Title VI Civil Rights Program Documents

• AVTA Title VI 2021 Update [PDF]
• AVTA Title VI Policy 
• How do I file a Title VI Complaint?
• What happens to my complaint to AVTA?
• How will I be notified of the outcome? 
• Title VI Complaint Form [PDF]
• Title VI Complaint Form (Spanish) [PDF]
• AVTA Title VI Brochure (English) [PDF]
• AVTA Title VI Brochure (Spanish) [PDF]

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination under Title VI, you may file a complaint.

---

Who can file a complaint?

Any person who believes that they have, individually, or as a member of any specific class of persons, been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin may file a Title VI complaint with AVTA.

---

AVTA Title VI Policy

As a recipient of federal funds, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) has certified and provided assurances that it will fully comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. AVTA is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its services, on the basis of race, color or national origin.

No person or group of persons shall be discriminated against with regard to the routing, scheduling, or quality of transportation service that AVTA furnishes on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Frequency of service, age and quality of vehicles assigned to routes, quality of stations serving different routes, and location of routes may not be determined on the basis of race, color or national origin.

---

How do I file a Title VI Complaint?

If you believe you have been discriminated against, you may file a signed, written complaint within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the date of alleged discrimination. The complaint should include the following information:

Your name, address, and how to contact you (i.e., telephone number, email address, etc.)
How, when, where, and why you believe you were discriminated against. Include the location, names, and contact information of any witnesses.

• Title VI Complaint Form [PDF]
• Title VI Complaint Form (Spanish) [PDF]

The complaint may be filed in writing with AVTA:
 
Phone: (661) 945-9445 Ext. 254
Email: titlevi@avta.com

Complainants may also file a Title VI complaint with an external entity such as the FTA, other federal or state agency, or a federal or state court. However, should a complaint be filed with AVTA and an external entity simultaneously, the external complaint will supersede the AVTA complaint and AVTA’s complaint procedures will be suspended pending the external entity’s findings.

In addition to the complaint process at AVTA, a complainant may file a Title VI complaint with the:

Office of Civil Rights
Federal Transit Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
 

---

What happens to my complaint to AVTA?

All complaints alleging discrimination based on race, color or national origin in a service or benefit provided by AVTA will be recorded and immediately assigned a complaint number by AVTA Customer Service.

AVTA Customer Service will forward the Title VI complaint and will provide appropriate assistance to complainants, including those persons with disabilities, or who are limited in their ability to communicate in English.

In instances where additional information is needed for assessment or investigation of the complaint, AVTA will contact the complainant in writing within 15 working days. Failure of the complainant to provide the requested information by a certain date may result in the administrative closure of the complaint.

AVTA will investigate the complaint and prepare a draft written response subject to review by AVTA. If appropriate, AVTA may administratively close the complaint.

AVTA will investigate a formal Title VI complaint within ten (10) working days of receiving the complaint. Based upon all of the information received, AVTA will prepare a draft written response subject to review by AVTA’s Executive Director.

The Executive Director will determine if the complaint may be administratively closed after the draft is written, or if a final written response is needed. If a final written response is needed, AVTA will send the response to the complainant and advise the complainant of his/her right to file a complaint externally. The complainant has the right to appeal directly to the Executive Director of AVTA within 30 days after the date stated in the resolution letter.  

The complainant also will be advised of his/her right to appeal the response to federal and state authorities as appropriate. AVTA will use its best efforts to respond to a Title VI complaint within sixty (60) working days of its receipt of such a complaint, unless a complaint is filed with AVTA and an external entity simultaneously as noted previously.

---

How will I be notified of the outcome?

AVTA will send a final written response to the complainant and advise the complainant of his or her right to file a complaint externally. AVTA will use its best efforts to respond to Title VI complaints within 60 workdays of its receipt of such complaints.