GUIDE TO PROJECT MOBILITY
RTA’s PARATRANSIT SERVICE
WELCOME...
Welcome to Project Mobility, the Miami Valley Regional
Transit Authority (RTA) paratransit service for eligible individuals with
disabilities. We consider it a privilege to serve your transportation needs.
This guide is designed to help you understand Project
Mobility's service and your responsibilities while using it. Please familiarize
yourself with the information contained within this booklet, as it will help us
to better serve you and other Project Mobility customers.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The RTA is committed to providing quality transportation
to everyone in the Miami Valley. Since 1977, the RTA has offered Project
Mobility to individuals with disabilities who are unable to use regular fixed
route service.
Project Mobility service is available upon completion of a
Project Mobility application and certification through the Project Mobility
Certification Center. Once you are certified to use paratransit, under the
guidelines of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), you are eligible to
ride Project Mobility as space is available for the time and destination you
request.
If you are a visitor to the area, you may use Project
Mobility if you are certified as being ADA eligible for paratransit service
elsewhere. At the time of making your trip request, let the reservationist know
that you are visiting from another area and by what paratransit system you have
been certified. You will be required to follow the same guidelines as those
individuals certified to ride RTA’s Project Mobility Paratransit service.
Visitors may use Project Mobility service for a maximum of 30 calendar days.
If you require Project Mobility service beyond the 30 calendar days, you must
become locally certified by the RTA.
On the day of trip, please present your local paratransit identification to
the Project Mobility operator.
PROJECT MOBILITY CERTIFICATION/ ELIGIBILITY PROCESS
Persons applying for Project Mobility services must complete and return an
application to receive the appropriate certification. Applications are available
at:
Project Moblity offices
705 Longworth Street
Dayton, OH 45402
223-7433
RTA Transit Pavilion
22 South Main Street
Dayton, OH 45402
443-5818
Certification Center
Shiloh Springs & Dinlinger Rds
854-831
(RTA contractor for this is United Rehabilitation Services, site manager is
Dennis Grant)
Completed applications should be sent to the Project Mobility offices at the
above Longworth Street address.
The Certification Center will then conduct a screening process to determine
an applicant's physical and cognitive abilities to ride RTA fixed route service.
Determinations for paratransit eligibility are made through this process.
All requests for paratransit eligibility will be processed within 21 days of
receipt of the application.
The certification period will be for three years, unless a shorter period of
time is designated in temporary or short-term situations. After the expiration
of the certification, a new application for eligibility must be submitted.
PROJECT MOBILITY SERVICE HOURS
As identified under ADA, the RTA provides Project Mobility service during the
same hours and days as fixed route service. Project Mobility service is
available:
- Seven days a week between 4:45 a.m. and 12:30 a.m
- During the same fixed route service hours within your requested origin
and/or destination.
SERVICE AREA
The Project Mobility service area is:
Based on a 3/4 mile corridor around RTNs fixed route bus service.
The Project Mobility reservationist will identify whether your requested
origin and destination are within RTA’s ADA defined service area and
hours.
To receive service, all three of the above time and location requirements
must be met to insure that a trip is available.
TRIP TYPES
Project Mobility offers two types of trip reservations - subscription and
nonsubscription.
Subscription reservations are trips that occur regularly. Once
scheduled, subscription trips are usually automatically rescheduled unless
Project Mobility is notified of a cancellation or change. As capacity
allows, subscription reservations will be made available for the following
trip priorities:
- Life sustaining medical trips
- Work trips (where employment provides the primary means of support)
- Non-agency school trips
Other subscription trips will be made available as capacity allows.
Once a subscription trip has been developed and scheduled, you may
temporarily discontinue the subscription for a period of up to 60 calendar
days. If you return to subscription service within 60 days and request no
change in trip origin, destination or times, your subscription service will
not be affected. Contact the Project Mobility scheduling office at (937)
443-3014 to suspend and resume subscription trips.
When any request is made to change the trip origin, destination or time,
the change will be considered a new request for subscription service.
Requests to change subscriptions must be submitted through Project
Mobility reservations and will require two to four weeks to process. You
will be notified of the 'new' status by Project Mobility's scheduling
office. Every effort will be made to accommodate requests.
Non-subscription reservations are requests that must be booked for
each individual occurrence for trips that either:
occur regularly but do not fall into one of the trip
priority categories, or occur infrequently at
different times, or from different locations.
A reservation must be made for each individual non- subscription trip
through the Project Mobility reservations office.
MAKING A RESERVATION
Reservations for trips of any purpose are accepted and handled on an
equal basis. Except for the scheduling of subscription trips, trip requests
are not prioritized by trip purpose.
PROJECT MOBILITY RESERVATION HOURS
To reserve a trip with Project Mobility call (937) 223-7433 or TDD (937)
443-3039 during the following hours:
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
To afford the maximum number of customers the opportunity to schedule a
trip, reservations are restricted to two round-trip reservations per call.
Reservations may be made for next day trips or up to two weeks in
advance. Please remember that trips will be provided on a first-come,
first-served basis.
To accommodate your trip, it may be necessary for the Project Mobility
reservationist to negotiate your pick-up and return times. When calling to
schedule a trip, please have the following information available:
- Your name
- Your Project Mobility identification number
- Your origin and destination addresses
- The date of your requested trip
- The time that you need to be at your destination
- The requested time of return
- Please confirm/specify if you will be traveling with a personal
care attendant and/or companions
- Please specify if you or the person who will be traveling with
you will be using any mobility aids, i.e. electric wheelchairs or
scooters, walkers, canes.
*NOTE: A personal care attendant (PCA) is someone designated or
employed specifically to help the eligible individual meet his/her
personal needs. Customers are designated PCA eligible through the
certification process. One PCA may ride for free.
*NOTE: A companion is defined as a family member or friend not
acting in the capacity of personal care attendant. A companion will pay
the same fare as the certified Project Mobility passenger.
Additional individuals accompanying the Project Mobility passenger shall
be provided service, only if space is available for them on the paratransit
vehicle carrying the Project Mobility passenger and that transportation of
additional individuals will not result in a denial of service to ADA
paratransit eligible individuals.
Children accompanying a certified passenger are considered traveling
companions. A maximum of two children age five and under may ride for free.
Children age six and older must pay the full Project Mobility fare. ALL
CHILD RESTRAINING LAWS APPLY TO CHILDREN RIDING PROJECT MOBILITY VEHICLES.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO COMPLY WITH ALL
PREVAILING REGULATIONS.
TAKING A TRIP
RTA Project Mobility service is provided using a variety of vehicles,
from mini vans to small buses. Because Project Mobility is a 'shared ride
service,' more than one passenger may be scheduled during the time you are
on the vehicle.
A customer may not refuse to ride with other customers. You must ride in
the vehicle that is sent for you. Special requests for specific vehicles and
operators cannot be honored.
Please be ready ten minutes prior to your pick up time. If the vehicle
has not arrived 15 minutes after your scheduled time, please call Project
Mobility Dispatch at (937) 443-3067.
CURB-TO-CURB SERVICE
Project Mobility provides curb-to-curb paratransit service, which means
that Project Mobility operators will pick up and drop off customers at the
curbs of origination and destination points.
Please be sure to wait for PMOB operators in a visible location, such as
a curb, driveway or doorway so that the operator can easily identify you.
DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE
Door-to-door service is provided only to those PMOB customers who have
been certified for door- to-door service. If you are certified for
door-to-door service, the Project Mobility operator will provide assistance
only from the outside door of your pick-up location to the outside door of
your destination. Project Mobility operators are not able to assist
customers inside their pick up or drop off points.
Passengers are responsible for obtaining any other assistance which they
may require. Please notify the Project Mobility reservationist if you are
door-to- door certified when making your reservation.
Operators are not permitted to enter a private residence.
CARRY-ON ITEMS
Carry-on packages cannot exceed an amount or number that you, a personal
care attendant or companion can comfortably handle.
The operator will assist you with packages while boarding or deboarding
Project Mobility vehicles, but will not carry parcels, groceries or other
large and heavy items to your door.
SERVICE ANIMALS
Guide dogs and other service animals may accompany you if such a need was
indicated and approved in the certification process.
Family pets are also permitted only if properly contained during the trip.
Pet containers must be comparable to the type used in commercial transport.
FARE
One-way fare on Project Mobility is $2.00. Please have exact change ready
when boarding the vehicle. Operators cannot give change. The full fare $2.00
must be paid at the time service is provided or you will not be permitted to
ride. State law requires that you pay a fare when using public transportation
services. Vehicle operators are not permitted to accept gifts or tips.
For riders who do not wish to carry cash, RTA offers Project Mobility
tickets. The tickets are sold in convenient 10-ride strips for $20.00 and can
be purchased from the RTA Transit Pavilion, located at 22 South Main Street in
the Marketplace Transit Pavilion.
Project Mobility tickets can also be purchased by mail. To purchase tickets
by mail, send a check or money order along with a self-addressed stamped
envelope to:
RTA Accounting Department
P.O. Box 1301
Dayton, Ohio 45401
Please allow two to four weeks for delivery.
Vehicle operators are permitted to stop only at the location designated in
the reservation. Travel arrangements with more than one destination will be
scheduled as separate trips and will require a separate fare.
PASSENGER RESPONSIBILITIES
CANCELLATIONS
If you find that you are unable to take your scheduled trip, please call the
following telephone numbers to cancel your reservation:
- Same day cancellations (937) 443-3067 (Dispatch)
- All other cancellations (937) 223-7433 (Reservations)
Please notify Project mobility of trip cancellations by 4:00 p.m. the day
prior to the scheduled trip. Cancellations made the day of the scheduled trip,
up to one hour before the pick up time, are considered late cancellations (see
below).
LATE CANCELLATIONS
Reservations canceled the day of a scheduled trip at least one-hour prior to
pick up time are considered late cancellations. The consequences for late
cancellations are identified in the box below.
Seven late cancellations within a 12 month period
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Written warning
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Nine late cancellations in a 12 month period
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Seven day suspension
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11 late cancellations in a 12 month period
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30 day suspension
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Late cancellations are tracked on a rolling 12-month basis.
A case-by-case evaluation for continued Project Mobility eligibility will
be conducted for passengers exceeding 11 late cancellations within a rolling
12- month period.
Project Mobility staff will track this information and will notify
passengers of a warning or suspension in writing. A customer whose service
is to be suspended has the right to an administrative appeal. A written copy
of the Appeals Process Policy may be obtained by calling Project Mobility at
223-7433. has the right to an administrative appeal. A written copy of the
Appeals Process Policy may be obtained by calling Project Mobility at
223-7433.
PASSENGER MISCONDUCT
For the safety and comfort of all Project Mobility customers and employees,
the RTA has established the following definitions and consequences to address
inappropriate customer conduct.
Hazardous misconduct is defined as any passenger act which creates the
potential for injury or death to any customer, vehicle operator or the general
public.
Abusive misconduct is defined as any verbal or physical act that is
generally offensive, invades the privacy rights of others or involves touching
another person in a rude, insolent or angry manner.
Hazardous or abusive misconduct may result in service suspension:
A first offense may result in suspension of service of up to 60 days.
A second offense within a one-year period may result in suspension of
service for up to one year. At the end of the suspension period, a
customer must reapply for eligibility for Project Mobility service.
Unintentional misconduct is defined as any act that would qualify as
hazardous or abusive misconduct, but is the direct and immediate consequence
of the customer's disability.
Consequences of unintentional misconduct:
- A customer may be required to ride with a Personal Care Attendant (see
p. 6).
- A customer may be subject to any reasonable accommodation that will
ensure safety. This accommodation may last for a time period sufficient to
allow the customer to learn appropriate behavior or, the accommodation may
be permanent if the conduct is beyond the customer's control.
A case-by-case evaluation for continued Project Mobility eligibility will
be conducted for passengers engaging in repeat hazardous, abusive or
unintentional misconduct.
Project Mobility staff will track this information and will notify
passengers of a warning or suspension in writing. A customer whose service is
to be suspended has the right to an administrative appeal. A written copy of
the Appeals Process Policy may be obtained by calling Project Mobility at
223-7433.
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