Policy
As a federal grant recipient, the City of Durham complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its amendments. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that no person in the United States, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, including the denial of meaningful access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination, under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
The City of Durham is committed to enforcing the provisions of Title VI and protecting the rights and opportunities of all persons associated with GoDurham and GoDurham ACCESS or affected by its programs. The City of Durham's commitment includes vigorously enforcing all applicable laws and regulations that affect GoDurham, GoDurham ACCESS, and those organizations, both public and private, which participate and benefit through our programs.
The City of Durham will take positive and realistic affirmative steps to ensure that all persons and/or firms wishing to participate in its programs are given an equal and equitable chance to participate. The City of Durham’s subrecipients and contractors are required to prevent discrimination and ensure nondiscrimination in all of their programs, activities, and services.
The City of Durham’s Transportation Department / Mobility Services Division is responsible for providing leadership, direction, and policy to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Any person(s) or firm(s) who feel that they have been discriminated against based on race, color or national origin are encouraged to report such violations to the Title VI Coordinator:
Title VI Coordinator
101 City Hall Plaza, Ste. 4200
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: 919-560-4366
titleVI@durhamnc.gov
Complaints should be filed within 180 days of the alleged violation.
Title VI & Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan
In accordance with the FTA Title VI Circular, 4702.1B, City of Durham is required to submit a Title VI Program once every three years or as otherwise directed by FTA.
The Title VI Program is a compilation of documents, plans, maps, policies, and standards, etc., that demonstrate City of Durham's compliance with Title VI. Guidance provided by the FTA Title VI Circular requires approval of the Title VI Program by the City of Durham Director of Transportation who is responsible for the program and policies. This document details how The City of Durham 's transit system (GoDurham) incorporates nondiscrimination policies and practices in providing services to the public.
Civil Rights -Title VI Complaint Procedures
The City of Durham Transportation Department works to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Right Act.
Anyone who believes he/she has been discriminated against is encouraged to report such violations to:
Title VI Coordinator
City of Durham Transportation Department
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 560-4366
Email
Complaints must be in writing and submitted by mail or fax to the Strategic Performance and Compliance Manager within 180 days after the alleged incident. The complainant may submit a written statement or download and complete the Title VI Complaint Form in English or in Spanish. For more information regarding civil rights complaints, please contact the Strategic Performance and Compliance Manager.
Complaints should include the following information:
The complainant’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, etc.
Describe how, when, where, and why the complainant believes he/she was discriminated against. Include the location, names and contact information of any witnesses.
Include any additional information the complainant considers relevant to the complaint.
The complainant’s signature and date.
What happens after a complaint is received?
Once the complaint is received, the Transportation Department will review to determine if it has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgment letter informing him/her whether the complaint will be investigated by our office. In the event, the Transportation Department has jurisdiction an investigation will begin within fifteen (15) working days of receipt of a complaint.
The Transportation Department will contact the complainant in writing no later than thirty (30) working days after receipt of a complaint for additional information, if needed to investigate the complaint. If the complainant fails to provide the requested information within fifteen (15) days, the Transportation Department may administratively close the complaint. A case can be administratively closed also if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue the complaint. The Transportation Department will complete the investigation within ninety (90) days of receipt of the complaint.
A written investigation report will be prepared by the investigator. The report shall include a summary description of the incident, findings, and recommendations.
The Transportation Director will review the report. After the Transportation Director reviews the report, one of two letters will be issued to the complainant: a closure letter or a letter of finding (LOF). A closure letter summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a Title VI violation and that the case will be closed. A LOF summarizes the allegations and the interviews regarding the alleged incident and explains whether any disciplinary action, additional training of the staff member or other actions will occur. If the complainant wishes to appeal the decision, she/he has fifteen (15) days after the date of the closure letter or the LOF to do so
A person may also file a complaint directly with:
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights
Attention: Complaint Team
East Building, 5th Floor – TCR
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Phone: 888-446-4511
Title VI Complaint Form
The City of Durham Transportation Department will provide appropriate assistance to complainants who are limited in their ability to communicate in English. Spanish-language assistance services are available free of charge.