CHQ Transit provides Dial-A-Ride public transportation to people who due to age or disabilities are unable to access the fixed route service in the Cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown and the Villages of Lakewood, Celoron, and Falconer.
Eligibility
CHQ Transit will provide curb-to-curb or door-to-door ADA reduced rate paratransit service to individuals with limitations fitting into one of the following categories:
Category 1
A person who is unable, as a result of a physical or mental impairment (including vision impairments) and without the assistance of another individual, to board, ride, or disembark from any vehicle on the system, which is readily accessible to and usable by other individuals.
Category 2
Any person who needs the assistance of a wheelchair lift or other boarding assistance device and is able with such assistance to board, ride, and exit from an accessible fixed route vehicle, and an accessible vehicle is either not available on the desired fixed route, not available within a reasonable period of time when the trip to be taken by the individual, or the common wheelchair of the person cannot be accommodated by the vehicle.
Category 3
Any person with an impairment-related condition that is prevented from traveling to or from a bus stop (e.g. temperature sensitivity, blindness, chronic fatigue syndrome, or a lack of cognitive abilities).
Or
Any person with an impairment-related condition that is prevented from traveling to or from a bus stop because of the interaction of certain architectural and/or environmental barriers with their impairment-related condition (e.g. use of wheelchairs during a snowstorm).
In order to obtain access to this service, individuals with a disability must complete an eligibility application with CHQ Transit. An eligibility determination will be made within 21 days of receipt of the completed. Temporary and Conditional ADA certifications will be reviewed at the discretion of CHQ Transit.
If a person’s eligibility is denied or limited, they may appeal their decision with the County ADA Coordinator, Ken Westphal, by calling (716) 753-4237.
How CHQ Transit Paratransit meets the Six Service Criteria
- Service Area - the service area for the ADA Paratransit service (CHQ Transit) will include all of the populated areas within 3/4 miles of an existing fixed route which includes the Cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown, and the Villages of Celoron, Lakewood, and Falconer.
- Response Time - Requests for service will be received Monday through Friday 7:00 am through 5:00 pm by contacting the CHQ Transit office.
- CHQ Transit offices and services are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, as well as New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Ride requests for the next business day must be made by phone with CHQ Transit office staff before the close of business the preceding day. ADA riders are encouraged to call as far in advance as possible to schedule their trip.
- Fares - One pre-approved personal care provider (escort) may ride without charge. If space allows, additional persons may accompany the rider at the same fare as the ADA passenger and must have the same origin and destination as the ADA passenger. CHQ Transit may charge a higher fare to a social service agency or other organization for agency paid trips. (Fares can be found on FARE CHART on page 6).
- Trip Purpose - Passengers who use the CHQ Transit Paratransit system will not be restricted by trip purpose, nor will types of trip have priority over others.
- Hours and Days of Service - The CHQ Transit Paratransit system will operate on the same days and hours as our fixed-route system, Monday through Friday (6:00 am - 4:30 pm in Jamestown, and 7:30 am - 5:30 pm in Dunkirk).
- Capacity Restraints - Trips will be scheduled for pickup no more than one hour before the requested time. Vehicles that are dispatched to a location for pickup will wait no longer than 3 minutes to board the rider. If demand dictates, additional vehicles and staff will be placed into service to meet the
Cancellations and No Shows
Riders who do not need their scheduled arrangements should contact the CHQ Transit office anytime, up to 30 minutes before the agreed upon boarding time. No shows are defined as passengers who cancel trips less than 30 minutes before their pickup, or who do not board the bus when it arrives. Three no-shows within a thirty-day period may result in a suspension of transportation services to that passenger. All suspensions of service may be appealed according to established procedures with the County ADA Coordinator. A copy of the appeal procedure will be mailed with the suspension notice to the user.
Reciprocal Eligibility
An “out-of-town” individual seeking to utilize the CHQ Transit ADA paratransit service may be certified by another transit system. Any limitations placed upon the “out-of-town” certification of ADA eligibility will be observed. If an “out-of-town” individual does not have such certification, but makes a claim of eligibility to CHQ Transit , that claim will be honored on a presumption of eligibility. In such cases, CHQ Transit will require proof that the individual is, in fact, not a resident of the transit district, and if the request for service is based upon a hidden impairment (e.g. a cardia condition), medical documentation may be required. Presumptive eligibility will be provided for a period of 21 days. CHQ Transit may require that the individual obtain local recertification if he/she plans to use the system beyond 21 days per year.
