Ride Guide. Paratransit Edition. Paratransit Handy Bus Monday Saturday 7:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. (Saturday service ADA, Agency, dialysis and work only)

Transcription

1 Ride Guide Paratransit Edition Effective March 1, 2015 Paratransit Handy Bus Monday Saturday 7:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. (Saturday service ADA, Agency, dialysis and work only) ADA Service Reservation-based ADA service operates in conjunction with all other transit services during normal hours of operation. anatee County Area Transit M th Avenue East Bradenton, Florida Paratransit Serving All of Manatee County Public Works Manatee County Area Transit th Avenue East Bradenton, Florida (941) Like us on facebook map us on Google Transit view us on YouTube Ride with Us - MCAT

2 Manatee County Area Transit Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) offers origin to destination Handy Bus (paratransit) service by appointment only for individuals who qualify for this service. MCAT also offers fixed-route transportation that serves Bradenton, Ellenton, Palmetto and the Gulf Beach communities. Buses run 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday Saturday. No service is offered Sunday (except Beach Express). MCAT fixed routes connect with the FREE Manatee Trolley on Anna Maria Island. Daily service runs from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every 20 minutes from the Anna Maria City Pier to Coquina Beach. MCAT fixed routes also connect with the Longboat Key Trolley. Daily service runs from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every 60 minutes from Coquina Beach through St. Armands Circle to downtown Sarasota. Please refer to the Route Guides and System Map for additional Fixed Route/Trolley Services. Route Guides and System Maps are available at our Transfer Stations Sales and Information Offices or the MCAT website: For more information call (941) Holiday Service Schedule Fixed Route, Longboat Key Trolley, and Handy Bus services are not available on the following holidays: New Year s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The Anna Maria Island Trolley operates the same schedule everyday including holidays. The Beach Express operates on all Sundays and Holidays. Fixed Route and Handy Bus service will end at 3 P.M. and the Anna Maria Island Trolley and Longboat Key Trolley will end at 7 P.M. on Christmas Eve. MCAT Administration office and Sales and Information offices are closed New Year s Day, Dr. M.L. King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Notifying Public of Right Under Title VI Manatee County Area Transit operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, and national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Any person who believes she or he has been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice under Title VI may file a complaint with Manatee County. For more information on Manatee County Area Transit s civil rights program, and the procedures to file a complaint, contact (941) ; mcat@mymanatee.org; or visit our administrative office at th Avenue East, Bradenton FL A complainant may file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration by filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights, Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator, East building, 5th floor-tcr, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC Si necesita información en español, llame (941) The Handy Bus System The Handy Bus provides origin to destination service for those individuals who, because of a disability or other reason are transportation disadvantaged (dependent on others for transportation) and therefore are unable to access the fixed route system. You must be able to provide for your own needs during transportation or have a personal care attendant/ companion accompany you. Carry-on packages are welcome. To ensure room for other riders and for your safety, please limit packages to what you and your personal care attendant/companion can carry. The driver may assist you in loading/unloading your packages on/off the bus, limited to one trip to the door. If the customer brings more than the allowable limit, it will be the customer s responsibility to find alternative transportation. You must also be able to make your way to your destination from the curb outside. The driver will assist you on the bus, secure you in a safe and comfortable manner and help you get off the bus. You may ride from any origin/destination in the Manatee County service area if a vehicle and space are available for the time you request. It is our goal to provide the greatest number of riders with on-time, efficient service. Hence, we are not able to honor requests for special service such as a particular driver or vehicle, a specific seat on the bus, a specific route, to be with certain other riders, a specific order of pick-up or drop off, a change in destination, etc. Handy Bus Types of Service Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) Reservation-based origin to destination service for eligible riders who because of a disability or other reason is TD (dependent on others for transportation) within Manatee County. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) Prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for persons with disabilities; ensuring complementary paratransit services that is comparable to the public transit bus service for individuals who are unable to ride public transportation. Reservation-based ADA service operates in conjunction with all fixed route services during normal hours of operation: Local Fixed Route Bus, Monday Saturday, 5:30 a.m. 8 p.m.; Anna Maria Island Trolley, Daily, 6 a.m. 10:30 p.m.; Longboat Key Trolley, Daily, 6 a.m. 8 p.m.; Beach Express, Sundays/Holidays, 9 a.m. 6 p.m. The origin and destination of the trip must be within 3/4 of a mile of the fixed route MCAT bus service for the requested trip. ADA clients must be assessed for eligibility. Veteran s Transportation MCAT registered Veterans can be scheduled for transit Monday Friday to VA facilities such as CW Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and James Haley Center. Certain restrictions apply. Contact MCAT for more information. 2

3 Dialysis Transportation Kidney Dialysis Treatment patients should contact your dialysis center for scheduling. Subscription Service Transportation Subscription Service Trips are classified as regularly scheduled trips with a standing order being transported with the same origin/time on a recurring basis. Centralized Group Trips are four or more clients being transported from/to a common origin/destination and time within the agency zone. Services are scheduled through agencies and support coordinators only. Transportation Disadvantaged TD Registration (Recertification required every 3 yrs from date approved or more frequently if given temporary eligibility.) To ride the Handy Bus you must be registered with MCAT. Apply: (941) , Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Reservation-based origin to destination service for eligible riders within Manatee County, Monday Friday. Have this information ready when you register: Note: Medical professional documentation regarding disability will be required (Recertification required every 3 yrs from date approved or more frequently if given temporary eligibility). Client s Full Name; Address and Telephone Number; Date of Birth; Doctor s Name; Doctor s Phone Number; Doctor s Fax Number; Medicaid Number, if Applicable; Companion/Escort must be registered. 8 (Limit to one person per trip). Scheduling Handy Bus Trips Call (941) Monday Friday, 9 a.m. 2 p.m. Reservations may be made up to two weeks in advance, but a minimum of two business days in advance of your desired appointment day is required. Space is based on a first-come, first-served and availability for service Monday Friday, 7:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. excluding major county holidays. If the time requested is not available, MCAT will offer alternative days and/or times available. TD Scheduling for Non-Medical (Life- Sustaining, Food, and Nutrition) on Tuesday and Thursday only (trips can be prioritized by trip purpose, days, times, location and restrictions set in place in order to remain within the MCAT budget, capacity contraints, and operational cost). TD Scheduling for Medical Monday thru Friday. Fare is $2.00 for each one-way trip exact funds required. Please note: when you call to schedule a trip, you may not request a specific reservation staff member. When making reservations, please be ready to provide: Your name and date of the trip; Your pick up time and appointment time; Your pick-up address and phone number of those locations (including building name and specific drop-off and pick-up information). If a medical appointment, include doctor name, phone number and suite number; 3 Whether you use a wheelchair or other mobility device; Whether a personal care attendant/ companion will accompany you (Personal Care Attendant/ companion must be registered before riding); Your return time. Handy Bus Rules of the Road Please be ready 15 minutes before your scheduled pick-up time the bus may arrive early. If the bus has not arrived 15 minutes after the scheduled time, please call MCAT Handy Bus at (941) The bus will park as close to the curb in front of your pick-up point as possible. Once the driver has arrived within the pick-up window and the customer has failed to be prepared to board the vehicle within 5 minutes,the driver will contact MCAT dispatcher for further instructions. The client may be considered a no-show or Cancel at Door. The driver is required to collect all fares prior to starting your trip. Please have exact funds ready. For safety, passengers in a wheelchair will have their seat belt and shoulder strap fastened, securing the wheelchair. Three-wheeled mobility device users and other wheelchair users: so that you can be safely secured, the driver will ask you to transfer to a seat in the bus the choice to transfer is yours. MCAT is not responsible for injuries due to unsafe seating. Mobility devices and wheelchairs must be clean and in good working condition. No same day changes on trips scheduled. For comfort, safety, and cleanliness, No eating, drinking (certain restrictions apply); No chewing tobacco or smoking (this includes electronic cigarettes) permitted in the bus. The driver is not authorized to make unscheduled stops or wait while a rider performs an errand. Please cooperate with the driver if you are asked to move temporarily to load or unload other passengers. Drivers are not allowed inside the residence. Riders may not refuse to ride with another passenger on the bus. Riders may not operate any audio/visual equipment that may infringe on other rider s comfort and safety or impair the driver s ability to transport riders safely, such as: boom boxes, portable video games using audible sound effects, loud talking on cell phone, etc. Children may be required to be accompanied by an adult. These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis depending on individual circumstances. Getting There On Time You may share a bus with other riders, potentially pickingup/dropping-off riders before your destination. To ensure you arrive on time, plan for travel time up to an hour. Example: to arrive by 10 a.m., schedule your pick-up for 9 a.m. Additionally, delays may occur due to traffic or bad weather. Please, no changes on the scheduled travel day. The pick-up window is 30 minutes. For example, if you negotiate a pick-up time for 8:00 a.m., the driver can arrive as early as 15 minutes before 7:45 a.m. or as late as 15 minutes after 8:15 a.m. within their pick-up window. 4

4 Companion/Personal Care Attendant Companion/Escort are welcomed to travel once registered with qualified riders at the regular fare on a space available basis. Accompanying children are considered traveling companion. 5 years of age and under, the fare is free. 6 years of age and older, regular fare: $2.00. When making a reservation, indicate you are traveling with a companion. Companion must travel the same itinerary as the qualified rider. Personal Care Attendant - PCA (someone specifically designated to care for your personal needs) must be registered and may travel with a qualified rider at no charge. Guide dogs/service animals are welcome. When making a reservation, indicate an accompanying service animal. Scheduled Returns You must give Handy Bus a scheduled return time when scheduling your trips. Please be ready 15 minutes before your scheduled pick-up time the bus may arrive early. Handy Bus Cancelled Trips It is very important that you call to cancel a Handy Bus trip as soon as possible, and no later than two (2) hours before the trip to prevent a vehicle from being assigned to pick you up. To cancel a Handy Bus trip, please call (941) (before 8 a.m., (941) ). If you cancel for same day service you cannot be added back on that day s schedule. Failure to give MCAT sufficient notice that you cannot take a scheduled trip constitutes misuse of the service. MCAT reserves the right to potentially suspend service for a reasonable period of time to those riders who show a pattern or practice of cancellations within the system s average on total cancellations and overall trips within a (1) one month period. No Shows Failure to give MCAT Handy Bus a minimum of two (2) hours notice that you will not be able to take a scheduled trip prior to the driver arriving, is considered a no-show. A customer who has five (5) or more no shows within a (1) one month period will be notified of their violation regarding the policy verbally and in writing. MCAT reserves the right to potentially suspend service for a reasonable period of time to those riders who show a pattern or practice of No Shows, a pattern or practice is defined as three times (3x) the system s average on total No-Shows based upon a passengers overall trips within a (1) one month period. ADA Handy Bus Service The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. 5 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-Continue The ADA requires that Transit agencies provide complementary paratransit (Handy Bus) services to individuals who, due to their disability, are not capable of using fixed-route bus services. Eligibility for complementary paratransit services (ADA Handy Bus) is based upon the nature of the individual s disability and the origin and destination of the requested trip. Once you are determined ADA eligible, the origin and destination of the trip itself must be within a 3/4- mile distance from a fixedroute to be an eligible trip. You and the trip must be eligible before ADA Handy Bus service is provided (See MCAT System Map in the Ride Guide Transit/Trolley Edition). ADA clients must be accessed for eligibility. ADA Certification (Recertification required every 3 yrs from date approved or more frequently if given temporary eligibility.) ADA riders must be screened for eligibility, and will require documentation from a medical professional as well as an in-person assessment to determine if the disability prevents the rider from using the MCAT Fixed Route System. If you are approved for ADA Handy Bus Service, you will receive an approval letter along with an ADA ID Card. This card can be shown to other transit agencies identifying you as ADA Eligible. For information and to be screened for eligibility, please call (941) ext Scheduling an ADA Trip on the Handy Bus You may schedule an ADA trip on the Handy Bus by calling the Handy Bus reservations line (941) Guide dogs/service animals, companions or personal care attendants: please review the section Companion/ Personal Care Attendant on pages 4-5. ADA Scheduling is between 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Maximum reservation lead-time: 2 weeks before; Minimum reservation lead-time: 1 day before. ADA trip origin/destination must be within 3/4 mile of fixed-route services. Allow a 2 hour scheduling window your actual pick-up time could be 1 hour before or 1 hour after your requested pick-up time. No same day changes once you have booked multiple appointments. Note: Times may vary due to road and traffic conditions. Visiting ADA eligible riders with valid documentation may use the MCAT ADA Handy Bus service for up to twenty-one (21) days of service. If you require ADA paratransit service beyond the 21-days or reside in Manatee County you must become locally certified with Manatee County. If you already reside in Manatee County, you must apply for ADA service in Manatee County. 6

5 Emergency Evacuations In the event of weather or other emergencies, regular transit service may stop to allow for evacuations or to take special needs* citizens to shelters. If you will need evacuation assistance prior to a hurricane, complete the Manatee County Emergency Management Division Assisted Care Questionnaire Form (obtain by calling EOC at (941) ). In the event of a hurricane the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be activated. A Manatee County Government Employee will call you tell them you do or do not need transportation to a shelter. If you do, MCAT will provide transportation be packed and ready to go. MCAT will call you to verify your request for transportation and identify the approximate pick-up time either by bus or ambulance and transported to the shelter and returned when appropriate. *Special needs shelters serve those individuals who need electricity for oxygen, hands-on medical help or would be in jeopardy without help for a lengthy period of time. Individuals who feel they qualify for the special needs designation should fill out the Manatee County Emergency Management Division Assisted Care Questionnaire and submit it for review. Approved individuals will be notified. Update your emergency information at (941) ask for Emergency Management. Contact/Scheduling Information Handy Bus Registration (8 a.m. 5 p.m.) Online Registration Reservations/Cancellations (9 a.m. 2 p.m.) Cancellations (before 8 a.m.) Customer Service/Complaints ADA Handy Bus Reservations (8 a.m. 5 p.m.) (941) ADA/Veterans Handy Bus Reservations (Sunday/Holidays) (941) Dispatch (Saturday) (941) Ext. 0 TDD (for the hearing impaired) (941) State of Florida Commission for TD Ombudsman Hotline (800) Medical Transportation Management (MTM)(WellCare Transportation Services) ADA Assistance Line ADA Complaints (941) (941) (941) (866) (866) (888) (800) or TTY (800) Veterans Transportation Veterans Transportation (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m.) (941) You must register with MCAT by phone: (941) Information requested for the registration process: Client s name; Address and telephone number, Last four digits of Social Security Number; Date of birth; Disability; Special Needs; Medical referral form required, if applicable; Mobility. 8 Veterans Scheduling is between 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Fare is $5.00 each one way trip. Veterans Departure from CW Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center: 3:30 p.m. Veterans Departure from James Haley Center: 2:30 p.m. (restrictions apply) TD/ADA Complaints Manatee County Area Transit makes every effort to meet the transportation needs of its customers. On occasion, problems arise and customers feel the need to tell us. We appreciate hearing about service issues and will do our best to correct any situation. Feel free to contact the MCAT Paratransit Coordinator at (941) ext.3567 to bring any service issues to MCAT s attention. Transportation Disadvantaged customers may also contact the State of Florida Commission for Transportation Disadvantage Ombudsman hotline at (800) ADA customers may address service issues with the U.S. Department of Justice at (800) (TTY (800) ). Lost and Found Items MCAT is not responsible for lost and found items. Every effort will be made to return lost and found items to their owner after MCAT has been notified. Uncollected items will be disposed of after a period of max. 90 days at the discretion of MCAT. Hazardous or unsanitary items will be disposed of immediately. Illegal items will be turned over to law enforcement. Contact MCAT lost and found at (941) or visit our website at for more information and to submit an online lost and found form. 7 8

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