City of Quincy ILLINOIS

PARATRANSIT SERVICES

The Quincy Transit Lines offers a paratransit service to compliment the regular fixed route services. QTL has three paratransit buses in service Monday through Friday, two paratransit buses available on Saturday and one paratransit bus available on Sunday and holidays to assist Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) eligible people that would like to utilize the bus services.

Under the ADA regulations, there are three categories of people that are eligible for ADA paratransit. Any individual qualifies that has a disability and is:

• Unable, as a result of a physical or mental impairment, to get on, ride or get off an accessible vehicle on the public transit system; or
   
• Needs the assistance of a wheelchair lift or other boarding assistance device and is able, with such assistance, to get on, ride and get off an accessible vehicle, BUT, such vehicle is not available on the route when the individual wants to travel; or
   
• Has a specific impairment-related condition (including vision, hearing or impairments causing disorientation), which prevents travel to or from a stop on the system.

If a person believes they are eligible to ride the paratransit buses, they should contact the Quincy Transit Lines office at 2020 Jennifer Road, call 217-228-4550 or email the office at transit@quincyil.gov to request an application. You will be notified of your eligibility within 21 days of receipt of your application. All eligible persons will receive an Eligibility Card. If you are denied eligibility you will have the right to appeal. Information on the appeals process shall be sent to you.

There is a fee to ride paratransit. The fee is $1.00 one way. If the person has scheduled more than one stop, he/she will be charged $1.00 per stop.

Purpose and General Guidelines for Quincy Transit Lines Paratransit Services

The purpose of the Quincy Paratransit Service is to provide door-to-door transportation to persons with disabilities, who cannot use the regular fixed route bus service due to those disabilities. The paratransit Service is not intended to be a substitute for available medical services such as an ambulance. Door-to-door service means that the driver will go to the door of the house, building or business establishment to assist the person get on the bus, but will not enter the premises. Drivers will not assist people to dress. With everyone’s cooperation and assistance, the service can be a safe, timely and productive service for everyone concerned. Please help to enforce the policy. If you have any questions or recommendations, you may contact the Senior Citizen Center at 217-224-3535 or the Quincy Transit Lines at 217-228-4550 or email QTL at transit@quincyil.gov

The general guidelines are:

At least ten (10) days prior to using the Paratransit Service, all passengers must complete an ADA application and be approved before using the services steadily.

Persons should schedule to attend doctor appointments prior to 3:30 p.m. Appointments made after this time may require a person to seek other means of transportation to go home as the Paratransit Service ends at 6:00 p.m.

No packages are allowed unless the passenger is able to carry them on and hold them on his /her lap while in transit or there is a Personal Assistant (PA) and he/she is able to hold them.

Any consumer that is transported from a nursing home, a hospital or any place of residence must be fully clothed. It is not the responsibility of the driver to clothe anyone.

Drivers will not handle wheelchairs that have to be maneuvered over more than one step in height to or from the home or business.

QTL will not transport any medical apparatuses including gurneys. Oxygen supplies that can be secured will be transported.

All passengers being transported are expected to be ready within five (5) minutes after arrival of the bus. After five (5) minutes the bus may leave.

The driver has full discretion to refuse a ride to any passenger that they deem too sick or injured to ride. However, the driver must notify the office of the situation before refusal.

No passenger may ride that has an illness that could be transmitted to the drivers or other passengers that may be on the bus.

A 24-hour advance notice of bookings is requested, but not mandatory. However, same day service is not guaranteed. Advance notice is preferred.

The service area is limited to the corporate City limits and up to ¾ of a mile outside the fixed route bus service.

Passengers will not be transported on the Paratransit Service in lieu of a more appropriate ambulance service.

Medical emergency calls that come in will be denied. Qualified medical personnel, not bus drivers, should be called.

All passengers are required to wear seat belts unless a qualified physician grants written release.

Passengers wanting to change destination must have prior approval of the Senior Citizen Center.

Any animal riding on a Paratransit bus must be contained in appropriate carrier. (Except Seeing Eye or helping Dogs)

No tipping is permitted of any bus driver.

All wheelchairs and similar devices must be fastened down before the driver leaves the stop.

THE FARE IS $1.00 ONE WAY. Paratransit passengers may purchase punch passes at a discounted rate. A 10-trip punch pass is $7.50 and a 20-Trip punch pass is $15.00. Passes may be purchased from the paratransit driver or at the Central Services office 2020 Jennifer Road.

A Personal Assistant (PA) may ride with the passenger. There will be no charge for the PA.

People traveling with a person in a wheelchair may ride the Paratransit bus. However, they will have to pay the $1.00 fare. The dispatcher should be notified when the reservation is made.