DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service November 2017

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1 DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service November 2017 Snow Shoveling Services Lifestyle Helping Hands Seniors Association: (south of river, west of 104 Ave) Westend Seniors Activity Centre: (west) SAGE (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton): (city-wide) Seniors Caring about Seniors: (south of the river) SEESA (South East Edmonton Seniors Association): (south east) Jewish Family Services (citywide): Community Leagues throughout Edmonton DATS Christmas Light Tours December 13-19, 2017 Watch for booking details for groups via fax December 4. DATS Winter Safety As the days turn colder and rain turns to snow, remember to change some of your habits for traveling on DATS. Dress for Edmonton weather, which can change rapidly from a warm, sunny day, to a full blizzard within hours. Bring layers for buses that may be drafty as doors are opening and closing, or warm and comfy with the heat at maximum. Remember to reserve your DATS trips well in advance, and watch the weather for heavy snowfall or freezing rain. In the event of heavy snowfall or poor road conditions, DATS cannot accommodate same-day (on-demand) trips. Poor road conditions delay all transit services, and attempting to accommodate sameday trips only adds to these delays. At DATS we value safety and teamwork. Help us excel at customer service and stay safe by keeping your ramps, sidewalks, driveways and other surfaces clear of snow or ice this winter. If a clear or safe path is not available, DATS will be unable to provide service until it is clear. Turn the lights on. As the days get shorter, remember to keep a light on at home if you re expecting a ride in the early morning or evening. DATS Trips can take up to 90 minutes. Use the washroom before your trip and remember to bring along any medication you may need.

2 Manager s Message Safety continues to be one of our biggest priorities at DATS. We are always looking for ways to make our service as safe as possible for everyone. From big projects like new radio systems on all of our buses, to small adjustments to Operation Supervisor coverage, we take pride in managing a safe service for all. You can help. As the weather turns colder, we remind all DATS clients to dress warmly and prepare for winter. The front page has a number of tips and reminders about traveling on DATS in the colder months. Remember to keep walks free of snow and ice so we can avoid slips and falls. If you need assistance with snow removal, we have a list of services on the front page as well. You ll also find the holiday schedule and calendars for Remembrance Day, Christmas and New Years service. Planning ahead will help us serve you better during the busy season. Paul Schmold, Manager Paratransit DATS Notes Scooter Transfer Waivers and Seatbelt Exemptions Over the next two months, DATS team members will continue to meet face-to-face and one-on-one with clients who currently have Scooter Transfer Waivers or Seatbelt Exemptions. Based on provincial legislation, DATS will be reviewing these waivers and exemptions to ensure that everyone is safe while traveling on DATS by January 1, Contact DATS at (780) , option 4, if you have any concerns or questions about transferring from a Scooter for travel or seatbelt exemptions. Purchasing New Equipment? Not all mobility aids are suitable for DATS vehicles. All equipment, whether walkers, scooters or wheelchairs, must meet size and safety requirements to be loaded onto DATS vehicles. If you are purchasing new equipment, or have questions about current equipment, please contact DATS at (780) , option 4 or dats@edmonton.ca. An Operations Supervisor may need to inspect your equipment before it can be safely used on DATS vehicles. Page 2

3 Fare Reminder DATS fare changes have been in effect since September 1st, but here is another reminder of what is currently accepted on DATS vehicles as fare: - All ETS Fare types (tickets, monthly passes, annual passes and day passes) - U-Pass for post-secondary students - Ride Transit (a $35 subsidized monthly pass for low income households. Contact 311 for eligibility and application information) - Cash ($3.25) - CNIB ID DATS monthly passes are no longer offered, and clients who are eligible for AISH should contact the Ride Transit Program at 311 for more information. Winter Travel on ETS or LRT DATS Notes, cont. 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! Phone Calls to DATS Please note that phone calls into DATS are recorded for quality assurance and training purposes. DATS uses the recordings to ensure we are providing the very best customer service. With the arrival of Fall, and unexpected early blasts of Winter, it's important to make some changes in your travel routines to ensure you're prepared for the changing weather conditions when using ETS. Have a trip plan before you leave, so you have all the information you need about your travel to your destination, as well as for the trip home. To plan your trip try one of the following services: - Call 311, 24 hours/day to speak with a call centre associate for routes, schedules, and trip plans - Visit takeets.com online for ETS Trip Planner, printable route maps and schedules, and photos of bus stops - Call BusLink at (780) , with your 4 or 5 digit bus stop number for schedule information - Visit LRT stations or large bus stations for print materials and route brochures - Other sources of trip planning include Google Transit, ETStoGo, ETSLiveToGo, and ETS Text & Ride For more information on all of the options available to our customers, check out our website at Once you have all of the information you need to make your trip, remember to: - Dress for the weather, including layers for warm autumn days, or frigid winter evenings - Bring appropriate fare (cash, tickets, bus passes, transfers) - Bring your travel tools (such as bus hailer kit, communication cards and mobility cards ) If you would like to learn more about using ETS, including detailed information on our accessible features, services, and programs, you can find lots of information on our website at including virtual tours, customer training, bus and LRT tips, and ETS etiquette by clicking on the "Accessibility" or "Riding ETS" options on the menu just below the Trip Planner section. DATS News, November 2017

4 Holiday Booking Schedule REMEMBRANCE DAY DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on Remembrance Day, (Saturday, November 11). The vehicles will be running as usual. Note: bookings will be cancelled on Saturday, November 11 and Monday, November 13. If you still require a subscription booking on these days call (option 2) to book. CHRISTMAS and NEW YEARS 2018 DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on: - Christmas Day, December 25, Boxing Day, December 26, New Years Day, January 1, 2018 Note: bookings will be cancelled from December 25 to December 30, 2017 and January 1, If you still require your subscription booking on these days call (option 2) to book it. November 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Nov 9 (till Nov 10, 11, 12 Nov 10 (till Nov 11, 12, 13 Nov 11, 12 (till Nov 13, 14 HOLIDAY Client Services Closed Nov 13, 14, 15, 16 (till Client Services Open Trips Cancelled Regular booking schedule resumes Page 4

5 December 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Dec 21 (till Dec 22, 23, 24, 25 Dec 22 (till Dec 23, 24, 25, 26 Dec 23 (till Dec 24, 25, 26, 27 Dec 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 (till HOLIDAY HOLIDAY Dec 25, 26, Client Services Client Services Dec 28 (till Dec 29 (till Dec 30 (till 27, 28, 29 Closed Closed (till Dec 29, 30, 31 Dec 30, 31, Dec 31, Jan 1 Jan 1, 2 31 trips NOT cancelled Jan 1 (till Jan 2, 3, 4 trips NOT cancelled Dec 31 (till Jan 1, 2, 3 New Year s Eve Service: DATS is extending our hours of service on Saturday, December 31 (New Year's Eve) with the last pick-up of the day at 2:00am. In conjunction with ETS's Community Program, service on New Year's Eve from 6:00pm until closing is free. January 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday HOLIDAY Client Services Closed Regular booking schedule resumes DATS News, November 2017

6 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Monday, December 4, :00am - 2:00pm University of Alberta Steadward Centre - Free Admission DATS Notes Escorts on DATS Travelers escorting a DATS client can now use any fare type when using our service. Escorts do not have to be registered DATS clients, but must be booked as an Escort to travel with one. Did you know that escorts ride for free when traveling with a DATS client on conventional transit? This is an incentive to use the fully accessible fleet of ETS buses, LRT and stations when traveling with a friend. The International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 47/3. The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly in As of December 18th, 2007, the UN changed the name from International Day of Disabled Persons to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Nothing About Us Without Us is the theme of this year s International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Page 6 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. It was formerly located in City Hall.

7 Macewan University Doors Traveling to Macewan University Campus? When you book your ride, help us serve you better and please let us know which entrance you would like. There are a number of accessible entrances DATS can serve: - Building 7 (Clock Tower) at 107 Street - Building 8 (Christianson Family Center for Sports and Wellness) at 108 Street - Building 9 (Robbins Learning Centre) South Door at 109 Street - Building 9 (Paul Byrne Hall) Northwest Door at 109 Street Residents from Emmanuel Home visit Rogers Place If you are looking to access another part of campus, let us know at (780) Option 4, so that we can assess its accessibility for our vehicles. DATS Fast Facts DATS all-time busiest trip days (trips delivered in one day): 10. February 1, , March 12, , February 4, , September 27, , October 3, , November 26, , November 5, , February 24, , October 19, , November 16, ,818 DATS News, November 2017

8 DATS News, Nov 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 Margaret Dorey, Shirley Masterson, Glenda Roberts, Caroline Wenzel, Anita Wright. 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