GET My Ride. Ridership Handbook. Elko County Transit Department. Effective January 2014

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1 GET My Ride Ridership Handbook Elko County Transit Department Effective January 2014 The Passenger Guide is a summary of the GET My Ride s Program and Contractor Manual to help the passenger and caregivers use the GET My Ride service. It offers step by step instructions how to set up service, contact information and helpful tips.

2 A Message from Abigail Wheeler, Elko County Transit Coordinator for GET My Ride GET (Greater Elko Transit) My Ride is committed to providing a quality customer service experience. We accomplish this through knowledgeable, trained operators whose focus is on safety and customer assistance. All of GET My Ride s vehicles are 100% accessible. I would like to thank the Elko Board of County Commissioners for their support. They have adopted this program and ensure its continuation. Other program supporters are mentioned at the end of this guidebook, to which I am also grateful. GET My Ride works with an ad-hoc voluntary citizen s advisory group. This group represents a spectrum of people who need transportation services. They are finding ways to improve our small transit program. I sincerely appreciate the thought, time and work that these members put into making GET My Ride a better transportation provider. I believe you can make a difference when you: Understand that GET My Ride is a shared-ride service and what one passenger does may affect the rides of another passenger. Be ready to board when the vehicle arrives Make a valid fare payment each time you ride Cancel un-needed rides Contact us with your commendations, concerns or comments to help us serve you better Thank you for choosing GET My Ride as your transportation option. Abigail (Abby) Wheeler Transit Coordinator Elko County GET My Ride s Mission GET My Ride strengthens the Elko Community by enabling individuals to pursue a fuller life with greater ease and convenience by leading through partnering, planning and wise investment of physical, economic and human resources. GET My Ride aspires to be a source of pride for the Elko Community by being a leader in rural public transportation and be a valued partner in our community s social fabric, economic infrastructure and quality of life. To Caregivers and Social Service Agencies This Handbook is phrased as if the passenger is reading it. We know that many caregivers and others will assume the responsibility for reading and understanding this information as well as making reservations and other arrangements for the passenger. Please keep in mind, if the person you care for will ride the bus without an attendant, he or she must be able to follow basic customer responsibilities and abide by GET My Ride s Ridership Policies. 1

3 Please take note that if a caregiver fails to assist the passenger with following these polices, such as canceling un-needed rides on time, the passenger s transit service may be negatively impacted. Important Contact Information All trips, payment arrangements and service information can be ascertained by calling dispatch. Dispatch is open between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday (except certain holidays). You may leave a message if you would like, but don t forget the important details, like your name, trip time and contact number. GET My Ride Dispatch (775) South 9 th Street Elko, Nevada Comments, suggestions, complaints, compliments and concerns are important to us. Please let us know what is on your mind. We will try our best to get back to you within 72 hours. The following options are available to you to provide comments about our service: 1. Call or write to GET My ride at the address on page 2; or 2. Call or write: Elko County Transit Coordinator Abigail Wheeler (775) Idaho Street, Room 105 Elko, Nevada transit@elkocountynv.net Special Notes for Using this Book For your convenience, and at the request of our customers, this document is printed in a larger type. It is also available in Spanish. Upon request we will assist people with disabilities to access it other formats as well. How to Contribute or Donate We would like to thank those who support GET My Ride. This service is supported primarily by federal funding. Other sources of support are grants and contributions. Although we do charge fare, it is not in itself enough to cover the cost of the transit service. Any donations or contributions are greatly appreciated. Riders and their representatives can support the transit program financially by donating more than the required fare or adding on a donation to the purchase of fare media. If an individual, business or agency would like to contribute without a receipt for tax purposes, they can do so by sending a donation directly to GET My Ride, 149 South 9 th, Elko, Nevada If an individual, business or agency would like to contribute more than $ and would like a receipt, they can do so by contacting the Elko County Transit Coordinator ; 571 Idaho Street, Room 105, Elko, Nevada

4 Contents A Message from Abigail Wheeler, Elko County Transit Coordinator for GET My Ride...1 GET My Ride s Mission...1 To Caregivers and Social Service Agencies...1 Important Contact Information...2 Special Notes for Using this Book...2 How to Contribute or Donate...2 Welcome...5 Eligibility...5 Mobility Training...5 Service Hours...6 Holidays/Closed Schedule...6 Fare...6 Fare Evasion...7 Personal Care Attendant (PCA)...7 Service Area...7 Service Prohibitions...7 Reservations and Cancellations...8 How to Make a Reservation...8 Plan Your Trip Thoughtfully...8 Schedule Your Ride...9 Subscription Service Ready Window Cancellation Late Trip Missed Ride Inclement Weather Ridership Guide Passenger Self-Sufficiency Front Seats Eating and Drinking on the Bus Hand to Hand Transfer Children Personal Oxygen

5 Service Animals Pets Loud Audio Smoking/Tobacco Products Lost and Found Group/Charter Trips Visitors Assistance from Drivers Carry-On Items/Personal Shopping Cart Delay of Service Mobility Aids Wheelchairs Scooters Other Mobility Aids Wheelchair Securement The Lift No Show Policy No Shows beyond Passenger Control Excessive Cancellations Policy Misconduct Unintentional Misconduct Safety Policy Emergency, Accident and Illness Community Disaster Emergency Ride Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy Appeals Policy Complaint Policy

6 Welcome Welcome to GET My Ride, Elko s Public Transportation! This handbook provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to use this service, along with policies, procedures, helpful contact information, and tips for our passengers. We offer a wheelchair-accessible shared-ride transportation service for the service area of Elko and Spring Creek, as well as limited service to Lamoille, Ryndon and Osino. The service is open to the general population, but we are specially trained to assist seniors and people with disabilities. We offer curb-to-curb service to all passengers. This means passengers who use the curb-to-curb service will need to be waiting at the curb or just inside where they can see the bus and come right out. Sometimes service locations are the required meeting points, as it is a safe place for the passenger, the driver and the vehicle. We also offer door-to-door service upon request. This service is for passengers who would not otherwise be able to access the vehicle without assistance. Although there is no eligibility requirement for door-to-door service, we ask that only those who need it request this service. Even with door-to-door service, the passenger must be ready to board the vehicle upon arrival. Persons 80 years and older will automatically be set up under door-to-door service. If our staff observes a passenger is frail or needs assistance, they may request that this passenger be set up as a door-to-door passenger. Eligibility GET My Ride does not have eligibility requirements for a passenger to utilize the service. Because we receive a grant that allows seniors (defined as 60 years or older) to ride the bus for a suggested donation, we do ask that passengers who qualify as seniors fill out a senior registration form so that we may count the number of trips to support our grant. Mobility Training Mobility training helps seniors and persons with disabilities gain more independence by assisting them to utilize GET My Ride on their own. Training is available by contacting: Elko County Transit Coordinator Abigail Wheeler (775) Idaho Street, Room 105 Elko, Nevada transit@elkocountynv.net 5

7 All Areas: City of Elko Service Hours ***Subject to Change*** Scheduled Service Hours First Pickup: 7:00 AM Last Dropoff: 5:00 PM Monday through Friday All normal operating hours Spring Creek Estimated Scheduled Service Times: Ryndon and Osino Estimated Scheduled Service Times: Monday through Friday 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 2:30 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM Wednesday Only 8:30 8:45 AM 2:30-3:00 PM Reduced Schedule Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Nevada Day Day after Thanksgiving Holidays/Closed Schedule Closed New Year s Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Fare Fare Schedule City of Elko: $1.00 or 1 Elko ticket Elko Tickets: 1 book 12 for $10.00 Elko Monthly Bus Passes: $35.00 (based on calendar month) Extended Area: $2.00 or 1 Extended Area ticket Extended Area Tickets: 1 book of 12 for $20.00 Elko Monthly Bus Passes: $70.00 (based on calendar month) Children riding independently: Children under 5: Ages 5 (school aged) to 17 may ride independently and pay full fare. Up to 2 children, 5 and under, may ride with a paying adult free of charge. Each addition child (5 and under) may ride at 50% of the adult fare. 6

8 Fare Schedule Continued: Seniors (Age 60 and older): Seniors will not be denied a ride due to an inability to pay or donate fare and will be provided a means of private unsolicited donation. Aging and Disability Services Division provides a grant to GET My Ride, which allows seniors to ride on a donation basis. Seniors are encouraged to donate 50% of regular fare. Fare is charged on a per one-way trip basis. A one-way trip is defined as every time a transit passenger boards and departs the vehicle. All riders, except seniors, are required to pay fare. The fare and donation schedule is clearly posted in the vehicle. Drivers cannot open the fare box. Exact fare is required, no change will be given. Exact fare is due at the time of boarding the vehicle. Please present your payment to the driver. Seniors may use a donation envelope. Fare Evasion Should you forget your fare, GET My Ride will still transport you that day. You will be given up to 2 additional trip days to repay the fare. If a passenger has a pattern of not paying fare, this would be considered fare evasion. In this situation, the passenger may not be extended any additional grace periods and it may lead to refusal of rides. Personal Care Attendant (PCA) One PCA can travel with a passenger at no additional cost. The PCA and rider must share the same origin and destination. Service Area All your trips must begin and end within the service area. Because of the rural nature of our area and to ensure safety, there will be some places that are subject to pre-approval. The service area is the City of Elko and the closely surrounding area; the area of Spring Creek; the area of Lamoille (limited); Ryndon (limited); and Osino (limited). Service Prohibitions The following is a list of service prohibitions. GET My Ride is dedicated to preserving the program s integrity to the community of Elko as well as the grantors that fund the transit program. Staff cannot use program vehicles for personal use. Staff, while in paid status, while providing or helping with program services, cannot claim or report their rides as a unit of service. Staff is not allowed to accept tips, gifts, or any valuable thing from a passenger. Staff shall not use tobacco products while on shift or transporting clients. Staff shall not purchase alcohol or illegal substances for clients. Staff shall not borrow the client s car or other personal belongings. 7

9 Staff shall not bring family members, other people or pets to the client s home without written permission and supervisory approval. Staff shall not eat the client s food. Drivers are not allowed to enter the home. Drivers are required to maintain sight of their vehicle at all times. Reservations and Cancellations For reservations or cancellations call (775) from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday, except certain holidays. Calls on weekends, holidays or after normal business hours will be taken by voic . Reservations can be made up to 2 weeks to 1 day in advance. Requests for next day service received after normal business hours and same-day service will be accommodated as space is available. How to Make a Reservation Plan Ahead: For important trips, be sure to make your reservation as early as possible, up to 2 weeks in advance. The earlier you schedule your ride, the better opportunity you have to get your requested trip without negotiation. If your requested time is not available you may be offered a negotiated time of up to 1 hour before or after your request. If an available time within those guidelines is not workable for you, have an alternate plan for other transportation; a plan for rescheduling at another time or day; or, we can offer you a place on the wait list. If a cancellation for the desired time comes open, we will offer it those on the wait list first. Refusal of an available negotiated time is not considered a denial of service. Scheduling Tip: Let the dispatcher know what time you need to be to your destination and let them find the best pickup time for you. If your pickup is at an apartment complex, nursing home or adult program/day care center, let the dispatcher know if there is there are any special instructions needed, such as security gated entries or apartment building numbers. GET My Ride has established service locations at the local businesses and on or near the larger residential properties. The service locations are at the main entrances or other pre-determined place that is safe for the passenger, driver and vehicle. It is your responsibility to inform dispatch of any special instructions or to be at the service location at the scheduled time or it will be counted as a no-show. Plan Your Trip Thoughtfully Remember to allow for time spent picking up and dropping off other passengers before reaching your destination and be prepared for the possibility of delays due to traffic or bad weather. When scheduling a return trip, please consider any unexpected delays you may encounter. For example, if you expect to be ready at 3:00 PM, you may request a 3:15 PM pickup time. It is better to wait a few minutes than to miss your scheduled ride. GET My Ride dispatchers are happy to help you determine the most efficient way for you to schedule your trip. Scheduling Tip: When you are scheduling a trip that is not associated with appointment times, like going shopping, you might ask the dispatcher what the best time of the day is to go and let them help you schedule a good time. Allow ample time to finish appointments. This is needed so you will be ready to board the vehicle at your scheduled pick-up time. Be aware of opening and closing times at your destination to avoid waiting outside the 8

10 building before or after business hours. Also be aware of when your desired destinations are closed for holidays and prepare your schedule accordingly. If you are going to a doctor s office or other medical appointment, let the medical appointment scheduler know you will be using GET My Ride. Ask the appointment scheduler how much time will be allowed for the appointment, this will help you set your return time. GET My Ride does set up call-backs for medical appointments only. You need to let the dispatcher know your estimated return trip time, but you may call the dispatcher back before or after this time to receive your return trip. When using call-backs, you may be waiting for up to an hour to receive your ride. For those in extended areas, it may be longer. Quick Errands: Drivers are not allowed to wait while the passenger runs a quick errand. Even if you only need a short time to be at a certain location, you will need to schedule separate trips and expect to wait for no less than 30 minutes for a return trip. If you miss your trip due to underestimating how much time you needed, the needs of other transit passengers may impede the timeliness in which we can return for you. In this case, please be patient. It is your responsibility to communicate with dispatch when situations arise that will affect your schedule. Schedule Your Ride GET My Ride dispatch can be reached at (775) between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Calls on the weekends, holidays or after hours will be taken by voic . 1. Reservations can be made up to 2 weeks to 1 day in advance. Requests for next day service received after normal business hours will be accommodated as space is available. 2. Same day reservations may be made if space is available. 3. When making a reservation, we urge you to schedule a time for your return trip or for multiple trips on the same day at this time. Waiting until the last minute to schedule a return trip or additional trips could result in a long wait. 4. Staff will try to accommodate changes made to a reservation but there is no guarantee. It is based on schedule availability. 5. When making a reservation, please be ready to provide: Your name Your pickup address (exact location, including apartment complex name, number, entrance, etc.) Your telephone number; The date which you wish to ride; The time of your appointment or desired pickup time Your drop-off address (exact location, including apartment complex name, number, entrance, etc.) Certain public locations and large properties have service locations that you will be asked to observe. The time at which you wish to be picked up for your return trip; Whether you use a wheelchair or other mobility device; Whether a personal care attendant (PCA) will be riding with you. If you are set up with GET My Ride as needing a PCA, he or she may accompany you at no additional cost; and Whether a companion will be riding with you. Companions are welcome to ride with you for the regular fare per person. 9

11 You will want to include other travel information, such as if you are bringing a service animal or a personal shopping cart. NOTE: Personal care attendants and companions MUST have the same origin and destination as the customer they are accompanying. GET My Ride requires you to reserve a space for your PCA or companion(s) when scheduling your reservation. If more than one person accompanying you is designated as your PCA, only one will be allowed to ride at no fare. To maximize space available, accommodations for more than one traveling companion are granted on a spaceavailable basis. Please remember, the request should be made when scheduling your reservation. To inquire about space availability, call GET My Ride at (775) It is our goal to provide the greatest number of customers with safe, prompt, efficient and friendly service. Therefore, we are unable to honor specific requests for the following: More than six (6) round trips requests per phone call Specific drivers Specific seats Specific vehicle Specific routes with certain customers If GET My Ride takes you somewhere, we will make every possible effort to get you. If you no-show the first leg of your trip, then there is no intended obligation for GET My Ride to return and get you for that ride. You will then have to request a ride under same-day service and are subject to the availability of the schedule. If you no-showed the bus and GET My Ride didn t take you to the specific location, then you may need to find other transportation, however, you may request a ride through same-day service which is subject to availability. If you no-show your last trip of the day and do not call into dispatch for a pickup prior to 5:00 PM, then you will need to find an alternative means home. If you do call for a pickup before 5:00 PM, then arrangements may be made to pick you up and take you to your final destination, depending on schedule availability. If you cause the bus to run after 5:00 PM, you will assess a no-show for that trip. Subscription Service If you need a ride to the same place at the same time at least once per week, a subscription service may be a good option. This service allows you to schedule these rides on a recurring basis with one call. To qualify for subscription service you cannot have been suspended from service due to a pattern of abuse for no-shows or excessive cancellations in the last 60 days. Subscription trips will be automatically canceled for holidays in which GET My Ride is closed. You are responsible to cancel or change your subscription trips as needed. This will help us to avail unnecessary rides and open that appointment up for another passenger who needs it. If you fail to cancel or change subscription trips the trip will be counted as a no-show. You may be able to put your subscription on hold for up to 3 months. When you are ready to have your service taken off hold, you can call dispatch 7 days in advance to reinstate the service. If you need to put a subscription on hold for a longer period, GET My Ride may ask you to call back and request a new subscription service when it is needed again. Subscription Tip: You may have multiple legs set up under subscription service. You may also be able to schedule individual trips on an as needed basis alongside your subscription service. Just ask dispatch how. 10

12 Depending on demand, it may sometimes be necessary to limit the number of subscription rides that GET My Ride provides. If this happens, the request will be put on a subscription waiting list and you will be notified when there is availability for the request. Ready Window The dispatcher will give you a ready time window, which is 20 minute time frame when you will need to be ready to board the bus. The driver will wait no longer than 5 minutes (boarding window) after their arrival within the ready time window. It is your responsibility to be at the curb, door or service location and prepared to board when the vehicle arrives within the ready window. If not, and the trip is the originating trip of the day (1 st trip of the day) a bus will not be sent back (unless we were in error). However, you may request same day service, which is subject to schedule availability. Cancellation A proper cancellation is one that takes place no less than 1 hour prior to the scheduled pickup time. The further ahead you cancel a ride, the better it is for other passengers who would like utilize that time slot. Cancellations can be made on voic for GET My Ride dispatch as long as you remember to include pertinent information such as your name, contact number, trip information and specifics about the cancellation. For example, if you want all of your trips cancelled for the day or just one, you would leave that information. Only trips specified on voic will be canceled. Late Trip A late trip is when you expect to be picked up and are present at the agreed upon location at the correct time, yet the bus is running up to 15 minutes past the close of the 20 minute ready window. You are encouraged to contact dispatch if the 20 minute ready window has elapsed and the bus has not arrived. Missed Ride A missed ride is when you expect to be picked up and are present at the agreed upon location at the correct time, yet the bus is running 16 minutes or more past the close of the 20 minute ready window or doesn t pick you up at all. You are encouraged to contact dispatch if the 20 minute ready window has elapsed and the bus has not arrived. If GET My Ride is in fault of a late trip/missed trip (scheduling problem, driver error) the trip will not be assessed against you and we will send the passenger a coupon that can be redeemed for the removal of a no-show or a cancelation occurrence. The coupons will be mailed out and are good for one year from the date of issue. To have a no-show or a cancelation occurrence removed, either give the coupon to the driver or mail it to GET My Ride, 149 S. 9 th Street, Elko, NV COUPONS WILL NOT BE REPLACED IF LOST. Inclement Weather In Elko there is bad weather, such as ice and snow storms, during the winter months. The GET My Ride service area has a lot of rural roads that are not always kept clear. During inclement weather, the safety of the employees, passengers and vehicles will always be placed above the schedule. You are responsible to keep a clear path on your property to increase your safety and that of the driver to travel between the property and the vehicle. 11

13 In Elko County, the general guideline is that GET My Ride will not operate if Elko County School District will be closed due to inclement weather. If the GET My Ride management feels that the inclement weather is severe enough to cause risk to the safety of the drivers, the passengers and the vehicles, then they would have the option to close or postpone the program for that day. The management would need to notify the transit coordinator, who will contact the media for public announcement. If possible, at least one employee will try to make it into the office in order to call clients with the status of the program. If a driver feels that, due to inclement weather, a particular trip is too dangerous to complete, they must contact dispatch for final determination. Ridership Guide This section discusses what is expected from you as the passenger and what you can expect from us. We do reserve the right to refuse a ride to a passenger for legitimate and documentable reasons. The driver must have the approval of dispatch to refuse a ride. If we refuse a ride then you will be given the option to cancel the trip and reschedule, with no consequence, or the trip may be assessed a refusal of service. The following are some reasons, although not exhaustive, of reasons a ride may be refused: 1. Public Health Hazard: if a passenger has excrement, urine, vomit, blood on his/her own body or clothes. If the passenger has a draining wound and does not have it dressed properly to prevent the seepage of bodily fluids; or they have the outward signs of being too sick to travel on a public vehicle. 2. Service Prohibitions: a service prohibition is anything that causes discomfort to other passengers or could be considered violent, seriously disruptive or illegal. Service prohibitions examples are: if the passenger is drunk, not fully clothed or is carrying illegal substances. Passengers will not be refused rides based on discrimination of color, race, age, disability, gender or sexual preference. Passenger Self-Sufficiency Passengers are expected to care for themselves, controlling their bodily functions and be cognizant enough to make decisions. Transportation may be refused or suspended when the passenger negatively impacts the quality of another person s ride, requires direct medical attention for open wounds or unsupported injuries, is repeatedly incontinent, is repeatedly not prepared or available when the vehicle arrives for pickup or qualifies for a hand-to-hand transfer, yet no one is at the drop off point when the vehicle arrives. Passengers are expected to practice adequate personal hygiene out of respect for fellow passengers. Passengers are encouraged to follow common heath courtesies while suffering from ailments such as the common cold. Passengers are expected to be prepared to board the bus when it arrives within the ready window. This means that the passenger is fully dressed and has all the items needed for the trip. If the passenger is not ready within 5 minute boarding window, the vehicle will move on and the passenger will receive a no-show. 12

14 Front Seats The front seats are marked by signs that they are reserved for seniors and people with disabilities. The driver is required to ask those without disabilities to move for those with disabilities. We ask that you cooperate with the driver and show courtesy for our seniors and people with disabilities. Eating and Drinking on the Bus There is no eating or drinking on the bus, with the exception of medical necessity. If you are diabetic or have another medical condition that requires you to eat, you are encouraged to bring a snack with you and we ask that you only use beverage containers with a sealable lid and that you clean up behind yourself. Hand to Hand Transfer Some passengers need to have caregivers at the destination point. Should the caregiver not be at the destination within the 5 minute boarding window, the driver will move on in the schedule, with the passenger on board, and all efforts will be made to contact the responsible party listed on the client profile. This could lead to a no show, disciplinary actions and/or contacting emergency services. Children The program does not transport unattended children under the age of 5 years old (school age). For safety reasons, we strongly encourage children to be in a child restraint seat or sitting in their own seat, and buckled in (depending on the age/size of the child). Strollers must be collapsed and secured. Children, ages 5 (school age) through 17, may ride the bus independently with a Child Transportation Authorization Form. Children riding independently must be able to sit appropriately in their seat with a seatbelt on. They must follow the normal rules and code of conduct, such as using appropriate language and staying seated. GET My Ride will hold children and parents responsible under the Misconduct Policy as any other passenger. This means that the child may lose his/her privilege to ride the bus independently if they do not follow the rules. Personal Oxygen For safety reasons, drivers will do their best to assist you in securing the oxygen bottle, but you are responsible for controlling the oxygen bottle. The best practice for personal oxygen while traveling by bus is to use a portable oxygen tank. If a cylinder must be used during transport, it must be transported in a cylinder holder, be firmly attached to the mobility aid, or be in a cylinder cart on wheels. Service Animals Service Animals are permitted to ride with you. You must indicate that you use a service animal when setting up your client profile and let the dispatcher know when scheduling your rides. A description of the service animal, type, color and name will be recorded. You or your companion must have control of the animal. Pets Animals that are not service animals may ride with you only if they are properly secured in a small kennel or on a leash with a muzzle. You must control the animal while riding on the bus. Drivers may not assist with the animal. If you need further assistance with a pet, you may arrange to travel with a companion or have assistance waiting and the pickup and drop off points. Loud Audio You are expected to wear headphones while playing hand held devices such as but not limited to: electronics that play music and movies, laptops, video games and so on. 13

15 Drivers may play the in dash radio at minimal volumes if it will not disturb the passengers. Smoking/Tobacco Products GET My Ride does not allow smoking or tobacco products to be used by either the driver or the passengers while on board the vehicle. Drivers, mechanics or passengers may smoke outside the vehicle at the end of a trip (for drivers at a break time). This must be done away from the door of the vehicle and other passengers. The remnants of cigarettes or chewing tobacco may not be disposed of on the vehicle and is suggested that they are disposed of in proper receptacles. Lost and Found Neither the program nor its representatives are responsible for lost items left on the vehicle. However, if a driver finds lost items, the items will be turned into dispatch, where the item will be tagged and logged. Special consideration will be made for wallets, purses and medication. Wallets, purses and medication will be turned into the police department after 48 hours. Other items will be turned into the local thrift stores if not claimed within 30 days. Group/Charter Trips Under the Federal Transit Grants, GET My Ride can only accommodate Charter trips in-town if the requester meets the qualifications according to the exemption as outlined at 49 C.F.R. Part 604, Sub-part B (Including Appendix A). Please call for information. Visitors Because GET My Ride does not have strict eligibility requirements as found in Complimentary Paratransit systems; out of town visitors can get set up service simply be calling dispatch. They do not need to provide proof of eligibility from another transit provider. Assistance from Drivers Depending on service type, drivers may assist you with traveling from your door to the vehicle, in boarding the vehicle (whether by the use of the stairs or the lift), in securing your mobility device to the vehicle and fastening your seatbelt. Although it is your responsibility to load or unload and control carry-on items, drivers may assist you with up to four (4) carry-on items up to twenty-five (25) pounds each or with a personal shopping cart. The driver may also assist in securing any of these items. Drivers may enter into the main lobby of a business for the exclusive purpose of notifying you that the vehicle is available for boarding, providing they are able to maintain line-of-sight with the vehicle at all times. In locations where drivers cannot maintain line-of-sight with their vehicle and go to the door to notify passengers of the arrival of their ride, passengers may request telephone notification of the bus s arrival for the specific location. As this request may require special arrangements and is subject to review, please contact dispatch to make the request. Drivers may maneuver a manual wheelchair up or down one stair or curb or use an accessibility area, even if it is further away from the drop off location. Drivers cannot maneuver power wheelchairs or scooters. Drivers are not permitted to enter any home. Drivers are required to maintain visual contact with the vehicle at all times. Drivers are not permitted to physically lift passengers. Drivers cannot pickup packages for the 14

16 passengers (such as prescriptions). Drivers are not authorized to handle medication or money, other than fare. Please do not request that bus drivers dispense or hold on to such items in your behalf. Drivers may not deviate from their schedule without the explicit permission of dispatch. Drivers are not required to approach property that is unsafe. A safe travel path must be maintained, snow and ice cleared and animals must be restrained. Carry-On Items/Personal Shopping Cart GET My Ride encourages the use of a personal shopping cart, which can be secured in the vehicle rather than carrying individual packages. The driver can assist with up to four (4) packages up to twenty-five (25) pounds each, but there is no weight restriction on a personal shopping cart. Because the personal shopping cart must be secured to the vehicle it must have all items inside of it, not hanging on the outside. Delay of Service A delay in service is an unscheduled event causing a deviation or excessive time delay from the schedule. If the service experiences a delay in service that will cause the vehicle to arrive later than the time allotted in the ready window, dispatch will attempt to notify the affected passengers by telephone to the extent possible and the driver will notify the passengers on board with a plan to resume service normally. A passenger may cause a delay in service by not being ready within the 5 minute boarding window. If the passenger, even if present for the ride, is not ready to board and holds the vehicle up past the 5 minute boarding window, that ride will be assessed as a no-show. Mobility Aids The program will transport all mobility devices and the occupant that the lift and vehicle can physically accommodate. The program also recognizes that a Legitimate safety requirement includes such circumstances as a wheelchair of such size that it would block an aisle or is too large to fit into the vehicle or if it would interfere with the safe evacuation of passengers in an emergency. These accusations would have to be based on actual risks, not on mere speculation, stereotypes or generalizations about individual with disabilities or about the devices that they use for mobility. Any denial of service due to these conditions would be based on the operation manager s and the Elko County Transit Coordinator s recommendations. If you use a mobility aid and receive door-to-door service there must be a safe egress and cleared path from your door to the vehicle. If there is a ramp at your home, it must be cleared of any obstructions and safely constructed. If the driver determines that he/she cannot safely use the ramp, a supervisor will be notified. Drivers will not be required to assist you up or down the ramp until a supervisor determines that it is safe. Drivers are not allowed to enter any home. This rule applies even if you need assistance with your wheelchair. If assistance is needed inside the home, you need to arrange to have someone available to ensure you get safely through the door. With your cooperation, GET My Ride will make reasonable efforts to work with you to address any safety issues that could impede you from using the service. Wheelchairs For the safety of all, the driver will assist a manual wheelchair up or down no more than one step or curb to a level surface. This rule also applies to unoccupied manual wheelchairs. Drivers cannot assist people who use 15

17 power wheelchairs or scooters up or down steps or curbs. Drivers will not operate power wheelchairs or scooters. Drivers are not required assist a wheelchair passenger over severely rough terrain, steep slopes or for more than one step or curb to a level surface. If these conditions exist at your home they may be subject to approval and may be required to assist GET My Ride in creating a safe traveling environment. The driver can make a decision to park near an accessibility area, even if it is a little further away from the destination in order to take a wheelchair client over a smooth service rather than over a stair or curb. Drivers cannot assist people who use power wheelchairs or scooters up or down steps or curbs. Drivers will not operate power wheelchairs or scooters. Drivers will not transport a passenger in a power wheelchair or scooter that is not operating. If the power wheelchair or scooter becomes disabled while out in the community and there is already a ride scheduled, you will need to call dispatch to advise them of the situation. GET My Ride asks that passengers keep the wheelchair in clean and good condition. It can be a hazard to the passenger, the driver and other passengers if, for example, the wheels or other parts are loose, or the brakes do not hold the wheels securely. The GET My Ride staff is happy to work with passengers to try to resolve any problems with their wheelchair/ramp. Please call dispatch with any questions or concerns. Scooters Some scooters may be difficult to secure inside the vehicle. For safety reasons, GET My Ride requests that you transfer to a regular seat. Other Mobility Aids The driver will assist you between your door and the vehicle if needed. The drivers will secure walkers and canes inside the vehicle. Walkers, plus any attachments, such as baskets, bags, or water bottles, should weigh no more than twenty five (25) pounds total. Wheelchair Securement Passengers can expect that the driver shall ensure that any client not riding in a permanent fixed seat shall be in a wheelchair device and safely secured using existing clamp and/or floor mount securement devices in a way consistent with recognized securing standards. Wheelchair clients must use available shoulder restraints. Wheelchairs shall be secured with 4-point tie downs or as many are standard for that particular tie down system, in any combination of straps and/or clamps. All wheelchair clients shall be secured in a forward facing manner. Side facing securement is prohibited. Posey Belt usage is encouraged. Power chairs and scooters are to be turned off during transport. Wheel brakes shall be engaged during transport. The Lift Passengers who do and do not use mobility devices may use the lift to board the vehicle. When reserving the appointment, you need to let dispatch know that you would like to use the lift when boarding. If you have not made arrangements to use the lift, but need to, please let the driver know and they will operate it for you. 16

18 The wheelchair lift will only be deployed on a level surface that allows the driver and passenger to board and operate the lift properly. For safety purposes, we suggest that wheelchair passengers back onto the wheelchair lift. No Show Policy GET My Ride passengers who establish a pattern or practice of no shows may lose their riding privileges for a designated period of time. A no show occurs when: The passenger is at the address where the passenger requested to be picked up, but he/she is not ready to board the bus within the 5 minute boarding within the ready window; or The passenger is at the address where the passenger requested to be picked up, but he/she denies the ride to the driver at the time of arrival; or The passenger is not at the address or the correct service location of the address where he/she request to be picked up; and the driver has contacted the dispatcher to report a possible no show; and the driver honks for curb to curb passengers and knocks at the door for door to door passengers; and the dispatcher confirms the scheduled pickup time and correct location with the driver; or The passenger does not call to cancel the trip a minimum of one (1) hour prior to the scheduled pick up time to allow for rerouting of the bus to another location. No-shows and late cancellations may cause lost trips and/or rides for other passengers and may cause the bus schedule and the passengers to run late, therefore it is necessary to enforce a no show policy. Three (3) no shows within any thirty (30) day period will result in a warning letter and may be accompanied by a phone call educating the passenger about the consequences of no-shows. Five (5) no-shows within any thirty (30) day period will trigger an administrative review of the passenger s no-show frequency. Passengers who are found to have a pattern or practice of abuse representing at least ten percent (10%) of their total trips will be suspended from GET My Ride for a period of five (5) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for up to sixty (60) after the suspension has ended. If subsequent reviews are triggered and reveal a continued pattern or practice of abuse, the passenger will be suspended as follows: Two (2) violations within one year suspension for ten (10) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension. Three (3) violations within one year suspension for fifteen (15) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension has ended. Four (4) violations within one year suspension for thirty (30) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension has ended. Five (5) violations or more within one year suspension for sixty (60) days and lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension has ended. GET My Ride is committed to working with individuals to address the causes of no shows so these persons can continue to use the service. The individual may call and talk to the onsite manager to explain the issues he/she is facing to see if there is a mutually beneficial solution to resolve the pattern of no shows. 17

19 A no show due to a GET My Ride error will not be counted against the passenger. GET My Ride will not cancel the return leg of any scheduled trip unless dispatch has made contact with the passenger to confirm that the return trip is not needed. All disciplinary action will be in writing, with the ability to appeal the action. Please see Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy and the Appeal Policy for further details. No Shows beyond Passenger Control GET My Ride will not count trips as no shows when the circumstances are beyond the passenger s control. However, you must notify GET My Ride as soon as possible and may need to provide documentation to have the no show removed from your assessment. Excessive Cancellations Policy Even when a trip is properly cancelled in advance a pattern of excessive cancellations causes the service to not be available at the time other passengers desire service. The policy for excessive cancellations is as follows: Ten (10) cancellations within any thirty (30) day period will trigger a warning letter and an administrative review of the passenger s cancellation frequency. Passengers who are found to have a pattern or practice of cancellations representing at least twenty-five percent (25%) of their total trips will be suspended from GET My Ride for a period of five (5) days and they will lose the ability to utilize the subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension has ended. If subsequent reviews are triggered and reveal a continue pattern or practice of cancellations, the passenger will be suspended as follows: Two (2) violations within one year suspension for ten (10) days lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension. Three (3) violations within one year suspension for fifteen (15) days lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension. Four (4) violations within one year suspension for thirty (30) days lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension. Five (5) or more violations within one year suspension for sixty (60) days lose the ability to utilize subscription service for sixty (60) days after the suspension. All disciplinary action will be in writing, with the ability to appeal the action. Please see Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy and the Appeal Policy for further details. Misconduct Due to the wide variety and severity of misconduct, GET My Ride reserves the right to determine the consequences ranging from a warning to a suspension in service for up to one year. Misconduct may be anything that can be construed as unacceptable public behavior such as being overly noisy, seriously disruptive, violent, threating, participating in inappropriate conversation, engaging in behavior which is illegal or might cause harm to others. Delaying or impeding the flow of transportation service and not staying seated during transport are forms of misconduct. To the best of our ability, passengers will be notified in writing before GET My Ride takes any action. In rare cases, where a passenger represents an immediate danger, he/she may be removed from service without a written warning. A passenger whose service is to be suspended because of misconduct has a right to request a 18

20 hearing through an appeals process. (See Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy and Appeal Policy for more information) Unintentional Misconduct Any act that would qualify as misconduct, but is the direct and immediate act of the passenger s disability, such as abusive language that is the consequence of Tourette s syndrome, or socially unacceptable behavior brought on by a mental illness, shall be considered Unintentional Misconduct. Consequences of Unintentional Misconduct will be addressed as noted below after counseling with the passenger. A passenger may be subject to any reasonable accommodation requirement that will ensure the safety of all passengers and drivers. A passenger may be required to ride with a personal care attendant. A passenger may be required to attend training or receive additional counseling in proper transit conduct. The accommodation requirement may last for a time period sufficient to allow the passenger to learn appropriate behavior. The accommodation requirement may be permanent if the conduct is beyond the passenger s control. If a passenger commits an act of misconduct that he or she has been trained to know is inappropriate, that act is considered intentional. A passenger whose service is to be suspended because of misconduct has a right to request a hearing through an appeals process. (See Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy and Appeal Policy for more information) Safety Policy GET My Ride will always do its utmost to operate in a safe manner. Safety practices protect the client, the staff, the public, personal property and the vehicle. Most of the ridership policies are based on the practice of safe operations, but some procedures cannot be listed in detail in this policy and procedure manual as situations arise that cannot always be full anticipated. Some safety practices include, but are not limited to: Not pulling the vehicle into a position that requires reversing if at all possible, not entering personal property with the vehicle and not entering property that could cause physical harm to the driver. Some situations require an individual assessment to determine if there is a safety concern, in which the GET My Ride onsite manager will take all information into consideration and make the final determination regarding safety. The onsite manager will also work with an individual to find a mutually beneficial compromise prior to denying service. A passenger may be subject to any reasonable accommodation requirement that will ensure the safety of themselves, other customers and drivers. For example, a passenger may be required to ride with a personal care attendant if the passenger is unable to safely board or ride the vehicle. The following is a list, which is not exhaustive, of items not permitted on the vehicle. Items, if they look to be threatening to other passengers, the staff or the vehicle may not be allowed on the vehicle at the discretion of the driver or dispatcher. Weapons of any kind Hazardous chemicals Flammable Liquids Explosives 19

21 Emergency, Accident and Illness In the case of an emergency, accident or illness GET My Ride has a policy and procedure regarding the best way to handle the situation. GET My Ride will cooperate with emergency services and municipal authorities. GET My Ride asks you to cooperate with the drivers, dispatch, emergency services and municipal authorities. GET My Ride will also arrange for the completion of the trips and to contact passengers that are affected by the delay and let them know there was a delay in service and make arrangements with them. See Accident, Emergency and Illness Policy. Any illness or bodily fluid spills on-board the vehicle will be cleaned according to the Bio-Hazard Cleanup Policy. Community Disaster Emergency GET My Ride will make every attempt to transport our passengers as scheduled. Due to the nature of the disaster it might be necessary to establish pick-up points that either requires us to walk-in to the area to get passengers, or to have passengers get assistance form someone at their location to bring them to the bus. Through coordination with the local disaster control center, GET My Ride will make every attempt to establish these locations to minimize passengers distance to them. If a passenger is at home when a disaster occurs, they should stay home. If GET My Ride took a passenger to a location and they make other transportation arrangements due to the emergency, they should let dispatch know as soon as possible so that dispatch can account for all the passengers that have scheduled rides. In the event of a community disaster, GET My Ride will: Freeze our system. This means that all vehicles will hold at their location or a safe location until contacted by dispatch. An inventory of vehicles and passengers on boards will occur. An inventory of passengers delivered in the system will occur. No additional passenger pickups will occur until we have been able to determine if we can safely proceed. If on the bus, it may be necessary to drop off passengers at established shelters. If the bus is out of contact with dispatch, drivers will proceed according to pre-established protocol, which is: Is it safe to proceed? Do you have passengers on board? Can the driver make his/her way to the dispatch center? If the nature of the disaster requires that you change the ride from the original schedule, contact dispatch and they will make every attempt to meet the scheduling needs. GET My Ride is limited due to the nature of the disaster. You will need to call dispatch if you have not yet been picked up for your ride or to confirm GET My Ride is able to safely get you to where you need to go. Ride Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy The Federal Transit Administration allows individuals to be refused service or to be suspended service based on a pattern of behavior and or conduct that is violent, seriously disruptive or illegal. GET My Ride has a Ride Refusal, Denial and Suspension Policy which is available upon request. GET My Ride supports the right of any passenger to appeal a decision made by the GET My Ride staff. If you feel that you have received discipline such as a service suspension unfairly, contact the operations manager and discuss the situation. You may also submit a request to investigate a decision through the GET My Ride 20

22 Operations Manager. If you request an appeal, your suspension will be reinstated until the completion of an investigation. Appeals Policy If you do not get a response from the operations manager or receive a response you feel is unfair according to the policy and procedures, you may contact the Transit Coordinator and request an appeal. See Appeals Policy for more information. Complaint Policy For general complaints against the program, such as the behavior of a particular driver or scheduling error, passengers or stakeholders are encouraged to contact the GET My Ride Operations Manager (775) If, after a reasonable amount of time a passengers or stakeholder is not getting a reasonable response, the condition is continuing or getting worse then he/she is encouraged to contact the Transit (775) For complaints that alleges conflict with the civil rights of the passenger then the passenger may file a complaint directly with the Elko County Transit Coordinator at (775) or by transit@elkocountynv.net. The staff and management of GET My Ride is dedicated to minimizing instances of complaints through the delivery of safe, reliable, affordable and efficient public transportation service throughout the Elko County service area regardless of age, race, income or disability. It is the goal of GET My Ride to resolve any complaint in a prompt and timely manner and at the lowest level of supervision. All employees receiving customer complaints should always be friendly, polite and helpful and try their best to resolve the problem if they can. However, the passenger or stakeholder has the right to file a complaint directly with NDOT or the FTA. Please see the Complaint Policy for more information. 21

23 GET My Ride Contributors: Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) manages the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) Grants. These grants are the main funding source for GET My Ride. All other contributions are used to match the FTA grants. Elko Board of County Commissioners is the primary sponsor of the GET My Ride program. The Regional Transportation Commission also contributes funds to GET My Ride. Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) ADSD is a department under the Department of Health and Human Service for the State of Nevada. GET My Ride receives a grant that allows seniors to receive rides on a donation basis. The City of Elko contributes funds to support the operation of GET My Ride. Al Park Petroleum contributes to the GET My Ride program. Union Pacific contributes funds to the GET My Ride program. Rotary of Elko contributed wheelchairs to GET My Ride. This allowed us to assist frail riders get from their home to the vehicle with less difficulty. Wal-Mart contributes funds to the GET My Ride Program 22