TRANSPORTATION FOR TRANSITION PACKET A Project of the Scott County, , Transition Advisory Board

Thank you to the following people who assisted in developing this packet:

Becky Passman, Project Manager/Iowa Transit Coordinator, Bi-State Regional Commission Steve Swisher, Director of Business Development, River Bend Transit Lori Brown, Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency

Packet contents:  Glossary of transit terms. Use for vocabulary development!  Overview of Transit Systems in the Quad-Cities. To help you get started!  Overview of River Bend Transit, including para transit information  Points for Class Discussions and Activities  Route Maps & Schedules overview. To help you plan routes!  Sample City routes from each high school in Scott County  Transportation Skill lists to continually assess student skills. And to help write goals!

This packet is intended to help schools and community agencies understand and teach the use of public transportation for persons with disabilities. After high school, the ability to in the community as independently as possible is essential for adult living, learning and working. Please request a Rider’s Guide if you do not already have one, to assist your efforts in teaching transportation skills to your students and clients. Call 309-793-6302, ext 144 to get a supply for your school, or get individual copies at bus terminals or city halls in Davenport or Bettendorf. The Rider’s Guide is an extremely valuable resource!

For further information on the transportation topic, consider visiting the following websites: www.qctransit.com (For information on all Quad-City area public transportation) www.projectaction.org/initiatives/youthtransportation.aspx (An Easter Seals project to help schools meet the needs of students with disabilities)

February 2013

Transit Systems in the Quad Cities: Descriptions & General Information (Please see Iowa QC Transit Rider's Guide for more in-depth and complete information)

The Quad Cities is served by three separate fixed route transit systems:

 Bettendorf Transit, a City-provided service which operates as a division of the Bettendorf Public Works Department,  Davenport CitiBus, a City-provided service which operates as a division of the Davenport Public Works Department, and  MetroLINK (Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass ), the Illinois Quad Cities system serving Rock Island County, which operates as an independent entity with taxing authority.

These systems work together in many ways so that riders can travel throughout the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities:

 All three systems connect so that riders can use all three systems as needed to reach their destinations o Davenport CitiBus and Bettendorf Transit connect at the Bettendorf Hub and at the Hy- Vee on Utica Ridge Rd. and 53rd St.; o Davenport and Metro connect at 16th St. and Third Ave. in Rock Island o Bettendorf and Metro connect at Centre Station in Moline (16th St. & River Drive)

 If you have to use two or more systems to get where you are trying to go, you can transfer between systems. If you need a transfer, tell your driver when you board (ex. "I need a transfer to Route ___"): o Transfers between Davenport and Bettendorf are free (unless Davenport CitiPass is used, then rider pays full when Bettendorf bus) o Davenport to Metro: 5¢ o Metro to Davenport: 10¢ o Davenport CitiBus to Bettendorf Transit to Metro: 30¢ (pay Bettendorf, Route 1) o Metro to Bettendorf Transit to Davenport CitiBus: 30¢ (pay Bettendorf, Route 1)

 On all three QC systems: o Fare is $1 per ride. Seniors, Disabled, and Medicare Cardholders pay 50¢ per ride.  Page 9 of the Iowa QC Rider's Guide explains how to go about applying for an Iowa system half fare ID card  Be sure to have the exact amount of cash -- drivers do not make change. o $30 Universal Bus Pass (the QC PassPORT) is good for unlimited rides for a calendar month on all three systems (also includes The Loop riverfront circulator); o Riders can board the bus at a OR the bus can be flagged down anywhere along the route. Here's how:  Stand at a SAFE location, on the corner, with any cross street behind you (bus cannot stop in an intersection)  Make sure you are on the SIDE of the street (side where the bus doors are located)  When you see the bus coming, hold up your arm and give the drive a WAVE o Riders can get off the bus anywhere along the route. Simply pull the cord by the window 1 or 2 blocks in advance. This makes the "stop requested" sign light up and alerts the driver. o All QC are equipped with easy-to-use bike racks for bike and bus. There is no extra charge for bikes. o All QC buses have a farebox into which fare is deposited o All buses are wheelchair accessible, having either a ramp or a lift.  Iowa Quad Cities transit systems run Monday through Saturday, with fewer Saturday service hours.  Davenport CitiBus charges NO FARE on Saturdays. CitiBus named this feature "Green Saturdays" and they do it to help encourage people to use the bus.  IN DAVENPORT ONLY - K through 12 Davenport School system students can ride CitiBus at no charge by showing their school ID. The ID acts as a bus pass.

Transit: Glossary of Terms

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

Demand Response: On a fixed route, this refers to service to a particular location that is by request only. This is generally done when the transit system wants to provide some service to a specific location but cannot do so on a regular basis. These limited service areas are identified on the route map along with instructions on how to use the service for both drop off and pick up.

Paratransit: The Federal Transit Administration says that transit providers are required to provide "complementary" to destinations within 3/4 mile of all fixed routes during hours which mirror that of the fixed route service. Complementary paratransit service is required for who are: 1) Unable to navigate the public bus system, 2) Unable to get to a point from which they could board the bus, or 3) Have a temporary need for these services because of an injury or some type of limited duration cause of disability. Note: River Bend Transit provides the paratransit services for both Bettendorf and Davenport transit systems.

Bus Stop: Specific locations along bus routes where people can catch the bus, identified by either a bus stop sign or a bus shelter.

Route: The set path along which the bus for each trip from one place to another. Some bus routes make more of a circle (examples: all Bettendorf routes, CitiBus Route 10B/10R, CitiBus Route 15); some bus routes are mostly up and back along the same line (example: CitiBus Route 22).

Fare: The money that is paid, or how much it costs, to take a trip on public transportation (the bus).

Farebox: A metal box into which passengers deposit money for the bus ride. It is located next to the driver in the front of the bus, just inside the doors where passengers enter.

Transfer: A slip of paper given to a rider by the driver when more than one bus is needed to complete one trip. The transfer acts as your "fare" when you board the next bus. If you need a transfer, you must let your driver know this WHEN YOU BOARD.

Destination Sign: Buses have two lighted signs: one above the front windshield and one by the door where riders board the bus. These signs identify the bus by route and final destination, so riders can check to make sure they are boarding the correct bus.

Route Maps and Schedules:

Time Points tell you what time the bus will be at a given location as it travels along the route. From this information you can estimate when to expect the bus at your location.

Connection / Transfer Points 1 indicate locations where buses from different routes or systems meet and transfers can be made. The pale yellow "Connections" box(es) shown on the route maps list the specific routes that make connections at those locations.

Directional arrows indicate which direction the bus is traveling along the route. Use this information to make sure you are on the correct side of the street (the passenger side) to "flag down" and catch the bus.

Route Service Information box further identifies the route and provides hours of service and how often the bus runs (service frequency).

Places along the route are indicated in several areas:

 Some locations are identified by name on the route map  They may be listed in the "What's on the route?" section (located above the schedule)  The "What Route is it on?" section organizes places of interest into categories (for example: groceries; parks; public service ; schools) and lists on what route(s) they are located. Davenport index begins on page 44 of the Iowa QC Transit Rider's Guide; Bettendorf index begins on page 64.

RIVER BEND TRANSIT

The mission of River Bend Transit (RBT) goal is to provide safe, affordable, flexible and efficient public transit services for members of the general public, persons with disabilities and seniors. RBT provides services that help eliminate transit barriers, advancing personal independence, socialization and opportunity. Since 1978 RBT has explored, innovated and improved the accessibility of services by increasing the opportunity for mobility with coordinated urban and rural services.

For over 34 years RBT has fulfilled transit needs for residents of Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine and Scott County. The service area is 2,175 square miles, much of it is rural. Sixteen of Iowa’s public systems are regionals and nineteen are fixed routes. Within the rural community two characteristics sets RBT regional transit apart. (1) Service is scheduled into manageable zones. Not every community within a zone is served each day but all communities receive service a minimum of once per week. (2) All service is scheduled by appointment and provided from the caller’s origin to destination. Every transit vehicle is equipped to offer lift or ramp service.

In Scott County and specifically within Davenport and Bettendorf a service is available that provides transit that exceeds the minimum Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The “New Freedom Initiative” is designed to mitigate the gaps within the Para Transit model. Service is available outside the ¾ mile fixed route corridor. There is daily service across jurisdictional boundaries. There is no application for services. There is door-to-door service. The weakness, it’s scheduled by time and space availability. A trip request may be denied if time and space do not allow.

Davenport and Bettendorf provides Complimentary Para Transit service under a contract with River Bend Transit. Para Transit resulted from the 1990 ADA law and the 2008 ADA Amendments Act. Briefly, when a city provides a fixed route service an equivalent form of service must be available for people having physical or mental disability. This is not specifically a transit law but is a civil rights law forbidding discrimination against people having disabilities. To qualify for Para Transit Service an application is required. Having qualified, a rider may not be denied service unless a request is made for same day service, 24 hours or less.

Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) is operation daily providing transportation for people earning low or moderate income. JARC provides transit to places of employment, training, school and supportive services. JARC operates at times when other public service is not available to un-served or infrequently served destinations within the Iowa Quad-Cities. An application is required for JARC Quad Cities. JARC is a time and space available service. In addition, an employment shuttle to Mount Joy/APAC and an early Saturday A.M. Davenport route is available. No application is required for either. Non-Emergency Medical Transportation for people enrolled in Medicaid is available through a State brokered system. Qualified Medicaid recipients are eligible. The ride is guaranteed by the transit broker. Contact TMS at 866-572-7662 for information. There is no fare for the rider.

The Iowa Department of Education has certified RBT to provide school busing services for students with disabilities. School administrators qualify riders for the program. Each transit vehicle in the program undergoes twice yearly school bus inspections.

RBT operates limited Sunday Service from 8:00 A.M – 2:00 PM for people needing early trips to work, church etc.

For further information contact River Bend Transit at 563-386-7484 or 800-292-8959.

POINTS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION & ACTIVITIES

Basic information a student should know before riding the city bus:

 What is your address? (include city, state, and zip code)  Contact person and telephone number?

Street safety:

 If you want to cross the street, what must you do first (before you cross)?  What is a stop sign?  What are traffic lights?  If you are at an intersection with a stop sign, when is it safe to cross the street  If you are at an intersection with a traffic light, when is it safe to cross the street?

Prior bus experience:

 Have you ever taken the bus with someone or alone?  How often do you use the bus?  Where do you go on the bus?

Paying for bus ride:

 How much does it cost to ride the bus?  Where do you get a bus pass or token?  If you do not have a bus pass or token, can you use money for your fare? Must you have exact change or will the driver give you change back?  What is a bus transfer ? When do you need to get one? How do you get it? How do you use it?  What is a reduced or half-fare card ID? How do you apply for one?

Bus safety:

 Do you have a list of emergency contact numbers with you or in your school bag? How will you contact your family in an emergency?  Suppose you are inside a city bus on your way to school. A passenger sits next to you and starts to bother you. What would you do?  Suppose you are waiting for your bus at a bus stop. You went into a nearby shop to buy a candy bar. When you returned, you realized that you missed your bus. What would you do?  There is no bus stop sign close by along the route where you want to catch the bus. How do you know what side of the street to stand on? Where do you stand?

Planning a bus ride:

 Using the , how many (routes) are there in the Iowa transit system (Davenport CitiBus + Bettendorf Transit)?  How do you figure out what time to watch for the bus at any point along the route?  If you are inside the bus, and you need to get off soon, how do you let the know?  Describe how you go home (or another safe location) using the bus.

Sample City Bus Routes

Here are sample city bus routes that have been preplanned for you. There is a sample route from each of the Scott County high schools to a location on the bus route closest to each school. The routes have been planned using the Iowa Quad Cities Transit Rider’s Guide 2012.

 You can use this sample route to ride with your students to a place in the community.  The routes do not have transfers to a second bus.  Many routes were able to be planned without street crossings.  Route information for each school is listed first, followed by a sample route that includes times.  All sample routes are round trip routes, so you must stay at the location until the next bus comes to take you back.  You may use the route as planned or you may choose to take an earlier or later bus to best fit your school bell schedule.

Happy riding!

Davenport North High School

Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 6 Bus Stop: high school drive way and 53rd Street Time: 35 min after the hour Destination: Fareway Time: 21 min after hour (Shorter route available if you are willing to cross 53rd Street)

Sample Plan:

North High School Bus Route: Route 6 Bus stop: high school drive way and 53rd street Time: 9:35am Destination: Fareway Get off at: 53rd street in front of Fareway Time off: 10:21am

Return trip:

Bus: Route 6 Bus stop: 53rd Street in front of Fareway Time: 11:21am Destination: North High School Get off at: North high school drive way and 53rd Street Time off: 11: 35am

Davenport West High School

Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 3 Bus Stop: in front of high school along Locust Time: 30 minutes after the hour Destination: HyVee on Locust and Lincoln Time: 20 minutes and 35minutes after the hour

Sample Plan:

West High School Bus Route: Route 3 Bus Stop: in front of high school along Locust Time: 9:30am Destination: HyVee on West Locust and Lincoln Get off at: HyVee Time off: 9:35am

Return Trip:

Bus: Route 3 Bus Stop: in front of HyVee Time: 10:20am Destination: West High School Get off at: West High School, in front of school along Locust Time off: 10:30am

Davenport Central High School

Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 4 Bus stop: west side of Harrison-you will need to cross Time: 17 and 47 minutes after the hour Destination: North Park Mall Get off at the mall: drops off by Von Maur Mall Entrance Time off: 17 and 47 minutes after the hour

Return Trip: Bus: Route 4 Bus stop: Get on outside Von Maur Mall Entrance Time: 10 and 40 after the hour Destination: Central High School Get off at: Central High School-West side of Harrison Time off: 17 and 47 after the hour

Sample Plan:

Central High School Bus: Route 4 Bus stop: west side of Harrison-you will need to cross Time: 11:17am Destination: North Park Mall Get off at: Mall-Mall entrance across from Von Maur Time off: 11:47am

Return Trip:

North Park Mall Bus stop: Mall entrance across from Von Maur Time: 12:40pm Destination: Central High School Get off at: Central High School-West side of Harrison Time off: 12:47pm

Davenport Kimberly Center:

Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 2 Bus stop: Intersection of Marquette St. and Kimberly Rd. Time: Inbound (to GTC) 35 min after the hour (On Kimberly Rd, east of Marquette St.) Out bound (from GTC) 20 after the hour (SE corner) Destination: Subway on Locust and Marquette (there is also a Whitey’s and an Italian place by Subway)

Sample Route:

Kimberly Center Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 2 (Inbound) Bus stop: On Kimberly Rd, east of Marquette St. Time: 10:35am Destination: Subway at Marquette and Locust Get off at: Locust and Marquette Time off: 10:50am

Return Trip:

Subway at Locust and Marquette Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 2 Bus stop: Locust and Marquette Time: 11:50am Destination: Kimberly Center Get off at: SE corner of Marquette and Kimberly Rd Time off: 12:25 pm

*Note: there is a shorter return route if you cross to the SE corner of Marquette and Locust, get on the bus at 11:10am and get to Marquette and Kimberly at 11:25am

North Scott High School

Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 4 Bus stop: Welcome Way Hub (on the West side of Welcome Way, near North Park Mall—can park in the North Park Mall parking lot right by the bus shelter) Time: 20 and 50 minutes after the hour Destination: Eastern Avenue Library Time: 45 and 15 minutes after the hour

Sample route:

North Scott High School (you must drive to the Welcome Way Hub to use this sample route in order to not have to transfer) Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 4 Bus stop: Welcome Way Hub Time: 10:20am Destination: Eastern Avenue Library Get off at: Library Time off: 10:45am

Return Trip:

Eastern Ave Library Bus Route: Davenport Citibus Route 4 Bus stop: Library Time: 11:15am Destination: Welcome Way Hub Get off at: Hub Time off: 11:38am

Bettendorf High School:

Bus Route: Bettendorf Route 3 Time: 28 and 58 minutes after the hour Bus stop: bus shelter across Maplecrest near medical center (Call ahead for a pick up at the south doors of the high school) Destination: HyVee Time off: 33 and 3 minutes after the hour

Sample Plan

Bettendorf High School Bus Route: Bettendorf Route 3 Time: 9:28am Bus stop: bus shelter across Maplecrest near medical center (Call ahead by 9am for a pick up at the south doors of the high school) Destination: HyVee on Devils Glen and Middle Road Time off: 9:33am

Return trip:

HyVee Bus Route: Route 3 Bus Stop: HyVee—outside produce door Time: 10:03am Destination: Bettendorf High School Get off at: Bettendorf High School—ask driver to be let off at the high school Time off: 10:28am

Pleasant Valley High School

Bus Route: Bettendorf Route 4 Bus stop: across from school—cross Belmont Time: 27 and 57 minutes after the hour Destination: Taco Bell Time: 29 and 59 minutes after the hour

Sample Plan:

Pleasant Valley High School Bus Route: Bettendorf Route 4 Bus stop: across from school—cross Belmont at light by school Time: 11:27am Destination: Taco Bell Get off at: driveway to Taco Bell on Middle Rd. Time off: 11:29am

Return trip:

Taco Bell Bus Route: Bettendorf Route 4 Bus stop: driveway to Taco Bell on Middle Rd. Time: 11:58am Destination: Pleasant Valley High School Get off at: across from school on Belmont Time off: 12:28pm Transportation Skill Lists

City bus skills (fixed route bus): 1. Use bus schedule or call to plan bus route 2. Record bus plan, use written bus plan 3. Locate the city bus stop (may use step by step directions) 4. Arrive at bus stop early 5. Confirm bus name/route before boarding 6. Board, pay, locate seat 7. Communicate needs to the driver 8. Transfer 9. Exit at correct stop 10. Travel to destination after getting off

Paratransit skills:

1. Call to schedule paratransit ride 2. Write appointment in planner 3. Arrive at bus stop early 4. Confirm paratransit before boarding 5. Board, pay driver, and locate seat 6. Communicate with driver (destination, return time, and location) 7. Confirm stop 8. Enter destination 9. Return to bus stop on time for return trip 10. Ride paratransit back, repeating above skills

Suggested Bus Skills Rating System: Using the steps above: 0 points for skill not done 1 point for significant assistance with skill (3 or more prompts) 2 points for minimal assistance with skill (1-2 prompts) 3 points for independence on skill