Date: June 2003
Date: June 2007
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PENNDOT’s) Rural Transportation Program for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
Guidelines for Interagency Coordination and Maintenance of Effort Obligations
Table of Contents
I Objective of the Guidelines 3
II Purpose 3
III Goals of the PwD 3
IV General Provisions 4
IV.1 Administering State Agency 4
IV.2 Administering Local Agencies 4
IV.3 PwD Design 4
IV.4 Fares 4
IV.5 Applicants 5
IV.6 Customers With Disabilities 5
IV.7 Counties Covered Under the PwD 5
V PwD Policies 5
V.1 Other Human Service Providers’ Maintenance of Effort and Related Obligations 5
1) Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) 5
2) Third-Party Payers 6
3) Children and Youth Services 6
4) Approved Training Providers 6
5) Personal Care Home Providers 6
6) Sheltered Workshop Providers 7
7) Adult Training Facilities 7
8) Waiver Participants
9) Group Home Providers and Other Community Residential Facilities 7
10) Mental Health Outpatient Providers 8
11) Shared-Ride Program for Seniors 8
12) Nursing Home Providers 8
V.2 Payer of Last Resort 8
V.3 Eligibility and Registration Procedures 9
1) Eligibility for the PwD 9
2) Trips Which Are Ineligible for the PwD 9
3) Registration 9
VI Other Clarifications 10
VI.1 Local Advisory Committees 10
Appendix A: PwD Transit Providers ………………………………………………………..11
Appendix B: MATP Participating Providers ………………………………………………..17
Appendix C: Commonly Asked Questions 18
Appendix D: Comparison of ADA and PwD…………………………………………………23
Appendix E: Website Directions For PwD Documents ……………………………………...26
I. OBJECTIVE OF THE GUIDELINES
To provide guidelines for interagency coordination among the Departments of Aging, Public Welfare, Labor & Industry, and Transportation and to set forth maintenance of effort obligations regarding PENNDOT’s Rural Transportation Program for Persons with Disabilities (PwD which serves eligible persons with disabilities, hereafter referred to as customers with disabilities.
II. PURPOSE
These guidelines are an ongoing record of the decisions, policy clarifications and discussions that the above referenced parties have engaged in prior-to, during and following the 18-month Pilot Project and the expansion of the PwD into additional project areas.
III. GOALS OF THE PwD
Most of the following goals were initially established for the Pilot Project. As stated below they are applicable to the continuing program:
• To provide a reduced fare transportation program for shared-ride service for persons who have a disability; are 18-64 years of age; and live in a county participating in the PwD program or need transportation to or from a PwD project area that is not currently served by public fixed route bus transportation and ADA complementary paratransit services.
• To collect data on customers with disabilities who use public shared-ride transportation services in rural areas in order to assess their transportation needs.
• To collect data on the start up, planning, administrative, capital and operating costs associated with meeting the transportation needs of customers with disabilities.
• To collect data on the impact—quality, quantity and cost of service—on other passengers when shared-ride transportation providers attempt to meet the transportation needs of customers with disabilities.
• To ensure that the PwD is perceived and used as a supplemental, transportation service for customers with disabilities. It is imperative that human service agencies continue to provide and/or pay for transportation services to customers with disabilities as they did before the initiation of the PwD. The PwD’s limited funding will be quickly exhausted if it is used to replace the services previously offered by other transportation programs. Therefore the provision of services under the PwD must be that—supplemental.
IV. GENERAL PROVISIONS
IV.1 Administering State Agency
The administering state agency is PENNDOT.
IV.2 Administering Local Agencies
The administering local agencies are the transit providers in a thirty-five county area. This includes eight pilot counties and twenty-seven expansion counties. The 24 transit providers are responsible for managing, supervising, and monitoring the quantity and quality of transportation services provided to customers with assistance from Local Advisory Committees (See Appendix A for details on the transit providers).
IV.3 PwD Design
The PwD uses the public Shared-Ride services model, now used for seniors and the general public. It is expected that the PwD will be operated in a manner that does not diminish or otherwise negatively impact the existing Shared-Ride services available for older Pennsylvanians and other shared-ride passengers.
IV.4 Fares
For customers with disabilities, the PwD will fund up to 85% of the general public shared-ride fares that are currently in accordance with the Shared-Ride Program for Senior Citizens. In some instances, customers with disabilities may be required to pay rates that are different from the fares that senior citizens currently pay to ride to the same location under the Shared-Ride Program. For example: The York County transit provider charges customers with disabilities the same fare for a one way trip under the PwD as it now charges for its ADA Complementary Para-transit Service.
IV.5 Applicants
Applicants are persons with disabilities who are in the process of applying and/or are awaiting notice of their eligibility for services under the PwD.
IV.6 Customers With Disabilities
Customers with disabilities are persons with disabilities who have applied for PwD eligibility in one of the PwD project areas, and have been determined eligible to receive transportation services under the PwD.
IV.7 Counties Covered Under the PwD
Continuing Counties: Adams, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Elk, Erie, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Monroe, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Washington, and York
Expansion Counties: Bucks, Columbia, Fayette, Juniata, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, and Venango
V. PWD POLICIES
V.1 Other Human Service Providers’ Maintenance Of Effort and Related Obligations
A person can both be eligible for discounted fares through the PwD and still receive transportation services through other programs. However, trips that are provided under any of the below programs are not eligible for an 85% discounted fare under the PwD.
1) Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP)
MATP is responsible for providing medical transportation services to eligible customers within its service area.
Medical transportation services are transportation services to any
medical assistance reimbursable service for the purpose of receiving
treatment, medical evaluation or purchasing prescription drugs or medical equipment (See Appendix B for examples of what constitutes and what does not constitute medical transportation services).
2) Third-Party Payers
Entities and agencies with whom customers with disabilities may have rights and access to transportation services such as insurance companies, the local MH/MR organization, nursing homes, sheltered workshops, etc. These entities/agencies are responsible for continuing to provide or assist in funding transportation services for their clients.
3) Children and Youth Services
County children and youth agencies fund transportation services to programmatic activities which are covered in the child's program plan for children in substitute care. County children and youth agencies are responsible for funding transportation services for children in placement, e.g., foster care, residential care. County children and youth agencies are not responsible for providing transportation services for children who are served in their own homes.
4) Approved Training Providers
Federal funds are available for transporting youths, adults, and displaced workers for training provided by “an approved training provider”. The “approved training provider” may be colleges, technical schools, or private employers with approved “on the job training programs”. To qualify, a person must have an “individual training account” which is granted under the Workforce Investment Act.
5) Personal Care Home Providers
If the personal care home provider includes the provision of transportation in its agreement with a person with a disability, then the personal care home provider must provide transportation services to that person. Unless it is specified to the contrary in the agreement, it will be assumed that transportation to all needed destinations will be provided by the personal care home provider.
6) Sheltered Workshop Providers
The sheltered workshop provider is responsible for transporting its clients to and from its sheltered workshop facilities. The per diem rate paid to these providers includes funds to cover the client’s transportation services. If the per diem paid does not provide ample money to transport the client to and from the sheltered work shop, the portion of service that is being provided by the client or the client’s family will not be funded by the PwD.
7) Adult Training Facilities
Adult training facilities are facilities licensed by the Office of Mental Retardation within the Department of Public Welfare under 55 PA Code 2380, titled Adult Training Facilities. The PwD does not fund trips to Adult Training Facilities (ATFs). Transportation to ATFs is subject to the PwD maintenance of effort policy that requires existing funding sources to continue to provide funding for the transportation of the people they serve. The intent of the PwD program is to provide low-cost transportation for people with disabilities to their communities, not to programs. In order to maintain this intent, PwD cannot provide transportation to ATFs. Transportation to these facilities could rapidly deplete available PwD resources, and result in inadequate funding for persons who need affordable transportation to access competitive employment, shopping and educational facilities, medical services and recreational activities. This policy clarification does not apply to individuals going to senior centers.
8) Waiver Participants
Under the PwD guidelines, Medicaid Waiver funding is not considered a program. Therefore, waiver participants are eligible for PwD discounted fares on their individual trips. The only prohibition against PwD discounted fares for these persons is for transportation where there is a current funding source or for trips to sheltered workshops and adult training facilities.
9) Group Home Providers and Other Community Residential Facilities
Services for residents of these facilities are funded through a per diem reimbursement to the facility from the Department of Public Welfare. If this per diem rate includes reimbursement for transportation service, then the PwD will not fund the already covered transportation service for the resident.
10) Mental Health Outpatient Providers
Many of these facilities, such as day treatment centers, currently provide transportation for their clients. It is expected that they will continue to provide these services for their clients.
11) Shared-Ride Program for Seniors
A customer 65 years of age or older, with or without a disability, will be provided transportation under the Shared-Ride Program for Senior Citizens, not the PwD.
12) Nursing Home Providers
Nursing home providers are responsible for arranging all transportation (whether it is medical or non-medical in nature) for their medical assistance eligible clients. Nursing home providers must pay for transportation to medical services/providers from their medical assistance per diem. Therefore, those trips for medical assistance eligible clients residing in nursing homes are not eligible for discounted fares under the PwD. Transportation for medical assistance eligible clients to other than medical services/providers is normally paid for through the clients’ personal accounts and is eligible for the discounted PwD fares. Privately paying clients who reside in nursing homes are eligible to receive discounted fares under the PwD for any purpose.
V.2 Payer of Last Resort
PwD funds must be used in addition to, not in lieu of, transportation services funded by social service and public transportation resources. These resources must be used before PwD funds are utilized.
The PwD transit provider may/should request a letter from the appropriate human service and/or other providers verifying the transportation services that are provided and the transportation services that are not provided for their clients.
V.3 Eligibility and Registration Procedures
1) PwD Eligibility
The shared-ride transportation provider, determines the person’s eligibility for the PwD through the standard Eligibility/Registration Form application provided by PENNDOT.
2) Trips Which are Ineligible for PwD
A trip taken by a person with a disability is ineligible for a discounted fare under the PwD if that trip has been/could be provided through another resource or if another resource should pay for that particular trip/ transportation to that destination. As indicated previously in these guidelines, trips to sheltered workshops and Adult Training Facilities are not eligible for a PwD discount.
A person with a disability is also ineligible for the PwD if the transit provider requests authorization to refer the person with a disability to a potential service provider/funding agency, and the person refuses to have his/her eligibility determined by that agency.
3) Registration
The transit providers will conduct a standard registration process for all interested applicants. This intake process will include, but not be limited to:
gathering income data,
confirming that the applicant is a person with a physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits him/her in one or more of the major life activities,
determining the availability of transportation services from other transportation programs, and
if applicable, referring the applicant to other agencies to determine the applicant’s eligibility for transportation services outside of the PwD.
VI. OTHER CLARIFICATIONS
VI.1 Local Advisory Committees
These Committees assist with the oversight of the general transportation systems in their local communities including, but not limited to, the services provided under the PwD. The transit providers in the PwD project areas are strongly encouraged to include people with disabilities and representatives from the local Area Agency on Aging on their local advisory Committees.
Appendix A
PwD Transit Providers
Allied Coordinated Transportation Services, Inc.
Thomas Scott, Executive Director
241 West Grant Street
P. O. Box 189
New Castle, PA 16103
Phone: (724) 658-7258 Fax: (724) 658-7664 E-mail: tscott@
Adams County Transit Authority
Richard Farr, Executive Director
Rear 257 North Fourth Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 337-1345 Fax: (717) 337-2568 E-mail: gspangler@
Area Transportation Authority of North Central Pennsylvania
Michael Imbrogno, Executive Director
44 Transportation Center
Johnsonburg, PA 15845
Phone: (814) 965-2111 Fax: (814) 965-3053 E-mail: ATA@
Beaver County Transit Authority
Mary Jo Morandini, General Manager
200 West Washington Street
Rochester, PA 15074-2235
Phone : (724) 728-8600 Fax : (724) 728-8333 E-mail : maryjom@
Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority
Dennis D. Louwerse, Executive Director/CEO
1700 N. 11th Street
Reading, PA 19604
Phone: (610) 921-0605 Fax: (610) 921-9420 E-mail: dlouwerse@
Blair Senior Services, Inc.
William Davis, Executive Director
1320 Twelfth Avenue
Altoona, PA 16601
Phone : (814) 695-3500 Fax : (814) 696-6314 E-mail : daviswt@
Bucks County Transport, Inc.
Vincent Volpe, Director
P.O. Box 510
Holicong, PA 18928
Phone: (215) 794-5554 Fax: (215) 794-5564 E-mail: vincevolpe@
Capital Area Transit
James Hoffer, Executive Director
901 North Cameron Street
P. O. Box 1571
Harrisburg, PA 17105
Phone : (717) 232-6104, ext. 134 Fax : (717) 238-8307 E-mail : jhoffer@
Carbon County c/o LANTA
Dennis Meyers, Assistant Executive Director
1060 Lehigh Street
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone : (610) 435-3646 Fax : (610) 435-6774 E-mail : lanta@
Centre County Office of Transportation
Keith Hamilton, Director
420 Holmes Street
Bellefonte, PA 16823-1488
Phone : (814) 355-6807 Fax : (814) 355-8656 E-mail : khamilton@co.centre.pa.us
Columbia County/ MTR Transportation Co., t/d/b/a/ K-Cab, Inc
Mark Ryman
P.O. Box 203
Berwick, PA 18603-0203
Phone: (570) 784-1550 Fax: (570) 389-8445 E-mail: mtrcab@
County of Lebanon Transit Authority
Theresa Giurintano, Executive Director
200 Willow Street
Lebanon, PA 17046
Phone: (717) 274-3664 Fax: (717) 274-8860 E-mail: tgiurintano.colt@
Crawford Area Transportation Authority
Timothy Geibel, Executive Director
231 Chestnut Street, Room 210
Meadville, PA 16335
Phone : (814) 336-5600 Fax : (814) 336-5406 E-mail : tgeibelcata@
Cumberland County Transportation Department
Rose Cook , Director
37 East High Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
Phone: (717) 240-6341x6343 Fax: (717) 240-6479 E-mail: rcook@
Endless Mountains Transportation Authority
Karen Graber, General Manager
RR 1, Box 23, Route 220
Athens, PA 18810
Phone : (570) 888-7330 Fax : (570) 888-8713 E-mail : karen@
Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority
Chris Gerhart, LIFT Administrator
825 West 18th Street
Erie, PA 16502
Phone : (814) 455-3330, ext. 28 Fax : (814) 455-3530 E-mail: cgerhart@
Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation
Michelle Grant Shumar, Director, Fayette County Human Services
FACT Transit Center
825 Airport Road
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
Phone: (724) 628-7433 Fax: (724) 628-7468 E-mail: mshumar@hs.
Franklin County Integrated Transportation System
Gloria Strine, Director of Transportation
201 Franklin Farm Lane
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 264-5225 Fax: (717) 262-4975 E-mail: gstrine@co.franklin.pa.us
Greene County Human Services
Karen Bennett, Administrator
19 South Washington Street, Fort Jackson Building, 3rd Floor
Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: (724) 852-5276 Fax: (724) 852-5368 E-mail: kbennett@co.greene.pa.us
Huntingdon-Bedford-Fulton Area Agency on Aging
Alan Smith, Executive Director
240 Wood Street
P.O. Box 46
Bedford, PA 15522
Phone: (814) 623-8148 Fax: (814) 623-5929 E-mail: hbfaaa@
Krapfs CPS, Inc. (Chester County)
Gary D. Krapf, General Manager
Paratransit and Transit Divisions
495 Thomas Jones Way, Suite 304
Exton, PA 19341
Phone: (610) 594-2664 Fax: (610) 594-5012 E-Mail: gdkrapf@
Lehigh & Northampton Transportation Authority
Armando Greco, Executive Director
1060 Lehigh Street
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone: (610) 435-3646 Fax: (610) 435-6774 E-mail: lanta@
Mercer County Regional Council of Governments
Thomas Tulip, Executive Director
2495 Highland Road
Hermitage, PA 16148
Phone : (724) 981-1561 Fax : (724) 981-2639 E-mail : ttulip@
Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging (Call-A-Ride)
Cynthia Sunderland, Director of Transportation
P.O. Box 750
Lewistown, PA 17044
Phone: (717) 242-2277 Fax: (717) 242-1448 E-mail: csunderland@
Monroe County Transportation Authority
Margaret Howarth, Executive Director
P.O. Box 339
Scotrun, PA 18355-0339
Phone: (570) 839-8201 Fax: (570) 839-8205 E-mail: phowarth@
Northumberland County Transportation
Jacque Klemick, Transportation Director
2154 Trevorton Road 3rd Floor
Coal Township, PA 17866
Phone: (570) 644-4462 Fax: (570) 644-4482 E-mail: jklemick@
Perry County Transportation Authority
Gary Eby, Transportation Director
350 Fickes Lane
P.O. Box 217
Newport, PA 17074-0217
Phone: (717) 567-2490 Fax: (717) 567-2557 E-mail: geby@
Pike County Area Agency on Aging
Robin S. LoDolce, Executive Director
150 Pike County Boulevard
Hawley, PA 18428
Phone: (570) 775-5550 Fax: (570) 775-5558 E-mail: rlodolce@
Red Rose Transit Authority
Linda Rannels, Director of Shared-Ride/Customer Service
45 Erick Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
Phone : (717) 291-1243 Fax : (717) 397-4761 E-mail : lrannels@
Schuylkill Transportation System
Mike Micko, V.P. of Public Transportation Services
P.O. Box 67, St. Clair, PA 17970
Phone: (570) 429-2701 Fax: (570) 429-1078 E-mail: micko@
STEP, Inc.
Janet Alling, Executive Director
2138 Lincoln Street
P. O. Box 3568
Williamsport, PA 17701-1356
Phone: (570) 326-0587 Fax: (570) 322-2197 E-mail: jalling@
Suburban Transit Network, Inc.
Patricia Moir, Director
Union Meeting Corporate Center
980 Harvest Drive, Suite 100
Blue Bell, PA 19422
Phone: (215) 542-7433 Fax: (215) 542-8877 E-mail: pmoir@
Union-Snyder Transportation Alliance
Cynthia Zerbe, Administrator
1610 Industrial Boulevard, Suite 700
Lewisburg, PA 17837-1284
Phone: (877) 877-9021 Fax: (570) 522-1409 E-mail: czerbe@
Venango County Transportation Office
Sally Mays, Director
P.O. Box 1130
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: (814) 432-9760 Fax: (814) 437-2338 E-mail: smays@co.venango.pa.us
Washington County Human Services
Sheila Gombita
90 W. Chestnut Street, Suite 325
Washington, PA 15301
Phone: (724) 229-2502 Fax: (724) 223-9474 E-mail: sgombita@
York County Transportation Authority
Richard Farr, Executive Director
1230 Roosevelt Avenue, York, PA 17404
Phone: (717) 846-5562 Fax: (717) 848-4853 E-mail:
Appendix B
Examples of Providers Who Participate in the Department of Public Welfare’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program
Physicians
Dentists
Podiatrists
Medical Suppliers
Chiropractors
Independent medical/surgical clinics
All out-patient services provided by general hospitals, including psychiatric services
Independent laboratories
Outpatient-Rehabilitation hospitals and compensable outpatient services provided by hospitals
Pharmacies
Private psychiatric hospitals
Rural health clinics
Primary health care clinics
Drug and alcohol clinics (including methadone maintenance services)
Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Detoxification
Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Non-hospital residential detoxification, rehabilitation, and halfway houses
Family planning clinics
Midwives
Birth Centers
Psychiatric clinics (including mental health partial hospitalization)
Optometrists
Hospice Programs
Free standing dialysis clinics
Short procedure units
Ambulatory surgical centers
Certified registered nurse practitioners
Psychologists
Comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities
Physical therapists
Respite care provider
Certified rehabilitation agencies
Providers Not Enrolled in the Medical Assistance Transportation Program Include
Emergency ambulance transportation
Transportation to sheltered workshops
Transportation to day care programs
Transportation to any service not compensable through the Department’s Medicaid Program
Transportation as part of inpatient treatment (responsibility of the inpatient facility)
Exceptional transportation service
Air travel, lodging, meals
Attendants, stretcher service, door-through-door service
Door-to-door service is not a requirement but MATPs are not precluded from providing the service
Appendix C
Commonly Asked Questions
1) Q. Must an applicant enter his/her income amount on the application?
A. Since a primary goal of the PwD is to collect data on riders and service needs, applicants are required to provide income information in order to be eligible for the PwD. If a person does not provide income information on the application, he or she will not be registered for discounted fares.
However, all persons are eligible to use general public shared-ride services and pay the full fare.
2) Q. Must a physician provide the PwD applicant’s certification of a
disability?
A. The PwD requires that written verification of a disability be provided by
a health professional or health organization. The certification does not have to be provided solely by a physician.
3) Q. Can an applicant appeal if he/she is denied eligibility for the PwD ?
A. Transit providers must justify their ineligibility determinations and must also provide the applicant with the opportunity to appeal that decision. Each transit system must have a locally designed PwD appeal procedure.
4) Q. How will customer complaints/commendations be tracked?
A. All of the PwD project areas will follow their own standard complaint and commendation procedure. The Local Advisory Committee will have input into this procedure.
5) Q. Who are the representatives on the Local Advisory Committees?
A. The Local Advisory Committees were formed before the initiation of the PwD and deal with a variety of public transportation issues. They are composed of a mix of representatives from all customer groups who use public transportation. A suggestion had been made to require Local Advisory Committees to consist of at least 50% representatives for people with disabilities. Because the Committees represent all local transportation needs and are not specific to the PwD, this proposition is not feasible. However, if subcommittees are created to deal specifically with the PwD, the subcommittees could be formed with 50% representation from persons with disabilities.
6) Q. Will the PwD pay for transportation to Local Advisory Committee
meetings for a consumer representative?
A. Prior to implementation of PwD discounted fares, the transit providers may charge the transportation costs for eligible consumer representatives to attend Local Advisory Committee meetings to their PwD budgets.
7) Q. Although passengers who are currently receiving rides through
ARC are not eligible for PwD, are new ARC clients able to be signed up for PwD? What about expanded services?
A. Since PwD funding is to be used as a supplemental service, it is expected that agencies such as ARC will continue their service to current clients, for example to sheltered workshops, and provide this same service to their new clients. Trips to locations that are not presently served by ARC and other human service agencies may be eligible for the PwD reduced fares.
8) Q. If some trips are funded by a local human service agency
currently, and there is a gap in this funding (runs out with three
months to go in the fiscal year), would unmet trip needs be eligible for
this program?
A. The PwD will not pay for trips that are the responsibility of another
funding source. The PwD is the funding source of last resort and as such is only to be used in addition to, not in lieu of, payment for trips that are not eligible under other programs. If a human service agency discontinues service due to a shortage of funds, prior to authorizing the PwD reduced fare, the shared-ride provider, this department and perhaps other Commonwealth departments would have to conduct a thorough review of the situation.
9) Q. Will the PwD fund medical trips for MATP eligible clients that are
not reimbursable by the MATP, such as trips to obtain a physician’s
second opinion?
A. The PwD will fund those medical trips that MATP has determined to be
non-compensable/will not fund. Documentation is required to verify that the MATP will not provide service. PennDOT will make a final determination prior to authorizing reimbursement through the Persons with Disabilities Program.
10) Q. If school transportation is not available for a student in a co-op
program, will the PwD fund the trip?
A. When the primary funding source does not fund a trip for an eligible
client, if documentation is made available, the PwD will approve the trip.
11) Q. Do attendants have to pay the same amount as consumers?
A. This is not ADA complementary paratransit service and therefore is not held to the same requirements regarding personal assistants, etc. Each shared-ride transportation provider has established policies regarding additional persons traveling with the passenger.
12) Q. Can a passenger request a particular type of vehicle, such as a taxi
or sedan rather than a van?
A. The transit provider decides the type of vehicle that is to be used.
13) Q. How will customer satisfaction be determined?
A. Customer satisfaction surveys were conducted by a consultant within the original Pilot Projects, using a standard survey instrument which was designed with the help of the Local Advisory Committees. We have made the standard survey instrument available to all PwD projects. Any further customer satisfaction surveys will be conducted by the transportation provider.
14) Q. Are there any limits to the number of trips that can be taken by an
eligible person under this program?
A. No, currently there is no state policy that limits the number of trips that can be taken.
15) Q. When a transportation provider has a trip prioritization system,
does this mean trips are denied?
A. A trip may not be denied, but alternative times may be suggested to meet
a particular need which is not recognized as a priority trip purpose. For example, if someone has to be at work by 8:00 AM and another person wants to go shopping at the same time, and the system has the capacity to meet only one of these 8:00 AM trips, the work trip would likely be provided and a request made that the shopping trip be deferred to a later time or day.
16) Q. How will the need for increased or decreased outreach in the PwD
areas be determined?
A. Outreach is a local responsibility shared by the transportation provider
and local advocacy groups. PENNDOT encourages outreach by funding marketing and other outreach activities and by providing information and materials developed by consultants for the Pilot Project. PENNDOT expects the transportation provider and the Local Advisory Committee to evaluate and modify outreach efforts as appropriate.
17) Q. Are recovering addicts eligible for the PwD ?
A. If the recovering addict is physically or mentally impaired such that
he/she is limited from completing one or more major life activity as defined by the ADA, can provide certification of the disability and needs transportation within one of the PwD project areas, he/she is eligible for the PwD. Examples of major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.
18) Q. May persons with disabilities who are visiting in one of the PwD
counties use the PwD services if they do not reside in that county?
A. Visitors to the PwD Counties may complete the eligibility/registration
package to use the discounted service. If determined eligible, the visitor(s) may make trip reservations, use the service and receive the PwD discounted fares in accordance with the available PwD services in each of the counties.
19) Q. May persons with disabilities who live within a fixed route service
area use the PwD program to travel within the fixed route service area during the days and hours that complementary paratransit service is not provided?
A. The Persons with Disabilities Program is designed to mirror an agency’s existing Shared-Ride Program by offering the same days and hours of service. If an agency is operating shared-ride service during days and/or hours when fixed-route complementary paratransit service is not available, the PwD Program may fill the gap by providing transportation during those times to individuals who meet eligibility requirements. This is true even if the trip origin and destination are within the fixed-route service area. However, when complementary paratransit service is available, one leg of the trip must be outside of the fixed-route service area for a PwD eligible trip.
20) Q. Is transportation to an adult day care facility eligible under the Persons with Disabilities Program?
A. Transportation to adult day care is eligible if the facility is not a sheltered workshop arrangement, and there is no other source of funding for transportation.
Appendix D
Comparison of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and
the Rural Transportation Program for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
|Element |ADA |PwD |
|Program Description |ADA is a Federal law that guarantees certified people with disabilities full and equal |PwD is a State reduced fare transportation program for |
| |access to the equivalent services and accommodations that are available to people without|shared-ride service for persons who have a disability; are under |
| |disabilities. Transit authorities are required to make their fixed route systems |65 years of age; and live in a county participating in the PwD |
| |completely accessible for use by people with disabilities. This means that every fixed |project or need transportation to or from a PwD project area that|
| |route vehicle purchased must be accessible. The law requires maintaining operable |is not currently served by public fixed route bus transportation |
| |wheelchair lifts on buses and adding features for people with hearing and vision |and ADA complementary paratransit services. |
| |impairments. | |
| |For persons unable to access fixed route and making trips within the fixed route service | |
| |area, the transit authority must make ADA complementary paratransit service available at | |
| |a comparable fare (see the Passenger Fares section). | |
|Definition of Disability |Disability means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental impairment that |PwD uses the ADA definition of disability. |
| |substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a | |
| |record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment. Major life| |
| |activities mean functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, | |
| |walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and work. | |
|Element |ADA |PwD |
|Complementary Paratransit Service |If a person is unable to use the fixed route system because of his/her disability, the |All service funded by PwD is shared-ride service and discounted |
| |transit authority must provide ADA complementary paratransit service that is comparable |fares are available to persons with disabilities only in areas |
| |to the fixed route service. In Pennsylvania, this is primarily shared- ride service. |that are not served by fixed route transportation. |
|Requirements for Complementary |ADA complementary service must be comparable to the level of fixed route service provided|PwD utilizes the shared-ride system’s standard policies and |
|Paratransit Service |by the transit authority. This means that ADA service must be provided wherever the |procedures for general public service. Also: |
| |regular bus service operates and during the same days and hours. In addition the | |
| |following requirements must also be met: |Although some shared-ride providers may have policies that are |
| |A person can call the day before a ride is needed to request a trip. |similar to those of ADA, such as for trip reservations and |
| |Trips can be requested up to 14 days in advance. |unrestricted trip purpose, PwD does not require adherence to ADA |
| |Subscription service is available, but restrictions may apply. |requirements. |
| |Fares can be no more than twice the fixed route base fare for the same trip. | |
| |Trips can be requested for any purpose. |PwD-State grant will fund up to 85% of general public shared-ride|
| |An eligible person’s access to service cannot be limited by unusually long trips, late |fares. |
| |pick ups, or other such factors. | |
|Passenger Fares |Complementary paratransit fares are established by the transit authority and may not |PwD passengers will pay a minimum of 15% of the full general |
| |exceed twice the comparable fixed route fare. |public shared-ride fare. The PwD passenger share of the fare |
| | |will not be less than the established complementary paratransit |
| | |fare. |
|Element |ADA |PwD |
|Eligible Riders of Paratransit Service |Examples of individuals who can use ADA complementary paratransit service: |Individuals who can use the PwD shared-ride reduced fare program: |
| |Certified individuals who cannot use fixed route because of their disability. (Each |Those individuals with no access to a fixed route system and with |
| |transit authority establishes its own certification requirements and may |a disability that has been verified in writing by a health |
| |decide, for example, to only accept certifications from physicians or to require a|professional or organization. |
| |functional assessment.) |An escort for a PwD eligible client. Escort fare policies are |
| |A personal assistant accompanying an ADA eligible individual. Such an assistant is |established by each PwD provider. |
| |considered a mobility aid and is generally not charged. |A visitor to an area with PwD service who has a disability and is |
| |One traveling companion accompanying the ADA eligible rider. Companions pay the |registered with the PwD. |
| |same fare and must have the same pick up point and destination point as | |
| |the ADA eligible rider. | |
| |ADA eligible riders from anywhere in the United States may ride the service when they | |
| |are visiting a fixed route area. | |
|Income and Household Related Data |ADA does not require this information. |PwD requires the provision of a client’s gross annual income and |
| | |household size, but this information does not affect eligibility |
| | |for PwD. |
|Payer of Last Resort |ADA is not a funding source for passengers. |PwD does not replace current transportation services. Applicants |
| | |must identify all of their existing funding sources related to |
| | |transportation. |
|Appeal Process |ADA requires that the appeal be handled by an independent party and that there be an |Each PwD must have a locally designed appeal procedure. |
| |opportunity for an appeal meeting. | |
| |Each transit system establishes its own appeal process. | |
Appendix E
WEBSITE DIRECTIONS FOR PWD DOCUMENTS
The following PwD program documents may be accessed on the Department’s website, dot.state.pa.us:
- Program Application
- Policy Guidelines
- Local Advisory Committee Report Form
- Eligibility and Registration Forms
- Data Collection Forms and Instructions for Continuing Projects and 04-05 Expansion Projects
- 04-05 Expansion – Implementation and Admin. Guidance
- PwD Marketing Tool Kit
- PwD Implementation Guide
On the website, select “Public Transportation” then “Bureau of Public Transportation”. On the left side select “Announcements” then “PwD Grantees.”
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