Members of an advisory panel are suggesting that the County Board might need to intervene in issues with a transportation program for residents with disabilities.
Karen Audant, interim chair of the Disability Advisory Commission, said she is “deeply concerned” about the operations of the Specialized Transit for Arlington Residents (STAR) program following a scathing report on the initiative from the county’s internal auditor, Wayne Scott.
Speaking at an Aug. 18 commission meeting, Audant noted “poor performance and a troubling absence of clear metrics to evaluate service quality or hold the contractor accountable.”
Scott’s audit criticized oversight of the program by the Department of Environmental Services, which is responsible for transit programs in the county.
To members of the Disability Advisory Commission, the audit results came as no surprise. Audant said complaints have multiplied in 2025, while other members said they seem not to be given priority.
“We’ve talked to transit staff multiple times,” said commission member Bryant Atkins. “There have been multiple instances where we have reported [concerns] to county staff, and the response has been either ‘we’ll see’ or ‘nothing much we can do.’
“I’m not sure if they’re producing excuses or just don’t know what’s going on,” Atkins said.
In its response to the audit findings, DES leadership said there were just 1.25 full-time-equivalent staff positions dedicated to overseeing the program. Without additional support, some proposed recovery steps outlined in the audit would not be feasible, the response suggested.
Atkins, however, said that people with disabilities should not bear the impact of government being unable to sort things out.
“We have reached our limit,” he said, pushing for “a direct letter to the County Board” outlining specific concerns.
Action on that request may come after the next commission meeting on Sept. 15, when the matter will be discussed again.
Audant said her goal is to adopt standards and practices that “will protect riders, ensure equitable service and restore trust in this critical transportation system.”
Another committee member, former chair Elizabeth Priaulx, said the body stood ready to help staff by gathering information on how other jurisdictions run their specialized transit services.
