Title VI / ADA / Reasonable Modification

Title VI / Non-Discrimination Notice

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, national origin, and disability, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any person who believes she or he has been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice may file a complaint with Rio Metro Regional Transit District. For more information on Rio Metro Regional Transit District’s Civil Rights program and the procedures to file a complaint, visit us at 809 Copper Avenue NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 or call (866) 795-7245.

You may also file a complaint with the New Mexico Department of Transportation. For more information on the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Civil Rights program, and the procedures to file a complaint, please call (800) 554-0936 or (505) 470-9668, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit the administrative offices at 1590 Pacheco St., Suite A-10, Santa Fe, NM 87505. For more information, visit dot.state.nm.us.

A complainant may file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of Civil Rights, Attention: Title VI/ADA Program Coordinator, East Building, 5th Floor-TCR, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590. Phone: (202) 366-4043

Titulo VI / Aviso de No Discriminación

If information is needed in a language other than Spanish, please visit us at 809 Copper Avenue NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 or call (866) 795-7245.

Making a Title VI / ADA Complaint

Any person who believes he or she has been subject to an unlawful discriminatory practice in the receipt of Rio Metro services or programs may file a complaint. Any such complaint must be in writing and filed with Rio Metro within 90 days following the date of the alleged discriminatory occurence. Please contact Rio Metro to request additional information on Rio Metro’s non-discrimination obligations or to file a Title VI / ADA complaint.

For information on how to file a complaint, review the files below:

FTA Civil Right Complaint Process

To request this information in an alternate format (eg., Braille, large print, audio), please contact Customer Service at 1-866-795-7245 or click here to download the request form.

Reasonable Modification/Accommodations

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rio Metro) is committed to providing safe, reliable, accessible, and user-friendly services to our customers, including those with disabilities. To ensure equal and safe access to all riders, this policy outlines the procedure for receiving, processing, and responding to requests for reasonable modifications to Rio Metro's policies or practices by persons with disabilities.

Policy

It is Rio Metro Regional Transit District’s (Rio Metro) policy to make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures when requested to do so by individuals with disabilities when such accommodations are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability. The effective date of this policy is July 13, 2015.

Requests for accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be denied on one or more of the following grounds:

Granting the request would fundamentally alter the nature of Rio Metro’s service, programs, or activities;
Granting the request could create a direct threat to the health or safety of the requestor or others;
Granting the request would create an undue financial or administrative burden for the Agency; or
Without such modification, the individual with a disability is otherwise able to fully use Rio Metro’s services, programs, or activities for their intended purpose.

In determining whether to grant a requested modification, Rio Metro will be guided by the provisions of United States Department of Transportation at 49 CFR Appendix E to Part 37.169.

When choosing among alternatives for accommodations, Rio Metro will give priority to those methods that offer services, programs and activities to qualified individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate for the needs of the individual(s) with disabilities. In any case in which Rio Metro denies a request for an accommodation, Rio Metro will attempt to ensure that the individual with a disability receives the services or benefits provided by Rio Metro by other means that comport with this policy.

Process for Requesting Modifications/Accommodations

Requests for modifications of Rio Metro’s policies, practices, or procedures to accommodate an individual with a disability may be made either in advance or at the time of the transportation service. Rio Metro is best able to address and accommodate a request when customers make their requests for modifications in advance. The process for making a request is as follows:

Individuals requesting modifications shall describe what they need in order to use the service and why this assistance is necessary.
Whenever feasible, requests for modifications shall be made and determined in advance, before Rio Metro is expected to provide the modified service, for example through customer service inquiries. Rio Metro will review your request and will make every effort to communicate in advance whether or not the requested modification can be made.
Where a request for modification cannot practicably be made and determined in advance, operating personnel shall make a determination of whether the modification should be provided at the time of the request. Operating personnel may consult with Rio Metro’s management before making a determination to grant or deny the request.
Requests for modification of Rio Metro’s policies and practices may be denied on one or more of the following grounds:

Granting the request would fundamentally alter the nature of Rio Metro’s service, programs, or activities;
Granting the request could create a direct threat to the health or safety of the requestor or others;
Granting the request would create an undue financial or administrative burden for the Agency; or
Without the requested modification, the individual with a disability is otherwise able to fully use Rio Metro’s services, programs, or activities for their intended purpose.

Making a Request

Please call the following numbers to make a request for reasonable modification/accommodation before using the service, if at all practicable:

For requests related to rail services please contact Customer Service at (505) 245- 7245.
For requests related to dial-a ride service in Sandoval County please call (505) 994-1608.
For requests related to transit services in Valencia County please call (505) 352-3595 and select option 1.

You may also submit a written request online.

Designated employee for compliance: Rio Metro Regional Transit District has designated the Assistant Transit Director, as the employee responsible for ensuring compliance of this policy and for administering the prompt and equitable resolution of any related complaints. Contact information is as follows:

Complaint Process and Contact Information: Complaints regarding the administration of or compliance with this policy shall be made in writing either by letter or email addressed to the Assistant Transit Director, or by completing and returning the Civil Rights Complaint Form.

All complaints will be handled in accordance with Rio Metro’s Civil Rights Complaint Process. Rio Metro will make every effort to make a prompt and equitable resolution of any complaint. The Agency’s response to any Title VI complaint will be in writing and will include the Agency’s decision and the reason(s) therefore.

pdf View the Reasonable Modification Policy as a downloadable PDF

Complaint Tracking and Record Retention

The Customer Service Manager will be responsible for tracking all ADA complaints for the purpose of establishing trends in allegations of discrimination.
The Customer Service Manager will maintain a summary log of all ADA complaints. In addition, all complaint documents and materials gathered during the investigation are maintained for no less than five (5) years.