If you have become eligible for paratransit and are looking for some helpful tips on how to use the system here is a brief overview of the things you will want to know to get the most out of the service. If you are looking for information on eligibility, click here to go to our page on eligibility. The City of Santa Rosa uses a contractor (MV Transportation) to schedule and provide all ADA paratransit trips.
Scheduling a Trip
You can schedule a paratransit trip over the phone by calling (707) 546-1999 or TTY Relay: 711 or emailing your request to Mohamed Hag Ali at mhagali@mvtransit.com. Reservations can be made from 8:00 AM until 5:00PM Monday through Saturday, and from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM on Sunday.
Things to Know Before Scheduling Your Trip
- Trips are scheduled on a “first come, first served” basis. An unlimited number of trips can be reserved from one day to seven days in advance.
- Same day trip request will be accommodated, if possible, but due to high ridership, this is rarely feasible.
- Santa Rosa does not use a “waiting list”. All trip requests made at least one day in advance are accommodated within the scheduling parameters of the Federal ADA regulations.
- We never prioritize based on trip purpose.
- If you require a transfer to another paratransit provider, please provide an additional day per transfer to allow for coordination between providers.
- The ADA Paratransit service is a shared ride so you may have additional passengers with you.
- Trips planned during our peak service time, 7am-9am and 3pm-6pm, may be longer trips, due to high demand by all paratransit riders. If you plan your trip between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, there are fewer people traveling during these times so your trip will likely be shorter.
Helpful Tips for Scheduling Your Trip
- Before calling Santa Rosa Paratransit make sure you know the date and time of your trip, the complete street address (including apartment or suite number), the phone number at your destination, and the time you will be ready to return (if you want a round trip).
- If your request is for a busy time of the day (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM), call to make your reservation as far in advance as possible, seven days in advance maximum.
- If you have time flexibility in your trip, please let the Santa Rosa Paratransit schedulers know this at the
beginning of your call.
Why is my trip time being “negotiated”?
Due to the fact paratransit is a shared service and there are often times when demand is high our schedulers may negotiate the time when you will be picked up. Federal regulations allow for the “negotiation window” to be one (1) hour before, plus one (1) hour after the individual’s desired departure time (total of two-hour window). At no time will the City of Santa Rosa paratransit deny you a trip within this negotiation window. Trip denials should be reported to the City of Santa Rosa by calling (707) 543-3333. Santa Rosa paratransit does not prioritize flexible or constrained trips as described below; these are just two different ways to negotiate your pick-up window.
Trip with a Flexible Purpose (Shopping or recreation)
Trip with a Constrained Purpose (Classes, work, any appointments)
Santa Rosa Paratransit will ensure that you arrive at most one hour before you appointment. We always strive to make sure you arrive before your appointment start time.
How do I pay for my trip?
Passengers are expected to pay the full $3.00 fare for every one-way trip. Trips can be paid directly to the driver with the exact fare, drivers do not make change. Riders are encouraged to purchase “virtual tickets”. These tickets come in blocks of 10, are available to use on the next business day after noon, cannot be lost, and are tracked by Santa Rosa Paratransit. Riders can also purchase paper tickets in booklets of 10 online, but it will take 4-6 days to arrive in the mail and lost tickets cannot be replaced. Purchase tickets online by clicking here. You can purchase paper and virtual over the phone with a credit card by calling at (707) 543-3333 or TTY Relay 711. If you wish to purchase tickets with cash, check, or card visit the kiosk at the Transit Mall on Santa Rosa Ave. at Second Street.
What do I need to do to if I need to transfer to another service?
Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Transit are piloting a “one-seat ride” program for paratransit. This means that if you are traveling areas just outside of Santa Rosa you may not need to transfer to Sonoma County Paratransit. You can use this map to see if your trip will be a one-seat ride.
If your planned trip is outside of Sonoma County it is very important when scheduling the trip that you advise Santa Rosa Paratransit of your complete travel needs at least two days in advance or if making three transfers, at least three days in advance of the day of your trip. This timing allows for Santa Rosa Paratransit to effectively coordinate the trip and provide you with all the correct information about your trip once it has been scheduled. Santa Rosa Paratransit will book your trip all the way through, but it is advised that you know the contact information for each paratransit operator you will use in case there are issues with that portion of the trip.
Can someone travel with me on my trip?
The short answer is, yes. Personal care attendants (PCA) and guest are welcome on the trip. Eligible riders, whose card identifies the need for a PCA, can be joined by one PCA free of charge. The one PCA can be a friend or family member. Additional friends or family members may ride on a space available basis, but they must pay a full fare. Children four years and younger ride free, this is limited to three children with each paratransit eligible rider. Santa Rosa Paratransit schedulers must be informed of the total number of people taking the trip when the trip is scheduled. Everyone traveling with the Paratransit client is required to travel with the registrant from the same trip origin to the same trip destination. An ADA eligible individual may not schedule a trip then send an escort or aide on a trip alone.
How can the driver assist me during my trip?
Drivers are required to assist registrants on and off the bus and to safely secure mobility aids. If the registrant requests, drivers will escort registrants to and from the front door of the primary building upon arrival at both origin and destination with the following limitations:
- Paratransit drivers cannot enter any interior area of a home or apartment.
- Paratransit drivers can never lose sight of a Paratransit vehicle or leave a vehicle unsupervised with passengers aboard.
- Drivers cannot assist passengers in wheelchairs or other mobility devices up more than one step.
The ADA does not recognize a difference between door-to-door service and curb-to-curb service. The ADA
recognizes origin to destination service only. Drivers are prohibited from doing any lifting, pushing, or pulling to accommodate barriers. Any barriers that might risk the health or safety of the passenger, Santa Rosa Paratransit staff. or volunteers must be removed. If safe access is not available, Santa Rosa Paratransit will provide curb service ONLY.
Will a driver wait for me? What is a “pick-up window”?
Santa Rosa Paratransit will wait no more than five minutes for a passenger upon arriving at a scheduled pickup. If a paratransit vehicle arrives before the agreed upon time/pick-up window, the five-minute wait time does not begin until the agreed upon time. Santa Rosa Paratransit will always attempt to contact the rider, prior to departing the location without the passenger.
All passengers are expected to be ready at their scheduled pickup time to prevent other passengers from facing avoidable delays. To account for traffic irregularities, Santa Rosa Paratransit is considered “on time” when the Paratransit vehicle arrives up to thirty minutes after the agreed upon scheduled pick-up time. Please plan your trip with this 30-minute flexibility in mind. If the Paratransit vehicle arrives more than 31 minutes late and is clearly outside the pick-up window, there will be no charge for that trip if you choose to take the trip. Riders can reach the operation at (707) 546-1999 to check on an existing ride during all operating hours.
What if I need to cancel my trip?
Call Santa Rosa Paratransit as soon as possible if you need to cancel your reservation. By cancelling well in advance, you help Santa Rosa Paratransit improve service to all customers. Cancellations made less than two hours in advance of a scheduled pickup time are considered a no-show.
A no-show happens when a rider does not cancel a scheduled trip at least two hours in advance or are not available to board within five minutes of the vehicle’s arrival within the pickup window. If, for some reason, Santa Rosa Paratransit arrives after your 31-minute pickup window and you have made other arrangements or cancelled your ride, it is not considered a no-show. Santa Rosa Paratransit will attempt to contact the passenger when a no-show occurs. Riders can avoid no-show situations when they:
- Review times and dates with the schedulers to be sure the information is correct.
- Call Santa Rosa Paratransit and cancel rides as soon as the ride is no longer needed.
- Cancel at least 2 hours in advance of the scheduled pickup time.
- Are prepared to board at the starting time of the pickup window and within 5 minutes after the bus arrives.
Santa Rosa Paratransit’s late cancellations/no-show policy is modeled in accordance with the industry standard. Its purpose is to ensure quality paratransit service. Abuse of the paratransit system affects the ability to provide paratransit services to other eligible clients. Every time a late cancellation/no-show occurs, it is recorded in the rider’s trip record. If you have more than two late cancellations/no-shows within any 30-day period, the rider’s trip record will be reviewed. If a pattern or practice of missed trips (at least two 30-day periods with more than two late cancellation/no-shows), repeated or intentional, is determined, the client will be warned (verbally and written/email). Continued violations may result in suspension of Santa Rosa Paratransit service (at least three 30-day periods with more than two late cancellation/no-shows).
How long will my trip take?
Complementary paratransit is a shared public transportation service for persons living with a disability. A maximum onboard travel time parameter is defined in accordance with ADA regulations. The City of Santa Rosa paratransit actively works to ensure there is not a pattern or proactive of excessively long trips, due to the fact that it would discourage and impact paratransit riders. It is important to understand that “excessive” is in comparison to the time required to make a similar trip using the fixed route system (including walking time to bus stop, waiting time, fixed route travel time, transfer time and walking time to final destination); while a 1-hour travel time for a 4-mile complementary paratransit trip may seem excessive in the abstract, if the same trip takes an hour using the fixed route system, it is comparable, not excessive. Complementary paratransit service is by nature a shared-ride service. The standard of service is not intended to reflect that of a taxi service.
Can I bring my mobility aid on the bus?
Santa Rosa Paratransit wants to ensure all persons using mobility aids and devises are transported safely. Santa Rosa CityBus staff can schedule one-on-one appointments to ensure that riders mobility aids and devises will fit on both paratransit and fixed route vehicles, just call us to schedule an appointment. Mobility aids and devices that cannot be safely secured with Santa Rosa Paratransit tie downs, or that are not safe to carry on the lift, will not be allowed on Santa Rosa CityBus vehicles. If using a scooter, it is strongly encouraged that you transfer to a seat if possible. If a rider needs assistance with transferring from a scooter or wheelchair to a seat, it is strongly encouraged that he/she bring along an aide/escort to perform this service. Passengers using mobility devices are required to use the provided lap belts. It is strongly recommended that the shoulder belts be used as well.
How big can my wheelchair or scooter be?
When purchasing a new wheelchair or scooter, clients should be sure if it will fit on Santa Rosa Paratransit
vehicles.
- Maximum Size: 48 inches long and 30 inches’ wide
- Maximum Weight: 600 pounds (including passenger)
Any wheelchair larger than this is considered oversized. Under ADA guidelines, Paratransit vehicles and equipment are designed to carry common wheelchairs which fit within these dimensions. A common wheelchair is defined as any three or four wheeled mobility devices up to 48 inches long by 30 inches wide and weighing no more than 600 pounds (including passenger).
Can my service animal ride with me?
Yes. A service animal is defined by the ADA as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to aid an
individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.
When scheduling a trip, please advise the scheduler that a service animal will be riding. The service animal must stay on the floor of the vehicle and be under control and well behaved at all times. Any service animal will be removed if it shows signs of aggression or any other inappropriate behavior such as urinating or defecating on the Paratransit vehicle.