Getting Taxi Services
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If you are a new paratransit rider, you must first be certified into either the
ADA Access or the Lift-Van program. If you are ADA Access certified, we may offer
you participation in the taxi program after you have used the ADA Access system
for a period of time. Some people may be entered immediately into the taxi program;
these include
individuals needing dialysis, riders 80 years of age or older, or
wheelchair users needing ramped taxi services.
Selecting a Taxi Company to Call
Once you are registered in the paratransit taxi program, you may call any taxi company
that is in the program. To be sure that the cab company you select is participating
in the San Francisco Paratransit program, please call our Taxi Hotline at (415)
351-7090.
You can also check our listing of cab companies in the program.
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When to Call the Taxi Company
Call the taxi company as soon as you know you will need a taxi, but at least 30
minutes before you absolutely need the ride. If you have a set appointment, be sure
to allow ample time to get there. Even though taxi rides are direct, you need to
allow enough time for the driver to get through traffic. For ramp taxi service,
since there are fewer vehicles available, we recommend that you call one hour in
advance.
During holidays, eves of holidays, or on days of rain or bad weather, please allow
extra time. If you have a specific appointment and you do not want to risk delays,
you may wish to use our ADA Access service (if you are ambulatory) or ADA Lift Van
program (if you use a wheelchair). Please refer to the ADA Access/ Lift Van Riders
Guide for more information.
A taxi is considered on time if it arrives within 30 minutes from the time that
you placed your request. To report repeatedly late service or any other problems
with taxi service, please call the Paratransit office at (415) 351-7052. This will
help us improve our service to you.
When you request a taxi, listen carefully to the questions the taxi company dispatcher
asks. The more detail you give, the better service the taxi company will be able
to give you. If you use a wheelchair (or are riding with someone using a wheelchair),
please be sure to immediately tell the taxi company dispatcher that you need a ramped
taxi.
Always be aware of days of the week or times of the year when it becomes more difficult
to get a taxi, including ramp taxi service. On Friday afternoons, evenings, and
on holidays, or at any time when the weather is bad, you may find it more difficult
to get taxi service. Please keep this in mind when requesting regular or ramp taxi
service.
After 20 minutes, if your taxi has not arrived, call back to check on its status.
If you decide it is taking too long to arrive, please be sure to call and cancel
your request before calling another taxi company. Failure to call will waste resources
and could lead to taxi dispatchers identifying you as someone who requests cabs
and doesn’t cancel. This could lead to poor taxi service for you in the future.
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