Visalia City Coach depends on efficient scheduling to accommodate as many customers as possible. Therefore, it is important that once a customer schedules a trip, it must be used or cancelled within a reasonable amount of time. To ensure service efficiency and effectiveness, the City has implemented a no-show and late cancellation policy. This will allow the VCC Dial-A-Ride system to operate in the most efficient manner possible.

Failing to appear for a scheduled trip or canceling a trip without the proper notice is considered a no-show. A no-show is defined as follows:

· A passenger who fails to cancel an unneeded scheduled trip;

· A passenger who is not at the designated pick-up location within 5 minutes of the scheduled departure time;

· A passenger who cancels a scheduled ride less than two (2) hours in advance of their scheduled pick-up time.

To discourage repeat offenders, the following limitations may be implemented:

· Two (2) no-shows within a four-month period will result in a verbal reminder;

· Three (3) no-shows within a four-month period will result in a written reminder;

· Four (4) no-shows within a four-month period will result in a written notice of a monetary fine or a 7-day restriction on using the service. The monetary fine will be equal to the cost of four (4) one-way trips. A customer may not schedule another trip until the fine is paid in full.

· Five (5) no-shows within a four-month period will result in a written notice of a 14-day restriction on using the service.

Visalia City Coach will notify all customers subject to service restrictions in writing. When requested by the customer, such notification will be made available in another “usable format” such as large type, audio, or Braille.

A customer may submit a written appeal within seven (7) days of receiving notification of a fine or suspension of service. All written appeals should be submitted to:

Attn: ADA Coordinator Coordinator

City of Visalia

425 East Oak Avenue

Visalia, CA 93291

The written appeal should specifically outline why the monetary fine or service restriction should not be implemented and describe what steps have been taken to reduce the number of incidents that led to the initial sanctions.

Trip Reservation Procedure

Once an individual has been registered/ADA certified to use the VCC Dial-A-Ride service, a rider may schedule a trip for any purpose. To schedule a trip, call (559) 713-4750. Once you have reached an operator, please be ready to give the following information:

· Rider’s first and last name

· If an attendant, child, companion, or service animal will be riding with you

· Rider’s exact address, including an apartment number, building, or business name if appropriate.

· Exact pick-up address if location is different from rider’s address including suite number, apartment number, or business number.

· The exact address of rider’s destination, including suite number, building, or business name

· Rider’s requested pick-up time and appointment time (if applicable)

· If you are traveling with a wheelchair or other mobility device (e.g., walker)

Reservations can be made between Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Advanced reservations are available for ADA certified passengers (only), up to two weeks in advance. Same day trip requests are accepted for all DAR passengers and are usually scheduled within four (4) hours of calling in your request. certified passengers (only), up to two weeks in advance. Same day trip requests are accepted for all DAR passengers and are usually scheduled within four (4) hours of calling in your request.

ADA passengers traveling to the same location on a regular basis may establish a standing reservation. A standing reservation eliminates the need to call each time the person needs to travel and requires that a customer call only when they need to cancel a trip or need to adjust a pick-up time. The no-show policy also applies to standing reservations. If the standing reservation is being adjusted daily, the reservation will be reviewed by a supervisor or manager, and reconsidered for a standing reservation. Under special circumstances non-ADA standing reservations can be established with the approval of the VCC Transit Manager.

Trip requests will be accommodated in the following priority order:

· ADA certified passengers

· Seniors/Non ADA certified disabled passengers

· General public

Dial-A-Ride is a shared ride service. Please allow for additional travel time since the vehicle may have additional pick-ups and drop-offs along the way.

We will make every attempt to accommodate a rider’s requested trip time. However, the pick-up time being requested may not be available. The operator will suggest alternative times for your trip.

This information and application is available in large type, Braille, or audio format upon request.