HomeMy Public PortalAboutADA Paratransit Plan DAVE SNOW
Mayor CITY OF RICHMOND GREG STIENS
ROSEVIEW TRANSIT Director
401 SOUTH Q STREET, RICHMOND, INDIANA 47374 Public Works
PHONE (765) 983-7227
TERRI QUINTER
Operations Manager
City of Richmond - Rose View Transit
Paratransit Plan
Rose View Transit
401 South “Q” Street
Richmond, IN 47374
Transit Director: Terri Quinter
(765) 983-7227
Last Update: 07/22/2019
Table of Contents
Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 3
SECTION I: Transit Provider Contact Information …………………… 4
SECTION II: Fixed Route Service Description ………………………… 4-5
SECTION III: Complementary Paratransit Service Description ……… 5-8
SECTION IV: Application and Eligibility Process ……………………… 8-11
SECTION V: Appeals Process ……………………………………………. 11-14
SECTION VI: Public Participation ………………………………………. 14
SECTION VII: Discrimination and Complaints ………………………… 14-17
INTRODUCTION
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that public entities that operate
non-commuter fixed route transportation services also provide complementary paratransit service
for individuals whose disabilities make them unable to use the fixed route system. In addition,
the regulations require that public entities that are subject to the ADA regulations to develop and
administer a process for determining if individuals who request service meet the regulatory
requirements for eligibility.
Essentially, ADA requires that paratransit service be “comparable” to the fixed route service in
terms of service levels and availability. There are six (6) service criteria that are used to evaluate
paratransit service comparability to the fixed route. These criteria only represent the minimum
service standards and can be exceeded if the local governing body so chooses. The six (6) basic
criteria for determining ADA comparability to fixed route service are as follows:
• Available in the same area served by the fixed route. Specifically service must be made
available to all origins and destinations within a width of ¾ of a mile on each side of each fixed
route. This includes an area within ¾ miles radius at the end of each fixed route as well;
• Available to any ADA paratransit eligible persons at any requested time on any particular day in
response to a request for service made the previous day;
• ADA paratransit fares that are no more than twice the fare that would be charged to an
individual paying full fare for a trip of similar length, at a similar time of day on the fixed route
system.
• There can be no trip restrictions or priorities based on trip purpose;
• Service must be made available to eligible persons on a next day basis; and
• There can be no constraints on the amount of service that is provided to any eligible person.
Specifically, there can be no operating practice that significantly limits the availability of service
to ADA paratransit eligible individuals.
ADA paratransit service must be provided to all individuals who are unable, because of their
disability, to use the fixed route system. The criteria for determining eligibility are also regulated
by the ADA, and Rose View Transit must have a documented process in place to determine if an
individual qualifies for ADA service.
SECTION I: PARATRANSIT PLAN TRANSIT PROVIDER AND CONTACT
INFORMATION
City of Richmond; Rose View Transit
401 South “Q” Street
Richmond, IN 47374
Contact: Terri Quinter; Transportation Director
(765)-983-7227
SECTION II: FIXED ROUTE SERVICE DESCRIPTION
Service area: Rose View’s (6) six fixed routes encompass the entire city from farthest north
point of Highland Road and I-70, southern most point of US 27 south & Boston Pike, farthest
eastern point being US-40 & West Eaton Pike, to most western point of US-40 west & Salisbury
Road.
Route structure: Rose View operates six (6) fixed routes, they are as follows:
• Route #1: East Main & Fairview
• Route #2: East Main & South13th, 5th & “Q” St.
• Route #3: IU East & Reid Hospital
• Route #4: South 8th & Country Club
• Route #5: State Hospital & Earlham
• Route #7: Shopping Shuttle
Days and hours of service: All fixed routes run on the following schedules;
6:15 am – 5:45 pm Monday thru Friday
9:15 am – 4:45 pm Saturday
10:30 am – 5:45 pm (Shuttle Route #7 only)
Fare structure:
Regular Fare ……….. $ 1.75
Seniors 60 & older ……….. $ 1.50
Demand Response …..…… $ 1.50
Monthly Pass ……….. $43.00
Student Monthly Pass ……….. $35.00
Senior Citizen Monthly Pass ……….. $35.00
Paratransit Service ……….. $1.50
Transfers ……….. FREE
Children 5 yrs. & under ……….. FREE
Population served: 36,812 (2010 Census)
Total number of vehicles operated in fixed route service/Percent Accessible: 6/100%
Percentage of routes accessible: 100% accessible
Route Map:
Rider guides can also be accessed online at: https://www.richmondindiana.gov/
SECTION III: COMPLEMENTARY PARATRANSIT SERVICE DESCRIPTION
Consistent with the Department of Transportation regulations arising from the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Rose View provides complementary paratransit service for
individuals whose disabilities make them unable to use the fixed route system.
Service Area: Rose View Transit provides Complementary Paratransit in all areas that a request
for service has an origin or destination within ¾ mile on each side of a fixed route. This also
includes the terminus or surrounding area at the end of a route. The entire service area is equal to
a 1-1/2 mile area centered on each fixed route in the Rose View system. Persons qualified for
paratransit service do not have to live within this defined service area. The only qualification for
a paratransit eligible trip is being contained within the ¾ mile service area of one of the fixed
routes.
Days and Hours of Service: Rose View Transit provides Complementary Paratransit service
during the same days and same hours as the fixed route bus service as identified in Section II of
this plan.
Response Time: Rose View transit schedules and provides paratransit service to any ADA
paratransit eligible person at any requested time on any particular day in response to a request for
service made the previous day. ** Rose View Transit will accept same day trips as the schedule
allows **
Rose View Transit makes reservation service available during normal business hours of the Rose
View Transits administrative offices identified below:
Administrative Office Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday
Reservation Phone #: (765) 983-7301
Relay: (800) 743-3333
Rose View Transit also accepts reservations via automated voicemail system on Saturdays and
Sundays prior to a normal service day on Monday.
Rose View Transit may need to negotiate pickup times with the individual making a request for
service. However, any trip scheduled to begin more than one hour before or after the individual's
desired departure time will be recorded as a trip denial and reported to INDOT for review and
evaluation of need for possible additional resources.
Reasonable Modifications: Rose View Transit honors requests for reasonable modifications as
long the modification does not fundamentally alter the nature of the service. Individuals wishing
to request a service modification should contact:
Terri Quinter: Rose View Transportation Director
401 South “Q” St.
Richmond, IN 47374
Telephone: (765) 983-7227
Relay: (800) 743-3333
Fax (765) 983-7301
Reasonable Modification Policy can also be accessed online at:
https://www.richmondindiana.gov/
Individuals who feel they have been denied a justifiable reasonable modification request and
want to file a complaint can do so by contacting the ADA/Title VI Coordinator identified in
Section VII of this plan.
Fares: ADA fares can be no more than twice the amount charged for regular fare on the fixed
route. The ADA paratransit fare is $1.50 per one way trip.
Personal Care Attendants (PCA) ride for free with ADA eligible clients and must have the same
origin and destination of the ADA eligible passenger for which they accompany. A person must
register and be approved for travel with a PCA before the PCA is eligible to ride for free.
Other Fares:
Monthly Pass ……….. $43.00
Student Monthly Pass ……….. $35.00
Senior Citizen Monthly Pass ……….. $35.00
Transfers ……….. FREE
Children 5 yrs. & under ……….. FREE
Trip Purpose: Since the fixed route service can be used for any trip purpose, so must the
complementary paratransit service. There are also no prioritization based on trip purpose; for
example, medical transportation cannot be given priority over recreational trips.
Capacity Constraints: Rose View Transit does not operate its complementary paratransit
service with capacity constraints; meaning that there can be no limitation on the number of total
trips, or trips per person made available per day. Rose View has no pattern of practice of trip
denials, missed trips, late pickups or trips in length not comparable to the fixed route. Rose View
also does not have any operational practice that has the effect of limiting service to any eligible
client.
Service Animals: Rose View Transit permits service animals to accompany individuals with
disabilities in vehicles and facilities. Service animals are animals that are individually trained to
perform tasks for people with disabilities, such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people
who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or
performing other special tasks. If an animal’s only function is to provide emotional support or
comfort for the rider, that animal would not fall under the regulatory training-based definition of
a service animal. Rose View may ask if an animal is a service animal or ask what tasks the
animal has been trained to perform. Rose View does not require special ID cards for the animal
and will not ask about the person's disability.
A service animal will not be excluded from Rose View services unless the animal poses a direct
threat to the health and safety of other passengers or the driver. All other pets are prohibited.
Portable Oxygen and Respirators: Rose View Transit transports individuals traveling with
portable oxygen tanks and respirators. For safety reasons, portable oxygen tanks must be able to
be secured. The vehicles have oxygen tank securement devices.
No Show Policy: Rose View Transit reserves the right to suspend from services any person, who
establishes a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips without calling to cancel their
scheduled trip. This process will however exclude rides that are missed because of issues outside
a person’s reasonable control.
Service suspension must be comparable to the level of disruption and it also must be able to be
appealed. Rose View Transit will work with qualified persons to reduce their no shows prior to
suspending service. Rose View Transit reviews all no shows on a 3 month schedule to ensure the
process was followed properly to accurately record the number of occurrences. No shows that
exceed 25% may result in service suspension. The first occurrence of 25% or more in a 3 month
timeframe may result in a 1 week service suspension. The second occurrence within a 6 month
timeframe may result in a 2 week suspension of service. The third occurrence within a 9 month
timeframe may result in a 3 week suspension. The forth occurrence in annual timeframe may
result in a 4 week suspension. All suspension decisions will be the responsibility of the Transit
Director and subject to appeal.
SECTION IV: APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY PROCESS
Public entities that provide complementary ADA paratransit service need to establish a process
for determining who is eligible to receive the service. Per the ADA, documentation of eligibility
and associated conditions of eligibility if applicable must be provided to persons deemed eligible.
Paratransit eligibility is functionally based and not determined by the type of disability or
mobility aid used. A person’s eligibility can be decided on a trip by trip basis, which is
determined by specific conditions in conjunction with the disability (weather, distance, passenger
amenities available, etc.).
TYPES OF ELIGIBILITY: Applicants who are determined eligible for ADA complementary
paratransit service are assigned an eligibility category. The eligibility category is consistent with
the applicant’s ability to use the regular fixed-route service.
UNCONDITIONAL – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service
under any circumstances and is eligible for all trips on ADA complementary paratransit service.
CONDITIONAL – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service in
specific circumstances and is eligible to use ADA complementary paratransit service under
limited circumstances identified by Rose View Transit.
TEMPORARY – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service at this
time, however the condition or circumstances leading to eligibility is reasonably expected to
change in the future. For a limited period of time, the applicant is eligible to use ADA
complementary paratransit service for all trips.
All individuals determined to be ADA paratransit eligible have a civil right to obtain the levels of
service and associated provisions of the ADA paratransit service as outlined previously.
Eligibility as defined by the ADA is as follows:
• Persons who have a specific impairment-related condition that prevents them from getting to or
from a fixed route stop.
• Persons who cannot use the fixed route service because the route(s) needed for a particular trip
is/are not accessible (all Rose View vehicles are lift equipped and therefore all routes are
accessible).
• Persons, who, because of a disability, are unable to independently board, ride or disembark from
an accessible fixed route vehicle.
Disabilities can be permanent as well as temporary and must be considered accordingly.
Rose View Transit uses a functional approach to eligibility determination and certification. The
applicant will be required to have a licensed professional determine if the applicant is disabled.
This type of medical professional could include:
• Audiologists,
• Chiropractors,
• Registered nurses,
• Medical Doctors,
• Mobility specialists,
• Occupational therapists, or
• Psychologists.
SAMPLE ELIGIBILITY LETTER
Rose View Transit
401 South “Q” St.
Richmond, IN 47374
ADA Paratransit Eligibility Notification Letter
Dear [Applicant Name,]
Thank you for applying for Rose View Transit ADA Complementary Paratransit Service. As a result of your application and
other In-person interviews (if applicable), it has been determined that you are granted the following eligibility for Rose View
Transit Complementary Paratransit Service.
UNCONDITIONAL – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service under any
circumstances and is eligible for all trips on ADA complementary paratransit service.
Eligibility Start Date: _____________
CONDITIONAL – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service in specific circumstances
and is eligible to use ADA complementary paratransit service under limited circumstances identified by Rose View
Transit below:
___________________________________________________________________________
TEMPORARY – Applicant is not able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service at this time, however the
condition or circumstances leading to eligibility is reasonably expected to change in the future. For a limited period of
time, the applicant is eligible to use ADA complementary paratransit service for all trips.
Duration of eligibility: Start Date: ______________ End Date: ______________
INELIGIBLE – Applicant is able to use accessible regular fixed-route transit service at this time and is not eligible for
use of ADA Complementary Paratransit Service.
Individuals found not eligible for Rose View Transit paratransit service or eligible but with specified conditions may
request an internal administrative appeal of those decisions.
Appeals must be requested in writing with sixty (60) days of the date that the customer received the decision being
appealed. Requests for appeal should be mailed to:
Terri Quinter; Rose View Transportation Director
401 South “Q” St.
Richmond, IN 47374
Ph: (765) 983-7227
Or faxed to: (765) 983-7305
PCA ELIGIBLE – [Enter name of PCA here]
You will need to obtain your picture identification card at the City Clerk’s office in the Richmond Municipal Building at 50
north 5th Street at no charge to you the passenger. This ID card lets the public transit driver know if you are either a senior
citizen 60 & over, a student or a rider with a disability.
This attached General Guidelines for ADA Complementary Paratransit is to help clarify some of the policies and procedures of
the service. We hope you find these resources helpful and encourage you to read through all the material before you reserve your
first trip. We also encourage you to contact Rose View Transit with any questions.
Sincerely,
Terri Quinter
Transportation Director
Visitors: Visitors to the area must be provided 21 days of service (in a 365 day period) when
they provide documentation of ADA paratransit eligibly from another area. If a person is
traveling from an area that doesn’t have paratransit services they can be requested to provide
documentation of their disability. If more than 21 days of service is needed, visitors can be
required to go through the local eligibility process.
Applications: Any individual who believes they are ADA eligible to utilize Rose View Transit
Complementary Paratransit Service may obtain an application at the following address:
401 South “Q” Street
Richmond, IN 47374
Individuals may also obtain an application online at: https://www.richmondindiana.gov/
All information supplied within the application will remain confidential and will only be used to
determine eligibility. To assist with a proper evaluation of ability to ride our fixed route service
and/or the need for Complementary Paratransit, you may be scheduled for an In-person interview.
This interview will provide an opportunity to ask follow-up questions in order to have a clear
understanding of the services provided.
Applications for paratransit eligibility will be processed within 21 days from the date that the
completed application is submitted. During this time Rose View will review the application,
consult with other medical professionals, and make the certification determination. Rose View
will notify the applicant in writing of the determination decision. The letter will state that the
applicant has been approved for service, the conditions of eligibility (if any) and if a PCA is
approved for travel as well.
An individual who submits a complete application and is not notified of the eligibility
determination decision within 21 days, will be granted presumptive eligibility until such time as
written decision is rendered to the individual.
There is no expiration date assigned to a person’s eligibility (unless they were approved as
temporarily eligible). Instead, Rose View staff periodically reviews all applications and confirms
the information as current over the phone.
SECTION V: APPEALS PROCESS
Individuals found not eligible for Rose View Transit paratransit service or eligible but with
specified conditions, and Rose View Transit customers whose service is suspended, may request
an internal administrative appeal of those decisions. This following procedures outline the steps
for requesting an appeal and the procedure governing the appeal process.
Requesting an Appeal: Appeals must be requested in writing with sixty (60) days of the date
that the customer received the decision being appealed. For purposes of this requirement, Rose
View Transit assumes that the individual will have received the decision no later than five (5)
days from the date the decision was mailed. The sixty-day appeal period begins to run on the
sixth day following the date the decision was mailed.
Requests for appeal should be mailed to:
Terri Quinter; Rose View Transportation Director
401 South “Q” St.
Richmond, IN 47374
Ph: (765) 983-7227
Or faxed to: (765) 983-7305
Rose View Transit staff is responsible for receiving requests for appeals of service suspensions.
Rose View staff shall promptly advise the Appeals Panel of a request for an appeal hearing, shall
coordinate an appeal date and time with the Rose View customer and Appeals Panel, and shall
reserve sufficient time for the hearing. Rose View staff shall notify the individual in writing or
the alternative format request of the date, time and location of the appeal hearing. If necessary,
Rose View staff shall arrange for the individual to receive Paratransit transportation to and from
the place of hearing.
Requesting a Stay of a Service Suspension: A customer may request a stay of a service
suspension pending determination of the customer’s appeal of that suspension. Requests for stay
may be submitted in writing or alternative format and must demonstrate good cause for granting
the stay. The Appeals Panel shall review all requests and shall determine whether or not good
cause exists for a stay or other modification of the service suspension pending determination of
the customer’s appear within three (3) days of receiving the request.
Appeal with Hearing (Prior to Hearing) Customers may request copies of documents and
information relating to the decision from which the customer is appealing. The Appeals Panel or
its designee shall promptly consider and decide all requests for documents and information.
Documents and information shall be provided if the documents or information are relevant to the
decision being appealed or are likely to assist the Appeals Panel in deciding the appeal.
Customers may request the appearance as witnesses the Rose View personnel involved in the
matter or have knowledge of information relevant to the matter. The Appeals Panel or it
designee shall promptly consider and decide all requests for the appearance of witnesses,
considering the witness’s relevance to the decision being appealed for the likelihood that the
witness will assist the Appeals Panel in deciding the appeal. The Appeals Panel or its designee
shall notify the customer of its decision and the availability of witnesses in advance of the
hearing.
Customers may submit no later than three (3) days in advance of the appeal hearing written or
alternative format arguments, evidence and any other information they wish the Appeals Panel to
consider in advance of the hearing.
At Hearing: Customers may represent themselves at hearing, or may be represented by an
attorney, paralegal or legal assistant, caseworker, care provider, or any other persons designed by
the customer to present the customer’s case.
The parties may present documents and witnesses, question the witnesses presented by each
other, and offer other oral, written or recorded information to support their respective positions or
to respond to each other’s position. Rose View shall present its position first, then the customer
may present next. As required or appropriate, the parties shall be permitted to present additional
documents and witnesses, or recall witnesses.
The Appeals Panel may for good cause continue a hearing or permit the post-hearing submission
of additional evidence, information and arguments. If a continuance or post-hearing submission
is permitted, the Appears Panel shall within three (3) days advise the parties of the date, time and
location of the continuance hearing or the date by which the post-hearing submission must be
received by the Appeals Panel.
The hearing shall be recorded.
Appeal without Hearing: If the Rose View customer declines an in-person appeal hearing, Rose
View staff shall inform the customer of the date by which the customer must submit to Rose
View Transit any written or alternative format materials the customer wishes the Appeals Panel
to consider in determining the customer’s appeal. Extensions of this date may be allowed for
good cause.
Following the submission date, the Appeals Panel shall review the customer’s file and written
submissions, if any, and decide the matter, The Appeals Panel may uphold the eligibility
determination or service suspension, overturn the eligibility determination or service suspension,
impose conditions upon eligibility or returning the customer to service, or take other appropriate
action to decide the matter.
Evidentiary Burden and Standard: Rose View Transit shall have the burden of demonstrating
that the individual’s eligibility for paratransit service was appropriately determined or that the
customer’s service was suspended for appropriate cause and in accordance with the procedures
for service suspension. This burden must be satisfied by a preponderance of all the evidence
submitted in connection with the appeal or otherwise in the customer’s record. The stand of
admissibility for evidence and information presented in connection with an appeal shall be
whether the evidence or information is of the type that a reasonable person would rely upon in
making decisions about their personal affairs.
Notification of Decision: The Appeals Panel shall notify the customer of its decision and the
reason for its decision in writing, within thirty (30) days of the date of the appeal hearing or, if
the customer declined hearing, of the date on which the Appeals Panel reviewed and considered
the matter.
If no decision is made on an appeal of eligibility determination within thirty (30) days of the date
of the appeal hearing or date of the Appeal Panel’s consideration, the individual will be eligible
for Rose View paratransit services as of the 31st day, until and unless a decision otherwise is
rendered by the Panel.
SECTION VI: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Public input and ability to comment regarding any changes in any of Rose View’s service must
be considered. Rose View Transit solicits ongoing participation in the operation and assessment
of associated services by individuals with disabilities.
One manner of meeting this requirement is for Rose View Transit to utilize a Transportation
Advisory Committee (TAC) which represents a broad cross section of individuals, social service
provider groups, non-profit organizations, and local, state, and federal agencies within the City.
The role of the Transportation Advisory Committee is to promote and facilitate individual,
group, and agency involvement in the planning and implementation of effective coordinated
public transportation within the City and services provided by Rose View Transit.
TAC member duties include:
To advocate for transit dependent individuals
To strengthen public relations and community education for Rose View Transit
Assist as feasible with resolution to customer service issues
To provide community insight for the development of service policies
SECTION VII: DISCRIMINATION AND COMPLAINTS
NOTICE UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
In Accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(“ADA”), the City of Richmond will not discriminate against qualified individuals with
disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.
Effective Communication: City of Richmond will generally, upon request, provide appropriate
aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so
they can participate equally in City of Richmond’s programs, services, and activities.
Modifications to Policies and Procedures: City of Richmond will make all reasonable
modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal
opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
The ADA does not require City of Richmond to take any action that would fundamentally alter
the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
Complaints that a program, service, or activity of City of Richmond is not accessible to persons
with disabilities or that a Reasonable Modification request could not be met, should be submitted
by the grievant and/or his/her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days
after the alleged violation to:
Imani Murphy, ADA Coordinator,
50 North 5th Street, Richmond, IN 47374, 765-983-7435 or
imurphy@richmondindiana.gov
The complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination
such as name, address, phone number of complainant and location, date, and description of the
problem. Alternative means of filing complaint, such as personal interviews or a tape recording
of the complaint will be made available for person with disabilities upon request.
Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the coordinator or his/her designee will
meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15
calendar days of the meeting, the coordinator or his/her designee will respond in writing, and
where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, Braille, or audio
tape. The response will explain the position of the City of Richmond and offer options for
substantive resolution of the complaint.
If the response by the coordinator or his/her designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the
complainant and/or her designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of
the response to the Mayor or his designee.
Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Mayor or designee will meet with the
complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days after
meeting, the Mayor or designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format
accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint.
All written complaints received by the coordinator or his/her designee. Appeals to the Mayor or
his designee, and responses from these two offices will be retained by the City of Richmond for
at least three years.
ADA Complaint Forms can also be accessed online at: https://www.richmondindiana.gov/
Sample Complaint Form