Eligibility for American's With Disabilities Act (ADA) service on the MCAT Handy Bus is based on the following:

1. An individual's functional ability to use the MCAT fixed route bus system. Applicants must prove that because of a physical or mental/cognitive impairment, they are unable to independently use the MCAT fixed route bus system. These impairments can be permanent, temporary or conditional under certain circumstances.

2. A visitor to Manatee County who can provide documentation of their ADA eligibility in another jurisdiction can also be eligible to use the ADA Handy Bus.

3. ADA Paratransit Handy Bus trips are only available during the same days, hours, and service area locations as the MCAT fixed route bus system. Origin and destination of trips must be within the ADA Complementary Paratransit Service Corridor. The ADA Complementary Paratransit Service Corridor extends three-quarters (3/4) of a mile on either side of an active MCAT fixed bus route.

Please call MCAT at (941) 748-2317 for an ADA paratransit service application. This application may also be downloaded here: Handy Bus Application

The ADA Paratransit service is a required “safety net” for people who, due to their disability, are unable to ride fixed route buses. The ADA Paratransit service is a complementary service to fixed route transportation services. This means ADA paratransit services operate in the same area, and during the same days and hours as the fixed route service. It is an on-demand service that must be reserved at least before 5:00PM the day before a trip. The service picks up riders at their home (or origin) and takes them to their destination. The vehicle may make several stops on the way to a rider’s destination to pick up or drop off other passengers; and just like the regular bus system, it is a “shared-ride” service. The origin and destination of each trip must be within a 3/4 mile corridor dimension of fixed route service

The Handy Bus service provides the required ADA paratransit service to “complement” fixed route services.

Yes! The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that transit agencies provide services which are accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA is an important civil rights law passed in 1990 that has greatly increased the transportation options for people with disabilities. The law requires improvements to transportation services, including the provision of paratransit services to complement fixed route services. The ADA does not require a transit agency “to meet all the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities;” however, it does ensure that people with disabilities who cannot utilize regular fixed routes receive services comparable to those on the fixed route/regular bus system.

Handy Bus Client Handbook

The Handy Bus service is a door-to-door public transportation service provided for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use the regular fixed route buses. It’s an advanced reservation, shared-ride service operated with accessible Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant vehicles.

Eligibility requirements vary by program. Program determination is based on verification of the written application and may also include professional verification and/or an in-person functional assessment.

For more information on ADA Paratransit Service and Transportation Disadvantaged Services, please call (941) 748-2317 or visit the MCAT (Manatee County Area Transportation) website.

 

Generally speaking, the test for eligibility is the inability to use fixed route buses, due to a person’s disability. The ability to use fixed route transit may be limited by a physical or cognitive disability. Difficulty using public transportation, or being diagnosed as having a disability, is not automatic grounds for ADA paratransit service eligibility. Similarly, eligibility is not based upon age, income level, or for perceived inconvenience of bus service. fixed route transit for other trips. 3. Temporarily eligible riders obtain eligibility for a very limited and specific period of time. If you disagree with MCAT’s eligibility determination, request an appeal in writing within 60 days of receiving eligibility notification. Send the appeal to: Customer Service Team Supervisor/MCAT, 2411 Tallevast Road, Sarasota, FL 34243.

Eligibility is based upon a person’s inability to use the fixed route system, and riders must apply for eligibility. Please call MCAT at (941) 747-8621, ext. 3567 for an ADA paratransit service application. This application may also be downloaded here:  Handy Bus Application

ADA VISITOR PROCESS

1. Visitors who are eligible for ADA paratransit service in jurisdictions where they reside and have documentation regarding their eligibility may use the MCAT ADA paratransit service during their visit to Manatee County for up to twenty-one (21) days during any three hundred sixty-five (365)-day period. Visitors who have not been certified eligible by another transit provider and who make the statement they’re unable to use fixed route transit will have presumptive eligibility. They will be required to provide documentation of their place of residence and (if the visitor's disability is not apparent), disability documentation (signed by a doctor or licensed medical professional) prior to the first day of service and may also be provided ADA paratransit service for up to twenty-one (21) days during any three hundred sixty-five (365)-day period. Visitors needing more than twenty-one (21) days of service will be required to apply for MCAT eligibility certification by following the application process described above.


2. Upon receipt of the required documentation as described, Manatee County Area Transit will enter the necessary information into the database to permit visitors to book requested trips. This process can be completed as early as same day or no more than one day late. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) envisions this as a process of eligible service.