Complementary
Paratransit Plan
October 10, 2013
**This plan can be viewed in alternate formats if needed.
Contents
Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................ 3
ADA .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Direct Threat ......................................................................................................................... 3
Disability ................................................................................................................................ 3
Dispatcher/Supervisor........................................................................................................ 3
Lifts & Ramps ........................................................................................................................ 3
Mobility Aid ........................................................................................................................... 3
Paratransit .............................................................................................................................. 3
Personal Care Attendant (PCA).......................................................................................... 3
Securement System ............................................................................................................. 3
Segways .................................................................................................................................. 3
Service Animal ...................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4
Scheduling Policy ......................................................................................................................... 4
Proper Footwear ...........................................................................................................................5
Boarding Assistance ......................................................................................................................5
Child Accompaniment ..................................................................................................................5
Fares ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Ramps and Lifts ........................................................................................................................... 6
Maintenance of Ramps & Lifts .......................................................................................... 6
Passengers Requiring the Use of Ramps & Lifts ........................................................... 6
Mobility Aids ................................................................................................................................ 6
Transporting Mobility Aids ............................................................................................... 6
Forward vs. Backward Mobility Aid Loading ..................................................................7
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
Mobility Aid Brakes...............................................................................................................7
Mobility Aid Securement .....................................................................................................7
Walkers ................................................................................................................................... 8
Segways and Two-Wheel Scooters ................................................................................... 8
Carts and Packages .............................................................................................................. 9
Open Sores and Wounds ............................................................................................................. 9
Personal Care Attendant .............................................................................................................10
Portable Oxygen Use...................................................................................................................10
Service Animals...........................................................................................................................10
Customer Rights .........................................................................................................................10
How to File a Complaint ............................................................................................................. 11
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Glossary of Terms
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 mobility aid belongs to
any class of three or more wheeled devices, usable indoors, and designed for
and used by individuals with mobility impairments whether operated manually
or powered.
Paratransit Services that can be used as an alternative to fixed route bus
service for passengers with disabilities.
Personal Care Attendant (PCA) An individual who assists a person with a
disability in carrying out his or her life activities.
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, battery powered Personal
Transportation Device (PCD).
Service Animal An animal that has been trained to assist a person with a
disability.
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
Introduction
Public Transit Policies Regarding Passengers with Disabilities Using ADA
Paratransit Service
SEAT’s paratransit service (EZ Ride) is a service intended to complement SEAT’s
fixed routes for individuals with disabilities that otherwise prevent them from
using SEAT’s fixed route services.
EZ Ride is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals that do not
have disabilities. EZ Ride is a “Shared Ride” service which means most of the
time an individual may share his/her ride with other individuals that area
scheduled to be picked up or dropped off while they are being transported to
their destination.
Individuals may be ADA paratransit eligible on the basis of a permanent or
temporary disability. Furthermore, an individual may meet the eligibility
requirement criteria for some trips but not others, depending on his or her
disability. Paratransit complementary service is required 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 service shall also be provided to small
areas not inside any of the corridors but which are surrounded by corridors.
Passengers wishing to use the ADA paratransit services must be certified as
eligible through SEAT’s Transit Center. For further information regarding the
eligibility process for passengers with disabilities, please call 740-454-8573 for
Muskingum County or 740-439-3393 for Guernsey County, or visit us at
www.seatbus.org. Our TTY number is #1-800-750-0750.
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
Once you have received your eligibility letter you are registered in the EZ Ride
program and can call 740-454-8573 for Muskingum County or 740-439-3393 for
Guernsey County to schedule your ride. You will be issued a personal
identification card. Please have this card available whenever you ride. Do not
issue or make available, your card to anyone unauthorized to schedule rides on
your behalf. Any trips scheduled, using your card, are trips that you will be
accompanying.
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Any misrepresentation or fraudulent use of your personal identification number
could result in loss of SEAT’s EZ Ride service. Any agency or representative
requesting EZ Ride 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. SEAT may no longer permit the agency or representative(s) to
schedule any EZ Ride trips on any SEAT EZ Ride client’s behalf.
Proper Footwear
All passengers, including those who use mobility aids, are required to wear
shoes unless a disability either prevents the wearing of shoes or necessitates
that the passenger’s feet be bare.
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.
SEAT 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 individual’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 construction)
may prevent a passenger from traveling 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 passenger). 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 accompanied by a “responsible person” when using SEAT EZ Ride service. A
responsible person is defined as someone18 years of age or older, who can
directly control and supervise the child.
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
Fares
Exact fare is necessary. Operators do not carry change. The fare must be paid
upon boarding the paratransit vehicle. The fare for our EZ Ride program is $2.00
one-way.
No person shall occupy, ride in or use, any SEAT 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 SEAT bus pass to board or
ride a SEAT vehicle unless the bus pass was lawfully acquired at an authorized
SEAT outlet by or on behalf of that person.
Any person refusing to pay the applicable fare and/or found to have misused a
SEAT 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.
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 making
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 mobility impairments. It
may be operated manually or powered. All mobility aids shall be transported
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 requirements include such circumstance as a wheelchair of such size that
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would block an aisle, or be too large to fully enter the bus, or would interfere
with the safe evacuation of passengers 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.
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 suggestions 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 required 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 mandatory. However, it is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure that
the mobility device is not operated while the lift is in motion.
Mobility Aid Securement
It is SEAT’s policy, as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that
mobility devices be secured using the securement system avail-able. If the
customer will not allow the Operator 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 number of securement points.
Service will not be denied because the mobility device cannot be secured to the
operator’s satisfaction either due to the awkward position of the securement
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.
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
Lap belts and shoulder harnesses shall be placed on the individual for their
safety. If the passenger refuses the lap belt or shoulder harness 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 difficulties 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 unoccupied by a passenger
using a mobility device.
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
passenger does request that the walker be secured, all securement points should
be used.
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.
Segways and Two-Wheel Scooters
The Segway is a two-wheeled, self-stabilizing; battery powered Personal
Transportation Device (PCD). The Segway is not designed primarily 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 securement area with the power turned off. The
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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.
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 encouraged to keep
the cart as close to them as possible and to keep it out of the way of other
passengers 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.
Open Sores and Wounds
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 medical 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 SEAT official may be
dispatched to evaluate and determine the appropriate course of action. Based on
the evaluation, the passenger experiencing the leakage or discharge may be
trans-ported back to their point of origin, their final destination, or to another
appropriate destination 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 vehicle, such determinations of
direct threat may require that passengers are transported on another vehicle to
ensure their safety.
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
Personal Care Attendant
On ADA paratransit trips, personal care attendants ride free; however,
companions traveling 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 certification process. If a PCA is not
identified during the ADA certification process and the passenger requests a trip
to be the PCA will be al-lowed. The passenger will be advised to con-tact the EZ
Ride 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 regarding their need for a PCA to the EZ Ride department.
Portable Oxygen Use
Individuals with disabilities that use portable oxygen devices are allowed to
travel with respirators and properly secured portable sup-plies. Oxygen supplies
must not obstruct the aisle.
Service Animals
Persons with disabilities who use service animals 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
service animals must keep their animals under control, and the animal must not
pose a threat to other passengers. Failure to do so may result 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 Rights
Customers using public transit are given equal access, seating, and treatment
without regard to race, color, national origin or disability.
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How to File a Complaint
Customers wishing to file a complaint may call SEAT Customer Service at 740454-8573 for Muskingum County or 740-439-3393 for Guernsey County or TTY
(800-750-0750) or visit the website at www.seatbus.org. Title VI and ADA
complaints can be made by using the same telephone numbers and website.
All complaints received by SEAT’s Customer Service Department are documented
and assigned to the appropriate transit staff for investigation. As part of the
processing of all complaints a SEAT 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 SEAT
system. Please notify us at the phone number or web-site listed above with any
feedback you may have.
Qualified riders can call 740-454-8573 for Muskingum County or
740-439-3393 for Guernsey County to make reservations 3-4 days
in advance (depending on the day).
Reservations are accepted from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm; MondayFriday.
EZ Ride Hours of Operation are online: www.seatbus.org or you
can call 740-454-8573 for Muskingum County or 740-439-3393
for Guernsey County or TTY# 1-800-750-0750
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South East Area Transit – Complementary Paratransit Plan
South East Area Transit
375 Fairbanks Street
Zanesville, OH 43701
Zanesville Transit Center
224 Main Street
Zanesville, OH 43701
Cambridge Transit Center
756 Wheeling Avenue
Cambridge, OH 43725
(740) 454-8574 (Administration)
(740) 454-8573 (Scheduling)
(740) 439-3393 (Guernsey County Scheduling)
(800) 750-0750 (TTY)
Howard Stewart, Jr. – Transit Director
info@seatbus.org
www.seatbus.org
“Ride With Pride”
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