The City of Pasadena Transit Division, responsible for the planning and operation of Pasadena Transit and Pasadena Dial-A-Ride, is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its service on the basis of race, color or national origin under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the City of Pasadena Transit Division also prohibits discrimination based on sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation.
Title VI Complaint Filing Procedures
Any person who believes he or she may have been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice by Pasadena Transit or Dial-A-Ride may file a complaint with the City of Pasadena Transit Division.
Title VI complaints must be filed within 180 days of the date of the alleged discrimination. Written complaints may be sent to the City of Pasadena Transit Division, 221 E. Walnut Street, Suite 199, Pasadena, CA 91101, Attn: Transit Manager/Customer Relations or an online Civil Rights Complaint Form (Attachment 1) may be accessed below.
Any City of Pasadena employee who becomes aware of a Title VI-related complaint should immediately contact the Transit Division for handling.
In addition to utilizing the civil rights complaint process at the City of Pasadena Transit Division, a Complainant may file a complaint pertaining to race, color or national origin with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of Civil Rights, Region IX, 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650, San Francisco, California 94105-1839.
Patrons with limited English proficiency that need assistance can also call the City Transit Division at (646)-744-4055.
Title VI Complaint Review Process
The Transit Division will review any Title VI complaint received to determine whether it is within City of Pasadena Transit Division jurisdiction based on whether or not the complainant has alleged discriminatory treatment or harassment based on race, color, or national origin. The City of Pasadena Transit Division also prohibits discrimination based on sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation and will review any related complaint to determine jurisdiction accordingly.
If the Transit Division determines it has jurisdiction, an investigator will be assigned to conduct an investigation within 72 hours of the review, which may be by City’s contracted transit operator staff and/or City staff. The complainant will receive notification informing her/him whether the complaint will be investigated. All complaints will be investigated promptly.
If jurisdiction is found not to exist in the Transit Division, but does exist in another department within the City of Pasadena, the complaint will be forwarded to the City Attorney’s Office. The Transit Division will be notified of the steps taken to resolve the complaint.
Title VI Complaint Investigation Process
The investigator will take the followings steps to investigate the alleged discriminatory act:
Contact the management staff of where the alleged discrimination took place to determine if an investigation has been initiated and the results of the investigation;
Identify and review all relevant documents, practices and procedures to determine appropriate resolution; and
Identify and interview persons with knowledge of the alleged discrimination, such as the complainant, witnesses, others identified by the complainant, people who may have been subject to similar activity, or others with relevant information.
The investigation process and final investigative report will generally be completed within 180 days. If no policy violation is found, and the Complainant wants to appeal the decision, he/she may appeal directly to the City Attorney’s office.
Subsequent Complaints and Amended Charges
Any subsequent complaint or amended charge should be filed utilizing the Civil Rights Complaint Form. Amended charges can also be submitted via email or other written format. The City of Pasadena staff will review each subsequent complaint or amendment to determine whether the subsequent complaint should stand on its own or be incorporated into the original complaint and investigation.
Completion of Investigation
Upon completion of the investigation, the investigator will prepare a final investigative report for the Transit Division Manager with copies given to the transit services contractor management staff and City Attorney’s office. All principle parties will receive written notification of the investigative findings.
Implementation of Remedial Actions
If a policy violation exists, appropriate remedial steps will be taken immediately.
Definition of Terms
Title VI – Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance.
Equal Opportunity – requirement of non-discrimination in transit services with regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended.
Discrimination – any act or failure to act, whether intentional or unintentional, which has the purpose or effect of limiting, excluding, or denying a person transit services or benefits because of race, color, or national origin. In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the City of Pasadena Transit Division also prohibits discrimination based on sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation.
Environmental Justice – efforts made to prevent minority communities and low-income communities from being subject to disproportionately high and adverse environmental effects.
Civil Rights Complaint Form Armenian (Քաղաքացիական իրավունքների հայցի ձև)Civil Rights Complaint Form Chinese (民事權利投訴表格)
Civil Rights Complaint Form Korean (시민 권리 불만 제기 양식)
Civil Rights Complaint Form Spanish (Formulario de quejas sobre derechos civiles)
Civil Rights Complaint Form Tagalog (Form ng Reklamo ukol sa Mga Karapatang Sibil)
Civil Rights Complaint Form Vietnamese (Đơn Khiếu Nại về Dân Quyền)
Title VI Complaint Form