Ride with Metro Connect

To receive origin-to-destination service, the following conditions must be met:

• The passenger must be certified with Metro Connect as door-to-door eligible
• The driver must be able to maintain sight of the vehicle at all times
• There must be a safe and accessible path of travel from the vehicle to the entry door
• There must be a safe place to park on a public roadway, public parking lot or residential driveway
• The parked vehicle must not block or impede traffic

If any of the above conditions are not met, the location is considered non-serviceable for door-to-door service and the driver will render curb-to-curb service. There may be additional locations or situations where the driver cannot leave the vehicle and will render curb-to-curb service. Drivers will always assist passengers on and off the vehicle.

You may use Metro Connect for any trip purpose.

Metro Connect operates three kinds of vehicles:  25-passenger El Dorado buses, 11-passenger Ford Cutaway buses, and 5 to 10 -passenger Ford Econoline vans. All vehicles are marked with the Metro Connect logo. You may be picked up in any of these vehicles so please watch for all three types.

All vehicles are lift-equipped. If you need assistance boarding the vehicle, the driver will assist you. All drivers are trained to operate the lift and mobility securement device.

Metro Connect will transport all mobility devices and occupants that the vehicle lift can physically and safely accommodate.  Legitimate safety requirements include such circumstance as a mobility device of such size that would block an aisle, be too large to fit on the lift or fully enter the vehicle or would interfere with the safe evacuation of passengers in an emergency.

Note:  If you are ambulatory and need assistance boarding the vehicle, you may request the driver to deploy the lift for boarding.

The fare for a one-way trip varies according to an individual's eligibility.  The fares are:

$12.00--Cash Fare: The fare paid by an individual who is not registered as a senior or a passenger with a disability.
$14.00--Cash Subscription Fare: The fare paid by an individual who is not registered as a senior or a passenger with a disability for a Subscription. Cash subscription fares must be pre-paid and are non-refundable.
$4.00--Reduced Fare Demand/Response Trip: The fare paid by a certified senior or individual with a disability for a demand/response trip.
$6.00--Demand/Response Subscription Trip: The fare paid by a certified senior or individual with a disability for a routine ride for a medical, employment or education trip. Demand/Response Subscription trips must be paid for in advance of the service dates. Fares for Subscription trips are non-refundable when service is cancelled.
$3.00--Metro Connect Access Fare: The fare paid by an individual certified as ADA eligible within the Metro Connect Access service area. Access subscription service fare is also $3.00.
$10.00--Child Fares: The fare paid by a child over 48 inches tall not certified with a disability. Child subscription trips are $12.00. Children under 48 inches tall ride for free when accompanied by an adult.

Personal Care Attendants: Individuals requiring extra assistance may be certified to travel with a personal care attendant (PCA).  It is the passenger's responsibility to arrange for their own PCA. Passengers should let the scheduler know they will be traveling with a PCA when they schedule their ride.  Individuals may not be PCAs if they have any physical challenges preventing them from assisting the passenger. Personal Care Attendants must travel to and from the same schedule locations with the passenger.

Payment: One-way fare is expected at the time of boarding. Exact change is required; drivers do not carry change. Transportation will not be provided without payment. Payment can be made with cash, check or coupon.

Coupons: Metro Connect and Access coupons may be purchased in advance for your convenience. Purchase coupons by using Metro Passes Order Form.  Download Here

Mail Pass Order Form to Kalamazoo Transportation Center (KTC) 459 N. Burdick St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007; by telephone with a credit card at 337-8201;or in person at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Passes can also be purchased using Token Transit app or by going to www.tokentransit.com/ and using Send a Pass feature.

• Drive vehicles in unsafe driveways or roadways
• Enter a passenger's private residence
• Go beyond the entry door of a building to assist or locate a passenger
• Wait for an attendant to receive a passenger at their destination
• Carry packages or grocery bags
• Handle a service animal
• Operate a passenger's power mobility device

No Shows

A passenger is considered a no show if they do not board the vehicle within 5 minutes of their scheduled pickup time or if the trip is declined once the driver has arrived for scheduled pickup.  Dispatch will call the listed phone number to let the passenger know the vehicle has arrived if no one comes out at the scheduled time. If there is no response the vehicle will leave after 5 minutes and a no show will be charged.

No Shows that are beyond the passenger’s control will not be counted against them.  These include:

• Any no show due to Metro Connect error
• Trips that have a scheduling error
• Pickups scheduled or vehicles that are at the wrong location
• Drivers arriving more than 15 minutes past the scheduled pickup time
• Drivers arriving and leaving before the scheduled pickup time
• Weather related no shows
• Medical emergencies
• Sudden illness
• Family emergencies
• Hospitalization

NOTE:  If a passenger is a no show on the first pickup of a scheduled round trip, the return trip will not automatically be cancelled and two no shows will be charged if the return trip is not cancelled.

Late Cancellations

A trip that is cancelled less than one hour before the scheduled pickup time is considered a no show.  Trips can be cancelled by calling 269-350-2970 or by email at mcc@applebuscompany.com.  The same criteria that are beyond the passenger’s control apply to late cancellations.

NOTE:  All no shows and late cancellations can be appealed by calling 269-337-8477 or by email at congdonr@kmetro.com, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Excessive No Shows and Suspension Policy

Metro Connect understands that passengers sometimes miss trips or forget to cancel rides they no longer need.  However, a pattern and practice of excessive no shows or late cancellations may lead to service penalties.

If a passenger has five or more no shows or late cancellations and they make up 15% of the overall trips scheduled in a calendar month they will receive a warning letter.  The letter will list the date, time and destinations of the scheduled trips that the no show or late cancellation occurred.

For example, if a passenger books 30 trips in a calendar month and misses five trips it would be considered a pattern and practice of no shows because the rider has five no shows and those make up 25% of the total scheduled rides.  The passenger would then receive a warning letter.

If a passenger schedules 10 trips and misses four, they would not receive a letter even though they missed 40% of their trips because they did not accumulate five or more no shows.

If a passenger receives additional no shows or late cancellations after the warning letter in the calendar month they will receive a two day suspension of service.  The passenger has 14 days from the issue of the letter to appeal the service suspension.  Appeals must be in writing or sent via email as outlined in the letter.  The Metro Connect Program Manager will make a determination within five business days of receipt of the appeal and the passenger will be notified by mail of the decision.  Suspensions will not be enacted during the appeal process.  If not appealed, the letter will give the dates of the suspension.

If the appealed suspension is upheld and the passenger is not satisfied with the determination they can request a formal review by the Local Advisory Committee.  A hearing will be scheduled during which the rider can present any materials or testimony relevant to the appeal.  The Local Advisory Committee will make a decision on the appeal within five business days and the passenger will be notified by mail and that decision will be final.

A third violation will result in a four day suspension and a fourth violation will result in a seven day suspension.  The same appeals process applies to subsequent suspensions.  Violation history covers a 12 month calendar year.

NOTE:  Please be considerate of your fellow Metro Connect passengers.  Every trip that is no showed takes away a potential trip from another passenger.  When you make a reservation, keep a record of the scheduled trip in a convenient location.  If you need to cancel a trip, call 269-350-2970 more than an hour before the scheduled pickup time.

Subscription Service is available for certified Metro Connect passengers on the basis of availability for regularly occurring trips. Trips must occur at least two times per week to/from the same locations and at the same times to be considered for Subscription Service. Subscription Service must be used for a minimum period of three months. Passengers may schedule up to four Subscription trips as long as the times, locations and days are consistent. Subscription Service is limited to trips to work, work training, volunteer work, education, and specialized medical care. To request an application for Subscription Service, please call (269) 337-8477 or print the Subscription Service Application.

More Information

Metro Connect offers a grocery bag assistance service to all passengers.  Drivers will assist passengers with loading their grocery bags on the vehicle and bringing them to the first door at the passenger's destination.  Drivers cannot enter stores or bring grocery bags into the residence.

• Tuesday, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
• Wednesday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Thursday, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
• Friday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Scheduling a grocery trip

Let the scheduler know that you are requesting a grocery shopping trip at the time you are booking the trip and that you will need assistance from the driver to load and unload your items. All grocery shopping trips are based on availability. To schedule a grocery shopping trip, please call (269) 350-2970.

Drivers are not responsible for any damaged or spoiled items. Drivers are not allowed to accept tips.

Price for service

• Double the passenger's regular fare to transport groceries
• Double fare applies to the grocery trip only

Types of items

• Standard plastic, paper or reusable grocery bags only
• No oversized items that cannot fit in the standard grocery bags
• No items weighing more than 20 pounds
• No large bags
• No shopping carts

Number of bags

• The driver will assist with a maximum of ten (10) bags
• Passengers may bring additional bags that they or their attendant can manage

Restraint of personal mobility devices

All personal mobility devices that are transported by Metro must be properly secured before the vehicle can travel. If you are in a mobility device, the driver will offer you a lap belt, but you are not required to use it.

Child car seats

All children traveling on Metro Connect under the age of 4 years must use an approved child car seat in accordance with Michigan State Law. Children under the age of eight and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches tall must be securely fastened in a child booster seat.

It is the passenger's responsibility to provide and secure the child and the car seat. Car seats must be removed from the vehicle upon arrival at the destination. Passengers unable to install the seat themselves will be certified to travel with a Personal Care Attendant when children under the age of 4 are transported.

Children under the age of 6 years must be accompanied by an adult and travel to and from the same locations. Children under the age of 16 years must ride in the rear seat of the vehicle.

Packages or Bags

You may only bring packages or bags on board that you or your PCA or companion can handle in one trip. Drivers are not allowed to assist with packages or bags. If a vehicle arrives to pick you up and you have too many packages or bags you may be refused to transport.

Animals

Service animals are always welcome on Metro County Connect. The animal must be under the control of the rider throughout the trip, while boarding and exiting. Please let the scheduler know you will be traveling with a service animal when you book the trip.

Non-service animals will not be allowed to board without prior notification. All non-service animals must be contained within a pet carrier.

Passengers Traveling with a Respirator or Portable Oxygen Supply

Metro County Connect passengers can travel with oxygen cylinders as long as they are in proper working order and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.  Cylinders must be secured to prevent movement and kept out of the aisle of the vehicle.  Each cylinder shoud be equipped with a valve protection cap.

Portage oxygen concentrators are allowed and do not have to be secured in the same manner as an oxygen cylinder.

Metro provides reasonable modifications to individuals with disabilities by making changes to policies, practices and procedures if needed by the an individual with a disability to access Metro's services including fixed-route service, ADA paratransit service and demand/response service, as long as the requests do not fundamentally alter the nature of the service, result in under financial or administrative burdens or compromise safety.

When possible, please make requests for modifications in advance, particularly if it is a permanent need. You can request modifications for fixed-route service by calling 337-8694 and for Metro Connect ADA and Demand/Response service by calling 337-8477. In service requests for modifications will be assessed at the time and granted if determined feasible.

Training to ride Metro Transit fixed-route service and Metro Connect is available at no cost to individuals and groups. Our trainer will teach you about specific bus routes, transfers, fares, how to schedule rides and how to use the service. Training arrangements can be made by calling (269) 337-8702.

If you are at an appointment that is going to last longer than your scheduled pick-up time, contact Metro Connect scheduling as soon as possible and let them know that you will not be ready at your scheduled time. You will be put on the will-call list. When your appointment is done, call scheduling and let them know you are ready to be picked up. The same can be done if an appointment ends early. The next available vehicle will be dispatched as soon as possible. Missed rides that become will-calls will not be recorded as a No Show.

It is Metro Connect's goal to provide safe, comfortable service for all passengers. To assure a pleasant commute for all, please observe the following rules:

• Seatbelts must be used in accordance with State of Michigan Law.
• No eating or drinking is allowed on the vehicles unless required due to a medical condition.
• Smoking is prohibited on all vehicles.
• You cannot ride with open containers of alcohol or bring illegal drugs.
• You cannot ride while intoxicated.
• Proper attire, including shirts and shoes or appropriate foot coverings, is required on the vehicle.
• You cannot ride with any open wounds, sores or discharge of bodily fluids that create a biohazard for other passengers and drivers.
• You are requested not to wear scented personal care products on the vehicle for passengers with chemical sensitivities.
• You must remain seated while the vehicle is in motion.
• Ensure that mobility devices are in good working order.
• Be courteous to drivers and scheduling staff.
• Do not use vulgar, foul, abusive, threatening or obscene language or actions.
• Do not harass other passengers or Metro Connect staff, including racial, sexual, gender or age-related harassment.

NOTE: Metro Connect service may be suspended due to inappropriate, aggressive or abusive behavior toward drivers, scheduling staff or other passengers. Metro reserves the right to require that a personal care attendant travel with the passenger as a condition to ride instead of a service suspension due to behavior violations. All suspensions can be appealed in writing to: Metro Connect Coordinator, 530 N. Rose St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007.