PARALLEL TRANSIT

What is Parallel Transit?
Parallel Transit is a personalized door-to-door transportation service operating in the City of St. Thomas within city limits for use by persons with disabilities who are unable to use St. Thomas Transit conventional fixed route service. 

Parallel Transit may be used for any purpose: employment, medical, personal business or leisure activities. Priorities in booking are given in the above order.

How do I register?
Anyone interested in using Parallel Transit must complete a City of St. Thomas application form.  Please bring your completed application form to the Environmental Services Department at City Hall between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

This form is also available from the Environmental Services Department at City Hall, or by mail by calling 631-1680 ext. 4161 and requesting that an application form be sent out.

The form can be completed and signed by the applicant or any other designated person on behalf of the applicant if he/she is incapable of signing. 

What is the fare?
Parallel Transit fees are as follows: 

Payable upon boarding the vehicle. Please be sure to have the exact fare ready.

What are the hours of service? 
Parallel Transit is available:

• Monday to Friday from 7.15 am to 6.45 pm with last pick up at 6.30 pm
• Saturday 9.15 am to 6.45 pm with last pick up at 5.30 pm
• No service Sundays or Statutory Holidays

Can someone accompany me?
Yes, you may have an attendant ride with you on the bus. Attendants are not required to pay.

The following Transit Booking Policy is in Effect October 1, 2012

Parallel Transit Booking Policy Statement:

The operating hours for Parallel Transit bookings are between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday (excluding Holidays).  In order to book a ride, registered users must call the Parallel Transit booking office at 519-631-0001.  Registered users have two different booking options; Demand bookings (single rides and Standing Order bookings (long term multiple rides).  Each booking has a different set of requirements as follows;

Demand bookings are: 
- Regular shared rides travel on a demand basis, and
- Booked on a first come, first served basis beginning at 8:00 am three operating    days   (Monday to Saturday) in advance of the trip up to 1 hour prior to the actual trip time (if space is available), and booked in the following priority;

1) Single to and/or from destinations for Employment,
2) Single to and/or from destinations for School,
3) Single to and/or from destinations for Medical,
4) Single to and/or from destinations for Personal/Leisure.  

Riders call beginning at 8 am to book service for the following (3 days in advance):

Standing Order bookings are:
- Shared ride travel on a regular pre-determined basis, and
- Booked on a first come, first serve basis beginning at 8:00 am ten operating days (Monday to Saturday) in advance of the first trip up to three operating days in advance of the first trip.  One round trip per day for a two week period may be booked in the following priority;

1) Multiple to and/or from destinations for Employment,
2) Multiple to and/or from destinations for School,
3) Multiple to and/or from destinations for Medical,
4) Multiple to and/or from destinations for Personal/Leisure trips during the non-peak hours of 10:00 am and 1:30 pm,
5) Multiple to and/or from destinations for Personal/Leisure trips during peak hours are taken on a tentative basis as they may be cancelled by employment, school and medical trip requests.

 Please have the following information ready when calling to request a ride:

• Your name
• The date of your required pickup
• The time of your required pickup
• Your registration number
• Address at which you wish to be picked up
• Your destination address
• The purpose of your trip
• Advise if you will be accompanied by an attendant

Cancellation Policy

- While the live operation of the Parallel Transit telephone service is from 8:00 am to 5:00pm, message left by registered users on the service before and after this time period are monitored and cancellations can be made at any time, and
- Cancellations/no shows, for any reason, must be made at least (12) hrs in advance, and
- Cancellations/no shows will be tracked by Voyageur Transportation and if required, addressed on a monthly basis as follows;
        * Three cancellations/no shows within a month will result in a written warning and an reminder or
           the cancellation policy, and
        * Three cancellations/no shows in the subsequent month will result in a review of the reasons
            behind the cancellations and a ptential suspension of ridership for a one month period, and
        * Two supensions within a twelve month time frame may result in a cancellation of ridership 
            rights.

User Obligations
To help make the service as efficient and as effective as possible:

• Be ready five minutes ahead of your scheduled time. The driver is not required to wait more than five minutes past your appointment pick-up time
• If you must cancel, do it as far in advance as possible
• Try to be as flexible as possible when making arrangements for a ride and allow up to thirty minutes wait from your scheduled pick-up time, especially in bad weather
• All passengers must wear seatbelts
• Drivers are not permitted to lift persons in wheelchairs. (This policy was established to protect both the client and the drivers)
• Smoking is NOT permitted on the bus
• Service is provided only from accessible door to accessible door

What if I no longer need the service?
To maintain an up to date list of eligible Parallel Transit users, should you or someone you know no longer require the service, please contact the Environmental Services Department at 631-1680 ext. 4161.

and finally...

                         ...WELCOME ABOARD!