texas College; An-
toinette Samuel, Houston.
The following individuals commented
against the adoption: Dr. John E. Brooks,
Wharton County Junior College; Beverly
Cherney Pearson, Ark-Tex; Dorothy Dun-
can, Director, San Angelo Supportive Ser-
vices; Marshal Bennett, Fisher County
Judge; Gloria Shaw, Scurry County Senior
Center; B.J. Foldenauer, Senior Services
Division Director, San Angelo; Jerry D.
Casstevens, South Plains.
As the budgeting agency of funds pro-
vided under Title III, grantees must adjust
their annual budgets to accommodate
these requirements. Identification of the
funding source will serve to publicize
state, federal, and local involvement in
these programs. Physical exminations are
legitimate requirements for employement
to assure proper insurance coverge in an-
ticipation of claims as a result of ac-
cidents to driver, passengers, and ve-
hicles. Vehicle garaging requirements are
necessary to minimize misuse or abuse
of public property. Establishment of stan-
dards by the Texas Department on Aging
is in accord with recommendations of the
Sunset Commission.
The sections are adopted under the
Human Resources Code, Chapter 101,
which provides the Texas Department on
Aging with the authority to adopt sections
governing the function of the department.
273.1. Title III Transportation Service
Standards.
(a) Purpose. This publication give the
policies, procedures, and standards that
govern the provision of transportation ser-
vices authorized under Title III of the Older
Americans Act. This section, for use by the
Texas Department on Aging, Area Agencies
on Aging, and service providers, will be
useful in establishing new services, review-
ing current services, and upgrading these cer-
vices throughout the state.
(1) Application. This section applies
only to Title III funded services. Transpor-
tation services that are not provided with Ti-
tle III funds are not subject to this rules.
(2) Deadline. It is the intent of the
Texas Department on Aging that these stan-
dards will be fully implemented by May 31,
1989.
(b) Definition. Transportation service
is defined as taking a person 60 years of age
or older from one location to another.
(c) Scope of service. Transportation
services to be provided by service providers
will meet the following requirements.
(1) The service will be designed to
transport eligible persons, including those
physically impaired, to and from social ser-
vices, medical and health care services, meal
programs, senior centers, shopping and re-
creational activities, and other community
facilities and resources in a way to insure that
services are readily accessible to eligible
individuals.(2) Services will be coordinated with
other state, local, federal, and private for
profit agencies whenever possible to enhance
cost effectiveness and to better serve the
citizens of Texas.
(d) Eligibility criteria. To be eligible
for transportation services, individuals must
be 60 years of age or older, or the spouse
of an eligible person. In instances where eligi-
ble persons provide their own Texas escort,
the escort need not meet the 60 year-of-age
criteria to accompany the eligible individual.
(e) Intake. Eligible individuals will
provide name, address, telephone number,
and date of birth prior to participating in this
service.
(f) Expansion/maintenance of effort.
Local financial commitments are vital to the
success of any transportation program;
therefore, any organization or community
interested enough to seek a solution to a
transportation problem will invest some of
its own time and money toward a successful
transportation program.
(g) Program contributions. The Older
Americans Act contains provisions for par-
ticipants in services to contribute to the pro-
vision of those services. The following
guidelines will be followed in establishing a
procedure to facilitate this provision.
(1) The procedure will be estab-
lished in such a way that confidentiality is
established.
(2) A suggested contribution sched-
ule will be developed by the service provider.
(3) The contribution schedule will
be posted in each vehicle in an obvious
location.
(4) Eligible persons will not be
denied service because they do not contribute
to the cost of the service.
(h) Service priorities. Area agencies on
aging will establish pohcies concerning priori-
ty service for ridership, destination, trip pur-
pose, geographic area covered, routes, and
schedules for providing services.
(i) Transportation outreach. Area
agencies will develop a plan that will make
eligible persons aware of available services.273.3.
tors.Qualifications of Vehicle Opera-
(a) Conditions for employment. The
following qualifications and requirements
are prerequisites which will be met by pro-
spective drivers of vehicles used to provide
transportation services to participants in Title
III programs.
(1) Applicant will have a valid
Texas drivers license with the appropriate
classification based on the type and size of
vehicle he/she will be operating (minimum
Class A).
(2) Applicant will pass a road test
in the type of vehicle he/she will be oper-
ating.
(3) A copy of the applicant's driv-
ers license will be on file.
(4) Applicant will be in compliance
with standards set by the insurance carrieror the governing body.
(5) Applicant/employee will be re-
quired to pass a basic physical examination
which includes at least blood pressure, hear-
ing and vision test before transporting
passengers. Applicant/ employee operating
vehicles using lift equipment or transporting
mobility impaired passengers will be required
to pass a more extensive physical examina-
tion to determine physical ability to life and
transfer passengers. Verification of the ex-
amination must be in the form of a written
statement signed by a physician and placed
in the personnel file.
(6) Drivers who have not been a res-
ident of Texas three years prior to employ-
ment will obtain a driver record check from
the state(s) of previous residence, and sub-
mit it to the employer before transporting
passengers.
(b) Drivers training. A drivers train-
ing program will be established. The drivers
training program will be written and include
at least the following.
(1) New drivers will be fully briefed
about the transportation program, report
forms, vehicle operation, and the geographic
area in which they will operate their vehicle.
(2) Drivers will be trained to use
any special equipment installed on their
vehicles, such as wheelchair lifts, oxygen
equipment, and two-way radios before trans-
porting passengers.
(3) Within the first six months of
employment, drivers will complete an ap-
proved National Safety Council Defensive
Driving Course. Drivers holding a current
certification of the driver training course do
not need to retake the course.
(4) Within the first 12 months of
employment, drivers will successfully com-
plete an approved course in passenger assis-
tance techniques, if responsible for
transporting mobility impaired passengers.
(5) Drivers will receive at least a
semi-annual briefing which covers changes
in the transportation program, reporting
forms, and vehicle operations, including the
operation of special equipment.
(6) Permanent records will be main-
tained for all drivers to verify that training
has been received. Current certifications will
be retained in a permanent file.
(c) Driver evaluations. Driver evalua-
tions will be required to assure that the
highest standards of performance are main-
tained in providing transportation services
for older adults. Consequently, a regular and
routine evaluation procedure, encompassing
the following minimum requirements, will be
implemented.
(1) Transportation service providers
will provide written documentation of semi-
annual evaluation of each driver.
(2) Semi-annual observation of
each driver's on-the-job performance; the
supervisor will ride with the driver on a
regular route to observe his/her driving
technique.11 TexReg 1230 March 11, 1986
Texas Register 4A
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Texas. Secretary of State. Texas Register, Volume 11, Number 19, Pages 1163-1244, March 11, 1986, periodical, March 11, 1986; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth243767/m1/68/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.