HALF FARE is a fare discount program for individuals who receive Medicare benefits. The program allows the individuals to ride the regular fixed-route system for half the regular fare.
Applying
The individual needs to bring a Medicare card to the transit office. A transit staff member will prepare a Half Fare identification card for the individual.
What Happens Next?
Upon boarding the bus, the individual must present the card to the bus operator. The operator will permit the individual to ride the bus for half the regular fare.
SENIOR TAR HEEL
Senior Tar Heel is a fare discount program for individuals age 60 and over. The program allows the individuals to ride the regular fixed-route system for half the regular fare.
Applying
The Individual needs to bring proof of his/her age to the Human Relations department (located on the first floor of the City Administrative Complex). A staff member will prepare a Senior Tar Heel identification card for the individual.
What Happens Next?
Upon boarding the bus, the individual must present the card to the bus operator. The operator will permit the individual to ride the bus for half the regular fare.
S.N.A.P. (Special Needs Awareness Program)
S.N.A.P. is the half-fare program for individuals who have disabilities that make it difficult, but not impossible, for them to ride the regular fixed-route system.
Applying
In order to qualify for the half-fare, individuals need to complete Part I of the S.N.A.P. application. Part II of the application must be completed and signed by a medical professional who is familiar with the individual. The completed application should be returned to Tar River Transit.
What Happens Next?
The Transit Administrator will review the entire application, and determine whether the applicant is eligible for the S.N.A.P. program.
Eligible
Once the Transit Administrator has determined that the applicant is eligible, an approval packet is sent to the individual.
- Letter of Eligibility
- S.N.A.P. Identification Card
Not Eligbile
If the Transit Administrator determines that the individual is not eligible for the S.N.A.P. program, a denial letter is sent to the applicant. The applicant has thirty (30) days from receipt of the letter to appeal the decision to the Assistant City Manager responsible for oversight of Tar River Transit. The Assistant City Manager's decision is final.
HALF FARE is a fare discount program for individuals who receive Medicare benefits. The program allows the individuals to ride the regular fixed-route system for half the regular fare.
DARTS (Dial-A-Ride Transportation Services)
DARTS is the federally mandated complementary paratransit service offered by Tar River Transit. The program provides transportation services to individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities that prevent them from riding the regular accessible bus service offered by Tar River Transit. Eligibility for the program is determined through a two part process:
- Completed application
- In-person assessment by medical professional
Application
The application is a two page self description of the individual and his/her abilities and disabilities. A third page is a form granting permission for a medical professional who is familiar with the individual and his/her medical condition. All three pages must be completed before the application will be accepted by Tar River Transit.
In-Person Assessment
Once the application is accepted at Tar River Transit a twenty one (21) day clock begins. The application is forwarded to a professional therapist who is trained to evaluate how an individual's disability may impact his/her ability to perform functions necessary to travel from his/her origin to a bus stop, board the bus, ride the bus, determine where to deboard, deboard the bus, and travel from the bus stop to his/her destination. In addition to the disability, conditions that may be considered are the physical terrain (e.g. steep hills, no sidewalks, inadequate protected street crossings) and weather (rain, snow, ice, cold, or heat).
The therapist will call and arrange to come to the applicant's home (or other mutually agreed upon location) to evaluate him or her. The therapist will ask questions that may be similar to those completed on the application. The questions are designed to help Tar River Transit determine whether the applicant is eligible for the DARTS program. The assessment usually lasts approximately thirty (30) minutes. While in the area the therapists will take note of the availability of sidewalks, curb ramps, and location of and distance to closest bus stop.
What Happens Next?
The therapists makes a recommendation based on the information in the application and the information collected in the in-person assessment. She sends her recommendations back to Tar River Transit.
The Transit Administrator will then review the entire application followed by the therapist's recommendations. The Transit Adminsitrator will then determine whether the applicant is eligible for the DARTS program.
Eligible
Once the Transit Administrator has determined that the applicant is eligible, an approval packet is sent to the individual.
- Letter of Eligibility
- DARTS Identification Card
- DARTS Program Guidelines
- DARTS No-Show Policy
- Sample Sheet Showing How to Complete the Trip Coupons
- DARTS Wait Time Guidelines
Conditional Eligibility
The Transit Administrator may determine that the applicant is conditionally eligible for the DARTS program. This means that the applicant may use the DARTS program only under certain conditions. The conditions for use may limit service to trips to certain locations, trips only on inclement weather days, trips when medical conditions may be worse on certain days.
Example: Ms. Jones has a medical condition that prohibits her from standing in excessive heat and humidity even for short periods of time.
Trip #1: It is August, and the temperature is 96º F with 90% relative humidity. The bus stop is 2 blocks from her house. Ms. Jones is eligible to use the DARTS service today, because the temperature and humidity prevent her from walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus.
Trip #2: It is January, and the temperature is 47º F with 25% relative humidity. Ms. Jones would not be eligible to use the DARTS service today, because the temperature and humidity do not affect her ability to walk to the bus stop and wait for the bus.
Not Eligbile
If the Transit Administrator determines that the individual is not eligible for the DARTS program, a denial letter is sent to the applicant. The applicant has thirty (30) days from receipt of the letter to appeal the decision to the Assistant City Manager responsible for oversight of Tar River Transit. The Assistant City Manager's decision is final.
Applicants denied eligibility for the DARTS program will be given the chance to apply for the S.N.A.P. program. This recognizes that the individual does have a disability, but it only makes it difficult, not impossible to ride the regular bus system. The indiviudal only needs to complete Part I of the S.N.A..P. application and return it to Tar River Transit.
For individuals who are not eligible to use the DARTS service but do not know how to use the fixed route bus system, travel training is available. Travel training is one-on-one training or may be group training on how to use the fixed-route system. Travel training teaches individuals how to recognize bus stop signs, how to read the bus schedule, how to ride the bus, how to let the driver know that he/she wishes to exit the bus, and even what to do if he/she gets confused or lost. Someone from the transit staff will work with the individual to help them plan his/her trips and make practice trips with the individual to help them become comfortable with the system. For individuals with vision impairments Tar River Transit will work with the mobility specialist of the individual's choice to aid him/her in locating bus stops and riding the bus.
DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program)
DBE means a small business concern which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, or in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it.
Socially and economically disadvantaged individuals means those individuals who are citizens of the United States (or lawfully admitted permanent residents) and who are:
- Black Americans, which includes persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
- Hispanic Americans, which includes persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race.
- Native Americans, which includes persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts or Native Hawaiians.
- Asian Pacific Americans, which includes persons whose origins are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Samoa, Guam, the U. S. Trust Territories of the Pacific, and the Northern Marianas.
- Asian Indian Americans, which includes persons whose origins are from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
- Women, regardless of race, ethnicity, or origin.
- Other individuals found to be socially and economically disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration (SBA) pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act.
The following resource centers will be utilized as needed:
- Eastern North Carolina Minority Business Council (ENMBC)
P.O. Box 1432
Rocky Mount, NC 27802 - North Carolina Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 25201
Raleigh, NC 27611-5201 - Civil Rights Officer
US DOT - FTA
1720 Peachtree Road, NW.
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30309 404-347-3948
Certification Procedures
To ensure that its DBE program benefits only firms owned and controlled by minorities or women, The City of Rocky Mount shall certify the eligibility of DBEs and joint ventures involving DBEs that are named as competitors using the attached Schedules A and B in accordance with Sections 23.51 and 23.53 and Appendices B and C of 49 CFR Part 23. DBEs not part of a joint venture should complete Schedule A. Joint ventures that include DBE companies should complete Schedule B. The City of Rocky Mount will accept certifications made by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Small Business Administration. The City of Rocky Mount shall require their prime contractors to make good faith efforts to replace a DBE subcontractor that is unable to perform successfully with another DBE. The City of Rocky Mount shall approve all substitutions of subcontractors before bid opening and during contract performance, in order to ensure that the substitute firms are eligible DBEs.
To verify the eligibility of DBEs the following documentation will be required:
- Signature cards for deposits;
- Articles of Incorporation;
- Stock transfer registration information (if applicable);
- tax returns from the previous two (2) years; and
- resumés of principal owners;
In addition the City of Rocky Mount may also evaluate loan agreements, vehicle ownership, and whose name(s) are on the licenses needed for the business.
An on-site inspection of the office and/or operating facility as well as an interview of the owner(s) will be conducted gathering information on the daily control and operation of the business. There will be an analysis of bonding capacity, financial capacity, and type of work preferred.
DBEs certified by other DOT assisted entities may provide proof of eligibility under that entities certification procedures. Small business concerns certified under the Section 8(a) of the SBA will be accepted.
Once certification has been approved the business/individual will be notified that is has been certified and the duration of the certification. If the certification has been denied the business/individual will be notified of the grounds for the denial in sufficient detail to permit the applicant to make the necessary adjustments and apply for certification at a later date.
Certification Appeals Process- A business/individual that believes that it has been wrongly denied certification on the basis of a determination under The City of Rocky Mount certification process may file an appeal with the Department of Transportation.
- An adversely affected party to a proceeding under Section 23.69, challenging the presumption of social and economic disadvantage of an owner of a business that is certified or that seeks certification, may also file an appeal under these procedures.
- During the appeal process, The City of Rocky Mount's determination that the business/individual is or is not a DBE remains in effect unless otherwise advised by the Department of Transportation in writing.
- The appeal must be filed not later than 180 days after a final determination has been made by The City of Rocky Mount;
- Following submission of an appeal, the Department will conduct an investigation pursuant to the Department's Title VI investigation procedures; and
- The Secretary will make one of the following determinations:
- The DBE or joint venture is certified;
- The DBE or joint venture is not eligible to be certified or to participate as a DBE in DOT-assisted contracts and procurements until a new application for certification is formally approved by The City of Rocky Mount; or
- The challenged party in a proceeding under Section 23.69 is or is not socially and economically disadvantaged.
For more information, email todd.gardner@rockymountnc.gov or telephone 252-972-1174.