Paratransit Eligibility Determinations & Travel Training

RTD is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to retain the services of an ADA Mobility Assessment Contractor (AMAC). The AMAC will have the primary task of conducting complementary ADA paratransit eligibility determinations and will also work with Access-a-Ride staff to develop and provide mobility assessment, education, and travel training services for applicants and other customers with disabilities as identified by RTD.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and a local government services and telecommunications. The transportation provisions of the ADA are focused on acquisition of sufficient accessible vehicles by public and private entities, requirements for complementary Paratransit service by public entities operating a fixed-route system and provision of nondiscriminatory accessible transportation service.

The ADA mandates that each public entity operating a fixed-route system (essentially non-commuter bus and light rail systems that picks up and discharges passengers on a regularly published schedule) must provide or assure there is provided complementary ADA paratransit service to individuals with disabilities who, because of their disabilities, are functionally unable to ride the accessible fixed-route/light rail system for some or all trips. The paratransit service must be comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the comparable fixed-route system. The paratransit service is intended to complement the fixed-route system in terms of area served and time of service. US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require each public entity to establish a certification process for determining ADA paratransit eligibility. The eligibility criteria are designed to strictly limit ADA paratransit eligibility to only those individuals whose disabilities prevent them from using an accessible fixed-route system for some or all trips.

Many individuals applying for paratransit service have never ridden the bus or light rail. This is typically because they primarily relied on private transportation as drivers or were transported by family. This lack of understanding and fear of not knowing how to use public transportation, along with media portrayals, contribute to a reluctance to use these services. One of the ways to maximize transit options for paratransit customers is to improve understanding of and build confidence in their understanding of how to use fixed route bus and rail service. RTD is seeking to develop a comprehensive program whereby paratransit services could be co-mingled with RTD fixed-route bus and rail services. The Travel Training program will ensure not only that individuals, by way of meeting certain criterion, will be selected to participate in this dual-mode approach, but also that the same individuals may opt to more regularly use fixed route options with their newfound competence. The mobility training program will be referenced as “Travel Training” throughout the remainder of this document.