Accessible Fixed-Route Bus Services

River Valley Transit has a fully accessible fleet of thirty six (36) transit vehicles in its active fleet and four (4) accessible contingency vehicles. Therefore, accessible fixed-route bus service is available from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. “Super Nightline” service operates from 6:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. utilizing two buses

ADA Complementary Paratransit Service (River Valley Transit Plus)

The ADA regulations require public entities operating fixed route transportation services to provide paratransit as a complement to their fixed route service. This paratransit service is intended for people who cannot use accessible fixed route transportation and must be comparable to the fixed route system in forms of coverage and level of service. This service has to be provided during the same days and hours as fixed route service with comparable fares. Service has to be provided to locations within 3/4 of a mile of the River Valley Transit routes.

River Valley Transit Plus, RVT’s ADA paratransit service, was initiated in November, 1992, making complementary paratransit service available to ADA eligible clients from 5:30 a.m. – 11:45 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Responsibility for service delivery Monday – Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. has been contracted out to STEP, Inc., which operates a larger, shared ride paratransit service in the area. River Valley Transit provides paratransit service after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and all day (5:30 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.) on Saturdays. RVT certifies clients as eligible for the paratransit service, but STEP is responsible for accepting reservations and providing transportation to meet trip requests.

Applying for ADA Complementary Paratransit Service (RVT Plus)

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, you must submit a form to determine your eligibilty for ADA Complimentary Paratransit Service. Part I of the Application Form is to be completed by the applicant or by someone completing the form for them. See reverse side of the application for complete instructions.

Upon completion, return the form to the passenger waiting area office;

River Valley Transit
Trade & Transit Centre II
144 West 4th Street, Rear
Williamsport, PA 17701

Once we receive a properly completed application, the applicant will be certified within 21 days of the receipt of the application. The determination will be one of full eligibility, conditional eligibility, or denial of eligibility. If the application is approved, a passenger identification card will be issued with an applicable expiration date (5 YEARS), temporary status, or service restrictions. If an applicant feels they have been given an incorrect determination, they have the right to appeal such decision to River Valley Transit. A copy of the appeal process can be obtained by contacting River Valley Transit at the contact information noted above.

Eligibility Criteria – All persons who, by reason of their disability, are unable to use accessible fixed route bus service can apply for certification to utilize ADA Complementary Paratransit services.

Types & Length of Eligibility –

• Certified persons with a permanent disability will have to renew every 5 years.
• Certified persons with a temporary disability may only utilize the service for the period prescribed by their certifying physician.

Reservations – Once the application has been processed and you have received your ADA Card, you may schedule your trip by calling STEP office at 570-323-7575.

Rates The rate for ADA Complementary Paratransit service is $4.00 per one-way trip. Accompanying Certified Personal Care Attendants ride free of charge.

Service Area, Days & Times ADA Complementary Paratransit service is available on the same days and hours that River Valley Transit’s local fixed route bus service operates. Trips must be to and from areas within 3/4 of a mile from local fixed routes.

For more information on ADA Complementary Paratransit Service, please call us  at 570-326-2500.

River Valley Transit Plus ADA Complaint Policy & Procedure

River Valley Transit Authority (RVTA) offers fixed-route bus service with Lycoming County. RVTA Plus will make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Door-to-door paratransit service is available throughout RVTA’s service area. The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 specifies that all transit authorities who offer Fixed Route services must make available ADA Complementary Paratransit service to those individuals who cannot use the Fixed Route bus based on disability.

When RVTA receives ADA complaints from customers or their representatives regarding fixed-route and/or ADA complementary paratransit service, the following policy and procedures outlined below for recording, investigating, responding to, and maintaining ADA complaints.

Complaints and Commendations
A Complaint is defined as “A report by an eligible rider or representative of a rider which identifies an incident or action by a driver, a member of River Valley Transit, our contractor of ADA Complementary Service (STEP, Inc.), or our staff which detracts from the positive image, service quality, and/or noncompliance with the requirements of the paratransit services covered by contractual agreement.”
A Commendation is defined as “A report by an eligible rider or representative of a rider which identifies an action by a driver or a member of RVTA’s or STEP’s staff in which the staff member or driver has gone above and beyond what is required to provide outstanding service.”

Complaint Receipt
1. When customer service representatives receive a complaint from customers or their representatives via the telephone (570-326-2500), e-mail (bkelley@RideRVT.com), mail (Compliance Officer, RVTA, 1500 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701), on RVTA’s website (www.RideRVT.com), or in person at 1500 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA, they are given to the Special Services Manager.
2. The complaint is recorded by the Special Services Manager immediately upon receipt of the complaint. RVTA is required to track and investigate these complaints.
3. In order for a complaint to be investigated, customers or their representatives must provide an address, telephone number, or email address. Those complaints without contact information will be classified as comments. RVTA is required to report the client’s name and the nature of the complaint to the Special Services Manager.
4. The Compliance Officer will review the complaints for completeness and accuracy and call the customer if additional details are needed for the investigation. RVTA’s Special Services Manager has five (5) calendar days to complete the initial review.
5. RVTA is then required to investigate and provide a response to as to how the complaint has been addressed, as well as what corrective actions, if any, have been taken to avoid future complaints of the same nature.
6. It is RVTA’s policy to respond within ten (10) business days to service complaints. If the complaint involves safety or serious misconduct, RVTA is required to respond within twenty-four (24) hours or less. In all cases, RVTA is the final arbiter as to whether or not complaints have been adequately resolved. RVTA may discuss complaints with ADA paratransit riders or their representatives. RVTA is prohibited from taking any actions against any individual who has reported a complaint in connection with the service.
7. Complaints are taken up to 180 days past the date of the incident. Beyond that time period, complaints will be classified as comments.

Complaint Investigation and Customer Follow-up
1. Any complaint that alleges discrimination on the basis of disability will be designated as an ADA complaint. The Compliance Officer will be responsible for investigating the complaint and following up with the customer.
2. The Compliance Officer will be responsible for contacting the appropriate RVTA supervisor or service contractor manager (STEP, Inc.) to get information needed in order to complete the investigation of the complaint including, but not limited to, any video or audio recordings of the incident.
3. Once the investigation has been completed, the Compliance Officer will decide regarding the validity of the complaint and what, if any, remedial actions will be taken to address the complainant’s concerns.
4. The Compliance Officer will notify the complainant in writing of RVTA’s decision regarding the complaint typically within seven (7) calendar days after the investigation has been completed.
5. If complainants disagree with the determination by the Compliance Officer, they can appeal the decision in writing within thirty (30) days from the date of the determination letter. The appeal letter should state the reason(s) the complainant believes the decision was in error. The appeal letter should be mailed to:

Executive Director
River Valley Transit Authority
1500 West Third Street
Williamsport, PA 17701

Complaint Tracking and Record Retention
The Compliance Officer will be responsible for tracking all ADA complaints for the purpose of establishing trends in allegations of discrimination.
The Compliance Officer will maintain a summary log of all ADA complaints. In addition, all complaint documents and materials gathered during the investigation are maintained for no less than five (5) years.

Formal Grievance Procedures
A formal grievance is a written complaint to document concerns regarding the operation of administration of ADA Complementary Paratransit service. A formal grievance may also be a service complaint that has been left unresolved for more than 45 days. Formal Grievances include but are not limited to:
• Chronic, recurring or unresolved Service Complaints
• Violations of specific rules governing ADA Complementary Paratransit service
• Suspension of Service

Riders who wish to file a formal grievance should contact the RVTA’s Special Services Manager at (Voice) 570-326-2500 or 1-800-248-9287, or email bkelley@rideRVT.com, and request information on how to file a grievance. Click link below to complete and submit the ADA Complaint Form.

Reasonable Modifications

The following procedures address the appropriate response to requests for reasonable modifications and accommodations to RVT services, programs, and activities for individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended. These procedures and following form may be available in an alternative format by contacting the Cambria County Transit Authority.
Reasonable modifications requests should be made in advance, but is not required.

1. Anyone may submit a request to RVT for an ADA reasonable modification or accommodation by completing and submitting a Reasonable Modification/Accommodation Request Form (“Request”). The Requestor must state in detail what accommodation/modification she/he requires to equally access RVT services or programs. If the Request lacks the requisite detail, the Requestor may be contacted for additional information. A Request may be administratively closed if the Requestor cannot provide the requested information or if the Requestor no longer wishes to pursue their request.
2. Once a proper Request is received, RVT will determine if it has authority and jurisdiction to consider the Request. The Requestor will receive acknowledgment of the Request from RVT within ten (10) business days and should be informed of any portion of the Request where RVT does not have authority to act.
3. RVT will review the Request to determine if it is reasonable. Request for accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be denied on one or more of the following grounds:
   • Granting the request would fundamental alteration of the applicable services, programs or activities;
   • Granting the request creates a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
   • Granting the request would create an undue financial or administrative burden for RVT.
   • Without such accommodation/modification, the individual with a disability is otherwise able to fully utilize RVT services, programs or activities for their intended purposes.
4. RVT will summarize the results of its decision and provide a response to the Requestor within thirty (30) days from receipt of the complete Request. The response will include the original request, summary of relevant analysis, and RVT final determination along with the right to appeal and process for doing so. Should a Request be denied, in whole or in part, RVT will recommend alternative accommodation/modifications to the Requestor.

Reasonable modifications requests should be made in advance, but is not required.

Lift and Securement Use

In accordance with the regulations, River Valley Transit will provide service to all wheelchairs and their occupants if the lift/ramps and vehicles can physically accommodate them, unless doing so is inconsistent with legitimate safety requirements which includes such circumstances as a wheelchair of such size that it would block an aisle, or would block the vestibule, or would interfere with the safe evacuation of passengers in an emergency. This does not apply to securement; RVT cannot limit transportation of wheelchairs and other mobility aids based on the inability of the securement system to secure the device. Legitimate safety requirements are based on actual risks, not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities or about devices they use for mobility purposes.

Use of the securement system on River Valley Transit vehicles will be required as a condition of receiving service. However, service will not be denied on the grounds that a mobility device cannot be secured to River Valley Transit satisfaction. When transporting users of three-wheeled wheelchairs or other mobility devices, River Valley Transit can suggest that the passenger transfer into a bus seat. The rider, in this case, has the final decision as to whether a transfer is appropriate given their particular disability.

As the regulations require, a person who cannot enter the vehicle using the stairs, but who does not use a wheelchair, will be allowed to enter the vehicle using the lift. River Valley Transit only has three wheelchair lift accessible buses (33, 65, 913, 914, 1401) in our active fleet, all other buses in our active fleet are low-floor vehicles with ramps which allow passengers to walk up the ramp instead of steps.

Training

Operators have been thoroughly trained in the use of the accessibility features of the buses (i.e. wheelchair lifts, ramps, tie-downs, etc.) and in awareness of the needs of passengers with disabilities. River Valley Transit will continue its sensitivity program to train our operators on the various needs of persons with disabilities. This training establishes some empathy on the part of the operators toward disabled passengers and provides instruction in certain types of passenger assistance. Other training features include; passenger assistance techniques, Cardio-Pulmonary-Resuscitation (CPR), emergency cardiac care, and other RVT training features.

Maintenance of Accessible Features

A top priority of River Valley Transit’s accessible service is the maintenance of the lift and ramp equipment. The mechanics have been properly trained on the maintenance of all accessible buses before they were put into service. As part of the overall maintenance program, procedures have been established to ensure the proper operating conditions of all equipment. These procedures are used to ensure that the lifts and ramps are put back in service before the next day. In addition, River Valley Transit keeps a substantial inventory of parts pertaining to accessible features on the bus to prevent any unnecessary downtime.

Fares

The fare for a trip charged a disabled person using an accessible bus is no higher than the fare charged other users. In general, a disabled person may ride for $1.00 during the off-peak hours by presenting a Medicare card to the Operator, or by obtaining a “Reduced Fare Transit Identification Card”. Applications must have a physician or representative of a social service agency certify to their disability.

Lift / Ramp Deployment

It is River Valley Transit policy that persons with disabilities are permitted to board or alight at any bus stop along the route; unless, the lift/ramp cannot be deployed, the lift/ramp would be damaged if deployed, or temporary conditions preclude use. Temporary conditions cannot be the result of River Valley Transit action. Temporary condition must preclude safe disembarkment by all passengers.

Boarding the Lift Bus

Below is the preferred method for wheelchair users to board a lift bus.  RVT will not deny transportation if a wheelchair does not have preferred features such as brakes or meet River Valley Transit’s preferred level of satisfaction for securement. Wheelchair position on a lift is ultimately at the discretion of the rider.

1. Please be at your bus stop at least five minutes before the time your bus is scheduled to arrive
2. When the bus arrives, please wait approximately five feet, or reasonable safe distance, away from the door so that the lift/ramp can be deployed
3. When the wheelchair lift is fully deployed, move your wheelchair onto the platform. RVTA recommends backing onto the lift however it is up to the passenger’s discretion which direction to board the lift. LOCK YOUR BRAKES, IF YOU ARE USING A MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR, SHUT OFF THE POWER TO CONTROL
4. When the lift platform is level with the bus floor, back onto the bus, give the correct fare to the operator and tell the operator your destination
5. If you are using a motorized wheelchair and need the operator to assist you, please disengage your clutch; continue to one of the two tie-down locations. Be careful moving between passengers in the aisle

Securing your Wheelchair

To better accommodate the wide range of wheelchairs in use today, RVT utilizes a 3-point securement system.

To use the 3-point securement system, maneuver your wheelchair into the tie-down area. The tie-down consists of three (3) belts: two (2) straps to secure the rear of your chair, two (2) straps to secure the front of your chair, and two belts which functions as a seat belt/shoulder harness to be fastened around you and your wheelchair.

Exiting the Bus

1. Once the bus has stopped, the Operator will release the seat belts and tie-downs. The belt tie-downs are released by pressing the clasp button.
2. Wait until the lift platform is level with the bus floor. Move FORWARD onto the platform. If you are using a motorized wheelchair and need the Operator to assist, leave the clutch disengaged. When all four wheels are on the platform, LOCK YOUR BRAKES, IF YOU ARE USING A MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR, SHUT OFF POWER TO CONTROL.
3. When the platform has reached the ground and the restraint has dropped, release your brakes and move off the platform. If you are using a motorized wheelchair, re-engage your clutch and turn “on”.
4. It is River Valley Transit’s policy to allow adequate time for the boarding and alighting of persons with disabilities. No time limit is currently established.

Traveling Companion Policy

If you require assistance onto the lift platform from outside the bus, a traveling companion is recommended. River Valley Transit’s present policy is to charge no fare for companions of persons with disabilities. It is generally felt that companions are providing a service by allowing persons with disabilities to use fixed route transit service. The designated companion must ride and travel along with the passenger needing assistance. The companion should help with boarding and alighting during the bus trips.

Service Animals

According to ADA Guidelines, if a passenger boards the bus with an animal that is not muzzled or in a pet carrier, you may ask them if the animal is a service animal. If the response is yes, you may ask them “What service has the animal been trained to provide”? Accept the answer if it sounds reasonable and allow the person and animal to ride. These are the only two questions we are allowed to ask according to ADA. ADA allows us to remove a passenger if the animal becomes unruly. Most service animals will sit quietly at their master’s feet. No form of identification has to be shown to prove the animal is a service animal.

Kneelers

All of River Valley Transit vehicles have a “kneeling” feature. The kneeler lowers the right front corner of the bus four (4″) inches closer to the sidewalk or street to make it easier for people who have trouble climbing stairs to get on and off the bus. If you have any difficulty reaching the bus stair, just ask the operator to lower the kneeler for you. IF ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE OPERATORS ARE TO ASSIST THE PASSENGER WITH BOARDING AND/OR ALIGHTING THE BUS.

Acommodating Other Mobility Devices and Life Support Equipment

In accordance with ADA regulation, all riders will be permitted to travel with service animals trained to assist them. Service animals include guide dogs and other animals that provide aid to persons with mobility impairments.

Persons will also be permitted to travel with respirators, portable oxygen and other life support equipment. Travel with this equipment will only be denied if it violates rules concerning the transportation of hazardous materials.

In general, the transport of common types of portable life support equipment is not prohibited. Cylinders of oxygen used by passengers for health reasons, for example, are not subject to the Hazardous Material Regulations.

Anouncements on Vehicles

River Valley Transit has posted signs on all the buses informing all passengers our intent to comply with the ADA requirement to announce stops at major transfer points. Major intersections/destination points, intervals along the routes, and at stops requested by the passengers. All vehicles have a fully-automated system that work with GPS to automatically announce bus stops and the route name when the doors open.

Accessibility Features

RVT offers a convenient, accessible and safe way for people with disabilities and senior citizens to get around. RVT believes in equal opportunity and inclusion for these groups, consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To accomplish this, RVT works hard every day to ensure that all of our services are accessible and ready to meet our customers’ needs.
RVT offers materials and forms in other accessible formats. Should you need materials or forms in a different format, please contact us.

Goal for FFY 2023 – 2025

River Valley Transit Authority (RVTA) in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation as set forth in 49 CFR Part 26, as amended, hereby notifies the public that it is recommending the following Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal for applicable professional services, construction, and procurement contracts during the Federal Fiscal Years 2023-2025, beginning October 1, 2022 and ending September 30, 2025. The overall proposed DBE goal for Federal Fiscal Years 2023-2025 is 2.0%.

Information pertaining to this goal and a description of how it was selected is available for inspection from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, at the offices of the River Valley Transit, 1500 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA, for a period of thirty (30) calendar days following publication of this notice. Interested DBE firms are encouraged to contact Todd Wright at the address below regarding contracting opportunities.

RVT will receive written or verbal comments for informational purposes only concerning the DBE goal for a period of forty-five (45) days from the publication of this notice. All comments should be addressed to the following: