English - Omnitrans

PARATRANSIT POLICIESFor Persons With DisabilitiesEffective January 2014Reservations and InformationEast Valley.......1-909-383-1680West Valley......1-800-990-2404TDD...................(909) 383-1689

Other Southern California ADAParatransit Agency ContactNumbersOrange County“OCTA ACCESS”(714) 560-5410Los Angeles County“Access Paratransit”(800) 827-0829press ‘1’Ventura County“Gold Coast Access”(805) 485-2319Riverside County“RTA Intercity”(800) 795-7887Northern San Diego County“North County Transit District”(760) 966-6525Números de contacto de laagencia Paratransit de la ADAdel sur de CaliforniaCondado de Orange“OCTA ACCESS”(714) 560-5410Condado de Los Angeles“Access Paratransit”(800) 827-0829presione “1”Condado de Ventura“Gold Coast Access”(805) 485-2319Condado de Riverside“RTA Intercity”(800) 795-7887Condado de Northern San Diego“North County Transit District”(760) 966-6525

Consider Your OptionsYou may have options on how to get towhere you want to go that are more flexible,convenient, and less expensive.Use the bus – With your ADA ID cardyou can use the local Omnitrans bus at adiscounted fare. Since the bus runs on aregular schedule it is convenient and moreflexible than paratransit. The bus doesnot require reservations; you can get upand go. Personal Care Attendants, (PCA),ride free when traveling with, boarding atthe same stop and alighting at the samestop as a fare paying ADA passenger. Thepassenger’s ADA card must state they arePCA eligible. For help scheduling a bus trip,call 1-800-9-OMNIBUS or use the internet tripplanner at www.omnitrans.org.Free Travel Training - If you are consideringapplying for the Access program or youare new to the area and are interested inlearning how to use the regular bus systembut do not know where to start, call ValleyTransportation Service (VTrans) at(909) 981-5099. VTrans will train you how touse the fixed route bus system. Having theconfidence and knowledge how to use theregular bus service provides a greater level oftransit independence.Use local Dial-A-Ride – The Chino Hills andYucaipa communities have a General PublicDial-A-Ride called Omnilink. Omnilink servesthese local communities and is availableMonday through Friday by reservation.For Chino Hills Omnilink information pleasecall 1-800-330-3424 and for Yucaipa Omnilinkinformation please call 1-800-990-2406.By considering all your transportation options- the bus, Omnilink, and Omnitrans AccessService - you can gain greater independence.Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964In accordance with Title VI Civil Rights Act of1964, Omnitrans prohibits discrimination onthe basis of race, color, and national originin programs and activities receiving federalfinancial assistance. To request informationon procedures for filing a complaint or tonotify Omnitrans of any perceived violation ofthe act, please contact Omnitrans Informationat (800) 966-6428.2

Commendations, Complaints orCommentsOmnitrans Customer Service:Monday – Friday 7:00AM to 6:00PMSaturday and Sunday 8:00AM to 5:00PM1-800-966-64281-800-384-9351 (TDD)Immediate Service ProblemsACCESS SERVICES DISPATCH ANDRESERVATIONS CENTER:West Valley...........................1-800-990-2404East Valley............................1-909-383-1680TDD......................................1-909-383-1689Reservations accepted 7 days a week from8:00AM to 5:00PM.If your vehicle has not arrived by thescheduled pick up time plus the 30-minuteon-time window, please call the sameReservations number you called to scheduleyour ride. Ask for an estimated time of arrival(ETA) and the vehicle number that has beenassigned your trip.Service AreaAccess Service provides service within¾ mile of Omnitrans fixed-route bus linesduring the same hours the buses operate insouthwestern San Bernardino County.Please refer to the service area map locatedin the center of this guide.Beyond ADA Boundary ServiceOmnitrans Access will provide trips forclients whose residence is outside of the ¾mile ADA service area boundary and withinthe city limits of the 15 cities that comprisethe Omnitrans service area. Either theorigin or the destination must be the clienthome accessible address outside the ADAservice area. A trip cannot both originateand terminate at addresses outside the ADAservice area. A surcharge of $5.00 per tripapplies to trips beyond ADA boundary lines.Trips beyond the ADA boundary are availableMonday through Friday between 9:00 AMand 8:00 PM and on Saturday and Sundaybetween 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.Shared Ride ServiceWhen planning your trip, please rememberthat Access Service is shared-ride publictransportation. You should expect that theremay be other passenger pick-ups and dropoffsalong the way.3

All riders are asked to show consideration toriders with service animals. They have theright to use Access Service.Standard ServiceReservations can be made up to seven (7)days in advance but no less than the daybefore the scheduled trip. Reservation hoursare daily, including holidays, from 8:00 AMto 5:00 PM. Standard Service, the primaryservice of Access Service, is required bythe ADA.Repeater/Subscription ServiceIf you have a recurring ride or rides on thesame day or days and times, and with thesame pick-up/drop-off address, you canrequest repeater service by contacting theAccess reservation line. If your request isapproved (please note that not all repeaterrequests may be approved) you will benotified of a start date within ten (10)business days of your request. After yourrepeater start date, Access will send a vehiclewithout your having to call in advance toschedule each ride.A repeater reservation cannot be changed; ifa new address or scheduled time is needed,a new repeater request must be made. If aone time change is needed to a repeater trip,the trip affected by the change will need tobe cancelled for that trip and you will need toschedule a standard service trip for yourone-time need.Rider ID CardsAll Omnitrans Access Service riders areissued a free identification card when theybecome eligible. Riders must show theirvalid Omnitrans Access Service ID to thedriver each time they board the Accessvehicle. If you lose your ID, please callOmnitrans customer service immediately at(909)379-7284. ID cards have a $5.00replacement fee.Do not allow anyone to use your OmnitransAccess ID card for any reason. If you do, youmay be suspended from Access Service.4

FaresReservationists will tell the customer the fareat the time of booking a trip. Exact fare isalways required. Vehicle Operators do notcarry change. The fare must be paid uponboarding the vehicle.Standard Service: per trip fareEligible Rider and Companion1-3 zones $ 2.754 zone trips $ 3.755 zone trips $ 4.756 zone trips $ 5.75Access Service tickets are available by mail.Call 1-909-379-7100 for an order form ororder online at www.omnitrans.org.Beyond Access Service: per trip fareEligible Rider and Companion1-3 zones $ 7.754 zone trips $ 8.75zone trips $ 9.756 zone trips $ 10.75REMINDER: Access Service drivers are notallowed to accept tips. Please do not offer.Scheduling Your TripTo schedule a trip on Access Service, call thereservation center at the telephone numberslisted on page 3. Trip requests received byFax will not be accepted.If you have Conditional or Trip by Tripeligibility you may only schedule trips asdescribed in your eligibility determinationletter. Repeatedly scheduling invalidtrips could result in you being temporarilysuspended.The Reservationists may offer a pick-uptime within one hour before or one hour afteryour requested pick up time (“ReservationWindow”). If the Reservationists cannotschedule a trip for you within the ReservationWindow, it is considered a “Trip Denial” andyou may report it to Customer Service even ifyou accept the trip time offered.Example:If you schedule a pick-up for 6:00 AM, youcan be offered a trip between 5:00 AM and7:00 AM.5

Return trips should be scheduled for the latesttime you think you will be able to travel. If youare ready earlier than your scheduled pick-uptime, you may call to see if an earlier ride isavailable. If an earlier ride is not available,you will need to keep your original pick-uptime.Example:A rider goes to the doctor and does notknow what time they will be finished, so theyschedule their return trip for 4:00 PM. Theyare actually finished at the doctor and ready togo at 2:00PM. The rider can call to see if theycan get an earlier ride, but if they cannot, theywill need to keep their 4:00 PM ride home.Trips cannot be scheduled to have a vehiclewait for you to drop something off or picksomething up. You will need to schedule twoseparate trips.Drivers are not allowed to change dropoff locations or make intermediate stops,including fast food drive through.Trip SchedulingWhen you call to schedule an Access Servicetrip, please be prepared to provide thefollowing information in the following order:1. Last name, first name2. Requested pick up time and date3. Exact pick up address4. Exact drop off address5. Mobility device or service animal6. Total number of additional passengers(PCAs or companions) traveling includingany mobility device or service animal for theadditional passengers.IMPORTANT: When you make reservationsyou must specifically request a return tripto get a return trip. Return trips are notautomatically scheduled.You may book a maximum of six one-waytrips per telephone call, which may be for oneindividual, or multiple individuals.You may not request a specific type of vehicleexcept to accommodate a mobility device.Reminder: If you are on hold with AccessService, do not hang up. If you hang up andcall back, you will return to the end of thephone waiting line.6

Changing or Canceling aScheduled Pick-upIf you want to request a change for a tripyou have already scheduled, please callthe reservations number. Access Serviceis not required to accommodate trip changerequests on the day of the trip.When you discover you cannot take ascheduled trip, call reservations immediatelyand cancel the trip. When canceling a trip,please be prepared to give the Reservationistyour name, address and scheduled pick-uptime.If you cancel your trip with less than one hournotice, or if you schedule a ride and do notshow up for the ride, you may be charged a“No Show”.Subscription trips that are cancelled for morethan 30 consecutive days or have excessivecancellations are subject to removal fromsubscription service.Rider No ShowsA rider No Show occurs when• You cancel a trip less than one hourbefore the scheduled pick-up time or• You do not show for a scheduled ridewithin 3 minutes of the driver arriving,as long as the driver arrived within your30-minute pick-up window.It is not a rider No Show if the driverarrives after the 30 minute pick-up windowregardless if you are there or call to cancelthe trip.If you are marked a No Show for greaterthan 7% of your total trips scheduled over afloating 6 month period, your eligibility maybe suspended. Written notice will be sent onrider No Shows.If the rider No Show is for a good cause and/or due to circumstances beyond your control,you may request that it be removed from yourrecord by calling Access Reservations toexplain the circumstances.Note: Riders also have the right to appealor dispute all No-Show decisions. Pleasecontact the Omnitrans Access Reservationsfor more details about rider No Shows.7

Where Do I Wait for the Vehicle?The mode of Access Service is curb-to-curb:however, passengers requiring a higher levelof assistance from their origin to destination,due to an impairment related condition,will need to contact Omnitrans to identifya reasonable accommodation that can beprovided to assist their transportation.Access Service will refuse service toa specific location that cannot safelyaccommodate our vehicles, such as alleysand underground parking.Generally, Access Service will only enterpublicly accessible areas where our largestvehicles are not required to back up toexit and the roadways are wide enough tomaneuver safely.Omnitrans Access will not enter privatedriveways or gated community/apartmentbuildings. For information on whether aspecific location can be accommodated callAccess Reservations for information.30-Minute On-Time WindowAll Access Service trips are scheduled with a30-minute pick-up window. That means thata vehicle is considered “on-time” if itarrives at the pick-up location up to 30minutes past the scheduled time.EXAMPLE:• You have a pick-up scheduled for11:00AM• The vehicle is “on time” if it arrivesbetween 11:00AM and 11:30AM.If the vehicle arrives after the pick-upwindow, it is considered late.How Long Will the Driver WaitFor Me?The driver will wait at the pick-up location3 minutes for you. You must be at thescheduled pick-up location at the scheduledpick-up time or you may miss your ride andbe charged a rider No Show.NOTE: If a driver arrives early they must waituntil the scheduled pick up time and 3 moreminutes for you.How Do I Board the Vehicle?Drivers will offer assistance to you gettingon and off the vehicle but cannot physicallylift or pick you up. Most Access Servicevehicles have lifts, but some have ramps.8

You may board while standing on the lift and,if requested, the driver will ride on the lift withyou to ensure your safety.Securement on a VehicleAccess Service requires that you use a seatbelt. If you need a seat belt extension, pleaseask for one. The driver will assist you ifrequested.Driversmay onlypositionandsecureridersusingwheelchairsor mobility devices in a forward-facingposition.Service AnimalsYou are welcome to travel with your serviceanimal aboard Access Service. Rememberto inform the Access Service Reservationistwhen you are traveling with your serviceanimal.All riders are asked to show consideration tothese animals, and their owners who havethe right to use Access Service.Personal Care Attendants andGuestsA Personal Care Attendant (PCA) is someonewho assists you with your personal care.During the eligibility certification process ifyou were approved to have a PCA it will sayso on your ID card.As an eligible rider, you may travel with aPCA and one guest. The PCA rides free butthe guest must pay the same fare as you.Additional guests may travel with you if spaceis available. Each guest must pay the fullfare. The PCA or guests must board and exitthe vehicle at the same locations as the riderbeing assisted.Transporting ChildrenChildren under the age of six who arecertified for ADA paratransit service must be9

accompanied by a “responsible person” whenusing ADA service. A responsible personis defined as one who can directly controland supervise the child. All eligible riders,regardless of age, must pay the fare.Children 46” tall and under scheduled totravel with eligible riders are not charged(limit two free per paying passenger).IMPORTANT! Access Service does notprovide safety seats for children. Children 6years of age or younger or children weighingless than 60 pounds must be secured in arider provided car safety seat when travelingon board a vehicle or they will not betransported.Transporting PetsNon-service animals may travel on AccessService only if the animal is in a properlysecured cage or container that meets theguidelines of the package policy and doesnot jeopardize the health or safety of otherpassengers or the driver. The driver cannotassist in loading or unloading the cage orcontainer.Reminder: Please be considerate of riderswho may be fearful of dogs or other animals.Carry On PackagesAn eligible rider may bring packages aboardAccess Service vehicles equivalent in sizeto no more than 4 (12 – 15 pound) grocerybags. Rider or PCA must be able to maintaincontrol of packages while on the vehicle.Drivers may help load packages on and offthe vehicle to and from the curbside only.IMPORTANT! You cannot transporthazardous materials such as weapons, fuel,fireworks, corrosives, etc.Lost and Found PolicyAccess Service is not responsible for lost ordamaged items.If you leave an item on an Access Servicevehicle, call reservations and inform theReservationists. If the item is located, youmay schedule a Next Day ride to pick up theitem at the lost and found department duringregular business hours. All lost and foundarticles are disposed of after 60 days.10

Change of InformationPlease notify a Reservationist if there are anyof the following changes:• Name• Home address• Mailing address• Phone number• Mobility device• Alternate Format Needs• Large Print• Audio Tape• Braille• Electronic FormatRules of ConductAccess Service has a list of common-senserules to ensure the safety and comfort ofall passengers and drivers. Violation of theRules of Conduct may lead to a suspensionof services:• No abusive, threatening or obscenelanguage or behavior, including sexualharassment toward riders, drivers,passengers, or other Access Serviceemployees• Removing or refusing to wear a seat belt• No deliberate fare evasion• Rider must maintain acceptablestandards of personal hygiene• No eating, drinking or smoking onvehicles• No riding under the influence of alcoholor illegal drugs• No weapons, firearms, explosives,flammable material, or corrosive liquidson vehicles• No operating or tampering with anyAccess Service equipment (driver’s2-way radio, Mobile Data Terminal, etc.)onboard a vehicle• No radios, cassette tape players, compactdisc players or other sound generatingequipment (except devices used forcommunication purposes) are to beplayed aboard the vehicles. Riders mayuse such equipment with headphones.IMPORTANT! Any rider engaging in physicalassault or other illegal behavior may be subjectto immediate suspension, and possible criminalprosecution.11

Out of Area Visitor RidingPrivilegesAs an Omnitrans Access Service rider, youare eligible for ADA paratransit service asa visitor to other cities’ ADA paratransitservices. The ADA says that you can have21 days of visitor status in any 365 dayperiod in service areas where you do notlive. If you are planning to visit anotherservice area and would like to have ADAvisitor status, please call the OmnitransParatransit Eligibility Technician at(909) 379-7284. We will forward your ADAeligibility information to the service providerthat you plan to visit.VisitorsIf you are visiting the Omnitrans service areaand are ADA paratransit eligible, you mayask for visitor status. As an eligible visitoryou may receive 21 days of ADA paratransitservice in any 365 day period.Please ask your home agency to fax yourADA eligibility information to Omnitrans at(909) 379-7200. For additional informationregarding visitor status, please call theOmnitrans Eligibility Technician at(909) 379-7348.Reservations and Information:East Valley ........................ 1-909-383-1680West Valley.........................1-800-990-2404TDD....................................1-909-383-1689Wheelchairs and Mobility DevicesAccess Service will make every attempt toaccommodate the rider’s mobility device.The mobility device must safely fit onto thelift platform and the lift must be able to safelyraise the mobility device and its occupant.Service can be refused If the mobility deviceand its occupant cannot safely utilize the liftto board the vehicle.12