DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service September 2017

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DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service September 2017 Ride Transit Program Starting September 1st, the Ride Transit Program pass will be accepted across all ETS services, including DATS.

1 DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service September 2017 Ride Transit Program Starting September 1st, the Ride Transit Program pass will be accepted across all ETS services, including DATS. This subsidized pass is $35/month, for Edmontonians aged 6-65 who qualify under one of the following: - An Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) Health Benefit recipient - Dependents of an AISH Health Benefit recipient - A child under government care - Household income is at or below the Low Income Cut-Off amount Applications are available now. For more information related to applying for, and purchasing, the Ride Transit Pass, please contact 311 or visit takeets.com. DATS Fare Changes As of September 1, 2017, all ETS fare types will be accepted on DATS, including ETS monthly passes. ETS Monthly Passes DATS monthly passes are being discontinued as of September 1, The regular ETS adult monthly pass is the same price. DATS Clients traveling on conventional transit who wish to travel with an attendant for free must show their DATS registration. Escorts Escorts traveling on DATS can now use any ETS fare type. Day Passes DATS will accept ETS day passes as of September 1, Due to space restrictions on DATS vehicles, only one additional person will be permitted on DATS with a day pass instead of a full family.

2 Acting Director s Message On July 11, 2017, City Council approved a Transit Strategy that reflects the input and priorities of Edmontonians, and will take steps to modernize Edmonton s transit system over the next 10 years. The strategy is framed around five foundational pillars: - Integrate transit with community planning and design - Establish a balanced approach to operating funding and fare policy - Develop a market responsive approach to transit network design - Improve the customer experience - Develop transit organizational capacity For DATS, some steps have already been made. We are aligning our fare with conventional transit on September 1st. We continue to offer in-depth travel training for DATS clients who can use conventional transit for some of their trips. We remain dedicated to your safety and providing excellent customer service. Elsewhere in Edmonton Transit, expect LRT growth, bus route redesigns, infrastructure improvements, and the exploration of alternative service models to cover lowdemand areas, as a result of this new strategy. Any impacts on DATS will be analyzed and addressed throughout this process, per city council direction. DATS remains an important part of ETS, just as you are an important part of our community. We will provide updates on the Transit Strategy in the coming years, as changes develop. Paul Schmold, Acting Director of DATS DATS Notes 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. Scooter Transfer Waivers and Seatbelt Exemptions Over the coming months, DATS team members will be meeting 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, Look for further information in correspondences throughout the summer and fall. Page 2

3 Riding with Service Dogs Clients who use service dogs are legally allowed to use any public transit, including DATS. If you see a service dog traveling on DATS with you, please remember the following: - Do not distract the dog or interfere with their job. - Never offer food to a service dog. - Do not photograph or record a service dog team without permission. - Do not be offended if a service dog handler will not let you pet his or her dog. - Treat service dog handlers with dignity - speak to the person and not the dog. Do not ask personal questions about his/her disability. - Do not ask for the dog to do any demonstrations. If you have any concerns about traveling with a service dog, please contact DATS Community Relations (780) , Option 4. DATS Notes, cont. 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 used on 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. Edmonton Weather September and October bring colder weather, especially in the early mornings and late evenings, but there are still warm days ahead. Remember to dress in layers, and appropriately for any sudden change in weather. While we certainly hope not to see too much snow or belowzero weather before November, please remember to keep your walks free of ice and snow for everyone s safety. Dogs with Wings in training DATS News, September 2017

4 DATS Notes, cont. DATS Operator Assistance Operators assist clients with: - Positioning their mobility aid on the vehicle lift - Safely securing mobility aids to the floor of the DATS vehicle. - Correctly securing the shoulder strap/lap belt - Getting on and off DATS vehicles. - Exiting the vehicle to the first set of accessible doors. Operators Do Not: - Make repairs or adjustments to mobility aids. - Help with parcels or baggage, so limit possessions to those you can carry, or travel with an attendant who can assist you. - Enter your premises under any circumstances. - Lift wheelchairs or schooters up or down stairs. All wheelchairs and scooters must be at ground level when the Operator arrives, unless you have a DATSapproved ramp. Page 4 Holiday Booking Schedule LABOUR DAY DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on Labour Day (Monday, September 4). The vehicles will be running as usual. Note: Subscription bookings will be cancelled on Monday, September 4. If you still require your subscription booking on Monday, September 4 call (option 2) to book it. THANKSGIVING DATS will operate on a holiday schedule (the Client Services Centre will be closed) on Thanksgiving Day (Monday, October 9). The vehicles will be running as usual. Note: Subscription bookings will be cancelled on Monday, October 9. If you still require your subscription booking on Monday, October 9 call (option 2) to book it.

5 September - October 2017 Sunday August 27 September 3 Monday August 28 September 4 Can book for: HOLIDAY Labour Day September Client Services 4, 5, 6, 7 Centre Closed Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday August 29 August 30 August 31 September 1 September 2 Can book for: September 2 Sept 3, 4, 5 Can book for: September 3, 4, 5, 6 September 8 September 9 September 5 September 6 September 7 Regular booking schedule resumes Subscription trips cancelled September 10 September 11 September 12 September 13 September 14 September 15 September 16 September 17 September 18 September 19 September 20 September 21 September 22 September 23 September 24 September 25 September 26 September 27 September 28 September 29 September 30 October 1 October 8 October 2 October 9 HOLIDAY Can book for: Thanksgiving October Client Services 9, 10, 11, 12 Centre Closed Subscription trips cancelled October 15 October 16 October 3 October 10 October 4 October 11 October 5 October 12 October 6 October 7 Can book for: October 7 Oct 8, 9, 10 Can book for: October 8, 9, 10, 11 October 13 October 14 Regular booking schedule resumes October 17 October 18 DATS Client Service Centre / Website DATS@edmonton.ca DATS News, September 2017

6 DATS I-Book What is I-Book? DATS I-Book is an online booking tool that allows DATS clients to view, cancel and reserve trips. I-Book is free and easy to use. To access I-Book, clients must register online or by phone to receive password and login information. Call DATS Client Services at (780) , Option 4 or us at dats@edmonton.ca to register or change your I-Book profile. Booking a Trip - Book trips online during Client Service Centre booking hours: 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday to Friday and 7:30AM to 12:00 P.M. Saturday and Sunday - Multiple trips must be booked 2.5 hours apart. If I-Book cannot find a solution for the trip request, customers can retry booking the trip. I-Book must find a solution to have your trip booked and confirmed. - Use the Repeat Trip tool to replicate the exact same trip for a different day and time. View and Cancel Trips - I-Book allows you to view and cancel trips 21 hours a day, 7 days a week. - Use the My Trips page to browse your trips and see trip details. This page will show any trips you ve booked or cancelled with the Client Services Centre. - Use the My Subscriptions page to view subscription trip details. - Cancel trips up to 2 hours before the booking window. After successfully cancelling a trip, you will receive confirmation via e- mail. Additional Features - View your profile to keep information up-to-date - Receive notifications of trip bookings - Choose destinations from a list of frequently visited addresses or from a list of pre-determined landmarks - List your trips by booking ID or by date - The Help section provides step-by-step instructions for each feature available on DATS I-Book. You can access Help from each page by clicking on the red question mark in the upper-right hand corner. - Tutorial videos are available for additional assistance with I-Book - Share your DATS I-Book questions, comments and suggestions by filling out an electronic feedback form. 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. 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. Page 6

7 Residents from Emmanuel Home visit Rogers Place A close to the summer season signals the end of another successful year for Edmonton Transit s Seniors on the Go program. The program is designed to show seniors how easy it is to use ETS, mainly because of the accessible and age-friendly features found in our transit system. Seniors on the Go gives seniors the opportunity to participate in a free, hands-on learning session where they learn more about senior fare products, safety and security within ETS and most importantly accessibility tools. Groups then had the chance to experience transit in action by riding on a chartered ETS bus to a destination of their choice. Since the introduction of the program in 2001, this educational and interactive program has benefitted more than 4,000 seniors throughout the city. This year, Seniors on the Go reached 21 different seniors groups while serving 402 seniors between the ages of 65 and 103. The seniors visited a variety of locations throughout the city including City Hall, the Alberta Legislative Building and Rogers Place. Seniors also visited smaller, more local destinations such as malls, greenhouses and a couple trips for ice cream. Seniors who participated in the program describe it as informative and encouraging to explore taking the bus, while others said they would love to be a part of the program in the years to come. Our participants had an exciting and educational summer learning about the freedom, flexibility and choice that is offered by ETS! ETS Notes Fall Service Changes ETS adjusts bus routes five times a year, typically around September, December, February, April and June. For September, higher demand routes are receiving reallocated service hours, seasonal service will be restored for back to school and community routes 55, 313 and 327 have been revised. For a full list of detailed changes, visit takeets.com. Transit Centre Improvements Various transit centres have received busway and sidewalk improvements over the summer, and some continue construction into September. For a full list of affected transit centres, visit takeets.com. - Shannell Corrodas-Brown, Seniors on the Go coordinator DATS News, September 2017

8 DATS News, Sept 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 Shannell Corodas-Brown, 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

DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service November 2017

DATS News Disabled Adult Transit Service November 2017 Snow Shoveling Services Lifestyle Helping Hands Seniors Association: 780-450-2113 (south of river, west of 104 Ave) Westend Seniors Activity Centre: