Paratransit Door to Door Guidelines

• Escort the customer from the pick-up door or common public entrance to the door or through the common public entrance at the destination.
• Assist a PCA or companion onto and off the van.
• Ensure that customers and mobility aids are properly secured.
• Safely operate the van in a shared ride capacity.
• Carrying up to four personal items to/from the van for the ADA eligible customer (each item less than 25lbs).

• Honor the nature of a shared ride service.
• Meet the van operator at the door within 5 minutes of the van’s arrival to avoid delaying the van.
•  Do not delay the van operator for more than 5 minutes upon reaching the destination.
• Accept the operator’s escort from the pickup door into the van at the beginning of the trip and from inside the van to the door at the destination.
• Understand that the van operator is not a caregiver and does not provide attendant-to-attendant service. The customer is responsible for making arrangements for any assistance needed beyond the van operator’s escort to and from the door.
• Obey Spokane Transit’s Rules of Conduct including compliance with the door-to-door policy.
•  Customers who do not obey STA’s Rules of Conduct are subject to disciplinary steps up to and including exclusion from service as outlined in Article III (b) of the Rules of Conduct. 

• Ensure that the client is ready and willing to leave when the van arrives.
• Have the client meet the van operator at the door within 5 minutes of the van’s arrival to avoid delaying the van.
•  Ensure that the customer does not delay the van operator for more than 5 minutes upon reaching the destination.
• Understand that the van operator is not, and will not act as, a caregiver.
• STA Paratransit service does not provide attendant-to-attendant service. The caregiver is responsible for making arrangements for any assistance the client needs beyond the van operator’s escort to and from the door.
•  Instruct the client on proper conduct on the van based on the STA Rules of Conduct.
•  Customers who do not obey STA’s Rules of Conduct are subject to disciplinary steps up to and including exclusion from service as outlined in Article III (b) of the Rules of Conduct. 

Some examples are:

• Entering a customer’s private residence.
• Establishing a formal or informal agreement or decision guaranteeing that the customer is handed to a designated attendant or is not left alone at the destination.
• Providing escort assistance and or carrying bags for the customer’s companions or PCA to/from the door.
• Handling a service animal.
• Operating a customer’s electric mobility device 

By establishing a pattern or practice of not following the policy, a customer risks suspension from van service. This is tracked on a rolling 12-month period.

 If you have questions, contact a Paratransit Supervisor, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

1212 W Sharp Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 325-6026
Fax: 509-325-6030

 TTY: Contact the Washington Relay Service at

711 

 Some examples are:

• A residential front, side, or rear door with an accessible path to the van;
• A common or public entrance (such as a lobby or reception area) inside the door(s) of an apartment building, business, school, medical office, or other public facility;
• Through a set of double/triple doors into a public facility;
• A specified location in an open area such as a park;
• The front office of a cemetery;
• Specific outdoor entrances such as at the Fairgrounds or Albi Stadium;
• A door attached to a garage (inside garage door access must be pre-approved); or
• The door of a vehicle when the customer is transferring from another vehicle to the van.

Note: Wherever possible, van operators must keep sight of the van.