Official Web Site of the City of Phoenix

City of Phoenix Dial-A-Ride fares are increasing July 1, as are bus and light rail fares, as part of a citywide budget balancing process. Information below includes the new fares for different types of Dial-A-Ride service, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions Section about Dial-A-Ride.

Phoenix Dial-A-Ride ADA Service Guide - 1 page format

Phoenix Dial-A-Ride ADA Guía de Servicio ADA- formato de 1 pagina

Reservations: (602) 253-4000

Toll free: 1-800-775-7295 (Arizona residents only)

TTY (text telephone): (602) 258-9980

Non-ADA Service Hours
Monday - Friday	5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday/holidays*	5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Reservations (Non-ADA Service)
Monday - Friday	5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday/holidays*	5 a.m. - 9 p.m.

ADA Service Hours
Monday - Friday	5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday/holidays	5 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Reservations (ADA Service)
Seven days a week	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

*New Year's Day, Memorial Day (Observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

Fares

Fares	One Way	Monthly ADA Pass (Phoenix only)
Pre-scheduled Trip	$3.50	$65.00
Same Day Service:	First Zone	Each Additional Zone
Reduced Fare (Seniors, Youth, Persons with Disabilities)	$2.50 or 5 tickets	$1.50 or 3 ticket
Regular Fare	$5.00 or 10 tickets	$3.00 or 6 tickets

Frequently Asked Questions

What should pass holders do with fares changing?
Passengers will need to change their billing information if they are charged automatically for a pass. Contact Central Station Customer Service for more information, at 602-495-5795.

What payment is allowed on Dial-A-Ride?
Cash, Dial-A-Ride 50 cent tickets, and the Dial-A-Ride monthly pass are accepted.

What is Dial-A-Ride?
Dial-A-Ride services are for passengers unable to access local bus service. Phoenix Dial-A-Ride provides service to seniors age 65 and older and persons with disabilities.

Phoenix Dial-A-Ride offers connections with neighboring Dial-A-Ride services and regional bus routes. Anyone living outside of the Phoenix service area should contact their local Dial-A-Ride.

What Services Does Dial-A-Ride Provide?
ADA:
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires public transportation agencies to provide paratransit services - which complement regular fixed-route bus service - for individuals who do not have the functional ability to ride public transit buses. Dial-A-Ride ADA services provides shared-ride public transportation that complies with the requirements of the ADA.

Non-ADA:
Phoenix Dial-A-Ride service provides shared-ride public transportation to seniors and persons with disabilities who do not qualify for ADA service or who are not ADA certified.

Who Can Ride?
Phoenix Dial-A-Ride is available to:

• persons who meet the eligibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• other persons with disabilities
• senior citizens age 65 and older

You may be asked for identification to establish your eligibility to use Dial-A-Ride services.

How Much Does Dial-A-Ride Cost?
Fares vary by service area and by distance traveled. Zone charges may also apply to transfer trips.

When you reserve your trip, please ask the customer service agent how much your fare will be since exact change is required. Cash, Dial-A-Ride 50 cent tickets, and the Dial-a-Ride monthly pass are accepted. New fare options will be available in August.

How Does Dial-A-Ride Work?
Dial-a-Ride is a shared-ride service, which means that the driver may pick up or drop off other passengers before taking you to your destination. In most cases, you can travel within any given Dial-A-Ride service area without transferring to another vehicle. However, if your final destination is in another service area, you may have to transfer to a vehicle operated by the local Dial-A-Ride provider serving that area. Dial-A-Ride can help you coordinate these transfers, as well as transfers to and from fixed-route bus service.

How Do I Get a Ride?
All ADA trips must be reserved at least one day (but up to 14 days) in advance. Dial-a-Ride providers in different cities have different requirements for reserving non-ADA trips.

Subscription trips are another category of travel that require reservations. These are trips that are made on a regular, predictable basis (work trips, for example). In some service areas, subscription trips may be booked several weeks in advance.

To get a ride, call the local Dial-A-Ride provider that serves the area where you will be picked up. When you call, please be ready to give the following information:

• your name
• exact address where you want to be picked up and a phone number at that address
• exact address of your destination and a phone number at that address
• number of people who will be riding
• whether you'll need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle
• whether you'll be traveling with a service animal
• whether you'll need to transfer to another Dial-a-Ride provider or to fixed-route bus service (Dial-a-Ride can arrange either kind of transfer for you).

Remember, since Dial-A-Ride is a shared-ride service, the driver may make other stops on the way to your destination. If you are unsure of how much time you should allot for your trip, please ask for suggestions when scheduling your pickup. The customer service agent will give you an estimate of how long you can expect to wait for and spend in the vehicle.

Important Travel Tips

• Remember, exact fare is required. Drivers do not carry change
• Be ready to go when you call. The driver can only wait five minutes without inconveniencing other passengers
• Allow plenty of time to get to and from your destination. Dial-a-ride vehicles will probably stop to pick up and drop off other passengers on the way to your destination
• When possible, avoid traveling during peak weekday hours:
  7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and
  3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  Also bear in mind that the first five working days of the month are the busiest travel days.
• If you can't make your trip, please call to cancel at least two hours before the scheduled pickup time. This will help the driver avoid making unnecessary stops.
• Each eligible passenger may bring up to three shopping-sized bags or packages on board.
• Drivers are not allowed to enter a passenger's residence for any reason. Drivers can, however, help carry packages to your door.
• Smoking, eating, and drinking (except when drinks are in authorized containers) are not allowed in Dial-a-Ride vehicles.
• Seat belts are required for all passengers riding in Dial-a-Ride vehicles. Please notify the driver if you require assistance buckling up.
• Information on Dial-a-Ride schedules, fares, and services is subject to change.

What Can I Expect?
ADA:
Dial-A-Ride ADA service is considered "on time" if the vehicle arrives at the pickup point five minutes before or up to 30 minutes after the agreed-upon pickup time.

Non-ADA:
Dial-A-Ride non-ADA service varies from service area to service area. Please check with your local Dial-A-Ride provider.

In-vehicle ride time will vary by service area and according to the distance traveled. Please ask the customer service agent how long your trip will take.

Please remember that the driver can only wait five minutes without inconveniencing other passengers.

Personal Care Attendants
A personal care attendant (PCA) is an individual who must accompany a passenger in order for the passenger to fulfill the purpose of his or her trip. For an individual to qualify as an attendant, the ADA-certified passenger must have established the need for a PCA during the ADA eligibility process. PCAs are always allowed to ride with an eligible passenger and are not required to pay a fare. They must, however, travel from the same point of origin and to the same destination as the passenger.

Companions
A companion is someone riding with an ADA-certified passenger, but not as a PCA. One companion is always allowed to ride with the passenger as long as a reservation has been made for the companion, and the companion travels from the same point of origin to the same destination. The companion pays the same fare as the passenger. More than one companion is allowed if space is available.

Children
Passengers traveling with children under the age of five are responsible for providing an infant car seat. No one under the age of six can be ADA certified.

How Do I Cancel a Trip?
Please notify Dial-a-Ride as soon as you know that you will be unable to make a scheduled trip.

Cancellations can be made throughout the day. When calling to cancel, please provide the following information:

• name
• address
• date and time of pickup (specify a.m. trip, p.m. trip, or both)
  
  If the driver arrives for a pickup and is unable to contact you, the driver will notify the dispatcher, who may attempt to reach you by telephone. After these attempts, the driver will wait no longer than five minutes (under normal conditions) past the pickup time. As a result, any scheduled return trip for that day will also be canceled.

What Happens When I'm a No-show?
No-shows make it difficult to provide services efficiently and cause delays and inconvenience for other riders. All passengers are responsible for calling to cancel trips that are not needed.

A passenger who records more than three no-shows in any 60-day period will be notified by mail of system policies and our expectations of passengers.

A second series of more than three no-shows within 60 days during the same 12-month period may result in a 30-day suspension from Dial-a-Ride services.

Subscription riders will lose their subscription privileges after recording more than three no-shows within a 60-day period.

How Do I Become ADA Certified
If you would like to become certified under the ADA, you can request an application from the Valley Metro ADA Certification Office at (602) 534-2320.

Do I Need to Be Certified for Non-ADA Service?
No, you do not. However, your Dial-a-Ride driver may ask for proof of age or disability. A driver's license, state-issued ID card, Medicare card, or Valley Metro Reduced-Fare Identification Card can be used for this purpose.

How Can I Get a Valley Metro Reduced-Fare Identification Card?
The Valley Metro Reduced-Fare Identification Card is a photo ID that you can use to establish your eligibility for certain Dial-a-Ride fares and services, as well as to receive discounts on local fixed-route bus service.

The card costs $2.50 and is good for five years.

You can apply for a card at any Valley Metro photo site locations. In Phoenix there are two:
Central Station, Central Ave. & Van Buren St., in downtown Phoenix
Desert Sky Mall Information Booth (inside), 75th Ave. and Thomas Rd.

When applying, seniors and youths must bring a driver's license, birth certificate, Medicare card, or state non-driver's ID. Persons with disabilities must provide verification from a doctor or health professional stating the type and duration of the disability.

Call your local Dial-a-Ride provider if you need a ride to an application site. You will not be required to show an ID to the driver for that trip.