Paratransit Policies For Persons with Disabilities

April 2012

Glossary of Terms 2

Introduction 3

Scheduling Policy 4

Proper Footwear 5

Boarding Assistance 6

Child Accompaniment 6

Fares 7

Ramps and Lifts 8

Maintenance of Ramps and Lifts 8

Passengers Requiring the Use of Ramp/Lift 8

Mobility Aid 8

Transporting Mobility Aid 8

Forward vs. Backward Mobility Aid Loading 9

Mobility Aid Brakes 9

Mobility Aid Securement 9

Walkers 10

Segways and Two Wheel Scooters 11

Carts and Packages 12

Passengers with Open Sores and Wounds 12

Personal Care Attendants (PCA) 13

Portable Oxygen Use 14

Service Animals 14

Customer Rights 14

How to File a Complaint 15

Table of Contents

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Passed in 1990 to ensure the protections of the civil rights for persons with disabilities. Direct Threat A direct threat is a significant threat to the safety of others that is based not on speculation, but on other ascertainable evidence, and the risk cannot be mitigated through changes in policies and practices. Disability As defined by the ADA, a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities such as walking, speaking, hearing, breathing or caring for one-self. Dispatcher/Supervisor Refers to the person available to the vehicle operator via the radio. Lifts & Ramps Devices on vehicles that enable a person or mobility aid to board or deboard the bus without having to negotiate steps. Mobility Aid A piece of equipment, including but not limited to wheelchairs and scooters which assists a person with a disability. A mo-bility aid belongs to any class of three or more wheeled devices, usable indoors, and designed for and used by individuals with mobility im-pairments whether operated manually or pow-ered. Paratransit Services that can be used as an alternative to fixed route bus service for pas-sengers with disabilities. Personal Care Attendant (PCA) An individual who assists a person with a disability in carry-ing out his or her life activities.

Glossary of Terms

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Securement System A configuration of straps and hooks on a vehicle that are attached to a mobility aid to keep it stable during travel. Segways A two-wheeled, gyroscopically, bat-tery powered Personal Transportation Device (PCD). Service Animal An animal that has been trained to assist a person with a disability.

Introduction

Public Transit Policies Regarding

Passengers with Disabilities Using

ADA Paratransit Service

SARTA’s paratransit service (Proline) is a ser-vice intended to complement SARTA’s fixed routes for individuals with disabilities that oth-erwise prevent them from using SARTA’s fixed route services.

Proline service is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals that do not have disabilities. Proline is a “Shared Ride” service which means most of the time an indi-vidual may share his/her ride with other indi-viduals that are scheduled to be picked up or dropped off while they are being transported to their destination.

Proline averages 140,000 trips per year.

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Once you have received your eligibility letter you are registered in the Proline program and can call 330-455-2292 to schedule your ride. You will be issued a personal identification number that is unique to you. Please have this number available whenever you call to sched-ule a ride. Do not issue or make available, your personal identification number to anyone un-authorized to schedule rides on your behalf. Any trips scheduled, using your personal iden-tification number, are trips that you will be accompanying.

Individuals may be ADA paratransit eligible on the basis of a permanent or temporary disabil-ity. Furthermore, an individual may meet the eligibility requirement criteria for some trips but not others, depending on his or her disabil-ity. Paratransit complementary service is re-quired to be provided within corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side of each fixed route.

Within the core service area, paratransit ser-vice shall also be provided to small areas not inside any of the corridors but which are sur-rounded by corridors.

Passengers wishing to use the ADA paratransit services must be certified as eligible through SARTA’s Proline Certification office. For further information regarding the eligibility process for passengers with disabilities, please call 330-455-2292 or visit us at www.sartaonline.com.

It is our goal to ensure that passengers with disabilities receive paratransit services that are provided with dignity, kindness, and respect without compromising safety and security.

Scheduling Policy

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All Proline passes can be used on Fixed Route buses.

Any authorized representative that is schedul-ing trip(s) on behalf of Proline eligible clients should ensure that a personal identification number is available at the time of scheduling for each client that will be utilizing the Proline service. A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) will be allowed to ride free of charge with any client that has previously indicated on their application their need for a PCA.

One companion per Proline client will be per-mitted to ride along for the regular Proline fare. Any additional person(s) will be consid-ered based on availability.

Any misrepresentation or fraudulent use of your personal identification number could result in loss of SARTA’s Proline service. Any agency or representative requesting Proline service, on behalf of a client that will not be utilizing the services for the trip(s) scheduled, will no longer be permitted to schedule on that client’s behalf. SARTA may no longer permit the agency or representative(s) to schedule any Proline trips on any SARTA Proline client’s behalf.

Proper Footwear

All passengers, including those who use mobil-ity aids, are required to wear shoes unless a disability either prevents the wearing of shoes or necessitates that the passenger’s feet be bare.

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Boarding Assistance

Operators shall position the vehicle to make boarding and deboarding as easy as possible for everyone. Operators are to be available at the door to provide assistance when boarding or deboarding, as needed.

SARTA provides curb to curb ADA service. However, Operators will provide door –to-door if requested by the passenger.

For instance, the nature of a particular individ-ual’s disability or adverse weather conditions may prevent him or her from negotiating the distance from the door of his or her home to the curb. A physical barrier (e.g., sidewalk con-struction) may prevent a passenger from trav-elling between the curb and the door of his or her destination point. In these and similar situations, to ensure that service is actually provided “from the user’s point of origin to his or her destination point,” the operator may need to provide assistance beyond the curb.

Operators do not have to provide services that exceed “door to door” service (e.g., go beyond the doorway into a building to assist a passen-ger). Drivers should not leave their vehicles unattended for lengthy periods of time or place the vehicle in an unsafe situation.

Child Accompaniment

Children under the age of six who are certified for ADA paratransit service must be accompa-nied by a “responsible person” when using SARTA Proline service. A responsible person is defined as one who can directly control and supervise the child.

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Exact fare is recommended. Operators do not carry change. However, the farebox will issue a change card for any amount inserted in the farebox above the cost of the fare. Please let the operators know that you will need a change card prior to inserting any cash into the farebox. The fare must be paid upon boarding the bus.

No person shall occupy, ride in or use, any SARTA vehicle unless the person has paid the applicable fare, is a Personal Care Attendant, or has a valid lawfully acquired bus pass. No person shall attempt to use a SARTA bus pass to board or ride a SARTA vehicle unless the bus pass was lawfully acquired at an authorized SARTA outlet by or on behalf of that person.

Any person refusing to pay the applicable fare and/or found to have misused a SARTA bus pass may be denied transportation and subject to criminal prosecution for theft of services. The Operator will be expected to report to the dispatcher immediately prior to departure if he/she suspects any violation as listed above.

Fares

Service is available countywide for customers who meet ADA requirements .

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Ramps and Lifts

Maintenance of Ramps & Lifts

Vehicle operators must test the lift or ramp during the pre-trip inspection. All breakdowns of accessibility equipment must be reported to the dispatcher immediately. Operators should follow the instructions they receive upon mak-ing such report. A vehicle with an inoperable ramp is to be removed from service as soon as possible-no later than the next day-and not returned to service until repaired.

Passengers Requiring the Use of Ramps & Lifts

Customers requiring a ramp or lift shall board first after on-board passengers have exited. Walk-in passengers will then be allowed to board. Passengers needing the ramp/lift should exit last after on-board passengers have exited.

Mobility Aids

Transporting Mobility Aids

A mobility aid is any class of three or more wheeled devices that are usable indoors and designed for and used by individuals with mo-bility impairments. It may be operated manu-ally or powered. All mobility aids shall be trans-ported unless the lift and the vehicle cannot accommodate the mobility device or there is a legitimate safety requirement that cannot be met if transported. Legitimate safety require-ments include such circumstance as a wheel-chair of such size that would block an aisle , or be too large to fully enter the bus, or would interfere with the safe evacuation of passen-gers in an emergency. Operators will make every attempt to properly secure all mobility devices. Paratransit vehicles may not be able to accommodate mobility aids exceeding 600 pounds when occupied.

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Reasonable efforts shall be made to transport persons in oversized mobility aids. However, transportation cannot always be guaranteed to a person in an oversized mobility aid and sug-gestions for alternative transportation shall be provided upon request.

Forward vs. Backward Mobility Aid Loading

For safety reasons, passengers using mobility aids are encouraged to back onto the lift when boarding; however, passengers are not re-quired to do so. When a ramp is used, the boarding direction is the passenger’s decision.

Mobility Aid Brakes

When occupying a lift or securement area, it is recommended that passengers apply the brakes on their mobility devices. With power chairs and scooters, it is recommended that the power switch be turned to the off position.

The application of the brakes and turning the power switch to the off position are not man-datory. However, it is the passenger’s respon-sibility to ensure that the mobility device is not operated while the lift is in motion.

Mobility Aid Securement

It is SARTA’s policy, as provided by the Ameri-cans with Disabilities Act, that mobility devices be secured using the securement system avail-able. If the customer will not allow the Opera-tor to attempt securement, the Operator shall refuse service and the passenger will not be transported. If such occurs, the Operator will be required to notify dispatch immediately prior to departing for further instructions.

Mobility Aids must be properly secured when-ever possible. Operators will use their best efforts to correctly use the appropriate num-ber of securement points. Service will not be

Walkers

Passengers using walkers may request to board/deboard using the ramp or lift. As with all passengers using mobility aids, they should board/deboard before other passengers board the bus. A walker meeting the definition of a mobility device may also be secured, if the passenger requests securement. If the passen-ger does request that the walker be secured, all securement points should be used.

denied because the mobility device cannot be secured to the operator’s satisfaction either due to the awkward position of the secure-ment points or the design of the mobility de-vice. A passenger may not be refused service based on an inoperable securement system. In the event the securement system is inoperable the operator will be required to notify dispatch immediately and follow the instructions given.

Lap belts and shoulder harnesses shall be placed on the individual for their safety. If the passenger refuses the lap belt or shoulder har-ness the operator is required to notify dispatch prior to departing and document it on their manifests, if one is available.

Passengers using mobility devices may transfer to a vehicle seat if one is available. Passengers using a mobility device are not required to move to a vehicle seat due to securement diffi-culties that raise safety concerns. Passengers requesting a ride in a specific securement area will be secured in the area of their choice, if that securement area is available and unoccu-pied by a passenger using a mobility device.

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The passenger may request to sit in a bus seat after the walker is secured. However, if the walker has a seat and the passenger does choose to sit on the walker, they may do so.

At the passenger’s request, walkers can be left open and kept in close proximity to the pas-senger, if they do not block the aisle. A passen-ger must maintain physical control of the walker at all times.

Segways and Two-Wheel Scooters

The Segway is a two-wheeled, self stabilizing, battery powered Personal Transportation De-vice (PCD). The Segway is not designed primar-ily for use by people with disabilities, nor is it used primarily by such individuals. However, some individuals with disabilities may use a Segway as a personal mobility aid, in lieu of a more traditional device such as a scooter. The same can apply to other PCDs such as a two wheel scooter.

When a Segway or two - wheel scooter is being used by a person with a disability as a mobility device to assist them in navigating the fixed route or paratransit systems, the passenger must be allowed to bring the device on the bus.

The following guidance applies:

Passengers with Segways will board using the lift. Under no circumstances will paratransit passengers be allowed to stand on the Segway device while the lift is in motion. Passengers will ride the lift standing off of the Segway.

Segways must be secured in wheelchair se-curement area with the power turned off. The parking brake must be on if there is a brake device on the Segway. The passenger will transfer to a bus seat. Under no conditions, will a passenger with a disability be allowed to stand on the Segway while the device is being transported.

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Open Sores and Wounds

Two wheeled scooters must be folded or held close by the passenger with the aisle kept clear. No gas powered scooters will be trans-ported on the bus.

Carts and Packages

Passengers with disabilities requesting to use the ramp/lift to board the bus, may board without having to fold up the cart that they may be using to assist them in carrying their belongings. The passenger should be encour-aged to keep the cart as close to them as possi-ble and to keep it out of the way of other pas-sengers needing to use the aisle.

At the discretion of the operator, if an over-crowding condition exists that will not allow the passenger any access to a seat with the unfolded cart, dispatch should be called for instructions. A road supervisor may need to come and assist the passenger or provide res-cue.

When using the paratransit vehicle, passengers with disabilities who have health related open sores and wounds need to ensure that all sores and wounds are properly covered. Passengers with disabilities who have open sores and wounds shall be transported unless their medi-cal condition presents a “direct threat” to other passengers. Any passenger, including passengers with disabilities, may be refused access to public transportation if visible body fluid leakage or dripping is occurring at the pick-up location. Such leakage or dripping can create a biohazard to other passengers on the paratransit vehicle.

If such a condition exists, the Operator will be expected to report to the dispatcher prior to departing for further instructions. A SARTA

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official may be dispatched to evaluate and de-termine the appropriate course of action. Based on the evaluation, the passenger experi-encing the leakage or discharge may be trans-ported back to their point of origin, their final destination, or to another appropriate destina-tion capable of responding to the passengers’ needs. In certain circumstances, 911 may be contacted to arrange emergency medical care.

When it is determined that the discharge or leakage poses a direct threat to the safety of the operator or other passengers in the vehi-cle, such determinations of direct threat may require that passengers are transported on another vehicle to ensure their safety.

Personal Care Attendant

On ADA paratransit trips, personal care atten-dants ride free; however, companions travel-ing are required to pay the appropriate fare.

Only one PCA is allowed per passenger and more than one companion is only allowed if space is available. PCAs and companions must have the same destination as the passenger. A personal care attendant is not responsible for the loading, securement or unloading of the passenger.

A PCA will be identified during the ADA certifi-cation process. If a PCA is not identified during the ADA certification process and the passen-ger requests a trip to be the PCA will be al-lowed. The passenger will be advised to con-tact the Proline Supervisor to request a review of their PCA status. The passenger may also be sent a letter and application form allowing them to provide appropriate information re-garding their need for a PCA to the Proline department.

Portable Oxygen Use

Individuals with disabilities that use portable oxygen devices are allowed to travel with res-pirators and properly secured portable sup-plies. Oxygen supplies must not obstruct the aisle.

Service Animals

Persons with disabilities who use service ani-mals are allowed to board with their service animal. Operators may ask any passenger if their animal is a service animal and/or if the animal assists them with their disability, but may not require certification or identification for service animals. Passengers using their ser-vice animals must keep their animals under control, and the animal must not pose a threat to other passengers. Failure to do so may re-sult in the passenger being requested to exit the vehicle.

Pets other than service animals must be trans-ported in portable pet carriers.

Carriers must have a door that closes and locks or that can be secured.

Customer using public transit are given equal access, seating, and treatment without regard to race, color, national origin or disability.

Customer Rights

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How to File a Complaint

Customers wishing to file a complaint may call SARTA Customer Service at (330)-477-2782 or TTY ((800) 750-0750) or visit the

website at www.sartaonline.com.

All complaints received by SARTA’s Customer Service Department are documented and assigned to the appropriate transit staff for investigation. As part of the processing of all complaints a SARTA representative may be in contact with you regarding the complaint and appropriate action will be taken.

We’d like to hear your questions, comments, or concerns regarding the SARTA system. Please notify us at the phone number or web-site listed above with any feedback you may have.

Qualified riders can call 330-455-2292 to make reservations 3-4 days in ad-vance (depending on the day). Reservations are accepted from 7:30 am - 5:00 pm; Monday-Friday .

Proline Hours of Operation are online: www.sartaonline.com/proline-paratransit

or you can call (330) 455-2292

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www.sartaonline.com