Responsibilities
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Below are “common-sense” responsibilities designed to ensure safety and comfort
for all passengers and drivers.
Rider's Responsibilities
- Carefully read all Rider’s Guide materials.
- Make ride reservations at least one day in advance, except for taxis. For taxis,
make reservations no less than 30 minutes before you need the ride, allowing reasonable
travel time to get to an appointment.
- Be at the designated pick-up location on time, and provide entry for the vehicle
if you live in a gated community or have special access requirements.
- If the vehicle has not arrived by the end of the on-time window or, in the case
of taxi, if the driver has not shown up 20-30 minutes after your request, call your
service provider.
- Call to cancel an unneeded ride as soon as possible to avoid a “no-show.”
- Except for taxis, pay the correct fare in cash or with a ride ticket. Remember,
drivers cannot make change.
- Wear seat belts at all times during transport.
- Avoid distracting the driver or annoying other passengers with inappropriate behavior.
- Maintain wheelchairs or other mobility aids in safe operating condition according
to manufacturer’s specifications.
- Expect “shared-ride” service. Others may be picked up after you, and/or dropped
off before you reach your destination (except in taxi program).
- Maintain acceptable standards of personal hygiene; please refrain from using scented
products.
Follow these common rules of courtesy:
- No eating, drinking or smoking on board the vehicle.
- No riding under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- No littering in the vehicle.
- No radios, cassette tape players, compact disc players or other sound-generating
equipment may be played aloud aboard the vehicle.
Other Responsibilities:
- Provide feedback to San Francisco Paratransit when your service is unsatisfactory
by calling 351-7052.
- When conducting business with the San Francisco Paratransit office, be prepared
by having all necessary identification and funds, and be considerate of others.
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Driver Responsibilities: What You can Expect from the Drivers. Drivers Must:
- Adhere to the same standards of common courtesy and personal hygiene as
those required
of riders.
- Treat riders with courtesy.
- Be in proper uniform (except taxi drivers who don’t have uniform requirements).
- Visibly display a proper ID badge.
- For safety reasons, maintain “lineof- sight” of vehicle at all times.
- Keep to the assigned service schedule for the convenience of all riders.
- Provide reasonable assistance to riders entering or leaving the vehicle.
- Assist riders or wheelchairs up or down no more than two exterior stairs, except
if passenger is enrolled in the “stair-assist” program.
- When requested, and if safe to do so, assist passengers to and from the main door
of their origin and destination.
- Driver may not use personal cell phones, radios, “Walkman™,” or play loud music
while on duty.
“Assistance” includes, but is not limited, to:
- Offering ambulatory passengers a steadying arm or other appropriate assistance when
walking or using stairs.
- Helping persons in wheelchairs maneuver onto standard ramps and to and from the
main door of their origin and destination.
- Carrying no more than two grocery bags or similarly sized packages, not to exceed
a total of 25 pounds.
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Drivers are NOT Permitted To:
- Enter the residence of a rider.
- Perform any personal care assistance for any rider, such as assisting with dressing.
- Lift or carry a passenger.
- Assist a rider or wheelchair up or down any interior steps or more than two exterior
steps, except if passenger is enrolled in the Stairassist program, and then only
subject to that program’s rules.
- Wait for a passenger to make a stop to conduct business, such as at an ATM/Cash
machine, pharmacy, or video store.
- Escort a passenger beyond the ground floor lobby of a public building or beyond
the front door of a private residence.
- Accept tips or any other gratuities, except for taxi drivers who may receive cash
tips. (Taxi drivers cannot be tipped with taxi scrip.)
- Perform errands for riders, such as picking up prescriptions or groceries.
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Suspension of Service
San Francisco Paratransit has a program for progressive discipline to curb misuse,
abuse, and inappropriate and/or illegal behavior while protecting riders’ rights.
Suspension from our paratransit program can result when a rider for example:
- Obtains or uses paratransit service under false pretenses; for example, providing
false information on the eligibility application, allowing others to ride in your
place, or misusing taxi scrip.
- Incurs an excessive amount of verified “no-shows” (usually more than three in a
three-month period) or an excessive number of trip cancellations.
- Engages in abusive or disruptive behavior (for example, threatening drivers, staff
or other riders with physical harm), or engages in illegal behavior while on board
our vehicles (sale/purchase of illegal drugs, crime of any nature, etc.).
- Engages in any behavior having a racist or sexual connotation with the driver or
other riders.
- Illegally sells or transfers taxi scrip.
Our disciplinary process progresses from warnings to suspension, depending on the
behavior. A rider may be warned first by a telephone call from a San Francisco Paratransit
staff member. If the behavior or action continues, the rider will receive a written
warning with an explanation of the violation. Finally, if the behavior continues
unchanged, San Francisco Paratransit will notify the rider of a pending suspension.
Suspensions can be immediate when the behavior is illegal or potentially compromises
the safety of our driver, other riders or our equipment.
A rider is allowed to appeal the suspension or proposed suspension. A proposed suspension
will be implemented only after the appeals panel upholds the suspension.
A rider being suspended will be provided with a full written explanation of this
process. This full description will also be provided to any rider upon request.
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