MTS ACCESS & ADA SUBURBAN help people with disabilities get around

MTS Access/ADA Suburban Riders Guide

MTS Access Frequently Asked Questions Brochure

What is MTS Access/ADA Suburban Paratransit?

Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Paratransit is a lift-equipped Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 curb-to-curb service designed for transit riders with disabilities that prevent them from using regular bus or trolley services.

For travel between service zones, transferring to another vehicle will be required, just as you would transfer on the MTS bus and trolley network of services.

In compliance with the ADA, MTS ADA Paratransit provides services to the same areas and during the same days and hours of service that the MTS fixed route and trolley operate.

Both the rider and trip plan must be eligible before a reservation can be made. For the rider, this means that they must be personally certified to use ADA Paratransit due to a disability that prevents them from using regular bus or trolley services. For this trip, this means that both the origin and destination of the trip you wish to make are within 3/4 mile of an operating fixed route bus or trolley station.

FARES

Urban

     Central San Diego (Zone 1)

           Provider                                                   Cash Fare

           MTS Access                                               $4.50

           (888) 517-9627                                        (One-Way)

Suburban

     Mid-County (Zone 2)

     East County (Zone 3)

     South Bay (Zone 4)

           Provider                                                   Cash Fare

           Suburban ADA Paratransit                         $4.50

           (800) 921-9664                                         (One-Way)

To make fare payment easier, you can buy in advance a $45.00 10-pack ticket book for both MTS Access and ADA Suburban at:

The Transit Store
102 Broadway (at First Avenue)
Downtown San Diego
(619) 234-1060

The Transit Store accepts cash, checks, money orders, travelers checks, as well as Visa and Master Card credit cards.

If you'd prefer, you can also order your prepaid ticket booklets through the mail. Send a check or money order for the amount of booklets you would like, payable to SANDAG, along with a note specifying whether it's for MTS Access or ADA Suburban booklets to:

San Diego Association of Governments
Attn: Pass Sales
401 B Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101-4231

MAKING RESERVATIONS

To schedule a ride, call 1-888-517-9627 for MTS Access, or 1-800-921-9664 for ADA Suburban, any day between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (TTY/TDD: 1-800-568-7097).

Reservations are accepted from two days in advance up to 5:00 p.m. the day before travel. That means if you want to travel on a Monday, you can call to schedule your trip from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday up to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Be ready to provide your name, pick-up address, when you would like to travel, destination address, and if/when you would like to book a return trip.

Your reserved pick-up time will be within one hour of your request. Ride times are variable and can be as long as 60-90 minutes (depending on distance), so please keep this in mind when accepting a trip offer. For example, if you request an 8:00 a.m. pick-up, your trip offer may be between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Meanwhile, your arrival time will vary depending on your trip pick-up time plus the varying amount of time it may take to travel to your destination.

GETTING ADA CERTIFIED

Call 1-877-232-7433 to request a certification application. Mail the completed application, including the professional medical verification form, to the ADA Certification Office. The Office has 21 days from the date of receipt to process your application. A verification of certification status will be mailed to you. ADA Certification is required before you can make a trip reservation.

You may apply online at www.adaride.com where you will receive a secure username and password. Effective July, 2008.