ACCESS (ADA)

SERVICE & HOURS

ACCESS is a public transportation service that complements TRANSPO's regular fixed route service, and provides "curb-to-curb" paratransit service to individuals who qualify under the Americans Disability Act (deemed ADA-paratransit eligible). This means those persons residing within the city limits of South Bend or Mishawaka, who, by reason of disability, cannot access and/or utilize the regular fixed route service provided by TRANSPO.

Persons interested in ACCESS service must first complete an application for eligibility and, if deemed eligible, will be issued an identification card entitling them to service. Registration for service may take up to 21 days for approval, after receipt of completed application and medical certification, and is renewable every two years.

ACCESS service vehicles are equipped with power lifts to accommodate individuals with wheel chairs. ACCESS drivers provide limited assistance in boarding and alighting, unlike medical or ambulance-type service, in which additional assistance may be provided to the passenger. Scheduling is done in the most effective manner possible, so that more than one person may ride at any given time. Please call 234-1188 or 233-2131 for more information on this service.

Service Hours
ACCESS service is available from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

FARES

The ACCESS fare is double the regular fixed route fare for a one-way trip. Fare may be paid with cash or tokens purchased from TRANSPO. ACCESS drivers do not carry change, so exact fare is required when paying in cash.

A registered personal care attendant may accompany an ACCESS passenger at no charge. Guests may accompany the passenger, depending on space available, if requested and approved at the time of trip scheduling. Each guest will be charged the regular ACCESS fare.

ACCESS passengers must pay for each trip as it is taken. ACCESS is unable to allow trips to be charged, or to accept payment in advance for round trips.

SCHEDULING

Trip requests can be made by calling 234-1188 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. In emergency situations occurring after 5:00 p.m., call 532-6923. The after hours number cannot be used to accommodate trip requests.

Trip requests may be made up to 14 days in advance, but MUST be scheduled by 5:00 p.m. the day prior to travel. When requesting a trip, please provide your name, your ACCESS identification card number, desired pick-up time, origin address, and destination address. Trips are scheduled according to pick-up time, rather than by desired time of arrival at your destination. Please keep in mind that trip lengths vary, and it could take up to an hour to reach your destination.

Trips are scheduled one-way only. A second request is required to schedule a return trip. The ACCESS representative will confirm your trip status at the time of your request, or will telephone you back with this information. You may request up to two trips per call.

HELPFUL HINTS & TIPS

Remember that ACCESS registration cards must be renewed every two years from date of issue. Please contact ACCESS at 234-1188 for information about renewing your registration for service.

If you require the assistance of a personal care attendant, please indicate this on your application for service, and inform the ACCESS representative when you call to request your trip.

Please notify ACCESS of any changes in the status of your disability, or in its affect upon your ability to utilize fixed route serivce, for a redeterminiation of your eligibility.

If you need to cancel a trip, please notify ACCESS at least three hours in advance of the scheduled trip. Any cancellation less than three hours in advance will be considered a "no-show."

Not being at your stated point of origin, at your scheduled pick-up time will also be considered a no-show. Persons having three or more no-shows in any given month will be deemed ineligible for service for a period of 30 days.

Please be ready to board at your scheduled pick-up time. ACCESS drivers are unable to wait more than five minutes at any stop. Failure to appear within the five minute waiting period constitutes a no-show. Should you miss a scheduled pick-up, either at your point of origin, or at the destination to begin a return trip, ACCESS cannot guarantee that another trip can be provided.

ACCESS service is provided with special lift-equipped vans on a "curb-to-curb" shared ride basis. Curb-to-curb service means that the ACCESS vehicle and operator will wait for clients at the curb nearest to their home (or other point of origin) and at their destination. ACCESS operators will not be able to assist clients from the curb to the doorway of their destination. Getting to the vehicle, parked at the curb, and getting to the doorway of their chosen destination remains the client's responsibility.

For safety reasons, ACCESS drivers provide limited assistance only, such as in the guiding of a mobility device. Drivers may only assist persons in any mobility device on and off the vehicle lift and stairs. Passengers are responsible for maintaining safe access to their point of origin and destination.

ACCESS cannot provide service to areas that are snow covered or icy. If an area is not sufficiently clear, it may pose a hazard to both the passenger and the driver. In such cases, a trip may have to be cancelled.

ACCESS may refuse service to any individual who exhibits disregard for his/her safety, or that of other passengers, or who interferes in the safe operation of any ACCESS vehicle.

Please have correct fare ready when boarding, as ACCESS drivers do not carry change. ACCESS is unable to allow trips to be charged.

To request service, or for general information, please call ACCESS at 234-1188 or mail us at
     ACCESS
     901 E. Northside Blvd.
     P.O. Box 1437
     South Bend, IN 46624