As a major provider of public transportation whose employees have extensive daily contact with the public, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) recognizes its responsibility to the community, it serves and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination. PSTA works to ensure nondiscriminatory transportation in support of our mission to provide effective, coordinated and integrated multimodal transportation solutions to enhance the social and economic quality of life for all Pinellas County citizens.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Specifically, Title VI provides that "no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." (42 U.S.C. Section 2000d)
The Environmental Justice component of Title VI guarantees fair treatment for all people and provides for PSTA to identify and address, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations, such as undertaking reasonable steps to ensure that Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons have meaningful access to the programs, services, and information PSTA provides.Shirley Thornton, EEO/DBE Program Officer, has been designated as PSTA's Civil Rights Officer, responsible for civil rights compliance and monitoring to ensure non-discriminatory provision of transit services and programs. In addition, John Villeneuve is responsible for implementing all aspects of the Title VI Program. However, along with the Executive Director, All Directors, Managers, and their Staff share in the responsibility for making PSTA's Title VI Program a success. Implementation of the Title VI Program is accorded the same priority as compliance with all other legal obligations incurred by PSTA in its financial assistance agreements with DOT.
To request a copy of this agency’s Title VI program contact PSTA. Any person who believes they have been discriminated against under Title VI has the right to file a formal complaint within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. Individuals and organizations may file a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration’s Office of Civil Rights by obtaining the complaint form from:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/title6/civil_rights_5104.html
The form should be completed, signed, and sent to: