General Operating Policies Bus System

Pickup Window

The buses may arrive to transport a customer up to 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after the scheduled pickup time.  This time period is known as the pickup window and is necessary to help account for uncontrollable variables such as traffic and weather.  Therefore, customers are requested to be ready and waiting for the bus 10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time.  Unfortunately, the buses are unable to wait for people.  Due to the large number of riders, such a wait could cause delays for other people who have already scheduled rides.

Scheduling and Cancellations

Customers may schedule rides with a dispatcher up to one week in advance.  Requests for bus service made more than one week in advance will not be accepted.

Rides must be cancelled with the dispatchers at least one hour prior to the scheduled pickup time except for early morning ride requests, which must be received before 6:30am the day of service.  Rides that are cancelled and successfully rescheduled for earlier in the day are also exempt from this requirement.  One-hour notice is still required for any rides that are cancelled and rescheduled for later in the day.

No-shows

A customer will be considered a no-show under the following circumstances:

1. When the customer does not utilize the appointment he/she made to use the bus.
2. When the customer does not properly cancel his/her ride according to policy.
3. If a customer is not present at the specified entryway or ready to board when the bus arrives within the pickup window.

A customer will not be charged with a no-show in the event a bus does not arrive within 10 minutes after the scheduled pickup time and the customer calls to cancel the ride.  Even if the bus is running late, failure to cancel the ride will result in a no-show.

Customers are not required to pay a fare for a no-show, nor will payment eliminate the record of a no-show.  Instead, the first no-show will result in a verbal warning.  The second no-show will result in a written warning.  A customer with three no-shows within a twelve-month period will be suspended from all Trailblazer services for a period of one month.  Dispatchers will deliver warnings and notices of suspensions.  Customers may file an appeal with a manager.

Passenger Assistance

Drivers may provide assistance to customers between the bus and the threshold of the outermost door or entryway for the purpose of providing support and stability.

Drivers are not permitted to go beyond the threshold of the outermost door or entryway, nor are the drivers allowed to lose sight of their bus.  Therefore, drivers are unable to escort people to and from their rooms inside apartment complexes, nursing homes, and similar facilities.

For ambulatory passengers, drivers may assist by extending an arm for the passengers to hold onto or by grasping the arms of the passengers.  Individuals who need additional assistance, such as someone who is extremely weak or frail, may be required to use a wheelchair.
Drivers may help carry groceries and other small packages under 15 pounds to and from the bus.  Trailblazer is not responsible for any damage to items the drivers may help carry.

Customers should be prepared to ask for assistance either verbally or by waving their arms at the drivers.  Drivers may automatically attempt to provide assistance if they have reason to believe a customer will have difficulty moving to or from the bus.  Drivers may not assist customers without first asking and receiving permission to do so, except in cases of emergency.

Drivers are not responsible for clearing pathways.  A driver may not be able to assist or transport the customer if the pathway to and from the bus is not clear or safe for passage.

Trailblazer is not responsible for any injuries sustained by someone moving to or from the bus, whether or not a driver assisted the individual.  Please remember that it is the passengers responsibility to get to and from the bus.  Trailblazer may provide limited passenger assistance only as a last resort for individuals who have no one else to help them.

Backing Up

Trailblazer buses are not permitted to back up while in service.  Therefore, drivers may be unable to turn into driveways and other confined areas.  A bus may not travel on private, non-commercial property unless requested by a customer to do so.

Health Status and Medical Emergencies

A passengers physical condition must be such that bus transportation will not adversely affect the health or well-being of the passenger or any other passenger.  Individuals exhibiting signs of excessive pain or suffering being caused by bus travel will be immediately returned to their pick-up location or dropped off at the nearest care facility.  Individuals with physical conditions that prevent them from riding the bus will be referred to an alternate transportation service.

Trailblazer does not provide transportation for medical emergencies.  In the event a customer has a severe injury or illness (i.e. bleeding, vomiting), a Trailblazer team member will contact the appropriate emergency response personnel and/or instruct the customer to do the same. 

Caretakers and Assistants

In the event a customer is capable of riding the bus alone but cannot make responsible decisions regarding his/her care, a caretaker is required when the customer is picked up and dropped off.  If a customer is not responsible enough to ride alone, a caretaker is required at all times.

In the event a passenger is non-responsive or unable to communicate in any manner, he or she will be required to have an assistant ride along to observe and care for the individual.

Wheelchairs and Scooters

Occupied wheelchairs must be in proper working order with footrests and brakes.  Wheelchair occupants are required to wear both lap and shoulder belts if they remain in their chairs during transit.  Drivers may push or pull the wheelchairs to and away from the buses.  However, drivers must push the wheelchairs in a forward direction for distances of more than 15 feet. 

Trailblazer does not provide wheelchairs for customers to use, nor does Trailblazer transport empty wheelchairs unless an assistant or aide is delivering one.  All wheelchairs must be secured somehow on the bus regardless of occupancy.  Drivers must be able to properly secure occupied wheelchairs on the bus facing forward using standard wheelchair securements.  

Mobility devices that are not compliant with the specifications defined by the Americans with Disability Act may not be permitted on the bus depending on the design of the chair and circumstances of the ride.
Trailblazer may transport electric scooters designed for persons with mobility problems on a space available basis subject to the scooter being accompanied by a rider.  However, passengers choosing to use scooters must transfer into a standard bus seat during transit to provide the opportunity for customers to utilize proper safety restraints. In addition, drivers must have the ability to somehow secure the scooter using standard wheelchair securements or the scooter will not be transported.  Individuals who cannot transfer out of their scooters will be asked to use mobility devices that meet ADA regulations.  If this is not possible, such individuals may be referred to an alternate transportation service. 

Miscellaneous

• Passengers must present exact payment to the driver when boarding the bus unless other arrangements for payment have been made in advance with a dispatcher.  Drivers do not make change.  Customers without exact payment may overpay, but credit for future rides will not be provided and refunds are not permitted.  However, customers may purchase tokens on the bus and keep any unused tokens for future use.  Customers are asked to pay each time they board the bus and to pay only for the current one-way ride being provided.  Pre-payment for future rides on the bus is strongly discouraged.  Failure to make payment for rides may result in the denial of service.
  
  
• Customers are not permitted to consume food or drink on the bus with the exception of bottled water in clear plastic containers.  Groceries and food items may be transported in limited quantities provided there are measures taken to prevent spilling on the seats and/or floor.
  
  
• Smoking and the use of other tobacco products are not permitted on the bus.
  
  
• Weapons are not permitted on the bus including guns or knives of any sort.  Trailblazer management will review requests made in advance for passengers to board with questionable items on a case-by-case basis.  
     
• Customers with walkers, packages, bags of groceries, and other loose items must be able to properly secure such items next to them on the bus.  Drivers may assist with securing such items, which cannot be stored in the aisle or the elevator area.  As such, bicycles and/or other large objects are not permitted on the bus.  Elevators may not be used to lift anything but people, wheelchairs, and scooters that can be properly secured on the bus.   
  
• Oxygen tanks are not permitted on the bus unless they are securely attached to a wheelchair or walker.  Soft-pack oxygen tanks designed to be handheld and portable are also permitted on the bus.
  
  
• Standing while the bus is in motion is not permitted, and the total number of people on the bus during transit, including the driver, may not exceed the posted bus capacity.
  
  
• Animals are not permitted on the bus except for service animals recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Creatures that can be transported in spill-proof, airtight containers may be allowed on a case-by-case basis.  The volunteer driver program may be an option for people needing to transport pets.
  
  
• Passengers are not required to wear seatbelts or use car seats on the buses.  However, seats belts are available, and their use is strongly encouraged.  Caretakers of children and infants are invited to utilize their own car seats on the buses.  Although drivers may assist customers in buckling their seatbelts, caretakers are responsible for securing children in their own car seats and strapping them down in the buses.  Strollers are permitted on the bus provided that they can be secured properly next to the caretaker.
  
• Drivers are not permitted to accept tips.  However, customers are welcome to offer employees non-monetary gifts of nominal value on an occasional basis to show appreciation.  Customers insisting on making a monetary donation or wishing to leave a memorial may do so by contributing to the Trailblazer Employee Fund, which is designed for use only by the employees.  Although such contributions are greatly appreciated, Trailblazer employees gladly serve without the expectation of a gratuity.

Vehicles

Trailblazer operates up to nine bus schedules each day with a fleet of twelve buses.  The buses can hold up to seventeen seated passengers and have padded seats, air conditioning, and extra large windows for your viewing pleasure.  All of the buses are equipped with an elevator, which make it easier for anyone who has difficulty using the stairs to get into and out of the buses.  The elevators are especially useful for people who rely on wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and walkers, but everyone is welcome to use the elevators!

Contract Service

Trailblazer offers organizations the opportunity to get guaranteed bus service at specific times.  No pickup windows.  No scheduling hassles.  Get exactly the service you need at the exact times you need it.  Contact the office for more details.

Benefits of Contract Service:

• Priority service
• Exact pickup and drop-off times
• No need to schedule individual riders
• No need to cancel individual riders
• No limitations on how far in advance you can schedule rides
• Customized monthly billing
• Hourly rates available