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City of Galesburg
55 W. Tompkins Street
P.O. Box 1387
Galesburg, IL 61402-1387
309/343-4181
Galesburg Handivan
150 E. Simmons Street
Phone: 309/345-3686 (voice/TTY)
Fax: 309/343-2493
OFFICE HOURS:
7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. — Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. — Saturday
OPERATING HOURS:
7:00 a.m. - 6:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. by reservation (special evening fares apply)
FARES:
Daytime fares — $1 per one-way trip (exact change required)
Evening fares — $3 per one-way trip (exact change required)
Fare cards may be purchased from the drivers or the Handivan office. The cost for each card is $10 and is good for 10 one-way daytime trips.
The Knox County Human Service office distributes one-way trip tickets to state aid recipients for medical trips. For more information on this aid, please contact their office at 309/342-8144.
HANDIVAN USE POLICIES
A policy for Handivan Use Inside the Corporate Limits
A policy for the provision of paratransit service by Handivan outside the corporate limits of the City of Galesburg was approved in June, 2000.
City of Galesburg transit system for persons with special transit needs. The City of Galesburg does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, or disability in the provision of service/programs sponsored by the City.
Handivan is a curbside transportation system operated by the City of Galesburg to provide accessible public transportation to individuals who are unable to utilize the bus system or other regular forms of transportation because of a permanent or temporary disability which severely restricts his/her mobility. Handivan provides non-emergency, lift-equipped service to a variety of destinations within the city limits. Handivan service is not an ambulance. Medical emergencies requiring immediate medical attention are referred to 9-1-1. Handivan provides service to and from destinations within Knox County under a separate policy.
How to Sign up for Handivan
Applications for Handivan Service may be obtained by stopping by the Handivan office or by request over the telephone by calling 309/345-3686 (Voice/TTY).
First time users of the Handivan must have a registration card issued before riding, with the exception of persons visiting the City who are registered and certified as ADA paratransit eligible with another paratransit service in their home community.
Applications for Handivan are available in accessible formats upon written request to the Handivan office.
Scheduling an Appointment
When scheduling a Handivan appointment, please give your complete street address and the complete street address number of your destination.
All appointments and/or schedule changes must be called in to the Handivan office. Handivan drivers do not take any appointments for pickups, or schedule changes aboard the Handivan.
Cancellations should be made as soon as possible by calling the Handivan office at 309/345-3686 (Voice/TTY).
Requests for return pickups must be called in before 6:30 p.m. when the office closes unless prior arrangements were made for a late pickup time.
The rider must be ready at least 15 minutes prior to the Handivan pick up time. If the rider is not ready when the drivers arrives, the driver will leave. The driver will not return for passengers who were not ready.
Personal Care Attendants
The Handivan program does not provide escorts or Personal Care Attendants for riders. Riders needing any assistance must provide their own escort/PCA. Escorts/PCAs must be physically and mentally able to assist the rider.
Handivan clients cannot act as escorts or PCAs for other registered Handivan clients. One PCA is permitted to travel with a Handivan rider. The PCA will be treated as a mobility device and will ride without charge.
Handivan requires that eligible riders indicate the need for a PCA at the time of the certification. A family member or friend is regarded as a person accompanying the eligible rider and not as a PCA, unless the individual is acting as a Personal Care Attendant. The person acting as a PCA must be physically and mentally able to assist the rider and be at least 12 years old.
Subscription Trips
Subscription trips are trips that are scheduled trips to one destination or a series of destinations that are written in as part of the daily and weekly Handivan schedule.
Examples of subscription trips are dialysis, physical therapy, and trips to work or college classes.
These types of trips ordinarily do not have to be called in on a regular basis, however, we are limited under the ADA in the number of subscription trips we can accommodate on a daily basis. At times, new subscription trip requests will be added to a waiting list for the next available slot.
This does not mean that we will not provide transportation to the person making the request.
This trips will be accommodated, however, they must be called in on a weekly basis until a permanent slot becomes available.
When a permanent slot becomes available, the first person on the waiting list will be contacted.
Handivan Rules
Children riding the Handivan as a registered rider must be accompanied by an adult. Child seats cannot be accommodated aboard the vehicles because of the configuration of the Handivan seats and seat belts.
Handivan will only transport oxygen tanks that are secured to the back of a wheelchair or mobility device; or are the personal, portable oxygen units that hang from a strap. When reserving a Handivan trip, please indicate the type of oxygen equipment you use.
Riders (or escorts) are responsible for their own personal belongings such as, but not limited to, luggage, oxygen tanks, parcels, and support equipment (i.e. personal toilet).
Riders are responsible for their own wheelchairs or mobility device. The Handivan program does not provide wheelchairs for riders.
Riders are responsible for maintenance on their wheelchair or mobility device. Drivers do not repair or charge batteries on battery operated mobility devices.
Riders are responsible for transporting inoperable mobility devices. Should a power mobility device loose its charge, riders are responsible for making arrangements for recharge or repair. Drivers do not attempt maintenance or transport inoperable mobility devices of any type.
Riders who exhibit violent or other extreme behavior that is not part of a mental or emotional disability and threatens the safety of the driver or other passengers will not be tolerated aboard the Handivan. If the rider does not leave the Handivan voluntarily, the police will be called and individual will be removed from the vehicle.
Personal Care Attendants and escorts cannot ride without the client present.
Riders and their escorts/PCAs area asked not to smoke, use snuff or smokeless tobacco, drink, or eat aboard the Handivan.
Riders are responsible for their own medications and paperwork. Drivers do not administer medications to riders or keep track of a clients paperwork.
Section 37.3 of the DOT's regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (49 CFR Parts 27, 37, and 38) defines a "common wheelchair" as a mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and use by individual with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A "common wheelchair" does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches above the ground and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied.
Service animals are defined under DOT regulations as "any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability." Service dogs are transported aboard the Handivan. Comfort or emotional support animals are also transported aboard Handivan, however, if there is an objection to the "comfort animal" by either the passengers or the driver the rider may not take their comfort animal aboard. An example of this, would be a pet boa constrictor, which others might find disconcerting to have riding on the vehicle with them. For more information call the Handivan office at 345-3686 during regular office hours.
Handivan service will be suspended for a period of two weeks if an individual misses scheduled appointments 3 times during a 3-month period. If any of the 3 misses occurs during the evening hours, it is an automatic 3-week suspension of both day and evening service. This provision does not apply to trips that are missed for reasons that are beyond the individual's control. The rider will receive written notice of any action taken and the basis for the suspension.
ADA Eligibility Appeal Process
The following procedure will be used to process appeals from person who do not meet the eligibility criteria established under the ADA for Paratransit Service:
The person requesting the appeal may pick up a form at the Handivan office, 150 E. Simmons Street, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays or a form can be mailed to the person's residence at his or her request.
Appeals must be filed no later than 60 days after the notification of denial of a request for certification. A decision by the appropriate authority on the appeal will be made within 30 days after the complainant has formally filed the appeal. If, however a decision is not made within 30 days, "presumptive eligibilty" will be granted to the complainant until such time the decision on the appeal has been reached.
Appeals must be made in writing and sent to the Handivan office at 150 E. Simmons Street. The original application by the applicant will be reviewed and if there are additional questions or verifications needed from the client,the client will receive written notification. After all information has been collected, the eligibility information will be given to a neutral third party selected by the City Manger for review and final determination. The application will receive written verification of the disposition of the application.
Questions/Comments
Staff members are always interested in answering any questions you may have and also appreciate written comments or suggestions regarding the provision of service.
Riders who have complaints regarding the service may contact the office
for a complaint form. If the individual needs to have the complaint form
in an accessible format, please specify the format needed at the time of
the
request. If the complaint is immediate, please contact the Handivan Coordinator.
All Calls and complaints are held confidential unless the individual or
individuals involved specify otherwise in writing.
Please feel free to call the office (309/345-3686) at any time during business hours to speak with or schedule a time to meet with the Handivan Coordinator.