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42-877: The company also provides paratransit and Medicaid transportation services for Bennington County. GMCN had an annual ridership of approximately 64,900 in fiscal year 2010, the second fewest of any public bus transit provider in Vermont for that time period when not including the Brattleboro BeeLine (now fully operated by the Current ). They now have an annual ridership of about 135,000. There are 22 wheelchair accessible vehicles in GMCN's fleet. Their management headquarters, bus garage and transit hub are located at 215 Pleasant Street in Bennington. Prior to February 2007 and dating back to 1985,

84-620: A day in advance, eliminated shared trips, reduced in-transit time, and reduced the pickup wait time from 30 minutes to as low as 5 minutes in the urban core. With the subsidy cap initially set at $ 13, the MBTA reduced the average cost of a paratransit trip from $ 35 to $ 9. Pilot participants on average substantially increased the number of trips they took, but still at a lower overall cost to the agency. Availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles remained an occasional problem, but these were only needed by about 20% of paratransit riders. Before passage of

126-500: A flexible system of small vehicles a less expensive alternative for accessibility than options with larger, fixed-route vehicles. This however ended up not being the case. Often paratransit services were being filled up to their capacity. In some cases, leaving individuals who were in need of the door to door service provided by paratransit unable to utilize it due to the fact that disabled people who could use fixed-route vehicles also found themselves using these paratransit services. With

168-520: A peer review of large urban paratransit systems in the US in 2009: In response to increasing ridership and costs of providing paratransit service, WMATA made two significant changes beginning in 2010: the paratransit service area was reduced from jurisdictional boundaries to the ADA requirement of within a 3/4 mile corridor of fixed-route services; and, fares were linked to WMATA 's fixed route services and charged to

210-541: A service area. In addition to public transit agencies, paratransit services may be operated by community groups or not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit private companies or operators. The concept of intermediate public transport (IPT) or paratransit, exhibits considerable variation between developed and developing nations. In developed countries, it is typically a flexible, demand-responsive form of public transportation designed to provide point-to-point service. These systems are generally well-structured and organized. On

252-954: A subsector and business in its own right. The term paratransit is rarely used outside of North America. Projects in the broader sense were documented by the Urban Institute in the 1974 book Para-transit: Neglected options for urban mobility , followed a year later by the first international overview, Paratransit: Survey of International Experience and Prospects . Robert Cervero 's 1997 book, Paratransit in America: Redefining Mass Transportation , embraced this wider definition of paratransit, arguing that America's mass transit sector should enlarge to include micro-vehicles, minibuses, and shared-taxi services found in many developing cities. Paratransit, as an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules, are common and often offer

294-733: A substantial daily income, which supports their livelihoods. Typically, minibuses are used to provide paratransit service in USA. Most paratransit vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps to facilitate access. In the United States , private transportation companies often provide paratransit service in cities and metropolitan areas under contract to local public transportation agencies. The use of "paratransit" ("para transit", "para-transit") has evolved and taken on two somewhat separate broad sets of meaning and application in North America;

336-432: Is a central organization recognized by the government which "promotes excellence through training, publications, advice, events and project support on voluntary, community and accessible transport." In Zagreb , Croatia , the municipal mass transit operator ZET operates a fleet of minibuses equipped with several seats and lift for wheelchairs for on-demand transport of disabled persons. In Hong Kong , Rehabus service

378-615: Is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan , but fewer people than a full-size bus . In the United Kingdom , the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger-carrying van or panel truck . Minibuses have a seating capacity of between 12 and 30. Larger minibuses may be called midibuses . Minibuses are typically front engine step-in vehicles, although low floor minibuses are particularly common in Japan. It

420-457: Is an unfunded mandate . Under the ADA, complementary paratransit service is required for passengers who are 1) Unable to navigate the public bus system, 2) unable to get to a point from which they could access the public bus system, or 3) have a temporary need for these services because of injury or some type of limited duration cause of disability (49 CFR 37.123). Title 49 Part 37 details the eligibility rules along with requirements governing how

462-479: Is an exemption for certain volunteer drivers, where the vehicle does not exceed 3500 kg GVW (or 4250 kg GVW if the vehicle is designed to be wheelchair accessible). Driving licence source A driving licence issued in Ontario , Canada, for an equivalent of a UK class B or class B-auto driving licence (in the case of Ontario, a class G licence) , allows its holder to drive vehicles with: Anyone wanting to drive

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504-551: Is another field being applied to paratransit operations. Some companies are beginning to integrate cloud computing models to find operational efficiencies and cost savings for smaller paratransit service providers. There is no legislation providing details on paratransit standards, but the Canadian Urban Transit Association has provided voluntary guidelines for member transit agencies to use to determine paratransit needs and standards. Various operators including

546-506: Is considerably higher than traditional fixed-route bus service, with Maryland's Mobility service reporting per-passenger costs of over $ 40 per trip in 2010. Paratransit ridership growth of more than 10% per year was reported in the District of Columbia metropolitan area for 2006 through 2009. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 's MetroAccess service in Washington, D.C. conducted

588-410: Is current as of November 2019) Children under 5 years of age ride free upon boarding with a paying adult, as do Mount Anthony Union High School , Burr & Burton , Bennington College , CCV , and Northeast Baptist College students. All local one-way fares are $ 0.50 unless indicated otherwise. Slightly discounted 10-ride, 22-ride, and 44-ride passes are also available for local routes. Bus passes for

630-570: Is deducted from such passes per zone traveled on these two routes. As of November 2019, there is no discount fare schedule for seniors, the disabled or Medicare cardholders on fixed deviated routes. However, United Counseling Service CRT clients and Vermont Medicaid cardholders qualify for one free local 10-ride pass per week. Bus-to-bus transfers are available as well between the three local routes (the Red, Blue and Brown Lines), but are not valid for round trips or when traveling northbound from Bennington on

672-625: Is provided by the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation. The New Zealand Transport Agency provides a comprehensive list of options in the country, including Total Mobility (TM) in Auckland . In Australia, Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport under subsection 31 (1) of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 mandated that as of 2002 "all new public transport conveyances, premises and infrastructure must comply with

714-525: Is unknown when the first minibus vehicle was developed. For example, Ford Model T vehicles were modified for passenger transport by early bus companies and entrepreneurs. Ford produced a version during the 1920s to carry up to 12 people. In the Soviet Union , the production of minibuses began in the mid-1950s, among the first mass-produced minibuses were the RAF-10, UAZ -451B, and Start. Since September 1961,

756-635: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), paratransit was provided by not-for-profit human service agencies and public transit agencies in response to the requirements in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 prohibited the exclusion of disabled people from "any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance". In Title 49 Part 37 (49 CFR 37) of the Code of Federal Regulations ,

798-524: The Federal Transit Administration defined requirements for making buses accessible or providing complementary paratransit services within public transit service areas. Most transit agencies did not see fixed route accessibility as desirable and opted for a flexible system of small paratransit vehicles operating parallel to a system of larger, fixed-route buses. The expectation was that the paratransit services would not be heavily used, making

840-706: The TTC , BC Transit , OC Transpo and TransLink offer the service, and in the province of British Columbia paratransit is referred to as HandyDART throughout by both major transit operators. Paratransit systems in many developing world cities are operated by individuals and small business. The fragmented, intensely competitive nature of the industry makes government regulation and control much harder than traditional public transport. Government authorities have cited problems with unsafe vehicles and drivers as justifying efforts to regulate and "formalize" paratransit operations. However, these efforts have been limited by ignorance on

882-619: The ADA allowable maximum of two times the fastest equivalent bus or rail fare. These changes helped result in the first-ever reduction in the number of year-over-year trips between 2011 and 2012. Annually, the Canadian Urban Transit Association publishes a fact book providing statistics for all of the Ontario specialized public transit services; as of 2015 there were 79 in operation. The complicated nature of providing paratransit service in accordance with ADA guidelines led to

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924-735: The Green Mountain Chapter of the American Red Cross filled the role of providing the Bennington area's public transportation needs. On July 9, 2012, GMCN added the Emerald Line to their schedule with weekday service to Wilmington , along with the opening of the renovated Pleasant St office building as their transit center. And as of March 18, 2019, the Yankee Trails Bennington shuttle and Vermont Translines ' Albany to Burlington and Shires Connector intercity bus routes use

966-588: The Orange Line between Bennington and Manchester are also available, and fares vary on the Orange and Purple routes, depending on the boarding passenger's origin and destination. As the Orange Line and Purple Lines are out-of-town commuter routes with a zone-based fare structure, travel between one or two towns (one zone) is $ 0.50, with an additional $ 0.50 tacked on to each additional town passed through. The local passes mentioned above may also be used on those routes. One ride

1008-594: The Orange Line when traveling beyond Shaftsbury or southbound from Bennington on the Purple Line beyond Pownal . Paratransit Paratransit (the term used in North America ) or intermediate public transport (also known by other names such as community transport ( UK )), is a type of transportation service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. Paratransit services may vary considerably on

1050-473: The RAF-977D "Latvia" minibus began to be mass-produced. There are many different form of public transportation services around the world that are provided by using vehicles that can be considered as minibus: Some countries may require an additional class of driving licence over a normal private car licence, and some may require a full commercial driving licence . The need for such a licence may depend on: In

1092-487: The UK the following information regarding Minibus driving licences is important: "The holder of an ordinary car driving licence which was obtained prior to January 1997, once aged 21 years minimum, may drive a Minibus with a capacity of 16 passengers. Where the "ordinary car driving licence" is obtained after December 1996, they will have to take a separate test to drive a vehicle with a capacity of more than 8 passengers. However, there

1134-527: The bus, rail and motor coach trade magazine Metro Magazine began conducting annual surveys of public and private paratransit providers: The US Government Accountability Office GAO released a report in November 2012 for the Federal Transit Administration which "examined: (1) the extent of compliance with ADA paratransit requirements, (2) changes in ADA paratransit demand and costs since 2007, and (3) actions transit agencies are taking to help address changes in

1176-413: The degree of flexibility they provide their customers. At their simplest they may consist of a taxi or small bus that will run along a more or less defined route and then stop to pick up or discharge passengers on request. At the other end of the spectrum—fully demand-responsive transport —the most flexible paratransit systems offer on-demand call-up door-to-door service from any origin to any destination in

1218-581: The demand for and costs of ADA paratransit service." The report found that "average number of annual ADA paratransit trips provided by a transit agency increased 7 percent from 2007 to 2010" and that the average cost of providing a paratransit trip is "an estimated three and a half times more expensive than the average cost of $ 8.15 to provide a fixed-route trip." . The Maryland Transit Administration reported paratransit ridership increases of 15% in fiscal 2012, with double-digit increases expected in fiscal 2013 and 2014. The cost of providing paratransit service

1260-470: The development of sophisticated software for the industry. Intelligent transportation systems technologies, primarily GPS , mobile data terminals , digital mobile radios , and cell phones, and scheduling, dispatching, and call reservation software are now in use increasingly in North America and Europe. Interactive voice response systems and web-based initiatives are the next technology innovation anticipated for paratransit services. Advanced analytics

1302-499: The most sophisticated management systems available in the world of rubber tire transit (land-based non-rail public transit). Since the passage of the ADA, paratransit service has grown rapidly as a mode of public transit in the United States. Continued growth can be expected due to the aging of baby boomers and disabled Iraq War veterans. The growth of the number of people requiring paratransit has resulted in an increase in cost for

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1344-488: The need for passengers to book a week in advance, and reduced the cost to the county from $ 81 to about $ 30. In 2016, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority began a pilot program which has subsidized paratransit passengers on Uber , Lyft , and Curb, up to a cap of $ 42 per ride. This retained the ability to book by phone, lowered the fare for riders, eliminated the need to book the trip

1386-433: The only mechanized mobility options for the poor in many parts of the developing world. Some paratransit systems have begun subsidizing private taxi or ride-hailing trips as an alternative to the government-run or government-contracted system. For example, in 2010, Solano County, California dissolved Solano Paratransit and allowed paratransit-eligible passengers to buy $ 100 worth of taxi scrip for $ 15. This eliminated

1428-534: The other hand, in developing countries, IPT often operates as an informal, cost-effective alternative to formal transportation modes. It tends to be unorganized and subject to minimal government regulation, serving as a prevalent form of spontaneous public transport that facilitates quick and convenient travel. The importance of IPT may extends beyond mobility, as it can also contribute to the economic well-being of those who operate these services. In some cases, drivers of vehicles such as tempos and autorickshaws can earn

1470-487: The paratransit industry to maintain these services. The results of this rising cost are the paratransit industry trying to get individuals to move from a reliance on paratransit vehicles to fixed-route vehicles. Due to the push to have paratransit vehicles being the main method of transportation for disabled individuals prior to the passing of the ADA, the paratransit industry is finding it hard to get individuals to switch over to fixed route transportation. Beginning in 2004,

1512-567: The part of regulatory authorities and mistrust between authorities and operators. In sub-Saharan Africa, this form of transport (called "transport artisanal" in French) serves more than 70% of commuters, evolved organically and replaced formal transit after independence. Paratransit can take many forms, from the 16-seater minibus taxis (see share taxi ), to motorbikes ( boda boda ). In the United Kingdom , services are called community transport and provided locally. The Community Transport Association

1554-420: The passage of the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was extended to include all activities of state and local government. Its provisions were not limited to programs receiving federal funds and applied to all public transit services, regardless of how the services were funded or managed. Title II of the ADA also more clearly defined a disabled person's right to equal participation in transit programs, and

1596-557: The provider's responsibility to make that participation possible. In revisions to Title 49 Part 37, the Federal Transit Administration defined the combined requirements of the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act for transit providers. These requirements included "complementary" paratransit to destinations within 3/4 mile of all fixed routes (49 CFR 37.131) and submission of a plan for complying with complementary paratransit service regulations (49 CFR 37.135). Paratransit service

1638-743: The service must be provided and managed. In the United States, paratransit service is now highly regulated and closely monitored for compliance with standards set by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). As the ADA came into effect in 1992 (49 CFR 37.135), the FTA required transit systems in the United States to plan and begin implementing ADA compliant services, with full implementation by 1997 (49 CFR 37.139). During this period, paratransit demand and services rapidly expanded. This growth led to many new approaches to manage and provide these services. Computerized reservation, scheduling and dispatching for paratransit have also evolved substantially and are now arguably among

1680-430: The term is rarely used in the rest of the world. The more general meaning includes any transit service operating alongside conventional fixed-route services, including airport limousines and carpools . Since the early 1980s, particularly in North America, the term began to be used increasingly to describe the second meaning: special transport services for people with disabilities. In this respect, paratransit has become

1722-530: The transit center as their main Bennington stops as well. As of January 19, 2015, trip planning via Google Maps is also available for GMCN bus routes. And as of November 10, 2019, live bus tracking is available on the Transit mobile application for Android and Apple devices. In March 2020, GMCN became one of the first public transit agencies in Vermont to go fare free because of the COVID-19 pandemic . (information

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1764-448: The transport standards. Facilities already in operation at that time have between five and thirty years to comply with the standards." In some parts of the world, transportation services for the elderly and disabled are obtainable through share taxi options, often without formal government involvement. [REDACTED] The dictionary definition of paratransit at Wiktionary Minibus A minibus , microbus , or minicoach

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