The CATS on Demand is available to persons who are deemed eligible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended. Those persons are eligible for paratransit service if there is some part of the regular bus route system which they cannot use or navigate because of a disability.
An individual is eligible if he or she has a permanent, temporary, or intermittent disability as described below and if the regular bus route system cannot provide service to a particular individual for a particular trip.
There are two categories into which eligible persons are placed according to their degree of disability.
CATEGORY 1 – PERSON HAS A DISABILITY AND NEEDS ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
Category 1 consists of those individuals who are not independently able to board, ride, or disembark an accessible regular bus route system. Even with assistance provided by the bus operator and the vehicle's accessibility equipment, this individual would not be able to utilize the regular bus route system. Examples of persons included in this category may be those with mental and visual impairments who cannot navigate (recognize destinations or understand transfers) the bus system.
CATEGORY 2 – ENVIRONMENT
Category 2 consists of those eligible individuals who are independently able to board, ride, or disembark the regular bus route system, but the interaction of the individual's disability and environment prevents the individual from reaching the boarding or destination location. Persons included in this category would be those with cognitive impairments who cannot navigate the system. Additionally, those patrons who must use a wheel chair and cannot reach the bus stop due to lack of curb cuts or sidewalks are also eligible for this category.
There are three (3) basic ADA status conditions applicable to Categories 1 & 2.
1. Unconditional Status is assigned to persons who are determined unable to ever independently use CATS buses even with training.
2. Transitional Status is assigned to persons who are determined capable of using accessible CATS buses but cannot do so at present, either because of a temporary disability or condition.
3. Conditional Status is assigned to persons who are able to use CATS buses most of the time, but would under certain circumstances, and for certain trips, be prevented from independently using CATS buses.
