ACCESS
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires CityBus to provide services for people who cannot use regular route buses due to a disability. CityBus's ACCESS Paratransit Service operates the same hours and destinations served by regular route buses and provides curb-to-curb service to any location within 3/4 mile of a route.
How to Apply
Any person with a disability may apply. Complete an application (Click for PDF format application) or call (765) 742-2121 for an application by mail, or visit CityBus's offices at 1250 Canal Rd., Lafayette. Once the application is received by CityBus it can take up to 21 days to review the application and make an eligibility determination.
ADA Criteria for Eligibility
CityBus’ ACCESS eligibility requirements have been determined by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). One or more of the following conditions must exist for an individual to be considered eligible for CityBus ACCESS:
(1) Any individual with a disability who is unable as the result of a physical or mental impairment (including a vision impairment) and without the assistance of another individual (except the operator of a wheelchair lift or other boarding assistance device), to board, ride, or disembark from any vehicle on the system which is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
What this means: An individual with a disability that prevents him or her from being able to, without assistance, get on, ride, or get off of an accessible bus, may be eligible for ACCESS.
(2) Any individual with a disability who has a specific impairment-related condition which prevents such individual from traveling to a boarding location or from disembarking location on such system.
What this means: An individual who has a disability that prevents him or her from getting to or from a bus stop may be eligible for ACCESS.
A third category of eligibility defined by ADA provides eligibility for individuals who cannot use the regular route system because transit vehicles such as buses are not accessible. Passengers are no longer certified for eligibility in this category by CityBus because CityBus operates accessible vehicles on all regular routes.
ACCESS Guidelines
1. Trips are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Trips may be scheduled as far in advance as 14 days, and as late as 24 hours before the trip time, if space is still available. For best results, please schedule your trips one to two weeks in advance.
2. No limitations as to trip purpose will be imposed by CityBus. Additionally, CityBus will not prioritize trips by purpose.
3. As space allows, CityBus will accept standing reservations for those riders who make repeating trips on a predetermined schedule. Please ask the dispatcher for details about standing trips.
4. To cancel a trip call the dispatcher at 742-2121 as soon as possible so your space can be made available to another rider. Repeated failure to call and cancel is sufficient cause for suspension of riding privileges; see Revocation of Privileges, below.
5. ACCESS riders must be ready to depart 15 minutes before their scheduled trip time. It is possible that the ACCESS van may arrive early or late, due to the complexity of scheduling multiple trips and shared rides. The ACCESS bus is considered “on time” if it arrives within fifteen-minutes either before or after the scheduled time. For example, if you schedule a 10:00AM trip, ACCESS will be there between 9:45AM and 10:15AM, however you should be ready to depart at 9:45AM.
6. ACCESS will wait no longer than five minutes at the curb. If the rider is not present, the dispatcher will attempt to call the rider. If the rider cannot be reached or has decided not to accept the ride, the bus will depart and a “no show” or failure to cancel will be counted against the rider. See Revocation of Privileges, below.
7. ACCESS provides “curb to curb” service only. ACCESS riders are expected to get themselves to the curb to board the bus, and from the curb to their destination after disembarking. If a rider requires assistance getting to and from the curb, he/she must provide a “Personal Care Assistant;” this is an individual who will travel free with the rider for the purposes of helping him/her with getting to and from the curb. ACCESS drivers will assist riders in getting on or off bus, in our out of a seat on the bus, with mobility aids, or with light packages (not heavier than 25 pounds).
8. ACCESS service is provided within the service area of Citybus. That service area is defined as a corridor 3/4 mile on each side of the current fixed route, and a 3/4 mile radius from the end point of each route. All CityBus ACCESS trips are required to originate and terminate inside this defined service area.
9. A return trip, if needed and based on the time you expect to be ready, is scheduled when you call to schedule a trip. When you are ready for a return trip, call ACCESS at 742-2121 and request to be picked up. Please understand that, while every effort is made to be there in a timely fashion, ACCESS is a shared ride and you may have to wait for the bus to arrive.
10. Unexpected delays or cancellations may occur for reasons beyond CityBus’ control, including during periods of bad weather. Please listen to local radio stations for notices of cancellations. CityBus will call ACCESS riders as soon as possible to inform them if there are delays or cancellations due to weather or other causes.
11. Please keep in mind that ACCESS is simply an extension of the fixed route bus system. ACCESS is not a taxi, medical transportation, or ambulance service. ACCESS drivers are not trained in medical skills and cannot be held liable for failure to provide medical attention. Riders who are too ill to travel or who require medical attention while being transported should seek another means of transportation. Healthcare professionals, nursing care providers, and family members should determine if elderly and disabled riders in their care are in appropriate condition to travel on ACCESS, especially if they are traveling alone.
12. Riders are expected to pay fare at the time of service for each trip on ACCESS. Failure to pay a fare may result in revocation of privileges, see below.
13. Revocation of Privileges. CityBus reserves the right to revoke certification for use of ACCESS along with the privilege to ride, either temporarily or permanently, if a rider fails to follow CityBus rules or these ACCESS guidelines. Habitually failing to cancel, frequent “no shows,” or refusing to pay the fare may result in losing your privilege to use ACCESS.
