Para-Transit

The complimentary para-transit service, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - as Amended, provides public transportation to those who are unable to use the fixed-route transit system due to a temporary or permanent disability. This is an origin-to-destination service whereby passengers are picked up at the curb of their pick-up point and delivered to the curb of their destination. Para-Transit service is provided within Winchester city limits and to destinations that are within 3/4 of a mile from any City fixed-route bus stop.

All persons who use this service must be issued a para-transit card. Applications are available in the Transit office located at 301 East Cork Street. You may request an application through the mail by contacting the office or downloading the application and rules below:

For further information, please contact the Transit Office at (540) 662-3982.


Scheduling Trips

Please call (540) 662-3982 the day before your requested trip to schedule transportation with our para-transit service.   

All trips are scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Drivers are scheduled to meet the number of calls scheduled. Call by Saturday to schedule a ride with a dispatcher for Monday. You may leave a phone message on Sunday for service on Monday.

Para-transit service is public transportation; therefore, drivers will only wait 5 minutes past the scheduled pick-up time. All passengers must be at the curb ready to board when the driver arrives. Trips are to and from destinations only.


Assistance

Passengers who require a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) will be allowed such assistance at no extra cost. Para-transit cards will be marked to acknowledge this requirement. Otherwise, additional passengers will pay $1.00.

Drivers are not trained Personal Care Attendants (PCS); therefore, any patron requiring assistance from their residence to the vehicle or with a first-aid apparatus or mobility aid will need to have a PCA.  Drivers are not permitted to enter homes or destinations to assist passengers or to assist with packages. However, drivers are required to provide assistance from the vehicle to the first doorway for customers who need additional assistance to complete their trip. Service is origin-to-destination only.


No-Show Policy

A “no-show” is when a rider fails to notify the transit office of a cancelation and the van arrives to pick them up. It is also considered a “no-show” when the rider is not ready to board the van at the scheduled pick-up time and the driver must leave in order to continue on schedule (the driver will wait a maximum of 5 minutes). 

Riders with a pattern or practice of no-shows may be suspended.  No-shows will be considered excessive if the person's travel history indicates a percentage of no-shows that exceeds two times the system average. When no-shows occur, and before they become excessive, the dispatcher will contact the rider by phone. The person will be advised of the no-show policy. If no-shows continue, a letter will be sent to notify the person that their eligibility will be temporarily suspended. Eligibility will be suspended for one week for the first violation and one month for a second or subsequent violation. The suspension of service will become effective 30 days from the date of the letter of notification, in order to allow the individual to appeal the suspension.

This service is offered for persons who have disabilities as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as Amended. It is not a senior citizen program or a social service program.


Safety

All mobility devices will be properly secured to a vehicle using the installed securement system.  


Notice Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Winchester Transit will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs or activities.

Employment: Winchester Transit does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication: Winchester Transit will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in Winchester Transit's programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing or vision impairments.

Modifications to Policies and Procedures: Winchester Transit will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a City of Winchester program, service or activity, should contact Kenneth Johnson, Transit Operations Manager, at (540) 667-2230, or via mail at 301 E. Cork Street, Winchester, VA 22601, or email as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.

The ADA does not require Winchester Transit to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose any undue financial or administrative burden.

Complaints that a Winchester Transit program, service or activity is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to Kenneth Johnson, Transit Operations Manager, at (540) 667-2230, or via mail at 301 E. Cork Street, Winchester, VA 22601, or email.

Winchester Transit will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy.