Outreach Paratransit is a service for persons with disabilities who are ADA-certified to use paratransit.  This section features information about Outreach and VTA's transit's paratransit service.  For more information you can visit the Outreach site at http://www.outreach1.org.

About Outreach

OUTREACH is a private non-profit agency, operating as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Paratransit Broker for the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to provide public paratransit service in Santa Clara County.

OUTREACH paratransit is based on a reservation system with clients making reservations for trips 1 day to 14 days in advance.  Service is provided with taxies or accessible vans.  OUTREACH contracts tranportation service out to 7 different companies, 4 taxi companies and 3 van companies.

ADA Eligibility

Eligibility for ADA Paratransit
VTA provides ADA Paratransit service to persons whose temporary or permanent disabilities prevent their independent use of public transportation. To determine eligibility for paratransit service, individuals must complete an Application for ADA Complementary Paratransit Service and demonstrate, that because of their disability, they are unable to use VTA’s bus or light rail services for one (or more) of the following three reasons:

1. Unable to independently ride a bus or light rail vehicle.
   

2. Unable to get on or off a bus or light rail vehicle.
   

3. Unable to get to or from a bus stop or light rail station platform.

Applications for ADA Paratransit Service
Applications for ADA paratransit service are available through OUTREACH. Customer Service
Representatives are available to assist with the application process and answer questions regarding eligibility at (408) 436-2865 (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday).  Applications are also available in accessible formats such as large print, Braille, cassette tape, and computer diskette.

The need to travel with a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) is established during the application process. A PCA is someone whose services or presence is required by a certified passenger to meet his or her personal needs or to assist with travel.

OUTREACH requires up to 21 days to process a completed application.  Approved applicants will be notified of the name of their Service Provider and will receive a letter certifying eligibility, a Paratransit Identification (ID) card, a ridership account number and a copy of the Paratransit Rider’s Guide.

Re-certification Process
It is required that all paratransit customers submit an application for re-certification every three years or whenever certification expires.  At the appropriate time, OUTREACH customers will be sent re-certification materials to verify continuing eligibility. The packet provides detailed instructions on the re-certification process.

Maintaining Paratransit Ridership Accounts
Once notified of their eligibility to use paratransit, OUTREACH customers are required to make an initial deposit of any dollar amount, into their personal ridership account maintained by OUTREACH, prior to scheduling any paratransit rides.

All paratransit rides must be paid for in advance. Each time paratransit service is provided, the cost of the ride is deducted directly from the customer’s ridership account. (Money deposited into a ridership account is not an application or membership fee.)

Paratransit ridership accounts must be kept current. Customers will be notified of a negative account balance by OUTREACH and given the opportunity to reestablish a positive account balance. All paratransit service will be suspended for customers with delinquent accounts until a positive accountbalance is re-established. There is no appeal process for those customers who are suspended for non-payment.

Schedulers are required to state account balances to customers every time a ride is scheduled. If additional information regarding your account balance is required, call the OUTREACH Transportation Customer Accounts at (408) 436-2865.

Scheduling a Ride Using ADA Paratransit Service

ADA Paratransit rides must be scheduled by 5:00 PM, from one to 14 days in advance. Customers may schedule multiple rides with one call. Outreach schedulers may negotiate the pick-up time with customers and schedule rides between one hour before and one hour after the desired pick-up times. To schedule rides, the following information is requested:

• Your ID number.
• The date and time of pick-up and return trip.
• The exact name and address of the pick-up and drop-off locations
  (including return trip information).

Remember that the service is external door-to-door. Customers must inform the scheduler if they are planning to take a Personal Care Attendant, companion or Service Animal with them.  When the time of arrival is of primary importance, such as a ride to work or an appointment, inform the scheduler. The pick-up time will be adjusted to accommodate the time of arrival.  When the time of arrival is flexible, such as a ride to go shopping or visiting, inform the Scheduler of the more important pick-up time. The Scheduler will provide a drop off time and pick-up time that has been adjusted to fit the more important pick-up time. 

Passengers must schedule separate drop-off and pick-up times even if only at a location for a short period of time. These times must be a minimum of 30 minutes apart.  Drivers will not wait for passengers at any location.  OUTREACH will inform passengers if the pick-up or destination is not within VTA’s service area.  To maintain scheduling efficiency, it is recommended that passengers be ready to depart 15 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time as a courtesy to other passengers and drivers.

Scheduling a Return Trip

There are two ways to schedule a return ride. A return ride may be scheduled at a Fixed Time (a ride with a designated return time) or by scheduling an Open Return (a ride that does not have a set time).

Fixed Time:
If a passenger knows what time they will be ready to return.  Most return rides are
scheduled at the time the initial trip is requested.

Open Return:
If a passenger does not know what time they will return, passengers must schedule an
Open Return and then also call when they are ready to return.

Scheduling an Open Return
Open Returns, scheduled at least a day in advance, are typically used when customers do not know what time they will be ready to return, such as a medical appointment or visiting with friends. It is the customer’s responsibility to call and request a ride when they are ready for the vehicle to pick them up.  Inform the Scheduler when the initial ride request is made that an Open Return will be necessary. The telephone number for Open Return telephone is available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at (800) 400-3440. After hours, call the Service Provider directly.  This number is located on the back of your ID card.  Open Returns must be requested by 11:00 PM. All Open Returns are automatically canceled after 11:00 PM.  Once an Open Return is requested, the vehicle arrival time may vary.  The vehicle may arrive any time between 5 minutes to 1 ¼ hours after your call. Passengers must be ready to leave when the vehicle arrives.
The cost for an Open Return is $4.40. This service is not required by the ADA and is offered as a
convenience to OUTREACH customers. Open Returns cannot be used for a pick-up from your residence.  Open Returns cannot be used on Subscription Service.

Canceling a Ride
If passengers must cancel a previously scheduled ride, the cancellation must be received by OUTREACH (or the Service Provider after hours) the day before the ride is scheduled or a minimum of two hours in advance. If a scheduled ride is canceled in a timely manner, no penalties will result.

If a ride is canceled with less than 2 hours before the pick-up time, the customer will receive a No-Show, but will not be charged for the ride. If a ride is canceled at the pick-up time (at the door), or not canceled at all, the customer will receive a No-Show and will be charged $2.20 for the ride ($12 for Same-Day Service rides).

To cancel a previously scheduled ride contact:
OUTREACH using the Returns Line (800) 400-3440 during normal business hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. After hours, call the Service Provider directly. This number is located on the back of your ID card. Open Return rides do not need to be canceled.  A suspension of service may result from excessive cancellations with less than a two-hour notice.  OUTREACH will attempt to contact customers when there appears to be a significant problem with last-minute cancellations.

Subscription Service

If a passenger schedules trips on a routine and regular basis, (i.e. going to school, work or medical appointments) Subscription Service may be requested. With Subscription Service, passengers only have to call once to schedule a recurring ride. OUTREACH will schedule the ride on a continuing basis until the request is terminated.

Subscription Service is not required under ADA. To ensure that regular casual trip requests are not restricted, VTA has implemented a policy that places a limit on the number of Subscriptions available.  Once this limit has been reached customers requesting Subscription Service will be placed on a waiting list in the order the request was received. When Subscription Service becomes available, customers on the waiting list will be contacted, starting at the top of the list, until the opening has been filled.

To request Subscription Service, the following information is required:

• Your ID number.
• The date and time of pick-up and return trip.
• The exact name and address of the pick-up and drop-off locations
• Include return trip information.

Customers must inform the scheduler if they are planning to take a Personal Care Attendant,
companion or Service Animal.  Customers should provide any other pertinent information to the scheduler.  To improve customer service, inform the Scheduler of the time of the appointment and telephone number of the facility if scheduling a medical or other appointment.  To maintain scheduling efficiency, it is recommended that passengers be ready to depart 15 minutes
before the scheduled pick-up time as a courtesy to other passengers and drivers.  Passengers must continue to call to schedule the rides that were requested with Subscription Service until notified by OUTREACH that the request for Subscription Service has been approved.

Using Subscription Service

Passengers may ONLY make changes to subscription reservations one time over a three-month
period or Subscription Service may be canceled.  Passenger pick-up times may vary with Subscription Service. Passengers are encouraged to be prepared to leave in advance.  Open Returns cannot be used on Subscription Service.

Late Vehicles
If your vehicle is more than 15 minutes late, immediately call the numbers listed on the back of your ID Card. If you experience late vehicles on a regular basis, contact OUTREACH Customer Service as soon as possible at (408) 436-2865. OUTREACH monitors the performance of each Service Provider and they are penalized for excessive late vehicles.

Requesting a Second Vehicle
The ADA does not require Second Vehicle service.  Second Vehicle service is offered as a customer convenience when a scheduled return ride is missed and the customer is stranded in the community.  Second vehicles will not be sent to pick-up customers at their own residences.

Contact the OUTREACH Return Number at (800) 400-3440 during business hours. After hours, contact the Service Provider number listed on the back of the ID card. A Second Vehicle will be sent upon request at a cost of $12.00. The $12.00 charge applies under any one of the following three conditions:

1. When a customer declines to ride in the vehicle originally sent to pick up the customer.
2. The driver could not find the customer because the customer was not at the scheduled pick-up
   location at the scheduled time.
3. The customer was not ready to depart at the scheduled pick-up time.

A Second Vehicle may take up to 2 hours to arrive. The Second Vehicle could arrive at anytime within this 2-hour time period and the customer should be prepared to leave.

Note: If OUTREACH or the Service Provider has made an error that resulted in a customer being
stranded in the community, the fee for the Second Vehicle will be waived.

Fare Information

Paratransit Ride Fares – Effective July 1, 1999:

• Standard Fare: $2.50
• Open Return: $4.70.
• Ccompanion Fare: $2.50 (Applies to regular paratransit service, Same-day Service and Open Returns.)

A Second Vehicle will be sent when requested if a passenger missed their first vehicle at a fare of $12.00. This service is not required under the ADA and a premium fare is charged.

• An ADA eligibility card or letter from another region.
• Proof of address and documentation of a transportation disability (if not readily apparent).
• The complete address of where residing while visiting in Santa Clara County.

Visitors are eligible for service for any combination of 21 days during any 365-day period beginning with the visitor’s first use of service.  A letter will be issued to the visitor containing a visitor ID number and information regarding the limitations of their eligibility and service provisions. Information on how to become eligible for paratransit service in the County of Santa Clara is also included in the letter.

Visitors returning to the region whose visitor eligibility has expired must reapply for visitor eligibility.  Those planning to return to the region within the year, frequently visit the region, or stay in the region over 21 days are encouraged to submit an application for OUTREACH paratransit service.

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