WHAT IS THE SHARED RIDE SERVICE? FACT Shared Ride service may be thought of as a bus service.  FACT provides curb-to-curb transportation for Fayette County residents to anywhere in Fayette County.  FACT provides door-to-door transportation for MATP clients when medically necessary.  FACT also offers limited transportation for medical appointments to Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland and Somerset Counties to approved medical facilities. FACT drivers will provide transportation if the client is present at the pick-up location and can depart the vehicle at the drop off point.  FACT drivers are not personal care attendants.  The Shared Ride and Fixed Route services are wheelchair accessible.  The FACT drivers are not responsible to care for a client if no one is home.  If a client needs help getting to and from the pick up point, the client must make the necessary arrangements. To schedule an appointment for transportation, call the FACT office Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  You may call up to one month before your appointment date but no later than 2 p.m. of the working day prior to your appointment.  The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays, and there is no transportation on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Shared Ride service is not a taxi, limousine or ambulance.  Clients share the vehicle with others taking similar trips.  You may need to adjust your travel times to accommodate other client's schedules.  Space is limited and can't be guaranteed, and service depends on demand.  In rural parts of the County, service is limited.  Clients should be flexible about when they travel and on what route they are taking. WHO CAN USE SHARED RIDE SERVICE? Any Fayette County resident may use Shared Ride.  All clients must pre-register for the service before requesting a trip.  The fare depends on the purpose of the trip and if any of our various sources fund it.  Clients may be eligible for one or more funding programs. Some of the sources that provide funding for eligible county residents include: Shared Ride Program for Senior Citizens Supported by the Pennsylvania State Lottery through a grant from the Department of Transportation and Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging. Individuals aged 65 and older may use Shared Ride trips for a medical appointment, banking, grocery shopping, employment, post office, senior center, adult day care center, pharmacy, social service agency, hospital/nursing home admittance or discharge, and visiting for immediate family members (spouse or children).  The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation pays for 85% of the fare for eligible Senior Citizens and Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging may sponsor a portion of the remaining 15% of the fare. Medical Assistance Transportation Program-(MATP) Medical Assistance Transportation Program provides transportation for treatment, medical evaluation, or to purchase prescription drugs or medical equipment that is compensated by medical assistance. FACT is the transportation provider for Medical Assistance recipients in Fayette County.  To be eligible for Medical Assistance Transportation, you must comply with the provisions of this guide and: Have a current Medical Assistance Card (ACCESS CARD). Be a permanent or temporary resident of Fayette County. Need transportation to get to a covered medical service from a provider who accepts the ACCESS card, or is a Health Care Provider in your network. To use the Medical Assistance Transportation Program: You must request an application from FACT and return the original signed application within 30 days of the request to the FACT office. MATP clients are only eligible to go to and from a medical facility or pharmacy.  The doctor must be a MA provider. If the client has access to a vehicle, FACT will offer mileage reimbursement. Escorts are permitted if: The recipient is physically or mentally incapable of traveling alone. The recipient is a minor (18 or younger). The effects of treatment may cause temporary incapacity. A physician provides a written statement that an escort is necessary for medical reasons. The recipient needs an interpreter. You provide your own escort; FACT cannot provide them for you. You notify FACT at the time the trip is scheduled. General Information for the MATP Program: MATP will not fund trips of less than ¼ mile unless the recipient is unable to walk that distance. The law requires that we provide the least costly transportation available.  FACT may schedule your trip with a bus, public transportation, another social service transportation provider, or by private automobile for mileage reimbursement. Mileage reimbursement is 12 cents per mile.  FACT needs a statement from the physician with his or her provider number, date of service, and the odometer reading to and from the facility in order to reimburse you for this expense.  This information may be mailed, faxed, or brought to the office by the end of each month.  Reimbursement checks are issued every two weeks.  FACT will not reimburse for forms submitted 2 months after the month of service. MATP is a non-emergency medical transportation program. Transportation service for eligible institutional residents, i.e. personal care homes, is covered only when the institution can not bill the costs to the Dept. of Public Welfare. Only one month may be submitted per each form. MATP pays the entire fare for a trip to a medical appointment that is paid for by Medical Assistance.  If you are enrolled in an HMO, we can provide transportation to the primary physician's office.  If you need to go to other medical appointments, they would have to be in your network. Clients may self-refer for particular medical services (dental, vision, OB/GYN, family planning, chiropractic, and behavioral health services).  These services do not require prior approval by a Primary Care Physician (PCP) if the member obtains the services from a Managed Care Organization (MCO) network provider.  To make sure that a provider is a member of a MCO network, contact the designated liaison at the MCO.  Family planning services do not require a MCO network provider.  Transportation can not be provided for any service from a non-enrolled medical assistance (MA) provider or that is not an MA compensated service. MATP Urgent Care Transportation for urgent care services can be provided if a physician/provider identifies it as urgent.  FACT must be notified by a physician's office.  For medical emergencies, please dial 911. Urgent Care is defined as follows: "Any illness or severe condition which under reasonable standards of medical practice would be diagnosed and treated within a twenty-four (24) hour period and if left untreated, could rapidly become a crisis or an emergency situation: or discharge from a hospital will be delayed until services are approved; or a member's/ client's ability to avoid hospitalization depends upon prompt approval of services." Urgent care transportation is obtained by calling the FACT at (724) 628-7433 from 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.  On Saturday, Sunday, or weekdays after 4:30 p.m. or on one of FACT's holidays, call FACT at (724) 628-7433. If the transportation can be received during our service hours, notify our office.  If you schedule a trip and it is not urgent care, you may be billed for the trip. Welfare to Work Used as transportation to work or job training between the hours of 7:00AM - 5:00PM Monday-Friday.  Eligibility is determined by the Fayette County Assistance Office located at 41 West Church Street, Uniontown, PA 15401, then forwarded to the FACT transit center.  The Department of Public Welfare sponsors portions of the fare depending on the type of program the participant is enrolled in through the County Assistance Office. Eligibility determination factors: Receive cash assistance. Has a child under the age of 18 living with him/her. Formally receive cash assistance. Persons with Disabilities To better serve people with disabilities living in rural areas, Fayette County's transportation, FACT, is providing discounted shared ride services for eligible residents in all of Fayette County.  Qualified participants receive an 85% discount on all rides.  Rates vary depending on what distance you are traveling.  All participants must bring exact fare when you ride. Who Is Eligible: If you are between 18-64 years of age If you have any disability defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) If you have proof of your disability from a physician or agency If you completed, in its entirety, the Registration Form for the disabled, you are QUALIFIED!! HOW CAN I REGISTER FOR SHARED RIDE SERVICE? You can call our office at 724-628-7433 , or 1-800-321-7433 to obtain an application for any of the funding sources.  You may also print the application for Persons with Disabilities program from FACT's web site. You may also come to our offices at 825 Airport Road, Lemont Furnace, PA 15456. Final determination of eligibility for service will be made by FACT. WHAT DO I NEED WHEN I CALL TO SCHEDULE A TRIP? Your name as it appears on your application.  (If you are making a trip for someone else, please give his or her name as it appears on the application.) The appointment date. The name and exact address of the doctor or facility for the trip that you are requesting. The appointment/desired time you need to be at the doctor or facility for the trip that you are requesting. The approximate time you wish to be picked up from the doctor or facility for the trip that you are requesting. Any mobility device that you require. If you need an escort, you must provide FACT with a doctor's escort authorization slip.  Have your doctor fax the slip to (724) 628-7468. TRANSPORTATION SERVICE GUIDELINES AND POLICIES FACT is not an "emergency" or an ambulance service. All buses have lifts that can handle a total combined weight of the mobility device and client up to 600 pounds and can accommodate a size of 30 x 48.  We cannot accommodate anything larger or heavier.  Mobility devices should be backed into the bus. If a client has oxygen or other medical aids they must be in a pack or be able to be properly secured.  Clients would need to be able to go without oxygen for an extended amount of time due to traffic, accidents, and unusual circumstances with our vehicles.  If you use oxygen FACT would need a doctor's note stating that you are capable of safely using the service. During severe inclement weather, FACT will not transport clients if deemed unsafe. If a client can not be left unattended, it is the responsibility of the care giver to make the necessary arrangements to have someone at the drop off point when the driver gets there.  It is the caregiver's responsibility to be available as soon as the bus arrives. FACT drivers are authorized to transport only those clients for whom reservations were made.  If you have an escort, you must advise FACT office when you make the appointment. Clients must provide their own escort, or be capable of independently accessing the bus in a timely fashion. FACT drivers are not required to assist clients in or out of buildings or up/down steps. FACT drivers are not permitted to enter homes to assist clients. FACT drivers must be able to keep their bus in view at all times, and can not leave their buses unattended. Clients must arrange for a pick up at a location that is safe and cleared of any and all material that may impede movement of a client or vehicle.  FACT bus will stop as close as possible to the pick up point. FACT drivers will use driveways, alleys and streets that are approved by FACT staff, but will not drive over curbs, sidewalks, or yards. Clients must have accessible walkways and/or a ramp system to enable them to access the bus. Clients must be at the proper pick up point and must be able to get to that point without the assistance of the FACT driver.  Clients who need help must make arrangements for the help they need in order to get to and from the pick up point. FACT drivers are authorized to stop only for scheduled appointments.  Any destination must be prearranged though the FACT office. Clients must be responsible for and be able to handle any item such as packages, groceries, etc., that are brought on to the bus.  The FACT driver is not responsible for packages. Eating, drinking, or smoking is prohibited on the FACT bus. Clients who are required to pay a fare must have the exact change and pay upon boarding the bus. Clients must notify the FACT office when appointments are completed and you are ready to leave.  Clients must give the exact location for the pick up. Clients need to notify the FACT office to cancel any scheduled trips.  If you need to cancel your appointment, please call FACT office as soon as you know you will not be taking the trip, but at least two (2) hours before your scheduled appointment time.  If not, it will be considered a no-show (see FACT's No-Show Policy).  If part of the trip is with another county, FACT office still needs to be notified.  This would include a scheduled return trip.  It is YOUR responsibility to cancel ANY scheduled trip. Cancellation messages may be left on FACT office voice mail which is available any time except during regular office hours.  Be sure to give the name of the client who has the trip.  Any cancellation not made in a timely manner may result in a no-show charge. Clients are responsible for notifying FACT office of any address or phone number changes as soon as possible. For shared-ride service, the maximum ride time will be 60 minutes for individual trips and 120 minutes for group trips and out of county trips.  FACT will make every effort to get you to your appointment or employment on time, however it is not guaranteed. The call center will not schedule a return trip that would extend past 5pm.  Depending on the length of the trip and appointment time, the return trip should be scheduled so the driver is returning the clients to their homes no later than 5pm.  The call center can offer a one way trip if the client insists they do not need a return trip or they may ask the client to try to schedule an earlier appointment.  Medical appointments should be made no later than 3:00 p.m. DISRUPTION OF SERVICES REGULATIONS FACT reserves the right to require an escort paid by the client or designee when necessary. FACT may discontinue the service of any client who endangers the safe operation of the vehicle, endangers another passenger, themselves, or the FACT driver.  A client's transportation service may also be discontinued or refused for the following: UNRULY BEHAVIOR - refusing to obey the FACT driver, annoying behavior, etc. DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR - changing seats, walking in aisle when bus is in motion, hitting or endangering themselves or others, etc. ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR - screaming or cursing, threats to FACT driver or other clients, etc. OFFENSIVE OR IMMORAL BEHAVIOR - sexual activities, motions, incontinence, touching, gestures, prejudice remarks, spitting, etc. UNACCEPTABLE PERSONAL HYGIENE - body odors, stained or contaminated clothes or mobility devices, etc. NO SHOW POLICY The following No Show Policy is in effect: A no show is determined when the FACT driver arrives at the pick up location and no one appears for the ride.  The FACT driver will notify the FACT office and wait for five minutes to confirm the no show.  The FACT office may call the client to give a verbal warning that the trip was scheduled but not taken.  It is important that we have a current phone number where the client may be reached.  There will be no penalty for the first scheduled ride missed without a cancellation notice to the FACT office. The second scheduled ride missed without a cancellation notice to the FACT office will result in a written warning of disruption of service.  Two no-shows within 90 days will result in suspension from the program for 30 days. If you do not show up for your first scheduled ride on a particular day, any other trips you had scheduled for that day will be cancelled unless you notified FACT office. Cancellations are not recorded as a no-show if the client calls within two hours prior to the scheduled appointment time and cancels the trip.  A notice is sent to the client after 2 no-shows within a 90 day period will be given a 30 day suspension.  Further infractions may result in permanent suspension.  This policy shall apply for one year after the first no show. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMPLAINT PROCESS Managing client complaints and promptly resolving service issues are extremely important parts of the on-going administration of the FACT. FACT strives to efficiently handle client complaints in the following manner: Identify the problem and parties involved. Contact persons involved. Notify the appropriate staff of the complaint. Discuss the complaint with the persons involved. Compile information and resolve complaint. Respond in a timely manner to appropriate staff and other persons involved in the resolution. Respond to client complaints within 5 business days. STORM WATCH In case of inclement weather, Fayette County Transportation information can be obtained from one of the following radio stations: WMBS – 590 AM WPKL – 99.3 FM WOGG – 94.9 FM If you have any questions call FACT at (724) 628-7433. Attachments: ( in PDF Format) FACT Users' Guide   Service Standards   Consumer Welcome Brochure   County Commissioners' Endorsement