Paratransit Texas

Here are some guidelines to follow when someone is having problems accessing paratransit/demand response services in Texas, : (Answering “No” below will assist in targeting your self-advocacy activities.) If you need further assistance beyond these issues, feel free to call PEAC at 1-877-542-5101.

Basic definitions include:

Fixed Route: The term ''fixed route system'' means a system of providing designated public transportation on which a vehicle is operated along a prescribed route according to a fixed schedule.

Paratransit (also called demand-response) is comprised of passenger cars, vans or small buses operating in response to calls from passengers or their agents to the transit operator, who then dispatches a vehicle to pick up the passengers and transport them to their destinations.

Travel Training: Travel instruction, or travel training, is one-to-one individualized instruction designed to teach seniors and people with disabilities (other than blindness or visual impairment) to travel safely and independently on fixed-route public transit. This type of transit includes buses operating on regular routes and light-rail trains.

• Have you applied for paratransit/demand response transportation services?
• Are you eligible for transportation services?
• Has the transportation provider given you a rider's/driver's manual?
• Does the rider's/driver's manual address your concern?
• Do you live in the service area of the transportation provider?
• Does your trip you need to take begin in the service area of the transportation provider?
• Does your trip you need to take begin during the service hours of the transportation provider?
• Does your trip destination reside in the service area (and operating times) of the transportation provider?
• Can you get to your destination by using the fixed-route bus system?  Have you been offered travel training?
• Aside from these questions, are you being denied paratransit/demand response services?
• Have you documented this issue with times and dates?
• Have you lodged any complaints with the transportation provider? How? When?
• Have you requested and written down confirmation numbers when scheduling your trips?  (If a trip confirmation is not given to you, you may want to write down the date, time and name of the person who took your reservation.)
• Are you aware of the appeals process policy of the transportation provider?
• Have you appealed any decisions by transportation provider recently?
• What were those decisions?

If you have Texas Medicaid, and using Medicaid to pay for your medical trips (by calling 1-877-633-8747), be sure to request and write down a confirmation number for each trip, in case you have an issue with the transportation provider.

Below is a Paratransit Trip Log available for download if you have Excel on your computer.  This tool can be used to track the timeliness of your paratransit rides over a 30-90 day period.  In doing so, you will have specific information when registering complaints with a provider.  We recommend aceessing the trainings available on our presentations page for additional advocacy resources.