ADA Complementary Paratransit Service

Introduction

The Cheyenne Transit Program (CTP) is the public transportation provider for the City of Cheyenne. Our goal is to provide the best possible transportation service to our customers.

CTP operates two types of service:

  • Accessible fixed-route bus service; and 
  • ADA complementary paratransit service

CTP’s fixed-route buses are lift-equipped, making them accessible for people who use a mobility device or cannot climb stairs. Our drivers receive special training in assisting people with disabilities. Our goal is to make our fixed-route accessible and convenient for everyone.

CTP’s curb-to-curb, ADA complementary paratransit service provides comparable service to our regular fixed-route service for citizens whose disabling conditions prevent their use of the regular bus service (must complete application process) within defined service boundary. Curb-to-Curb applications are available in large print, PDF format or word format. Expect shared-ride service. Others may be picked up after you or dropped off before you reach your destination. Should the system reach capacity, passengers who are certified ADA paratransit eligible will be given priority. Whenever possible, fixed route buses are to be utilized.

Any person who rides onboard a CTP vehicle is deemed to have accepted the normal risks that may be encountered when traveling onboard a public vehicle. CTP staff members do their utmost to operate in a safe and professional manner at all times. Passengers are reminded that sudden stops may occur without warning. Passengers shall remain seated and utilize seatbelts while vehicle is in motion.

If you have any questions on this handbook or our services, please call CTP at 637-6253.

Application Process

Any individual wishing to apply for ADA complementary paratransit eligibility, based on a disability, may pick up an application at the CTP office at 322 West Lincolnway, Cheyenne; or call 637-6253 to obtain an application by mail. 

On the application form, each applicant must provide the name and address of a health care professional who is familiar with the applicant’s disabling condition, and how that condition prevents the applicant from using fixed-route service. 

Under the ADA, the standard for determining eligibility is not whether a disabling condition exists, but whether (or under what circumstances) the applicant’s disabling condition prevents them from using the regular fixed-route bus service. In some cases, eligibility is established for certain circumstances only. 

An eligibility determination will be made, and the applicant will be notified in writing, within 21 calendar days after the completed application has been received. If it takes longer than 21 days to complete the process you will receive presumptive eligibility until the application process is completed.  Eligibility will remain in effect for 3 years. Eligibility will be valid for at least 90 calendar days (depending on eligibility criterion) and recertification is required every 3 years. If you are dissatisfied with your eligibility determination, you may appeal within 60 calendar days of the date of the letter notifying you of your eligibility status. Please review the section on how to file an appeal later in this document.

Visitors

Visitors from out of town who are certified ADA-eligible by another transit provider, provide documentation of a disability, or self-certify that they have a disability that prevents them from using the fixed-route buses may use the ADA complementary paratransit service for up to 21 calendar days in a 12 month period without going through the application process. CTP may request proof of residency. Please call 637-6253 for a visitor’s pass. A visitor who needs ADA complementary paratransit service for more than 21 calendar days in a 12 month period must apply for eligibility.

Service Area

CTP provides ADA complementary paratransit service within a 3/4 mile radius of a CTP fixed route. All trips must take place within the defined service area. CTP will determine whether your trip is eligible when you call to schedule a ride. 

Service boundaries:

  • West – West Lincolnway & I-25
  • East – McKinley Avenue

South –  Little Valley Trail

North – Laughlin Road

Service Hours

CTP’s ADA complementary paratransit service operates the same days and hours as our fixed-route service. For Monday through Friday, trips can be scheduled for a pick-up as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 7 p.m. On Saturdays, trips can be scheduled for pick up as early at 10 a.m. and as late as 5 p.m.

No service is provided on Sundays.

Holidays

No service is provided and the office is closed on the following holidays:

  • New Years Day                           
  • Martin Luther King Jr Day             
  • Presidents Day                              
  • Memorial Day                               
  • Independence Day                         
  • Labor Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Friday after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

When a named holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is recognized as the holiday. When a named holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is recognized on the following Monday.

Fares - $1.50

For passengers with an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) certification on file with CTP, the fare is $1.50. Passengers are charged for each leg of a trip. Payment is required at the time of boarding. If a passenger does not have payment, service will not be provided. Fares may be paid with cash (must have exact fare as drivers do not carry change) or a CTP punch card.

Punch cards ($30 for 22 punches) may be purchased at the CTP office at 322 West Lincolnway, or by calling 637-6253. Each punch is equivalent to $1.50. CTP does not accept credit cards as form of payment.

Personal Care Attendants and Companions

If you require the assistance of a personal care attendant, the attendant travels with you at no charge. The need for a personal care attendant is identified in the application process. At the time of scheduling a ride, please indicate if you will have a personal care attendant with you. The attendant must get on and get off at the same location you do.

At least one companion may accompany you. Companion will pay the same fare as the ADA eligible rider. At the time of scheduling a ride, please indicate if a companion will accompany you. Companions must get on and get off at the same location you do.

Service Animals

A “service animal” is any guide dog, signal dog or any other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. (28 CFR §36.104)

Service animals are always welcome. The passenger must have the service animal fully under control at all times so as not to disrupt other passengers or the schedule. Service animals may not occupy a seat. Drivers cannot and will not, assume any responsibility for service animals. At the time of scheduling a ride, please indicate if a service animal will accompany you.

Scheduling Rides

Reservations must be made at least the day before or up to 14 calendar days in advance by calling 637-6253, between 8 a.m. -  5 p.m., Monday - Friday. A telephone answering machine is available on Sundays and holidays between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Drivers cannot take reservation requests or trip changes from passengers.

Prepare For Your Call

Following is the information the dispatcher will need to schedule your trip:

  • Name
  • Date of travel 
  • Origin address
  • Destination address 
  • Desired arrival time
  • Desired pick-up time 
  • Whether you use a wheelchair or walker 
  • Whether a personal care attendant, companion, or service animal will accompany you

The dispatcher will let you know your pick-up and return times, or may call back later with the times. CTP will make every effort to schedule your trip at the desired times. The ADA allows the ride to be scheduled up to one hour before or one hour after the requested times.

Return Trips

CTP requires return trips to be scheduled at the same time original trips are scheduled. Passengers should anticipate the latest possible time needed for their return and schedule a trip for that time. If you are ready to return before your scheduled time, please call CTP. We will make every effort to pick you up at the earlier time.

On Time Performance

Please be ready to go 15 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. CTP makes every effort to arrive as close to the scheduled pick-up time as possible. However, service will be considered on time if it is within 15 minutes before or 15 minutes after the scheduled pick up time. Example: If your scheduled pick-up time is 9:30 a.m. the vehicle may arrive between 9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. 

Drivers, after arriving within the pick-up time period, will wait up to 5 minutes. Passenger’s who are not at their scheduled pick-up point and ready to go by that time, will be considered a “no-show” and the driver will leave. The driver will not return for a second attempt. The only exception will be passengers who have been detained during a medical appointment. If you know that you will be detained during a medical appointment, please call CTP at 637-6253 as soon as possible and when you are ready, call CTP and we will dispatch the next available vehicle to pick you up.

Negotiating a Trip Request

CTP is not always able to give riders the exact time they request. ADA allows for a negotiated pick-up time of up to one hour on either side of the request. CTP makes every effort to offer trip times as close as possible to those requested. However, if a rider refuses the negotiated trip time, it is considered a customer trip refusal and not a denial of service. Riders should be aware that the trip may be shared with other CTP customers in compliance with ADA laws.

Cancellations

If you are unable to make your scheduled ride for any reason, please call the office at 637-6253 at least 2 hours prior to your scheduled pick-up time to cancel your ride. Cancellations made within 2 hours of the scheduled pick up time will be considered a no show. CTP drivers cannot make schedule changes for you.

No Show Policy

A no show occurs when:

  •  You fail to show up for your scheduled trip.
  • You fail to cancel at least 2 hours prior to your scheduled trip.
  • You are not ready within 5 minutes of the driver's arrival during the pick-up window.

If you are a no show for your going trip, your return trip will remain unless you call to cancel.  No shows are not counted when they are due to situations beyond the rider's control, such as: medical emergency, hospitalization, sudden illness.

Riders may be suspended from paratransit service when they show a "pattern or practice" of no shows, which occurs when:

  • Rider has (4) or more no shows in a calendar month; AND
  • The number of no shows represents more than 20% of the trips booked by the rider in the same calendar month.

Consequences for pattern and practice of no shows:

1st violation - letter of warning
2nd violation - 5 day suspension
3rd violation - 15 day suspension
4th violation (and subsequent violations) - 30 day suspension

CTP will notify you by mail of the date on which the suspension will begin, which will be no less than 15 calendar days from the date the letter is sent.  Passengers have the opportunity to appeal any no shows listed.  Appeals should be addressed to:  Cheyenne Transit Program, No Show Appeals, 322 West Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY  82001.  Riders who miss the appeal request deadline will be suspended from CTP on the date listed on the suspension notice.  All suspension appeals follow CTP's appeal policy.

Wheelchairs and Mobility Devices

In accordance with the ADA, CTP vehicles are designed to accommodate mobility devices that when, measured two inches off the ground are not more than thirty inches wide and forty-eight inches long and weigh no more than six hundred pounds when occupied. If your mobility device exceeds these specifications, we may still be able to transport you. Please call CTP for an evaluation to determine whether we can accommodate your mobility device. Passengers must be in an upright sitting position for transport. All mobility devices must be in safe operating condition.

Driver Assistance

CTP drivers are specially trained to assist you. Drivers will:

  • Deploy lifts and ramps for persons using mobility devices and those without mobility devices who cannot navigate the bus steps, upon request. 
  • Secure passengers using mobility devices.

To ensure your safety and the safety of our drivers, CTP has the following restrictions:

  • Drivers will not assist passengers using wheelchairs up or down steps. Please arrange with someone else to assist you. 
  • Drivers will not carry packages. 
  • Drivers will not dress passengers. 
  • Drivers will not search a passenger’s body or belongings for the appropriate fare or ticket. 
  • Drivers will not clear pathways of ice, snow, or other barriers anywhere, except at Transfer Station.

General Ridership Policies

CTP has established the following general ridership policies for ADA complementary paratransit service. Many of the policies also apply to CTP’s fixed route service.

  • If a passenger uses oxygen, the tank must be portable, i.e., the passenger must be able to carry the tank into the vehicle themselves. If the passenger is in a wheelchair, the tank must be attached to the wheelchair. Once onboard, the portable oxygen tank must ride in a secure location, for example, in the passenger’s lap, in front of the passenger on the floor between seats, or on the floor behind the modesty panel.
  • All passengers must wear seatbelts. 
  • Child restraints must be used. 
  • Strollers, grocery carts and walkers must be folded and stored out of the aisles. 
  • Children may not remain in strollers during vehicle movement. 
  • All passengers using a wheelchair or scooter must use the restraint system that is used to secure the wheelchair or scooter to the floor of the vehicle. 
  • The number of packages a passenger can have along is limited to the equivalent of or four grocery bags, which passenger must be capable of carrying themselves.
  • Large items such as furniture, etc. are not permitted on CTP busses.

Extreme Weather Conditions

In the event of extreme weather conditions which make travel unsafe, CTP may cancel service. This announcement is made public through local media. Therefore, you must tune in to local radio and television, as this is the only notification that will be provided.

Riders' Code of Conduct

As a rider on the CTP system, I agree to:

  • Wear a shirt and shoes at all times
  • Have exact change ready as the driver cannot make change
  • Refrain from smoking, eating or drinking on the bus and have all drinks and food contained in spill-proof containers
  • Use electronic devices, such as a radio or walkman only with headphones as long as the sound is not audible to others
  • Not distract the driver and stay behind the yellow line while the bus is in motion
  • Yield the seats in front of the vehicle for senior and disabled customers
  • Not bring on board pets or animals with the exception of service animals which are trained to assist individuals with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Not bring on board the bus any article defined as a weapon
  • Stay clear of doorways and stairwells
  • Refrain from fighting, using vulgar, offensive or abusive language, pushing, shouting or participating in rough behavior
  • Remove children from strollers and fold down strollers
  • Not bring on the bus any cart that cannot be folded or put between the seats
  • Not bring on board the bus certain restricted items including used gasoline cans, car batteries, skateboards, scooters and skates (unless placed in a bag or container with wheels covered), tires or any object too large to fit between passenger seats
  • Keep aisle clear of grocery bags or other packages
  • Not interfere with the safe operation of the bus
  • Respect the instructions of the bus driver in regard to the vehicle’s operation
  • Keep conversations between riders or on cell phones to a reasonable volume
  • Not occupy more than one seat
  • Not hang out, reach out or put anything out of CTP bus windows
  • Refrain from loitering, soliciting for contributions or distributing materials on CTP properties
  • Keep feet off the seats, off the back of the seats, off the bus walls
  • Remain seated while vehicle is in motion

These rules are not intended to be complete. They serve as a guide only. Violation may result in removal from the bus.

Appeals Process - Eligibility Determination

You may appeal your ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) complementary paratransit eligibility determination or paratransit suspension within 60 calendar days of receipt of denial letter or suspension letter.

Your request must be made in writing.  The appeal is decided by an Appeal Committee made up of three individuals independent from the Transit Department who did not take part in the original eligibility determination or suspension determination.  CTP will notify you of the date and time of the Appeal Committee meeting and you may be present.  A written decision will be issued within 30 calendar days of the written request of the appeal.

Send appeal requests to:
Cheyenne Transit Program
Appeals Committee
322 West Lincolnway
Cheyenne, WY 82001-4402

Applicants may reapply for service at any time if there is a change in their functional mobility or after 6 months.

Statement of Rights

The Cheyenne Transit program (CTP) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination in the receipt of its services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, or any other characteristics protected by law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Further, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, no entity shall discriminate against an individual with a physical or mental disability in connection with the provision of transportation service.

To obtain more information on CTP’s nondiscrimination obligations or to file a complaint, contact the Cheyenne Transit Program, Attention Complaints, 322 West Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. For questions or further assistance, please contact CTP at (307) 637-6253. You may file a written complaint no later than 180 calendar days after the date of the alleged discrimination.

Information on non-English alternative formats may be obtained from the CTP office.

Surveilance

CTP buses and facilities are equipped with audio and video surveillance.