Complaint Policy and Procedures

Ztrans Dispatch Center receives complaints from customer or their representatives regarding fixed-route, Intercity route, and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit operations, policies, and procedures. The following policy outlines the process for recording, investigating, responding to, and maintaining complaints.

Objectives

 The objectives of the complaint procedures are to:

  • Provide an opportunity for customers to report any policies, procedures, or actions by Ztrans Public Transit Programs they believe violate Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
  • Document and investigate the allegations in a timely and thorough
  • Timely respond to customers and provide the outcome of the investigation.
Complaint Intake
  1. Dispatchers or Administrative staff receive the complaint from customers or their representatives via telephone (575-439-4971), mail (address shown below), on the Ztrans website ( https://www.ztrans.com), on Ztrans social media (Facebook & Twitter) or in person at:

    Zia Therapy Center, Inc.
    Ztrans Customer Service
    900 First St.
    Alamogordo, NM 88310

  2. Complaints are taken up to one hundred eighty (180) days past the date of the incident. Beyond that time period, complaints will be classified as
  3. The complaint is entered into our Customer Service Database by Ztrans staff upon receipt. In order for a complaint to be investigated, customers or their representatives must provide an address, telephone number, or email address. Those complaints without contact information will be classified as comments.
  4. Ztrans staff review the complaints for completeness and accuracy and call the customer if additional details are needed for the Some details that may be requested are: date and time of incident, location of incident, Vehicle ID number (if known), name or ID # of agency employee (if known), and description of what transpired (if not already provided).

    Ztrans staff have three (3) business days to complete the initial review for general service complaints.

    Ztrans staff have one (1) business day to complete initial review for all “high priority” complaints including ADA complaints.

    ALL complaints are then routed to the appropriate staff for investigation and customer follow up. Any complaint that alleges discrimination based on disability will be coded as an ADA complaint and will be sent to Joseph Hardin, Transportation Director.

    Joseph Hardin, Transportation Director
    900 First St.
    Alamogordo, NM 88310

 Complaint Investigation and Customer Follow Up
  1. Ztrans staff is then responsible for gathering any other information needed in order  to complete the investigation of the complaint including, but not limited to, any  video or audio recordings of the incident.
  2. Once staff has completed their investigation, a determination as to what remedial action (if any), is made within seven (7) business days for all general service complaints. The department’s finding is then recorded in the Customer Service Database. ADA complaints are coded “high priority,” therefore the designated staff must recommend remedial action if any no later than one (1) business day from their receipt of the complaint. Staff’s finding is then recorded in the Customer Service Database. Customers will then receive a response to their complaint in the mode they selected
    (phone, email, written letter). If a customer chooses not to be contacted this is noted in the Customer Service Database.
  3. Ztrans staff ensures all complaints are recorded as ‘closed’ in the Customer Service  Database within ten (10) days of complaint receipt; the complainant will have been contacted within that time period.
  4. If complainant(s) disagree with the determination by the Ztrans, they can appeal the decision in writing within thirty (30) days from the date of the determination notification. The appeal letter should state the reason(s) the complainant believes the decision was in error. The appeal letter should be mailed to:
    Margaret O’Neill
    Chief Executive Officer
    Zia Therapy Center, Inc.
    900 First St
    Alamogordo, NM 88310

Complaint Tracking and Record Retention

Ztrans will maintain a summary log of all complaints. In addition, all complaint documents and materials gathered during the investigation are maintained for no less than five (5) years.