Share-A-Fare
What is Share-A-Fare?
Share-A-Fare (SAF) is a transportation program that serves people who need door-to-door transportation because a disability prevents them from independently using fixed-route bus service. The service provides complementary paratransit trips as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) throughout The Metro bus service area, as well as some other transportation services for eligible persons in Kansas City, Mo.
To join the program, an application must be submitted. If determined to be eligible, the applicant is enrolled. Each program participant receives an ID card with a number. Trips are scheduled by calling at least 24 hours in advance. The reservation phone number is (816) 842-9070. Share-A-Fare office hours are Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The TDD line for the hearing impaired is (816) 221-0380.
For questions, call the Share-A-Fare office at (816) 346-0810.
How To Use Share-A-Fare Door-to-Door Service
There are now two ways to request trip reservations – by telephone or online. Use the option that works best for you.
Call (816) 842-9070 to schedule your trip. Have the following information ready:
- Your Share-A-Fare identification number
- The day and date you want to travel
- The time you need to arrive at your destination or your appointment time
- The time you want to return
- The complete street address of your destination
Going to a hospital, shopping mall, or other destination with several entrances? Tell the coordinator which door you will use for your pick-up and return trips.
To make a reservation online: Go to http://etrip.kcata.org/saf/ and complete the form. Submit your request online 24/7, up to 72 hours in advance of the trip.
Other Considerations
- Are there stairs, locked security entrances, locked gates, fencing? Is the street you live on difficult to find, etc.? If so, please tell the coordinator. These factors may affect the driver’s ability to reach you.
- Will an attendant or companion be traveling with you? If so, tell the coordinator when you schedule your trip.
- Tell the coordinator if you need help beyond the exterior most doors. They will code the trip for extra assistance and add a $1.15 charge to your one-way fare.
Subscription Service
If your work or travel schedule remains the same at least three times per week, you can fill out a subscription form for your trips so you won’t have to call on a weekly basis. The subscription service is good for a 90-day period or until the next quarterly mark up, when fixed-route bus service changes.
Medicaid
If you qualify, no cost transportation is available for non-emergency Medicaid appointments. Please tell the coordinator that you are scheduling a Medicaid trip and give your Medicaid number.
To Receive the Best Service, Please Observe These Pointers
- Schedule your trip before 4:45 p.m. of the day before you want to travel. For example, if you want to travel on Tuesday, your trip must be scheduled by 4:45 p.m. on Monday. Share-A-Fare phone lines are open from 7:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
- Trips may be scheduled as much as 14 days before you want to travel.
- Listen carefully to the Share-A-Fare coordinator to make sure your trip is scheduled correctly. Stay on the line and wait for the coordinator to repeat your travel arrangements to verify your information and the cost of the trip.
- Get the coordinator’s name and your fare for the trip.
- Be prompt. Drivers are not required to wait for passengers who are not ready at their scheduled pick-up times. Effective January 1, 2009, the driver may arrive 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time and be considered on time. Example, if your scheduled pick-up time is 9:00 a.m., the driver may arrive between 8:45 to 9:15 a.m.
- Please, have the exact fare ready for the driver. The Share-A-Fare coordinator will give you the cost for each trip when you schedule your ride. Drivers DO NOT give change.
Holidays – effective January 1, 2009
The Share-A-Fare office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- New Year’s Day in January
- Martin Luther King Day in January
- President’s Day in February
- Memorial Day in May
- Independence Day in July
- Labor Day in September
- Veteran’s Day in November
- Thanksgiving Day in November
- Christmas Day in December
Inclement Weather
During inclement weather, road conditions may cause delays. Notice of delays will be publicized on local television and radio stations, as well as the KCATA website.
Phase A: Customers may experience delays of 30 to 60 minutes past scheduled pickup times.
Phase B: Significant delays system wide with some customers experiencing delays of over 60 minutes past scheduled pickup times.
Phase C: Customers with non-critical trips are encouraged to re-schedule, priority is given to medical and work trips. Delays of over 1 hour are likely with significantly longer delays possible for non-critical trips.
Phase D: Service is temporarily suspended. Customers should contact Share-A-Fare reservations to re-schedule their trips.
The Pick-up Point
Be ready and waiting just inside the exterior most doors designated. Share-A-Fare drivers are only required to come to the exterior most doors. If you are using a wheelchair, you are required to have an accessible entrance to your home or apartment; otherwise, your transportation service will be curb-to-curb. Drivers may not assist you to the curb.
Know how to recognize a Share-A-Fare vehicle and driver. Vehicles will have “Share-A-Fare in Transit” signs on the sides of the vehicles. Fare cards and other Share-A-Fare information will be posted in clear view inside the vehicle. Drivers are required to wear badges to identify themselves as Share-A-Fare Drivers.
To file a complaint or report a problem about your service, call Customer Service at (816) 346-0860. This is a 24 hour recorded line that is pulled daily for follow-up.
Common Questions Asked About Share-A-Fare
Sometimes I get a “busy” signal when I try to call to schedule a trip. What is the best time to call?
Phone lines are busiest from 3:00 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. You are less likely to get a busy signal if you call Share-A-Fare in the mornings or a couple of days before you want to travel. You may schedule your trips as much as 14 days in advance to eliminate last-minute confusion and worry about “getting in on time.” If you get a recording and are placed on “hold,” please remain on the line. Calls are answered in the order received. While on “hold,” use that time to make sure you have all the information that will be needed for the coordinator to book your transportation.
What if I change my mind and cannot travel?
Don’t be a No Show! Cancel your trip at least two hours before the scheduled pick-up time. After Share-A-Fare hours, call Veolia Transportation at (816) 512-2500 to cancel your trip. If you cancel with the vendor, make a follow-up call to the Share-A-Fare office the next workday so that you will be credited with the canceled trip. If you fail to properly cancel ahead of time or you cancel at the door, you may receive a vendor report. Call (816) 842-9070 and give an explanation or your services may be suspended for six unexcused vendor complaints.
What if I don’t know how long my doctor’s appointment is going to take?
You may schedule a WILL CALL RETURN trip. WILL CALL RETURNS are for medical trips only. When you are ready for your return trip home, call (816) 842-9070 to let the coordinator know that you are ready to travel. A vehicle will be dispatched as soon as possible. However, the vendor is allowed up to 60 minutes to arrive for all WILL CALL RETURNS.
What if I have a problem with my service?
Our goal is to provide the best transportation service possible. Call all comments/complaints to (816) 346-0860 within 5 days of the occurrence. Calls are retrieved daily from the complaint/comment line.
Post These Numbers Near Your Phone For Quick Reference
To schedule trips or to request your WILL CALL RETURN during Share-A-Fare office hours call Share-A-Fare at (816) 842-9070.
To respond to a vendor report, file a comment or complaint call (816) 346-0860.
