Special Services Guide Shared-Ride (Paratransit) Program Information 610-921-2361 • www.bartabus.com Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority 1700 N. 11th Street, Reading, PA 19604 Updated November 2015 Table of Contents General Information . 3 Overview of BARTA Special Services . 4 Description of BARTA Special Services . 5 Senior Citizen Shared Ride Program . 7 ADA Complementary Program . 8 Medical Transportation Assistance Program . 10 Persons With Disabilities Program . 12 Getting Started . 13 Reservation Process . 14 Be Prepared for Your Trip . 15 Fares - How Much Do I Pay? . 16 Cancellations and No Show Policy . 17 Customer Etiquette . 19 Title VI Program . 20 Equal Employment Opportunity . 21 Senior Free Ride Program on BARTA . 22 Half Fare Program for Persons with Disabilities 23 2 General Information Customer Service Phone Hours Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) Special Services Shared Ride Phone Hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a .m . to 5:30 p .m ., 610-921-2361 TDD 610-921-1018 Toll Free 1-800-383-2278 On holidays, Saturdays and Sundays when BARTA offices are closed, please call 610- 921-2361 to leave a message or to schedule a trip eligible under ADA. Holiday Closings BARTA Special Services generally does not provide service on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day . Our Mission The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority exists to provide effective public transportation services to the citizens of Berks County and to perform these services at the highest standards of safety, courtesy, reliability and efficiency . Our Services The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority provides comprehensive public transportation services throughout Berks County . These include BARTA Transit, our fixed-route bus service that operates 20 routes; BARTA Special Services, our county- wide shared ride, paratransit service operated by BARTA and one private transportation provider . Our Board BARTA is governed by a five member Board appointed by the Berks County Commissioners . Regular public meetings are held every other month on the third Wednesday at the BARTA Main Facility, 1700 N . 11th Street, Reading at 6 pm . 3 Overview of BARTA Special Services What is shared-ride (paratransit) services? BARTA operates a shared-ride BARTA Special Services is not a (paratransit) program called BARTA "taxi" service and is not a non-stop Special Services for senior citizens ride for one person . BARTA Special and persons with disabilities in Berks Services does not provide emergency County . Services are also provided medical transportation services . in Montgomery County to residents within 10 miles of Berks County to BARTA Special Services offers many the Boyertown Multi-Service Senior programs for specific needs . There is Center if there is vehicle availability . an application process and reservation This door-to-door transportation requirements . The transportation service is available to those who is provided by BARTA and Easton are unable to use BARTA's fixed- Coach Co . route bus system . It is a shared-ride transportation service where trips This guide was created to help explain are grouped together depending the various programs available and upon their travel time and locations . to help communicate the various These services are usually sponsored guidelines and requirements for the by a human service agency or BARTA Special Services . the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation . 4 Description of BARTA Special Services Programs Senior Shared-Ride Program Senior Citizens who are 65 years of MATP Fixed-Route is for customers age or older are eligible . There is who live along an established bus route no restriction on purpose of the trip and are able to use the fixed-route bus . so seniors can travel for any kind of Customers are eligible for MATP Fixed trip: medical appointments, shopping, Route 20 - Trip Ticket . Physician and/ recreation, senior centers and more . or provider of service (i .e . pharmacy) There is a co-pay each time a senior verification is required . rides that averages about 15% of the total cost of the trip . MATP Mileage Reimbursement Customers who have Medical Medical Assistance Transportation Assistance and have access to private Program (MATP) vehicles but cannot meet their own County residents who have Medical transportation needs may be eligible for Assistance (hold an Access Card) the MATP Mileage Reimbursement and meet specific requirements are Program . This reimbursement will be eligible . The MATP Program at a specified rate per mile for travel provides free transportation to medical expenses . Physician and/or provider of appointments and any service that service (i .e . pharmacy) verification is Medical Assistance pays for including: required . therapies, tests, dental visits, trips to the pharmacy and trips to medical MATP Door-to-Door equipment suppliers . Customers who have Medical Assistance may be eligible for the Various transportation options are shared-ride transportation service available under the MATP Program provided by BARTA Special Services based on accessibility including: for medical trips . fixed-route transportation, mileage reimbursement and door-to-door service . 5 ADA Complementary Program (ADA) Individuals with a qualifying disability preventing them from riding a regular BARTA bus may use BARTA Special Services under the ADA program . The passenger must live or travel within 3⁄4 of a mile of a bus route. This service operates during the same days and same hours as the fixed-route service . This type of transportation can be used for any kind of trip: medical appointments, shopping, recreation, senior centers and more . The cost of a one-way ADA trip on the door-to-door service is typically twice the amount of the current fixed-route bus fare . Persons with Disabilities Program (PWD) Individuals with a disability are eligible for this program if they need transportation in areas (1) not served by the fixed-route (mostly rural areas), (2) not eligible for any other funding sources and (3) are between the ages of 18 - 64 . 6 Senior Citizen Shared-Ride Program Social Security Administration Scheduling a Trip Trip reservations may be scheduled by calling 610-921-2361 between 8:00 a .m . and 5:30 p .m ., Monday through Friday . Transportation is generally available Monday through Friday from 5:30 a .m . to 6:30 p .m . daily . Monday through Friday evening service from 6:30 p .m . to 10:30 p .m . is available for trips where the pick- up address and destination are located within 3/4 miles of fixed-route bus service . Saturday service is available 5:30 a .m . to Senior Citizen Shared-Ride Program 10:30 p .m . for trips where pick-up address Senior Citizens who are 65 years of age or and destination are located with 3/4 miles older are eligible . There is no restriction of fixed-route bus service . Sunday service on purpose of the trip, so seniors may is available from 11:00 a .m . to 7:00 p .m . travel for medical appointments, shopping, for trips where the pick-up address and recreation, senior centers and more . There destination are located within 3/4 miles of is a co-pay each time a senior rides that fixed-route bus service . averages about 15% of the total cost of the trip . Transportation in the county is available Monday through Friday with times Applying for the Senior Citizen Shared- varying based on where the customer Ride Program lives . Trips outside of the 3/4 miles of the fixed-route bus require at least An application must be completed to be two business days notice . Trips where eligible for the service . An application the pick-up address and destination are can be obtained by: located within 3/4 miles of the fixed-route Phone: Call 610-921-2361 and a customer bus service can be scheduled the previous service representative will mail one . day . Customers can call up to two weeks In Person: Applications can also be before their appointment to reserve their completed at: ride . BARTA Special Services 1700 N . 11th Street, Reading When calling to schedule a trip, please have the following information ready: Proof of Age is required for the programs • The address where the customer wants approval . A copy of the proof of age must to be picked up be attached with the senior application . • The full address of the final The following are the acceptable proof of destination age documents: • The appointment and return time • A valid driver's license • Any special assistance requirements • A PA State Photo ID • A birth or baptismal certificate Customers should be ready early and wait • Armed Forces discharge or separation for the driver at the exact address given papers when making the reservation . Wait where • A passport you can see the vehicle approach . The drivers can wait only 5 minutes for you . • Naturalization papers • PACE Card • Statement of age verification from the7 7 ADA Complementary Shared-Ride Program ADA Complementary Shared-Ride How quickly can an ADA Program Complementary Shared-Ride Individuals who have a disability application be processed? may be eligible for shared-ride Within 21 days of receiving an ADA transportation with BARTA Special application for service, BARTA is Services if their disability prevents required to make a determination of them from independently boarding a eligibility . BARTA bus or they must travel more than 3/4 of a mile to or from a BARTA Scheduling a Trip? bus stop . Reservations can be made between the hours of 8 a .m . to 5:30 p .m ., What is the Americans with Monday through Friday . BARTA Disabilities Act (ADA) ? uses an answering machine device to The Americans with Disabilities Act take "ADA eligible" trip requests on (ADA) is a civil rights law . The intent Saturdays and Sundays and Holidays . of the ADA is to remove barriers that Saturday, Sunday and Holiday trip have prevented people with disabilities requests must be called in to the from fully participating in life .