Requesting Service

REQUESTING TRIPS

You may request trips one to seven days in advance. Be sure to request round-trip service if required.

You may request trips between 5:30 AM and 5:00 PM on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM on weekends and holidays.

DART's incoming calls are answered in the order they are received. Don't hang up. A DART representative will answer your call as quickly as possible.

When you request a trip, be ready to give DART the following information for all of your trips:

• Your name and phone number
• Your complete pick-up address, including apartment or complex name and unit number.
• The complete address and phone number of your destination. Please give us information about where you are going so we can contact you regarding your return trip if necessary.
• Your desired arrival time at your destination. We will give you an approximate pickup time when you confirm your ride the day before.
• The date of your planned trip.
• Any special needs, such as:
• Oxygen
• Wheelchair or scooter
• Attendant
• Companion
• Service animal or pet
• Snack, if diabetic

TRIP PURPOSE

Trips can be made for any purpose. Due to federal rules, DART cannot prioritize rides by trip purposes.

Please be aware that DART cannot transport individuals with medical conditions or symptoms that require a higher level of transportation. DART reserves the right to deny transportation to anyone whose condition appears to prevent them from being safely transported. DART drivers have authority to determine at the time of a customer pickup if an individual is unable to ride.

CONFIRMATIONS & PICK UP TIMES

To get your scheduled pickup times and/or confirm your rides, call DART between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM on weekdays and between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM on weekends and holidays.

IF YOU MOVE, CALL DART IMMEDIATELY. Please be aware there may be some delay in service while the change is reviewed and processed.

TRIP SCHEDULES

DART provides hundreds of trips daily. Sharing rides is necessary to serve as many customers as possible. We need to balance your needs with other customers' needs. DART may not be able to schedule a request at the time you wish. Because DART is a shared ride system, we may need to schedule your pickup time up to 60 minutes earlier or later than you requested.

Please be aware that DART schedules the bus to arrive during a 30 minute "pickup window" as relayed to you by the DART Representative. DART is on time when the vehicle arrives any time during the 30 minute window.

DART schedules trips to allow for adequate travel time between stops. The DART vehicle may make several stops to let other customers on or off before reaching your destination.

Unexpected delays occur for many reasons, including traffic or bad weather. If you must be somewhere at a specific time, request your arrival for 15 to 30 minutes before your appointment.

The same applies to your return trip. For example, if you expect an appointment to be over at 3:00, request a 3:15 or 3:30 pickup It's better to wait a few minutes than to miss your ride.

THE 30-MINUTE "WINDOW"

Be ready for your trip at the beginning of your 30 minute window. When the vehicle does arrive, the driver can wait no more than five minutes. The DART vehicle must leave without you if you are not ready. This will allow other customers to be on time. If you miss your trip, DART will count it as a "No-show." Unless DART is otherwise notified, your return trip will be canceled.

MULTIPLE TRIPS

Several trip requests made for the same day must be at least 45 minutes apart, from your arrival time to the next departure time.

CANCELING RIDES

You should cancel a ride as soon as you know you no longer need it. Call DART right away to cancel or reschedule your trip. To cancel after business hours, leave a message on the DART answering machine stating your name and trip(s) to be canceled.

The earlier you can cancel, the more service we can provide other customers. No-shows and late cancellations can result in a suspension.

Please note, the DART driver cannot request or cancel trips for you. You must call the DART office yourself.

STANDING RIDES

A standing ride is an ongoing, regularly scheduled reservation, such as to work, dialysis, physical therapy or church. If you need a trip at the same time on the same day(s) of the week to the same place, tell the DART Representative.

If you are approved for a standing ride, DART will notify you of your ongoing ride times. You will not need to call again to confirm your ride. If your request for a standing ride is denied, you will need to call daily or weekly to book your individual trips.

Once a standing ride has been set, the time and locations cannot be changed. A change in your standing ride would require you to make a request and cancel the old one.

Standing requests and standing rides can be placed on hold for short intervals. Call DART if you need to place your standing request or ride on hold for any reason. Be sure to tell DART the date you want service resumed. If you don't place it on hold, your request or ride will be canceled and you will have to book a new one.