ACCESS is a paratransit service that CityBus operates for individuals with disabilities by providing transportation that is equivalent to our ADA accessible fixed route bus service. It is important to understand that ACCESS is reserved only for those individuals who meet eligibility requirements.
These requirements have been determined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are based on an individual’s functional ability to ride the fixed route bus service. Applicants may be denied certification if they are found to be functionally able to use CityBus ADA accessible fixed route bus service.
It is important to note that all CityBus fixed route buses are ADA accessible. That means all our buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps, are able to lower for ease of boarding, and are equipped with annunciators and marquee displays to indicate upcoming bus stops.
If you think you may be eligible, complete an ACCESS Application linked below. To apply, you and your medical professional must fully complete and return an application. The determination of eligibility is based solely on the information provided as part of your ACCESS Application.
For additional information, review the Details & User Guidelines linked below.
ACCESS Questions or Concerns
Contact CityBus ACCESS with any questions or concerns at 765-742-2121 or at the following address: CityBus ACCESS, 1250 Canal Road, Lafayette, IN 47904.
What is ACCESS?
ACCESS is a paratransit service that serves individuals with disabilities by providing transportation that is equivalent to CityBus fixed route bus service. Service is provided within CityBus fixed route service area, during the scheduled hours that fixed route buses operate.
However, instead of stopping only at bus stops or following a designated route, ACCESS service operates “curb-to-curb,” which means that the bus stops at rider’s origination and destination points within the service area. ACCESS service is also available “door-to-door” upon request.
Who can use ACCESS?
Only those individuals meeting ADA eligibility requirements and determined by CityBus as unable to ride our ADA accessible fixed route bus service, or those visitors from outside our service area who are disabled, can use the ACCESS service. CityBus will determine if an individual is unable to use ADA accessible fixed route bus service through the certification process.
To be considered for certification, complete and return an ACCESS Application. The application will be reviewed to determine if ADA eligibility requirements are satisfied. If necessary, some applicants may be required to undergo a functional assessment to determine eligibility at the expense of CityBus.
An appointment with a CityBus representative will be scheduled to determine if you are eligible for ACCESS. At that appointment your eligibility conditions will be reviewed, and a certification determination made. If certified, a photo ID will be prepared, and you will then be able to start using ACCESS.
It is important to note that all CityBus fixed route buses are ADA accessible. That means all our buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps, are able to lower for ease of boarding, and are equipped with annunciators and marquee displays to indicate upcoming bus stops.
One or more of the following conditions must exist for an individual to be considered eligible for ACCESS:
- Any individual with a disability who is unable as the result of a physical or mental impairment (including a vision impairment) and without the assistance of another individual (except the operator of a wheelchair ramp or other boarding assistance device), to board, ride, or disembark from any vehicle on the system which is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. What this means: An individual with a disability that prevents them from being able to, without assistance, get on, ride, or get off an ADA accessible fixed route bus, may be eligible for ACCESS.
- Any individual with a disability who has a specific impairment-related condition which prevents such individual from traveling to a boarding location or from disembarking location on such system. What this means: An individual who has a disability that prevents them from getting to or from a bus stop may be eligible for ACCESS.
How do I use ACCESS?
All trips on ACCESS must be scheduled in advance. To schedule a trip, call at least a day in advance. Reservations are accepted on all days prior to service days, excluding CityBus Corporation holidays. For best results, schedule your trips and as much as 14 days in advance. Call (765) 742-2121 during the following hours to schedule trips:
Monday through Friday: 8:30AM to 4:30PM
Saturday and Sunday: 8:30AM to 2:30PM
When is ACCESS available?
Because ACCESS mirrors the service area and schedule of the fixed route bus system, service hours vary by location, time of day, and day of the week. To determine if service is available to your destination, check the fixed route bus schedule (see our website at gocitybus.com for more information) or ask the dispatcher when you call to schedule your trip.
How much does it cost to ride ACCESS?
The fare is $2 per ride ($2 each time you board the bus). Have the exact cash fare ready when you board the bus as the driver cannot make change. It is important that you pay your fare for each ride. For your convenience a 10-ride ticket is available for $20. Call for more information about ticket purchases. If you need a Personal Care Assistant to travel with you, one may ride fare free. Individuals who are certified for ACCESS ride CityBus fixed route buses fare free when they show their ACCESS photo ID.
ACCESS User Guidelines
- ACCESS service is provided within the service area of CityBus. That service area is defined as a geographic corridor 3/4 mile on each side of a regular fixed bus route, and a 3/4-mile radius from the end point of a regular fixed bus route. All ACCESS trips are required to originate and terminate inside this defined service area.
- ACCESS will impose no limitations regarding a rider’s trip purpose. Nor will ACCESS prioritize a rider’s trips by purpose.
- Keep in mind that ACCESS is simply an extension of the fixed route bus system. ACCESS is not a taxi, medical transportation, or ambulance service. ACCESS is a shared ride service. ACCESS drivers are not trained medics and cannot be held liable for failure to provide medical attention. Riders who are too ill to travel or who require medical attention while being transported should seek other means of transportation.
Healthcare professionals, nursing care providers, and family members should determine if elderly and disabled riders in their care are in appropriate condition to travel on ACCESS, especially if they are traveling without a personal care assistant. - Trips may be scheduled as far in advance as 14 days, and as late as the day before the trip time. For best results, schedule your trips as far in advance as possible.
- CityBus accepts standing reservations for those riders who make recurring trips on a predetermined schedule. Ask the dispatcher for details about recurring trips.
- To cancel a trip, call the ACCESS dispatcher at (765) 742-2121 as soon as possible and at least 1 hour before your scheduled pick-up time so your space can be made available to another rider. Repeated failure to call and cancel may jeopardize your ability to ride. See ACCESS No-Show Policy.
- When scheduling your trip, ACCESS will communicate the anticipated window of time the ACCESS bus is projected to arrive. This time period is referred to as the communicated 30 minute pickup window. ACCESS riders must be ready to depart during the entirety of the communicated 30 minute pickup window. The ACCESS bus is considered “on time” if it arrives at any point within the communicated 30 minute pickup window. It is possible that the ACCESS bus may arrive early or late, due to the complexity of scheduling multiple trips and shared rides.
- ACCESS will wait no longer than 5 minutes during the communicated 30 minute pickup window for the rider to board the bus. If the rider is not present, the dispatcher may attempt to call the rider as a courtesy, if time allows, but is not obligated to call. The bus will depart and a “no show” or failure to cancel will be counted against the rider.
- Riders are expected to pay fare using exact change at the time of service for each ride on ACCESS. Habitual failure to pay fare may jeopardize your ability to ride. If you need an assistant to travel with you, one may ride fare free.
- A “Personal Care Assistant” (PCA) is an individual who can travel fare free with the rider for the purposes of helping them. ACCESS drivers will assist riders in getting on or off the bus, in or out of a seat on the bus, with mobility aids, or with light packages (not heavier than 25 pounds).
- If “door to door” service is requested, ACCESS drivers will assist riders between the vehicle and the door. Riders are not required to have a PCA for the sole purpose of assisting them to the vehicle.
- If you are a visitor and are eligible for paratransit services by another agency or have a disability, you may be given "presumptive eligibility” to use ACCESS for up to 21 days in a 365 day period. Credentials from another agency are accepted, but not required.
- Unexpected delays or cancellations may occur for reasons beyond CityBus control, including during periods of bad weather. Look for cancellations on WLFI TV18 news or on CityBus website / social media platforms. CityBus will call ACCESS riders as soon as possible to inform them if there are delays or cancellations due to weather or other causes.
- Scooters and wheelchairs will be secured by the driver before the bus departs. If the mobility device cannot be appropriately secured, the passenger will be asked to transfer to a seat on the bus for their safety. CityBus assumes no liability for passengers who refuse to transfer to a seat.
Mobility devices must be in proper working condition with the functional ability to safety support the rider on the lift and be secured to the bus. If the mobility device is not in proper working condition and poses a threat to the rider’s safety, or the safety of others, the trip may be canceled until the mobility device is returned to proper working condition. - Revocation of Ability to Ride. CityBus reserves the right to revoke certification for use of ACCESS along with the ability to ride, either temporarily or permanently, if a rider fails to follow CityBus system rules or these ACCESS Details & Guidelines. Habitually failing to cancel trips, frequent “no shows”, or refusing to pay the fare may result in losing the ability to ride ACCESS. See ACCESS No-Show Policy.
ACCESS No-Show Policy
In order to be considered a no-show, each of the following conditions has occurred:
- The rider has a scheduled paratransit trip.
- The vehicle arrives at the scheduled pick-up point during the communicated thirty (30) minute pick-up window.
- The vehicle waits at least five (5) minutes at the scheduled pick-up point and the rider fails to board the vehicle.
Late cancellations will be counted as a no-show for the purposes of this policy. A late cancellation occurs when the rider (or their representative) fails to call dispatch at least one (1) hour prior to the beginning of the communicated thirty (30) minute pick-up window to cancel their ride.
If the rider has more than one ride scheduled, having a no-show does NOT automatically cancel the rest of the rides for the day. It is still the rider’s responsibility to call and cancel the remaining rides for the day. If the rides are not cancelled, and the rider does not ride, the result would be additional no-shows.
ACCESS tracks no-shows and late cancellations. ACCESS will identify riders who have no-show/late cancellations within any thirty (30) day period which meet the following criteria. Riders who meet these criteria will be in violation of the no-show policy:
- No shows represent ten percent (10) or more of their scheduled trips; or
- The rider has three (3) or more no-shows.
On the day the rider violates the no-show policy, the following progressive action will be taken:
First occurrence — Rider will receive a reminder from ACCESS about our no-show policy.
Second occurrence — A warning letter will be issued advising the rider that they have violated the ACCESS no-show policy.
Third occurrence — Rider will receive a three (3) day* suspension.
Fourth occurrence — Rider will receive a five (5) day* suspension.
Additional occurrences — Rider will receive a ten (10) day* suspension.
*For the purposes of this policy the suspension period means days that ACCESS is in operation, which excludes CityBus corporation holidays.
Riders may contact ACCESS in writing to appeal a no-show within ten (10) days of the no-show violation. ACCESS will investigate the rider’s appeal to determine if the challenge is valid. Consideration will be given to riders with no-shows that were a result of a circumstance beyond their control.
No-shows are EXCUSED when the trip is missed for the following reasons:
- The rider is sick.
- The rider has a family emergency
- Death or illness of family member, or other family emergency.
- Mobility aid failure.
- Appointment cancelled/delayed for reasons not the rider’s fault.
- Adverse weather: Snowstorm, extreme heat or extreme cold.
- Acts of God: Flood, earthquakes, etc.
- Staffing error: ACCESS did not make all the cancellations the rider requested; or rider just found out the ride was scheduled for the wrong day, time, or location; or the rider was not informed that their pick-up time was changed and was not ready.
No-shows or cancels are NOT EXCUSED when the trip is missed for the following reasons:
- Rider didn't want to travel today.
- Rider changed their mind about using appointment.
- Rider didn't know or forgot that they had a ride scheduled or was supposed to call to cancel.
- Rider got another ride.
- Rider told someone else they were not planning to travel (driver, facility, etc.) or someone else scheduled the ride for them.
- Rider does not want to ride with specific driver or passenger, or on a specific vehicle.
- Rider scheduled the trip for the wrong day, time, or location and failed to cancel at least one (1) hour in advance.
Riders may contact CityBus in writing to appeal a suspension within ten (10) days of the no-show violation. Suspension of service will not begin until the appeal process is complete. Riders will be notified in writing of the final decision.