Let's Ride with DART!

Hi, I'm Carrie, a stroke survivor and a member of BIND.

And I'm Kezia, a stroke survivor and member of BIND as well. And today we're gonna be talking about something really interesting and needed. We assure that many of you as listeners and also brain injury survivors, caregivers, or just friends that have experienced the need of transportation. So today we are welcome, welcoming Chris who's gonna be here to talk about DART, which is the Dallas area rapid transportation or transit to tell us about the mobile, uh, manager services.

Yeah, welcome. Thank you for having me.

Uh, so would you like to tell us a little bit about you? I know that you're not just representing dart, uh, you have a bigger position, so if you want to let us know about it.

Sure. Um, so I do work with the, um, department of Mobility Management Services within dart. Um, I've been here. Or at Dart a little bit over a decade. Um, oh wow. So, um, only job out outside of college. Uh, love it. Wouldn't do anything else, but, um, uh, yeah, so we, we do mobility management services, so under that umbrella is our ADA paratransit program, our, uh, micro transit service, which is GoLink, um, and our, um, rider assistance programs, uh, as well as our, uh, reduced fair program.

Okay. Wow. So that's a lot. Um, lot more than we knew, so, but that's good. That's what we're trying to figure out. So I guess if you'll kind of give us just a little bit of the history of the mobility or lack of better word, maybe all your ADA services, how and when it got started and kinda the little bit history to get.

Yeah, absolutely. So, uh, we've done, um, accessible transportation since, you know, before the dart days, just with the City of Dallas program. Um, the ADA Americans with Disabilities Act, um, in the early nineties came about and, um, that, you know, that was after dart, uh, was, uh, founded in the eighties. But, um, we've transformed the program. It's, it's one of the most progressive, um, accessible, uh, paratransit programs, I believe, uh, in the country now.

handles all those little things you just told us about?

Absolutely right. Uh, DART as a whole, of course, does, um, bus rail. Uh, we help with the TRE as well. Um, all of that is accessible. Uh, but of course we do, um, ADA paratransit for those that may not be able to use, uh, bus or rail or can, uh, Only use it for certain trips. Mm-hmm.

And I know that you're saying ada, um, can you give us an explanation for those?

What is Absolutely. So that's the Americans with Disabilities Act. Okay. Um, and so there's several pieces of that act, but as it applies to transportation, um, it, you know, there's, um, requirements to make vehicles accessible like buses and trains. Uh, but there's also what is called complimentary ADA period transit. And so that compliments our fixed drought service. Um, and so, uh, users, uh, of our service may not be able to, uh, ambulate to a bus or to a rail station. Mm-hmm.

I think that was also like a little follow-up question as to like, how does the mobility management services make DART accessible, um, to those that have disabilities?

So

Yeah. So I mean, our, our, our goal is just to provide, uh, that sense of freedom and accessibility throughout of our, throughout our service area. Um, letting people go to jobs, uh, go to healthcare appointments, uh, go shopping, go on a night out, uh, with their friends, things like that. Uh, give them that sense of independence, um, that we want for everybody, uh, all over our service area.

So now you kind of answered one of our questions, but now I'm gonna dig a little deeper because now you've got me all interested. Um, so paratransit is probably the easiest or the most, what people use the most. The, you know, I gotta go to the doctor's appointment, I need to get to BIND. Mm-hmm. You know, they pick you up a home. They come here. What's the compatibility

com? I don't remember what you said, but, um, That goes along with the paratransit.

So like our other services or Yeah, yeah. Uh, like the other services that we run.

Yeah. That would help for, for the disabled.

Uh, I mean, paratransit is, is the main one that we run. Uh, we, we do go link, uh, which is a, um, we call it micro transits, but it's, you know, small little, um, areas in neighborhoods and cities, uh, where you can take a vehicle. Uh, from a rail station or transfer point anywhere, anywhere else within that zone. Right.

Oh, okay. So like getting picked up at the rail station to get right to your next destination. Right.

So it is kind of that last mile type service. Okay. Um, and so we as a department do operate that service, uh, but it, it's open to the general public. Uh, so we like to promote that. Um, we actually just expanded into, um, all 30 of our zones. Service from 5:00 AM to midnight, seven days a week. Uh, so previously it was a, a few different sets of service hours and things like that, but we actually expanded it, um, just to be synonymous with our fixed out service.

Now I really wish I lived in that dart area. My house is not, my house is in the colony, so Oh, gotcha.

Yeah, yeah. Oh, okay. Interesting. Um, I think that you've also mentioned it a little bit, and actually in our upcoming episode two we had mentioned about the light rail. Is that also like hand,

handicap. There we go. Is that also accessible for everyone?

Absolutely. So the, the vehicles themselves, um, it's called c it's called the C cars. So you have, uh, the middle of each rail car, um, is at a level boarding area. Um, so anyone, like in a mobility to buy device or a stroller, um, anything, uh, it's, it's level boarding so you can actually, uh, go right on. There's no stairs or anything like that. Um, so it is fully accessible.

have a quick question about that, cuz I, I have ridden the rail. Um, I have not ridden the rail with my wheelchair, but. How does that work? Because I know like in the past when I've ridden in a wheelchair on any kind of service that, you know, they lock the wheelchair in, but on the train you pretty much just have to lock your wheelchair yourself and Hold on. Just, I'm guessing, do you understand what I'm saying? It's

not, I see what you're saying. That, so in the, in the middle, in the seat car of that rail area where the accessible boarding is, there are, uh, specific spaces mm-hmm. For, uh, yeah, I've seen them wheelchairs and mobility devices. Um, But yeah, there, I mean, we would just ask you to Yeah. Put, put the brake on. But yeah, absolutely. Okay.

This, I just, in my brain, I was seeing it and that's, I was thinking about it cuz I know when I just went to the airport, I rode on the transportation to get the car. They had me all locked in, like locked up my wheelchair, you know, for me. Gotcha. So, I, which I'm kind of glad cuz they drove a little crazy.

And then also like, um, for these, um, situations or like these.

benefits do you have to apply and qualify for these, uh, services? And then how much does it normally

cost? Great questions. Uh, so for paratransit, uh, yes, there is an application process. Uh, so there's a paper application and then, uh, like a supplemental piece that a doctor, healthcare provider, uh, would just certify a disability. Uh, once we receive that paperwork, we'll call you to schedule an appointment. There's a, um, in-person assessment at our headquarters building, which is in downtown Dallas. Uh, we'll bring you in for that and, um, just.

Okay. And, and like the Go Link you said that's open to anyone so that you don't have, do you have to qualify for that as well if you're already on

paratransit? No, you don't. Uh, you don't have to qualify. Um, I should mention that if you do become, uh, eligible and certified for Paratransit, you'll get the, um, you'll get a paratransit ID card. Okay. Uh, with the paratransit ID card, you can actually ride our fixed route free. So bus, rail and go link, uh, would be free to you. Oh, okay.

Great. Interesting. And I had another question that I thought about

Oh. So there it is. That's what it was. So is there a fixed amount of destinations you can go to in a day or travel times that you can go to?

Uh, no. Uh, you can use the service as much as you'd like. Um, you know, you, you just wanna make sure to leave enough time to, to get to your destination. Um, Do what you, what you're there for, if it's an appointment or to go shopping or something like that. And then, yeah, you can, you know, take as many trips as you'd like. That's, that's really our goal is to Okay. To give you that, uh, accessibility. Yeah.

Yeah. And I think that's also really good that you've been saying that because I think that. There's just like this idea that you're only able to take it for like medical reasons, because no, you're having an issue and that's the only thing you're allowed to do.

So, no, that's a good point. Um, yeah, sometimes there is that misconception that it's only for medical appointments or, or something that's, you know, needed per se. Uh, but no, it's, it's for anything and everything you can. Uh, go to a restaurant, you can go shopping, you can go to your medical appointments, uh, you can go to work, um, you can go to school. So it's, it's for anything.

Thank you so much for that. Yeah, I think that's really like, that's like being aware that this is available for you as a, um, you know, if you have some kind of difficulty being mobile or trans Yeah. Going around. So I think that's awesome. So thank you for

that. It is. Absolutely. Yeah. And I'm gonna take a quick little break and ask our listeners to go ahead and click that like button on whatever platform you're on and go ahead and share it as well while you're listening and we'll come back. So, There's a lot of, you still said one earlier that my, I'm racking my brain to remember. Um, and it's not compatible. Companion, did you say something about like companion writer. Uh, or did I just make that up? Because

it's possible. We do have what's called, uh, personal care attendant. Okay. Uh, or we call it PCA for short. Uh, but that is an individual that can help the, uh, paratransit rider if, if they need help getting on or off the vehicle or assistance at the destination, things like that. Okay. Um, that's just something we'd request that, um, you let us know. If you need that, um, it's best to let us know just kind of during the eligibility process, but okay.

can take a look at that. Okay. And then is there an additional fee for that additional writer?

There is not. So the, the attendant would ride free with the customer.

Okay. Yeah. Interesting. And I know that you've been giving us a lot of great information, so thank you so much for that. Of course. But before we started, you had mentioned you've been working there for like a while now. Yeah. So what have you been learning throughout the process of working with dart? Like you've been working there for now 10 years? Uh, 13 years now. 13 years, yeah. Um, you must have seen like a lot of progress through the last 13 years working

at dart. Absolutely. So, um, I actually started in our call center downtown, uh, back in 20, 20 10, I guess it was. Um, and so I, I had a few different roles in the call center, and then I went to mobility management in 20. Uh, 2015. Um, but yeah, absolutely. It's, you know, uh, we've opened up, uh, new stations. We opened up, uh, new pieces on the green line, the orange line to dfw. Um, so it's, it's been awesome just to kind of see the expansion of the system and.

Yeah, yeah. It's been, it's been definitely neat. The process. Yeah. It's, I'm, I'm actually from Chicago, so like the process is totally different for me. Mm-hmm. I also don't live in the city anymore. I live in the suburbs and I'm always trying to figure out how to get into the city. Um, but I hear so many great feedback from members here at BIND because that's what they use.

yeah. Cool. Is there one like. Key tip or little information that you would like our users to know, especially maybe those users that do have a little more difficulty traveling around that. What's one of the best things they can know about traveling with dart or safety or concerns or,

um, I mean, we have, um, you know, like a See Something say something app. We have the Go Pass app, which we really like, um, uh, to make, to make writers aware of. Um, Our goal is to have all of our, uh, passes, undergo pass. Uh, right now, of course, paratransit is, um, cash or coupon, but our goal is to have that under the Go Pass app. But for instance, um, if you're interested in, um, Trying out a new route or going someplace new on bus or rail.

So I guess also we let our listeners know, cuz like we kind of discussed this earlier with Rick. I know you're Dallas area Rapid Transit, but there are some portions of dirt that access maybe, that aren't necessarily Dallas County, but for the most part it's Dallas County proper.

So it, it's by city, so it's, uh, Dallas and many of the surrounding cities, but not all. Um, so there's, um, 13 member cities in DFW Airport. Um, I, I can look up the list. Um, Uh, but the, yeah, so I'm sure that's listed on your website though. Absolutely. And I, I can share that with, uh, a link for your listeners or, yeah, we'll definitely get that. But yeah, so Plano Richardson, uh, Garland Valley, Dallas, uh, the Park Cities, uh, Irving, uh, those are all the ones up north.

Okay. Yeah. That's good to know.

That is really good to know. I do wanna also make sure to let all of our, um, Um, listeners know and followers and everything that we are definitely gonna have your information available on the description below to make sure that anyone that has any additional questions in using you as a resource, because this is really important for how to transfer, like how to. Like travel. Mm-hmm. And go around in Dallas and then another area. So we will have that available for sure.

Um, yeah. So we do have, um, uh, social media folks at dart. Um, so I, I can, um, get, get their, uh, What are, I think they're called handles or, uh, yeah. Uh, yes. As you can tell, I'm not, uh, the biggest social media person myself, but yes, that's okay. We do have, uh, we do have folks and, um, Yeah.

Is and is, is the website pretty user friendly?

Yeah, we, and uh, within the last year we actually launched a new website. Okay. Um, so it's, it's got a wealth of information on there. Um, I, I even tell my employees, uh, just to kind of look around cuz there's always something new on there or if you just want to discover what we have to offer.

Sure. But you did say also for some of us, especially, Those of us that are getting older, maybe a little disabled, um, sometimes we don't like technology. You said there is always an option to call to make your serv, you know, to figure out your routes too.

Absolutely. So, um, with, for instance, with Paratransit, you, uh, you can always call in to our call center to book a trip. Uh, you can always call us if you have questions about how the service runs. Uh, and then for like bus or rail, Uh, or just general information about dart. Uh, we have a, a dedicated call center, so we, we always have somebody available.

Yeah, because you know, sometimes you just wanna double check and you feel better go real person. Of course. Yeah. Well, Chris, we definitely thank you so much for taking your time to come in and talk to us today and for us to learn more about dart. Like I said, I'm a little disappointed the Colony's not a part of it because I can get to that go link. Sounds really exciting. That sounds better than Ubering too. A dark light rail station, so, but. Maybe, maybe someday. Right? But they can

Demand, demand demand.

But, but again, thank you very much and we'll put dart's website for sure. And get some of the social media information from you to put out there. Sounds good. Thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you. It's been a pleasure.

And thank you to all of our guests and, um, Our followers, uh, for continuing to listening to these episodes on Thursdays. Uh, like I had said earlier, the descriptions will be available with all the resources, uh, so make sure to check that out. If you would like to contact us, you can contact us through our email, which is BIND Waves at the BIND dot org, and you can also follow us on our Instagram at BIND waves and visit our website as well at the at the BIND dot org slash BIND waves.

Don't forget to, like, share, subscribe to every, every episode you listen to, and if you're on YouTube, hit that notify button and just keep on listening. Watching for us on Thursdays.

Yep. Until next time.

Until next time.