IMPORTANT POLICIES
WHERE DO I WAIT FOR THE VEHICLE?
Access Paratransit is a CURB-TO-CURB service. Riders must meet the Access Paratransit vehicles at the curb.
Access Paratransit drivers cannot leave the vehicle to enter a building or come to the door for you. If assistance is needed to and from a pick-up or drop-off curb, please be prepared to have a companion or Personal Care Assistant available.
The driver will wait for you in front of or as close as possible to your scheduled pick-up location.
Generally, Access Paratransit will only enter publicly accessible areas where our largest vehicles are not required to back up to exit and the roadways are wide enough to maneuver safely. Access Paratransit will not enter private driveways or gated community/apartment buildings. For information on whether a specific location can be accommodated call Access Customer Service for information.
VEHICLE ARRIVAL – 20 MINUTE ON TIME WINDOW
All Access Paratransit trips are scheduled with a 20-minute pick-up window. That means that a vehicle is considered “on-time” if it arrives at the pick-up location up to 20 minutes past the pick-up time.
EXAMPLE:
- You have a pick-up for 11:00AM
- The vehicle is “on time” if it arrives between 11:00AM and 11:20AM.
If the vehicle arrives after the pick-up window, it is considered late. If you have a late trip, you should call the Operations Monitoring Center (OMC) see page 5 for instructions.
Call Outs
A call-out is an automated phone call generated by the driver which lets you know approximately when the vehicle will arrive or that it has arrived. Although call-outs are convenient, due to technological limitations they cannot be relied upon. Regardless of whether a call-out is requested it is the rider’s responsibility to be at the curb when the vehicle arrives.
In order for call-outs to work, a correct phone number (including cell phones) for the pick up location has to be given at the time the reservation is made. Call-outs will not work with answering machines, pagers, voice mail, relay devices, any kind of “phone menu” where a number has to be pressed to reach the intended party or in certain “dead zones” in Los Angeles County.
Access Paratransit policy requires the driver to wait 5 minutes once he or she has arrived at the pick-up location. There are times when a requested call-out may not occur, such as when the vehicle is in a dead zone, the driver forgets to press the button or if the phone number given by the rider was incorrect. In such cases, if a rider is waiting inside a building for a call-out and not at the curb, the rider risks missing the vehicle and being marked a Rider No Show.
If you have a late trip, you can call the reservation number you called to reserve the trip and ask for an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) along with the vehicle number that has been assigned to your trip. If the vehicle has not arrived within the given ETA, call the Access Services Operations Monitoring Center (OMC) at 1-800-827-0829, press 2 (see page 5 for more on the role of OMC).
HOW LONG WILL THE DRIVER WAIT FOR ME?
The driver will wait at the pick-up location 5 minutes for you. You must be at the scheduled pick-up location at the scheduled pick-up time or you may miss your ride and be charged a Rider No Show. (See page 12)
NOTE: If a driver arrives early they must wait until the scheduled pick up time and 5 more minutes for you. A late driver should not just drive by the pick up location without stopping.
ACCESS VEHICLES
IMPORTANT: All certified Access Paratransit vehicles have the following logo:
In certain cases, a “non-certified” vehicle may be sent to pick you up. If you do not see this logo, please ask the driver before you get in if they are an Access Paratransit driver.
HOW DO I BOARD THE VEHICLE?
Drivers will offer assistance to you getting on and off the vehicle but cannot physically lift or pick you up. Most Access Paratransit accessible vehicles have ramps, but some have lifts. You may board while standing on the lift and, if requested, the driver will ride on the lift with you to ensure your safety.
SECUREMENT ON A VEHICLE
Access Paratransit requires that you use a seatbelt. If you need a seatbelt extension, please ask for one. The driver will assist you if requested.
Only drivers may position and secure riders using wheelchairs or mobility devices in a forward-facing position.