Senate Bill 12-13-33
| Bill ID: | 12-13-33 |
| Name: | DOTS Customer Service Needs |
| Proposed: | 12/04/2012 |
| Sponsor: | Donna Hellman |
| Proposal: | After a student receives a ticket within minutes of a timed-out meter, the tedious repeal process ends in a 6:1 denial. The review process and customer service needs a mandate for an immediate re-design. 1) Dots customer service and parking protocols need a new orientation with the student as a paying customer. 2) Dots reviewers need freedom to operate on a case-by-case basis. Taken from their own 2011-2012 Goals, Objectives, and Accomplishments list copied below, Dots has already received student requests for a review and update of their own job descriptions. Students from five campus labs and various focus groups have also asked that employee involvement would increase in the decision making process, and that communications regarding the citation appeals process would improve: Accomplishments The five work groups used Student Voice, now Campus Labs to develop and distribute survey instruments. Some groups also held Focus Groups that were facilitated by members of CLOC. Once the data was received the groups were required to validate the data and report out during open forums. Finally executive summaries were written to summarize the data and give preliminary recommendations for action tactics. All of the campus data collection is complete. We expect the arrival of external reviewers this fall. Concurrent with their assessment we will develop tactics to take advantage of opportunities that were identified through the surveys. We anticipate having the entire process competed by February of 2013. Some of the projects that are anticipated are: *Review and update job descriptions *Increase employee involvement in decision making *Improve communications regarding the citation appeals process *Increase faculty/staff awareness regarding green commute options <a href="http://www.transportation.umd.edu/images/about/pdfs/DOTS%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%202012.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.transportation.umd.edu/images/about/pdfs/DOTS%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%202012.pdf</a> My own citation came about due to a faulty meter which I called to explain the following day. I was told the meter was working one hour before, and that I would have to submit a letter of appeal. I took at least one hour to carefully explain the meter's lack of receipt and my return five minutes before the expiration time listed on the meter. In-addition to the faulty meter which indicated payment, but gave no receipt, I enter campus two hours early as a volunteer for the ESOL program which mandates that we must meet on campus. None of these considerations was addressed in a flat denial letter re-iterating a $25 fine. Upon reading the denial letter, I wrote a second letter of appeal which I was required to bring into Dots in person. I spent an additional $3 for a metered parking space in order to submit my second letter in person. However, when I wrote a check for the $6 I owed, I was told I must pay the $25 along with my letter. The student employee had to call someone in the room behind him to learn whether or not I should receive a validation stamp as a volunteer, and when that was denied, he had to ask if I could pay the $6 I owed. I was told I would have to make an appointment with the supervisor who was seated in front of a p.c. with his door wide open not five feet behind me. I was directed to another room to a secretary to make an appointment with the supervisor. At no time was I treated as a paying customer. The lack of customer service in the Dots administration is a travesty. From the "hawk-like" violation spotters to the Dots office itself with several seemingly unnecessary employees, the profiteering of Dots on the backs over-paying students sends an authoritative message, no service industry should not have. A directive to UMCPDOTS Administration to re-configure customer service protocols effective immediately. |
| Active? | No |
Status
| Status: | Completed |
| Completed On: | 02/08/2013 |
History
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | David Allen, Director of Transportation Services |
| Received: | 2013-02-08 |
| Decision: | The Director of Transportation Services reviewed the proposal and is taking appropriate action. |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2013-01-25 |
| Decision Date: | 2013-02-01 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to forward the proposal to David Allen, Director of Transportation Services. |
| Next Step: | David Alle, Director of Transportation Services Review |