Paratransit

 

small transit bus faced to the side
 
PARATRANSIT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND VISITORS WITH DISABILITIES.

Shuttle-UM offers Paratransit as its curb-to-curb, on-demand shuttle subscription service available to students, faculty and staff with temporary and permanent disabilities. 

 

  • Those with temporary disabilities (impact of less than six weeks) who wish to use this service must register with the University Health Center (UHC).
  • Students with permanent disabilities and temporary disabilities lasting for more than six weeks must be registered with Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS).
  • Faculty and Staff  with permanent disabilities and temporary disabilities lasting for more than six weeks must be registered with University Human Resources (UHR).

  • Paratransit is also available for campus guests who schedule their rides directly with Shuttle-UM.

     

Learn more about obtaining certification and scheduling a ride.

 

back of three shuttle um busses
 
HOURS OF OPERATION

Fall and Spring Semesters: 24 hours, 7 days a week

 

OBTAINING PARATRANSIT CERTIFICATION

FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY & STAFF WITH TEMPORARY INJURIES
  1. Contact DOTS Shuttle-UM at 301-314-3687 (4-DOTS) to schedule a ride to the UHC.
  2. Obtain certification from UHC.
  3. The certifying doctor or nurse will register the passenger in the online Paratransit Scheduling Application.
  4. Once the passenger's information has been entered into the system, the passenger can schedule rides through the app throughout the duration of their certification.

FOR STUDENTS WITH A PERMANENT DISABILITY

Please register through ADS: 301-314-7682

 

FACULTY & STAFF WITH A PERMANENT DISABILITY

Please contact University Human Resources

 

FOR CAMPUS VISITORS

Campus visitors should contact shuttledrm@umd.edu or call 301-314-2660 to schedule a ride. Rides should be scheduled well in advance of the needed time so that accommodations can be made. Scheduling at 48 hours in advance, at minimum, is helpful.
 

 

SCHEDULING PARATRANSIT RIDES

DOTS is launching Terp Ride, a new app that provides paratransit services to the University of Maryland Community. Terp Ride is available for download for Apple and Android. Riders can also contact shuttledrm@umd.edu or call 301-314-2660 to schedule a ride

Every effort is made to meet the needs of our passengers. However, the practical reality is that the schedule can fill up quickly. As a result, paratransit scheduling occurs on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority is established by the date on which the trip is scheduled in the Terp Ride App.

Shuttle-UM prefers you request your ride at least one week in advance. However, ride requests can be made as late as one hour before your desired ride. Same day trips can be scheduled by contacting Shuttle-UM dispatch at 301-404-3687 (4-DOTS)

 

VIOLATIONS OF PARATRANSIT POLICIES

NO-SHOWS

A no-show will be documented when a passenger: 

  1. Calls to cancel a ride less than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled ride time.
  2. Does not call to confirm ride(s) for the same day and does not show to a ride that day.
  3. Is more than five minutes late for any scheduled ride.
     

One no-show: Passengers who “no show” any ride, will see their remaining ride(s) cancelled for the rest of the day

Two no-shows: Passengers who accumulate two “no-shows,” he/she will be contacted through email and/or letter.

Three no-shows: On the third no-show, the passenger will be fined $20.00. Additionally, the passenger will be fined $20.00 for every “no show” incurred thereafter. 

After two weeks of consecutive no-shows, DOTS will assume that the passenger no longer requires paratransit service and will cancel their schedule. If passengers are consistently late to their pickups, they will be contacted to discuss and update the existing schedule. 

 

SUBSTANDARD SERVICE

In the event that paratransit passengers believe they received substandard service from a DOTS staff member, those passengers may contact the demand response manager by calling 301-314-2660.
 

PASSENGER MISCONDUCT

DOTS operates on a three-strike policy:
 

  1. The DOTS staff member involved will document the first two incidents of passenger misconduct and a warning letter will be sent to the passenger.
  2. In the event of a third instance of passenger misconduct, the passenger will receive a suspension of service letter that will be in place until the issues are resolved. All violations of the paratransit policies will be reviewed individually.