DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service July 2018

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DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service July 2018 DATS 311 Info Sessions The DATS Advisory Group (DAG) hosts regular information sessions called DATS 311 it is a great way to get a better

The next DATS 311 is Tuesday, August 14 at 2:00pm at the DATS office. Sessions usually run anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours.

1 DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service July 2018 DATS 311 Info Sessions The DATS Advisory Group (DAG) hosts regular information sessions called DATS 311 it is a great way to get a better understanding of how DATS works. These information sessions are aimed at DATS customers old and new, agency staff, care givers, family members and anyone considering applying for DATS. The next DATS 311 is Tuesday, August 14 at 2:00pm at the DATS office. Sessions usually run anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours. They include a presentation by members of DAG as well as an opportunity to take a tour of DATS. The deadline to register for this session is August 7. Call Shirley at or us: dats@edmonton.ca to book your spot. ETS Bus Network Redesign Edmonton s bus routes will be changing in The new network focuses on connecting people to places and to each other. The Bus Network Redesign is the first major action coming out of the Transit Strategy. The proposed new bus network, built with input from thousands of Edmontonians, reflects residents' priorities by delivering a bus service that meets the needs of more people. We have reached phase 2 of this project: refining the bus network. Based on engagement with Edmontonians earlier this year, a new interactive map has been drafted. To view this interactive map, with proposed network changes, visit takeets.com. Additional feedback will be gathered in the coming fall, with opportunities for all Edmontonians to have their voices heard. Save the date! DATS OPEN HOUSE Thursday, September 13, 2018

2 Manager s Message Summer has arrived and with it long hot days and outdoor festivals almost every weekend. Wherever you travel this summer, DATS is committed to your safety. Whether we re your daily work commute, your transportation for weekly chores or appointments, or we re getting you to and from a special event or program, we want to make sure you, and everyone else on board, gets there safely. Speaking of special events, our summer festival calendar is on page 4. A number of the usual Edmonton events and festivals are in new locations this year, due to LRT construction downtown, so take note and plan accordingly. We ll also be holding a festival of our own - the 2018 DATS Open House is scheduled for Thursday, September 13th. Details are still being planned, but there is sure to be food, tours, hands-on equipment displays, vehicle displays and more, as we open our doors to the public to learn more about our service. It s a great chance to see how DATS functions from inside out, and I hope to meet some of you there personally. Paul Schmold Manager Paratransit DATS Notes Summer Weather Reminder Summer days in Edmonton can range from blistering hot 30 degree weather to cool evenings with thunderstorms and hail, all in the same day. Be prepared for all weather before you start your day on DATS. Carry sunscreen and a jacket. Stay hydrated and wear a hat. Service Animals on DATS Clients who use service dogs are allowed to use any public transit, including DATS. If you see someone with a service dog, remember: - Do not distract the dog or interfere with their job - Never offer food to a service dog - Please do not photograph or record a service dog without permission - Do not be offended if a service dog handler will not let you pet their dog - Treat service dog handlers with dignity - speak to the person and not the dog. Do not ask personal questions about their disability - Do not ask for the dog to do any demonstrations If you have any questions about traveling with service dogs on DATS, please contact Client Services at (780) (option 4). Page 2

3 Mobility Equipment on DATS Today s transit users have access to a wide variety of mobility aids, from wheelchairs to scooters to walkers with wheels, seats, baskets, trays, bags and other attachments. Newer equipment may not fit on all DATS vehicles, or may not be able to be tied down safely and securely. Please follow these guidelines when using mobility equipment on DATS. Wheelchairs and Scooters The base of the wheelchair or scooter (with push rings and attachments) cannot measure more than 30 x 50 (76 cm x 127 cm). The wheelchair or scooter, passenger, and parcels/baggage cannot have combined weight of more than 750 lbs (340 kgs). Bags attached to the backs of devices must be compact and fit behind the chair or scooter. Bags should not extend past the end of the handles or below the level of the seat. If there are no handles, suggested bag size is 14 wide x 18 high x 6 deep, or smaller (36cm x 46cm x 15cm). This also applies to conventional transit. Wheelchairs must have escort handles and functioning brakes For your safety, and the safety of others, if you are traveling with a scooter, you must transfer to a seat. Flags or other projections are not permitted. Walkers The base of the walker (with baskets or attachments) cannot measure more than 30 x 50 (76 cm x 127 cm) If the walker has a basket, it must be empty (no parcels in it). Baskets should be labeled with DATS registrant numbers Walkers must have no loose parts or attachments that could come loose. If the walker is too large and cannot fold down, it may need ot be scheduled onto a wheelchair van and tied down. This will require two spaces on the vehicle (one for the client and one for the walker), so trip availability might be affected. Conventional buses follow different guidelines, so be sure to plan ahead if you are using both DATS and conventional buses or LRT in the same day. To learn more about equipment sizes on conventional transit vehicles, visit takeets.com. DATS Notes, cont. New Phone Menu Options DATS team members have been working hard at re-recording and reworking our Client Services phone messaging. You may have noticed a new option on the phone when you call DATS Client Services. Our option 5 is now live and can be used for optional self-serve IVR. This automated system includes: - Where s My Ride - check on a ride within the next 90 minutes - Trip Listing - review a list of scheduled trips - Cancel a Trip To use these features, you must enter your DATS user ID, and your passcode, which will be mailed to you. Buying new equipment? Ask the vendor if any securement devices can be added (D-rings or anchors, for example) for public transit. Smaller equipment allows more flexibility and travel options, so buy small. Before purchasing any new equipment, please call DATS (780) (option 4) first to ensure any new equipment can be safely secured on DATS vehicles! Our Operations Supervisors may wish to measure your new equipment, and are available for tips and tricks to using mobility equipment safely on DATS. DATS News, July 2018

4 2018 July/August Event Schedule Festival season in Festival City heats up in July and August, and DATS is ready to get you to your favourite events. Here is a short list of popular activities for the rest of the summer. Edmonton International Street Performers Festival July 10-15, NEW LOCATION - May Dr Wilbert - Amarjit McIntyre S. Park ( Street) Performers from around the world unleash their street acts for six days in Old Strathcona. Visit edmontonstreetfest.com for more information. A Taste of Edmonton July NEW LOCATION - Capital Plaza (108 Street & 99 Avenue) Sample the culinary delights of Edmonton s food scene, with dishes from 60 local restaurants and food trucks. Visit tasteofedm.ca to whet your appetite. K-Days July 20 - July 29 - Northlands Rides, games, food, music and adventure, with the famous K-Days parade downtown kicking off the events at Northlands. Visit k-days.com for details. Heritage Festival August Hawrelak Park Celebrate your heritage and travel around the world without leaving Hawrelak Park. Plan your weekend at heritage-festival.com. Edmonton Folk Music Festival August Gallagher Park Four days of folk, food and friends at Edmonton s largest outdoor music festival. Featuring world renowned acts at Gallagher Park, visit edmontonfolkfest.org for details. Edmonton Fringe Festival August Old Strathcona and beyond Experience live theatre performances throughout Edmonton at North America s largest Fringe Festival. Explore the Fringe at fringetheatre.ca. Edmonton Blues Festival August Hawrelak Park Heritage Amphitheatre at Hawrelak Park hosts the best of the world s Blues musicians for one hot weekend in August. Visit bluesinternationalltd.com for information. Page 4

5 DATS Notes, cont. The DATS Advisory Group (DAG) are collecting stories/experiences you have while using DATS. Did you have an interesting encounter with a DATS driver/passenger? Has someone lent you a hand when you were in need or you have helped others during your ride? Please let us know by sending it to datsstories@gmail.com. Good or bad, we are here to listen your stories! We ll also select one or two stories to be appeared on the bimonthly DATS newsletter. Hello, I would like to start off by saying DATS is a wonderful thing to have access to for someone with disabilities. I do find, however, sometimes I cannot get the desired trips I need because they have so many clients and not enough drivers. Sometimes I'm unable to make it to an appointment and specialists can only see me when they can. Otherwise I would confidently say that the drivers (both vans and buses) are awesome. So helpful and pleasant to ride with. Sincerely, Shelley Amoroso Thanks Shelley, for the feedback and compliments. We understand that our high demand for service can sometimes leave our clients frustrated. This is why we encourage our clients to book outside of peak hours when possible. We work hard every day to try to accommodate as many trips as possible with the resources we are given. "AISH ride transit program reinstates the pre-authorized bank withdrawal & transit pass mail out" Lizzie, my dream has come true! I don't know if this has anything to do with your DAG meetings but thank you for your support and DATS. This is Great News. - Paige (via text) While AISH is a separate organization to DATS, we are all connected as advocates for accessibility and are dedicated to giving all Edmontonians a high quality of life. Summer Vacation? Don t forget to cancel any unwanted trips while you are away! You can cancel multiple trips for a specific period of time, just ask your agent. Please cancel as far in advance as possible - with more advanced notice, we may be able to assist someone else with their booking request. For all cancellations, please call Calling DATS? Working in our busy call center can be challenging. With several agents taking calls at one time, it tends to get noisy here. If possible, please don't use a speaker phone when calling the Client Service Centre as it's more difficult to hear. We want to make sure we get the correct information! Lost and Found Take all your belongings with you when exiting the vehicle. All personal articles should be labeled, as this helps you to recover your belongings. Please call ETS Lost and Found at to ask about any lost items on DATS or other ETS vehicles. ETS Lost and Found is located on the 2nd floor of Edmonton Tower at Avenue NW. Thanks to DAG member Lizzie Barron for passing along these two submissions. DATS News, July 2018

6 DATS Notes, cont Esks Fans Ride Free Show your Edmonton Eskimos ticket or ticket stub two hours before, during and two hours after every Edmonton Eskimos home game as your Ticket to Ride fare, including LRT, DATS and ETS park and ride services. Upcoming home games: - 7pm, July 13 (Argos) - 8pm, August 2 (Roughriders) - 7pm, August 18 (Alouettes) Pick Up Window Remember to be prepared for your DATS trip at the start of your pickup window. This means waiting, with your fare ready, at the first set of accessible doors. Holiday Booking Schedule CANADA DAY 2018 DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on: - Monday, July 2, 2018 (statutory holiday in lieu) The Client Service Centre will be open: - Sunday, July 1, 2018 Note: Subscription bookings will be cancelled Monday, July 2. If you still require your subscription booking on these days, call (option 2) to book it. CIVIC HOLIDAY 2018 DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on: - Civic Holiday, Monday, August 6, 2018 Note: Subscription bookings will be cancelled Monday, August 6. If you still require your subscription booking on this day, call (option 2) to book it. Page 6 This allows our drivers to pick you up quickly and efficiently. When one client is late for pick-up, it can have a domino effect on the rest of the day, forcing us to reschedule trips, drivers and reassign vehicles to stay ontime. Note: pick-up times provided by DATS IVR are only meant as a guideline. Please be ready during the entire pick-up window.

7 July 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 HOLIDAY Canada Day 2 HOLIDAY Lieu Day 3 Regular Client Services Centre Open Client Services Centre Closed booking schedule resumes Subscription trips not cancelled Subscription trips cancelled August 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Can book for: Aug 4 (till noon) Aug 5, 6, 7 Can book for: Aug 5, 6, 7, 8 (till noon) 5 6 HOLIDAY Civic Holiday Regular Can book for: booking Aug 6, 7, 8, 9 Client Services (till noon) schedule Centre Closed resumes Subscription trips cancelled DATS News, July 2018

8 DATS News, July 2018 Published by DATS, six times annually Circulation 6,500. Please direct comments/submissions to: DATS, Wickman Garage Street Edmonton, Alberta T6E 2X3 Phone: (780) Fax: (780) Edmonton Transit System: Editor Jason Magee Contributors this Issue Shirley Masterson, Glenda Roberts, Caroline Wenzel, DATS Advisory Group. Contact DATS DATS Client Service Centre To cancel a trip or to check on a late ride: Press 1 4To book or change a trip: Press 2 4To register for DATS: Press 3 4To submit a commendation, concern or any other inquiry: Press 4 Nextalk Lost & Found / Website DATS@edmonton.ca takeets.com/dats DATS Client Service Centre Trip Booking: Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon Registration, Commendations, Concerns Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. DATS Client Service Centre Outside of Regular Hours: (trip cancels, checking late ride) Monday to Thursday: 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday: 5:00 a.m. to midnight Saturday: 6:00 a.m. to midnight Sunday and holidays: 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Newsletters Would you like to receive a copy of the DATS Newsletter by ? Just send an to: dats@edmonton.ca - please put DATS Newsletter in the subject line. Or call us at Return undeliverable Canadian address to: City of Edmonton - City Operations 15th Floor, Edmonton Tower Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0J4

DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service May 2018

DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service May 2018 DAG Volunteer Wanted DATS Advisory Group (DAG) has an immediate opening for a User Representative Position. Applications must be received by May 31, 2018.