Rose View buses provide translation devices to improve access for those not speaking English

RICHMOND, Ind. — Rose View Transit strives to be accessible to all Richmond residents.

As part of that, the city bus service hopes to better serve residents for whom English is not their primary language. Terri Quinter, the operations manager for Rose View, told the city's Board of Public Works and Safety on Thursday that Rose View buses are utilizing translation devices.

A rider who does not speak English can talk into the device and the words will be translated for the driver to understand.

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The translation service furthers Rose View's efforts not to discriminate against any resident. The new feature came up as Quinter asked the board to approve Rose View's updates to a policy that keeps it in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The board unanimously accepted the update. Quinter said it would be filed with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Rose View would be in full compliance.

The policy, which Quinter said was last updated in 2018, keeps Rose View compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and enables Rose View to continue receiving federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It also covers making the fixed bus route and demand response services non-discriminatory.

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Rose View's policy specifically addresses the bus service; the city of Richmond has a separate policy.

Street lights, new ambulance and other bus

The board Thursday also received news of a savings. At its March 10 meeting, it passed a contract with Richmond Power & Light for installation of three street lights on Devon Drive. The contract included a $757.08 annual payment for maintenance; however, on Thursday, a new contract was presented with a $713.16 annual payment for 15 years.

Greg Stiens, the city's director of public works, said an old rate had been used in the previous contract, and the new rate was $1.22 per month per light less, saving $43.92 per year. The board unanimously rescinded the previous contract and approved the new contract.

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Richmond Fire Department received board permission to award the bid for a 2023 Braun Chief XL Type III ambulance to Penn Care Inc. of Niles, Ohio, for $217,555. Crossroads of American had submitted a bid of $209,897; however, that ambulance would not have the sliding curbside entry door required by Richmond's narrow, one-way streets.

RFD also received approval to contract with Reeves Manufacturing of Richmond to modify storage containers into live burn chambers at the Israel "Izzy" David Edelman Police and Fire Training Center. The cost is $11,500.

The board additionally approved a city contract with Cynthia Holm to serve as the lead negotiation specialist for 2022 contract negotiations between the city and the Richmond Fire Department union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. Holm will be paid $70 per hour but not more than $10,000 total.

Richmond Police Department received board approval for the promotion of Officer Connor Bray from probationary officer to first class patrol officer. Bray, who is a second-shift patrol officer, was hired March 21, 2021, and he has completed his Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and local training programs.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Richmond bus provides non-English speaking translation devices