Para102

1
Para102
Paratransit 102Eligibility
2
Definitions

• Fixed Route
• Demand response
• Paratransit Services
• Commuter Rail Services
• Travel Training

3
Definitions

• Fixed Route
• The term ''fixed route system'' means a system
  of providing designated public transportation on
  which a vehicle is operated along a prescribed
  route according to a fixed schedule.

4
Definitions

• Demand response
• Paratransit (also called demand response or
  dial-a-ride) is comprised of passenger cars, vans
  or small buses operating in response to calls
  from passengers or their agents to the transit
  operator, who then dispatches a vehicle to pick
  up the passengers and transport them to their
  destinations.  A paratransit operation is
  characterized by the following (a) The vehicles
  do not operate over a fixed route or on a fixed
  schedule except, perhaps, on a temporary basis to
  satisfy a special need and (b) typically, the
  vehicle may be dispatched to pick up several
  passengers at different pick-up points before
  taking them to their respective destinations and
  may even be interrupted en route to these
  destinations to pick up other passengers.

5
Definitions

• Paratransit Services
• Paratransit service grew in the United States
  following the Americans with Disabilities Act
  which required complementary paratransit be
  provided alongside most public transit services
  in the United States which receive funding from
  the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). ADA
  complementary paratransit service is for people
  who are unable to ride buses by virtue of a
  disabling condition. (Wikipedia)

6
Definitions

• Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is
  a passenger rail transport service between a city
  center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or
  other locations that draw large numbers of
  commuters or people who travel on a daily basis.
  Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds
  varying from 35 to 125 mph.

7
Definitions

• Travel training or travel instruction, is
  one-to-one individualized instruction designed to
  teach seniors and people with disabilities (other
  than blindness or visual impairment) to travel
  safely and independently on fixed-route public
  transit. This type of transit includes buses
  operating on regular routes and commuter rail
  systems.
• Participants learn travel skills for following a
  specific route, typically to a school or a job
  site. Travel instruction professionals determine
  how different disabilities affect a person's
  ability to travel, and they develop methods to
  teach travel skills tailored to each persons
  needs.
• The benefits of successfully completing a travel
  training program include
• More choices and flexibility for travel
• Greater self-esteem and independence
• Better access to employment, job training,
  post-secondary education and recreation

8
Focus of Paratransit 102

• What is Eligibility?

9
Eligibility Basics

• You should be eligible for paratransit services
  if
• You are inside the service area of a fixed route
  system, which is within 3/4 of a mile from the
  main route bus
• You are unable to independently board, ride on,
  or disembark from an accessible fixed route
  vehicle due to disability
• You need accessible facilities or equipment and
  these are not accessible
• You have a specific impairment related condition,
  which, in interaction with a barrier (distance,
  weather, terrain, architectural), prevents
  traveling to or from a bus or rail stop or
  station
• Eligibility may be permanent or temporary
• A person may be eligible for some trips and not
  others

10
Application Process

• No Standard Eligibility Process
• Written Application
• Physical/ Note from Physician
• Phone Application
• In-person Interview
• Functional Assessment- who conducts it?
• Ride to Interview

11
Your Rights As An Applicant

• The ADA requires
• All information must be provided in accessible
  formats upon your request
• The transit company has 21 days to make a
  decision on your application or you get service
  until they decide
• Their decision must be provided in writing.
• If youre determined ineligible, specific reasons
  must be given to you
• You must file an appeal within 60 days of
  determination of ineligibility.

12
Your Rights As An Applicant

• You must be given an opportunity to be heard, and
  to present your argument in person if you request
  it.
• Your appeal must be decided by person not
  involved in original determination of paratransit
  ineligibility.
• You have the right to use paratransit services
  until the decision is made if the provider takes
  longer than 30 days after completing the appeals
  process to decide your eligibility status.

13
Basic Eligibility- Category 1

• You cannot navigate the system due to an
  impairment-related condition
• You need an attendant to ride the main line bus
  system

14
Conditional Eligibility- Category 2

• As it relates a persons condition
• If a persons disability changes their ability to
  do things independently based on how theyre
  feeling
• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Psychiatric Disabilities
• Weather

15
Conditional (trip by trip) Eligibility- (category
2)

• As it relates to pedestrian infrastructure
• Eligibility for paratransit should be reduced
  over time as transit systems and pedestrian
  infrastructure become more accessible
• Route based, not system based
• Should apply to each trip and each leg of trip
• A bus route is accessible when all buses are
  scheduled on the route are accessible
• A rail line is accessible is accessible if one
  car per train is accessible and key stations are
  accessible
• Applies if a bus stop or key rail station is not
  accessible (the lift cannot be used)
• Paratransit has to parallel rail services if they
  are not accessible

16
Reasonable Person Test- Category 3

• Having a disability doesnt mean that youre
  automatically eligible for paratransit services.
• The interaction of barriers with an individuals
  disability may form a basis of eligibility.
• Travel is impossible OR the difficulties are so
  substantial that a reasonable person with the
  impairment-related condition would be deterred
  from making the trip.

17
Other Eligibility Considerations

• Attendant/ PCA vs. Companion
• Service Animal

18
How Long Will I Be Eligible?

• No standard for how long someone can be eligible
• FTA recommends 1-3 years
• Eligibility ends when a person is able to use
  fixed route service for any use at any time

19
Keeping Your Eligibility

• Provider Can suspend your services for a
  reasonable amount of time for a pattern or
  practice of missing scheduled trips or breaking
  other rules while riding.
• The Provider has to make sure that you understand
  the rules and consequences of breaking them
  before they suspend your service.
• Losing eligibility can mean losing your job or
  losing access to medical treatments- it must be
  taken seriously by the provider.

20
Appeals Process

• Similar rules to Application appeal process
• Their decision must be provided to you in writing
  and in an accessible format, and they must give
  you specific reasons for suspending your service.
• You must file your appeal within 60 days of
  becoming ineligible
• You must be given an opportunity to be heard, and
  to present your argument in person if you request
  it.
• Your appeal must be decided by person not
  involved in original determination of paratransit
  ineligibility.
• You have the right to use paratransit services
  until the decision is made if the provider takes
  longer than 30 days after completing the appeals
  process to decide your eligibility status.

21
The Elements of Due Process

• As a passenger, you must understand expectations
  and the consequences of failing to meet certain
  performance standards.
• There must be a consistency in the application of
  rules, policy, and procedures.
• Any discipline must be appropriate for failure to
  meet certain performance standards. A
  passengers performance track record and prior
  disciplinary history must be taken into account.
• The passenger must be given an opportunity to
  respond (give their side of the story).
• A reasonable period of time must be allowed for
  the passenger to improve poor performance.

22
More Trainings

• 103-104 topics
• Self Advocacy Tools
• Travel Training
• Evaluate us

23
Closing

• Register at www.paratransittexas.org/presentatio
  ns
• Access PEAC for 1 on 1 assistance
• Thanks
• Q and A