ACCESS Rider's Guide

Revised June, 2022

Contents

Introduction
Vehicle Accessibility
ACCESS Fare Information
Connect to Other Services
ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit
Operating & Service Hours
Reservation Hours
Requesting Rides
Prescheduling Return Rides
Same-day Requests/Changes
Tips for Requesting Rides
Online Reservations
Cancelling Rides
No-Show Policy
Subscription Trips
Tips for Riding ACCESS
Personal Care Attendants
Companions
Pets & Service Animals
Group Trips
Transporting Children
Seatbelt & Personal Lap belt Usage
Mobility Devices
Driver Assistance
Life Support Equipment
Inclement Weather
Customer Responsibility
Behavior on the Bus
Reasonable Modifications
Your Comments are Welcome

Introduction

Welcome aboard Kitsap Transit ACCESS! This booklet will introduce you to ACCESS bus service and provide the basic information you need for a pleasant and enjoyable ride.

Kitsap Transit supports programs for seniors and people with disabilities. ACCESS service is designed to complement fixed-route service and to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is intended for use by seniors and disabled riders whose condition prevents them from accessing or using public transportation some or all of the time. 

Passengers with partial or conditional eligibility for ACCESS may be required to use Kitsap Transit’s fixed- route service for a portion of their transportation. All of Kitsap Transit’s routed buses are accessible and equipped with lifts or ramps for boarding ease.

ACCESS is a shared-ride service and strives to maximize the number of riders on the bus at any given time in order to improve efficiency. To achieve this, ACCESS may make several stops along the way before arriving at your destination.

ACCESS provides origin-to-destination service that allows passengers to be picked up and dropped off at locations such as private residences or a doctor’s office. Unless otherwise indicated on the application, it is presumed that passengers can get to and from the bus unassisted (curb-to-curb service). In some cases, passengers requiring a higher level of assistance (door-to-door service) will be escorted from the door of their residence to the bus and from the bus to the door of their destination. A passenger’s residence and destination must be safe and easily accessible in order for a driver to offer this type of assistance.

Vehicle Accessibility

ACCESS requires an obstruction-free approach and sufficient turn-around area for its vehicles. Under some conditions, our policy of door-to-door service will not be available to passengers.  Alternate pick-up and drop-off locations may be established because of obstructed driveways, turnarounds or other safety concerns. 

ACCESS Fare Information

• Cash Fare for ACCESS is $2.00 each way (+ $1.00 in outlying areas*).
• There is no reduced cash fare on ACCESS.
• Children and Youth under the age of nineteen ride free on ACCESS.

*To find out if you live in or will be traveling to an outlying area, call the ACCESS Reservation Line at 360.479.7272 or 1.800.422.2877.

ACCESS riders who also use routed buses or the foot ferry should get an ORCA card to pay their fare.  An ORCA card allows a rider to load a Reduced Fare Monthly Bus Pass and use it on all the services they ride.

To get an ORCA card, call 1.800.501.7433 or visit Kitsap Transit's Customer Service Office in downtown Bremerton.

Connect to Other Services

Transfers between ACCESS, fixed-route, Dial-a-Ride (on-demand) and ferry services will be accepted only at designated transit centers. Contact ACCESS for the latest list of accepted transit centers. 

ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP)

The RRFP offers reduced fare on all transit systems in the area including the Washington State Ferries. A one-time fee of $3 is charged for this permit. For information on where to apply for and purchase an RRFP, please call Kitsap Transit at 1.360.373.2877 or 1.800.501.7433.

The Regional ADA card and ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit are not monthly passes to ride ACCESS.  They simply verify your eligibility for paratransit services locally and nationwide or your eligibility for regional reduced fares.

The ORCA RRFP allows riders to load bus passes onto their card to pay fare.  Call Kitsap Transit at 1.800.501.7433 for information.

Operating & Service Hours

ACCESS operating hours vary by area of the county and by day of the week. Kitsap Transit ACCESS hours are comparable to Kitsap Transit’s fixed route service hours in each area of the county.

Kitsap Transit offers limited service outside of our fixed-route bus service area. A Customer Service Representative can help you determine if the area you live in, or wish to travel to, has limited service.

Reservation Hours

Weekdays: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturdays: Reservation lines are closed.
Sundays & Holidays: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Kitsap Transit does not run service on the following holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

On other holidays, Kitsap Transit may run a modified schedule. Please contact customer service for specific holiday schedules.

Requesting Rides

To reserve your ride, please call the reservation line between one and seven days in advance. Please note: Reservation lines are closed on Saturdays.

Please have the following information available when you call to reserve your ride:

• Your name and the date you want to travel. 
• Your pick-up address, including an apartment or suite number.
• Your destination address, including an apartment or suite number.
• A contact name and phone number if you are visiting a private residence.
• Your medical provider’s name and phone number, if going to a medical appointment.
• The time and length of your appointment.
• If a PCA attendant or companion will accompany you or if you are traveling with a service animal.
• Whether you will be using a mobility aid such as a wheelchair, walker, crutches or oxygen.
• All of the above information for your return trip.

Multiple trip requests for the same day must be scheduled at least 30 minutes apart from your scheduled arrival time.

Please note the following information when booking rides with ACCESS:

• A driver’s responsibility for a rider begins at the door or curb where the trip begins and ends at the door or curb of the rider’s destination.  This means drivers will assist you to and from the bus, on and off the bus, and will secure your carry-on items in the bus.
• If you need assistance from your apartment to the lobby or from a building entry to an office on another floor, you must have someone other than the driver to assist you.
• Drivers will come into the ‘common area’ of an apartment or office building to meet you.  Because there may be other riders on the bus, drivers need to stay within sight of the bus.
• Drivers may not enter your home, even to assist you with a mobility device or help you with your coat.  Please do not invite the bus driver into your home.

Prescheduling Return Rides from Medical or Legal Appointments

Kitsap Transit ACCESS asks that you schedule your round-trip transportation when setting up any ride. Medical or legal staff can help you determine how long you may need for your appointment.

If your appointment takes longer than expected, please call when you are available for your return ride.  ACCESS will send another vehicle for you as soon as one is available.

Same Day Trip Requests/Changes

To schedule a ride, you must call at least one day in advance. Same-day trip requests (including changing your pick-up or drop-off location) are scheduled on a space / time available basis. Because there are very limited times available, ACCESS cannot guarantee that any same-day trip request will be accommodated. 

Please do not ask the bus driver to change the scheduled return trip time, or to schedule another ride for you. If your circumstances change while on the bus, please have the driver contact the dispatcher for further instructions. Drivers cannot make these changes. Please call a reservationist (phone numbers below, TDD 360.377.9874) with these requests.

*Call 911 FOR EMERGENCIES

If you have a medical emergency, or your condition is very fragile and you require specialized care, please call 911. ACCESS drivers are not trained as paramedics.

Tips for Requesting Rides

ACCESS provides hundreds of trips each day.  Every effort is made to accommodate your request; however it may not always be possible to travel at the exact time of your request.

Trips may be made for any purpose. Due to federal rules, ACCESS is not allowed to prioritize rides by trip purpose.

The following tips may help get you where you want to go, when you need to be there.

• CALL FOR RESERVATIONS EARLY IN THE DAY
Phone lines are busiest during the late afternoon. Calling between 8:30 AM–2:00 PM will more likely guarantee that you travel at the time you request.

• ASK ABOUT BUSY TRAVEL TIMES
Check with the reservation staff about times of the day that are the least busy to travel. You are less likely to have to negotiate trip time if you are willing to travel during off-peak times.

• ALLOW EXTRA TRAVEL TIME
ACCESS trips are scheduled on a shared-ride basis. The bus may stop to let other passengers on or off before reaching your destination. Unexpected delays may occur due to road construction, time of day, bad weather or local events.

ACCESS is a shared-ride service, meaning that we may need to adjust your original pick-up time up to 60 minutes earlier or later than what you request.

Online Reservations

Online reservations are available on our website by clicking here. We can book up to one week in advance online.

Complete information is required to book your trip request accurately.  If it is incomplete, your request may be returned asking for additional information.  

E-mail request hours are 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Monday through Friday and Sunday for next-day service. No same-day service requests are accepted via e-mail. 

NO SAME-DAY SERVICE REQUESTS ARE ACCEPTED VIA E-MAIL.

EMAIL-REQUESTS ARE NOT GUARANTEED UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN E-MAIL CONFIRMATION.

Cancelling Rides

You should cancel an ACCESS ride if you no longer need it. It is important to call and cancel your trip as soon as possible, but no later than two hours before your scheduled pick-up time.

Cancels made less than two hours before your scheduled pick-up time are considered a “late-cancel” and will count as a no-show.

Call the Customer Service Office at 1.360.479.7272 or 1.800.422.2877 to cancel your ride. 

No-Show Policy

To encourage responsible trip scheduling and use, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows public transit systems to establish and enforce a No-Show policy. The No-Show policies and procedures for ACCESS were developed in accordance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) guidelines for ADA complementary Paratransit service.
 
Policy­—It is the policy of Kitsap Transit ACCESS to record each customer’s no-shows and apply appropriate sanctions when customers establish a pattern or practice of excessive No-Shows. The policy is necessary in order to recognize the negative impact No-Shows have on the service provided to other passengers. 

Procedures—Scheduling Trips: ACCESS schedules pick-up and return trips separately. In accordance with FTA Regulations, ACCESS assumes all scheduled return trips are needed unless notice is given by the passenger or their representative. If a passenger is a No-Show their first trip of the day, ACCESS will not automatically cancel subsequent trips of the day. This is consistent with FTA regulations. If, however, the passenger does not need the subsequent trip(s), they should cancel them as soon as possible out of courtesy for other riders. 

ACCESS will not strand passengers who have been transported to their destination, but are not there when they are scheduled for their return trip. Upon notification that the passenger is ready for their return trip, a vehicle will be sent as soon as possible; however, no pick-up window will be guaranteed.

Definitions—A No-Show is a trip that has not been canceled at least two (2) hours prior to the scheduled pick-up time. If a passenger fails to board the vehicle within five (5) minutes of the arrival of the vehicle, as long as the driver arrives within the pick-up window, the passenger will be charged with a No-Show. 

If you receive a no-show violation, you will receive written notice from our office, citing what trip was missed and any other violations on your record within the last 90 days. 

Suspension of Service Appeals Process—Passengers may appeal a suspension decision by notifying Kitsap Transit’s Lead Customer Service Representative who will contact the passenger within five workings days of receiving the notification to schedule a meeting time to hear the appeal. ACCESS service shall be provided to the passenger during the time that the appeal date is being determined, to attend the appeal hearing, and until the appeal is resolved. If the person refuses to attend the appeal hearing, ACCESS service shall be suspended until either an appeals hearing is completed, or for seven (7) calendar days, whichever is shorter.

To appeal a suspension decision, please contact a Kitsap Transit Customer Service Representative by mail, or by phone at 360.479.7272 or 800.422.2877.

Kitsap Transit's No-Show Policy (PDF)

Subscription Trips

A subscription trip is an ongoing ride request to and from the same location at the same time each week.  It may be useful to request a subscription trip if you go to the same place one or more days each week. 

Subscription trips can be requested once you have established a pattern of traveling to and from the same place one or more days each week. Please call customer service for more information. 

To avoid no-show penalties, make sure to cancel any rides you may not need. If you will not need your rides for an extended period of time, your subscription may be placed on hold for up to one month. 

Kitsap Transit reserves the right to discontinue subscription trips that are repeatedly canceled or modified.

Subscription trips that fall on the following holidays are automatically cancelled:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Tips for Riding ACCESS

• Passengers should be ready at the beginning of their quoted pick-up window. For example, if your pick-up is between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM, the bus can arrive as early as 10:00 AM and as late as 10:30 AM.
• Drivers can wait only five minutes for you after they arrive to pick you up. After the five minutes, the driver may be directed to move on and pick up other passengers. To avoid delays, missed appointments and no-show penalties, please be ready to go when the bus arrives. 
• ACCESS does not move personal belongings from one residence or facility to another. If you need someone to help you move, please contact friends, your family or a volunteer agency for assistance.
• Drivers can assist passengers with packages or bags of groceries if they can safely do so in one trip, while still providing passengers with reasonable assistance.  Passengers may bring one wire shopping cart.
• Carry needed medication with you in case of delays.
• Drivers are not expected to lift or carry objects weighing more than 25 pounds. If you have  purchased a heavy or bulky item, please arrange to have it delivered to your home rather than trying to carry it aboard the bus. Drivers reserve the right to refuse to transport items that are too heavy or bulky.
• If you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, bring a small snack with you in case you travel longer than expected.
• If you use oxygen, be sure your tank is full in case you travel longer than expected.

Please note that drivers are not allowed to accept tips. If you are happy with the service of a particular driver, please complete a comment card or call Customer Service at 1.360.479.7272 or 1.800.422.2877. Compliments are shared with the employee involved. 

Personal  Care Attendants

A personal care attendant (PCA) is someone who travels with you to provide any assistance you need. Your PCA rides free and must board and de-board at the same location as you. Please note that Kitsap Transit does not supply attendants. Passengers are only allowed one PCA. Additional riders are considered companions and require a fare. 

Companions

Companions are allowed to accompany eligible riders on a space-available basis. Companions pay regular fare and must board and deboard at the same location as the rider.

Please inform your reservationist each time you call if a PCA or companion will accompany you.  Be sure to mention whether they will be using any mobility aids such as a wheelchair or walker.

Pets and Service Animals

Service animals are eligible to ride all Kitsap Transit buses. Passengers using a service animal are responsible for the animal and may be held liable for the behavior and actions of the animal. Pets and service animals, regardless of training or certification, may be denied transportation if the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. 

Small pets traveling with their owners are also allowed.  However, your pet must be in a suitable carrier and may not exceed 25 pounds. Please let us know at the time you request a ride if your service animal or pet will accompany you.

Group Trips

ACCESS allows group trips of up to ten eligible riders going to the same destination. These trips, however, SHOULD be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. Requests made less than two weeks in advance will be scheduled on a space available basis.  

Transporting Children

A responsible, eligible passenger must accompany children under the age of six on ACCESS vehicles. 

The child’s parent or guardian is responsible for  providing a car seat compatible with safety belts on ACCESS vehicles and for securing the car seat and the child into position.   

Children in strollers will be required to be removed from the stroller and held by the parent/guardian. The empty stroller shall be collapsed and stored in a safe area of the bus. Strollers cannot be left in the aisle of the bus, nor secured as a wheelchair. Pediatric strollers may be secured as wheelchairs if they are identified as meeting requirements for tie-downs using wheelchair securements.

Seatbelt & Personal Lap Belt Usage

All ACCESS passengers, including those using mobility aids, are required to use the secure systems provided by Kitsap Transit.

Additionally, drivers will provide a personal lap belt for all passengers using wheelchairs. The belts are to be secured before escorting passengers to or from the bus.

Passengers are encouraged to use their own personal lap belt; however if one is not available, the driver will provide one. Please note that drivers are required to ensure that passenger-owned lap belts are in use and properly secured while maneuvering.

ACCESS staff will work with you to try and resolve issues concerning seatbelts and lap belts; however if a safe solution cannot be reached, service may be denied.

Mobility Devices

ACCESS will transport passengers in mobility devices to the extent possible. Currently, the combined weight of user, mobility device and all belongings and accessories cannot exceed 800 pounds.  

Most of the accessible vehicles in our fleet are designed to accommodate devices no larger than 32 inches wide by 53 inches long. Your mobility device must not extend into the aisle after being secured. 

We make all reasonable efforts to accommodate our riders, but if your device is larger than this, we may not be able to transport you — either because it could damage the vehicle or because it is an unreasonable safety hazard. 

If you use a wheelchair or other mobility aid, it is necessary to keep it in good working condition and clear of interfering objects such as bags. It is the passenger’s responsibility to make sure the wheels, brakes, and other parts of the device are in good working order and that the battery is adequately charged.

You may experience a more comfortable ride if you are able to transfer out of your mobility aid onto a seat on the bus. Please inform your reservationist if you would like to do this.

If you change your mobility device, please let us know. This is important, because the vehicle we send out for your trip must be able to accommodate your device.

Driver Assistance

Drivers will assist customers with boarding and exiting the vehicle and/or to and from the ground level exterior door of the building. If you have difficulty using the stairs on a bus, you may request to use the lift even if you are not using a wheelchair or scooter. Requests for this assistance should be made at the time your trip is booked.

Drivers will help you with using the lift based on your needs and request by:

• Escorting you onto the lift if you are walking on.
• Pushing or guiding your manual mobility device to and from the vehicle, on and off the lift platform and inside the vehicle.
• Moving you and your manual device up or down a single step or curb when it is possible to do so without injury to you or the operator.

Customers with powered mobility devices must be able to safely operate and maneuver their wheelchairs or scooters. Operators are not permitted to operate the controls of any powered mobility device.

ACCESS vehicles are equipped with seat belts and securement systems. The driver will secure you and/or your mobility aid once you are on board.

Life Support Equipment

ACCESS can transport passengers who use portable medical equipment such as oxygen but the driver cannot safely help you onto the vehicle and carry the equipment at the same time. A driver will secure your medical equipment but cannot give oxygen or help you use any other life support equipment. If you require this type of enhanced assistance, you may need a PCA to travel with you. You must be able to either hold your equipment or the equipment must be secured on the vehicle. We cannot transport equipment that cannot be secured.

Snow & Extreme Weather

Service will be limited or canceled when adverse weather creates hazardous conditions. 

Every effort will be made to deliver essential transportation for those in dialysis and those who have other medically necessary appointments; however, rides beyond 3/4 of a mile around fixed-route service operating under adverse conditions may be canceled.

Contact ACCESS Customer Service at 1.800.422.2877 to learn if your area has been impacted. 

For more information about Kitsap Transit’s snow and extreme weather service click here.  
 
Customers are strongly encouraged to subscribe to Kitsap Transit’s rider alerts so they can receive push notifications by email or text message. 

Sidewalks, driveways and ramps must be accessible for drivers to safely assist passengers who require door-to-door assistance.

Customer Responsibilties

It is both Kitsap Transit’s policy and responsibility to ensure safe and reliable transportation for all ACCESS customers.

As a customer, you have a responsibility to ensure that everyone, including yourself, receives the safest and most convenient ride possible.

The following is a partial list of customer responsibilities 

•    Be ready for the bus
Be ready to board the ACCESS bus at the start of the pick-up window. Please remember that your driver cannot wait more than five minutes for you.  If you are boarding at an office building or shopping center, please watch for the ACCESS bus and try to make it easy for the driver to see you.

•    Cancel your rides
If you have a trip scheduled and cannot ride, it is your responsibility to call and cancel your ride(s) as soon as possible, but not less than two hours before your trip. Please note that drivers are not permitted to request, change, or cancel trip reservations for you.

•    Personal Belongings
You are responsible for all personal belongings brought onto ACCESS. Items which do not require securement should be kept in the customer’s possession at all times. Anything left behind will be turned in to lost & found.

•    Unfriendly Animals
Drivers will not approach a house where there is a risk of encountering an unfriendly animal. When the driver arrives, make sure your pet is contained or on a leash.  

•    Have a visible address
Make sure that the address of your residence is clearly marked and visible from the street. This will allow drivers to quickly locate you. Reflective stickers are available to make your address easier to find. Ask your driver for more information.

Behavior on the Bus

All Kitsap Transit customers are expected to behave in a considerate manner. All customers are expected to use appropriate social behavior while riding on ACCESS and when interacting with other customers and Kitsap Transit employees.

Kitsap Transit's Rule of Conduct

The following conduct is prohibited on any Kitsap Transit vehicle, within or upon any Kitsap Transit facilities and properties, and in connection with Kitsap Transit’s provision of public transportation. The items listed below are not fully inclusive. For a copy of our complete Rules of Conduct, as approved by Kitsap Transit’s Board of Commissioners, please contact customer service at 1.360.479.7272 or 1.800.422.2877.

Failure to comply with Kitsap Transit’s Rules of  Conduct may result in a loss of riding privileges for a period of time commensurate with the infraction(s).  

• Allowing any animal to run at large, to unreasonably disturb others, or to interfere with transit-related activities;
• Eating or drinking on Kitsap Transit vehicles on in prohibited area of Kitsap Transit facilities and properties;
• Spitting, urinating or defecating;
• Hanging or swinging on bars or stanchions, with feet off the floor, inside a transit vehicle or other transit property; hanging onto or otherwise attaching oneself at any time to the exterior of a transit vehicle or other transit property;
• Failing to present a valid, unexpired bus pass, bus transfer or otherwise failing to pay the appropriate fare as established by the Board of Commissioners;
• Bringing onto transit property odors which unreasonably disturb others or interfere with their use of the transit system, whether such odors arise from one’s person, clothes, articles, accompanying animal or any other source;
• Except at a designated place, chewing tobacco or smoking or carrying a lighted or smoldering pipe, cigar, cigarette, or e-cigarettes;
• Extending an object or a portion of one’s body through the door or window of a transit vehicle while it is in motion;
• Destroying, defacing, or otherwise damaging property of Kitsap Transit;
• Disturbing others by engaging in loud, raucous, unruly, harmful, or harassing behavior;
• Carrying, exhibiting, displaying, or drawing any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or any other cutting or stabbing instrument, club or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons, unless otherwise authorized by law (RCW 9.41.270);
• Entering a Kitsap Transit vehicle with live pets or other animals, with the exception of service animals, not in a suitable pet carrier;
• Throwing an object at transit property or at any transit person in transit property;
• Violating any federal, state or municipal civil and criminal laws.
• Committing any act which tends to create or incite, or creates or incites, an immediate breach of peace, including, but not limited to (a) fighting, (b) racing, (c) obscene language and noisy or boisterous conduct tending to cause a breach of the peace, and (d) personally abusive epithets, or words or language of an offensive, disgusting or insulting nature, which epithets, words or language when addressed to the ordinary citizen are, as a matter of common knowledge, inherently likely to provoke a violent reaction of fear, anger or apprehension;
• Entering Kitsap Transit vehicles, facilities, and properties when lacking the ability, because of illness or intoxication, to care for one’s self.

Reasonable Modifications

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final ruling effective July 2015, clarifying that public transportation providers are required to make “reasonable modifications” to their policies, practices and procedures to avoid discrimination and ensure programs and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Kitsap Transit makes every effort to accommodate passengers where possible as long as it does not fundamentally alter the nature of our service, create a direct threat to the health or safety of others or cause an undue financial burden.

Individuals may describe what they need in order to use the service at any time. Requests can be made during the eligibility process, can be made through customer service inquiries or can be made through Kitsap Transit’s customer comment process. If an individual requests a reasonable modification from an operator during transit, the operator will consult with Kitsap Transit’s  Dispatch before making a determination to grant or deny any request.

When reviewing a request for service modification, Kitsap Transit will be guided by the provisions of the U.S. Department of Transportation Code of Federal Regulations:  49 CFR/ Appendix E to Part 37.169. For any case in which a request for a reasonable modification is denied, we will take to the maximum extent possible, any other actions to ensure the individual with a disability receives the service or benefits provided by Kitsap Transit.

Kitsap Transit’s current Reasonable Modifications Policy with examples of what may be considered when making determinations, can be found by clicking the link below.

Reasonable Modifications Policy (PDF)

Your Comments are Welcome

If you have comments about ACCESS, we want to hear them. All concerns, suggestions and commendations are encouraged. You can contact us in one of the following ways:

• Postage-paid comment cards can be found in information racks on ACCESS busses.
• Call customer service at 1.360.479.7272 or 1.800.422.2877.  Reservationists are available to take your comments.

Write to us at: 
Kitsap Transit ACCESS
200 S. Charleston Blvd.
Bremerton, WA 98312

The following details may help us to thoroughly investigate your comments:

• Day, date and time of incident
• Driver’s name
• Bus Number
• Detailed account of the incident or suggestion