RTEC Services Page


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Public Transportation Provider: RTEC provides public transportation services for the following counties located in Southeast Kentucky: Bell, Clinton, Cumberland, Knox, Laurel, McCreary, Monroe, Pulaski, Rockcastle , Russell, Taylor, Wayne and Whitley, including trips to the urban area.

Region 12 Broker for Human Service Transportation Delivery: RTEC, the broker for Human Service Transportation Services in Region 12, verifies program eligibility for recipients and issues ride tickets to transportation carriers in the provider network. Eligible recipients should call 3 days in advance of the day of travel to make reservations. Wheelchair users and passengers coded 07 will have a freedom of choice of providers in the Region 12 Provider Network.

Urgent Care Transportation: RTEC provides transportation service through its contract for human service transportation delivery for accessing urgent care. For this purpose, "urgent care" is defined as an unscheduled episodic situation in which there is no threat to life or limb, but the passenger must be seen on the same day as the request and cannot be delayed until the next day. When transportation service for urgent care is rendered with payment from KMAP expected, RTEC may verify with the direct provider of service the need for urgent care. RTEC can be paged 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for brokering passenger rides for urgent care through the delivery of Human Service Transportation.

RTEC Public Transportation and Region 12 HSTD

Central Business Office Hours

RTEC’s Central Business Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM Eastern Time except on major holidays.

Reservation Department Office Hours

RTEC’s reservation department is open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM and on Saturday 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM local time except on major holidays.

Scheduling Transportation

Reservations for transportation will be scheduled during regular business hours by calling toll-free 1-800-321-7832 or 606-256-9835. A recording will direct you to the correct telephone extension or urgent care line. All calls are monitored/recorded for quality service.

Hours of Operation

RTEC’s regular hours for transportation services are Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 8 PM and on Saturday 8 AM until 1 PM local time except on major holidays and during inclement weather.

Holiday Closings

RTEC’s offices and operations are closed on the following holidays: New Year Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Only urgent care (certified by a physician) transportation will be provided.

Give Early Notice – Cash Fares

RTEC requires a minimum twenty-four hour notice to schedule public transportation for a cash fare. If adequate notice is not received, refer to "Outside Regular Bus Operating Hours" below. Cancellations should be called in with a minimum of 2 hours notice.

Give Early Notice – Human Service Transportation Delivery (HSTD)

A seventy-two hour notice is required for scheduling HSTD transportation. This notice is necessary for certifying eligibility, appropriate referrals and other information required by the Kentucky Medicaid Assistance Program. Cancellations should be called in with a minimum of 2 hours notice.

Regular Cash Charges

Passengers must pay when boarding the bus and have the correct change to pay the driver. During regular operating hours the cost of one way fare is $0.80 cents per mile, or a minimum fare (1-4 miles) $3.00 per passenger boarding the bus.

Outside Regular Bus Operating Hours (Currently not Applicable)

In the event transportation service is scheduled outside the regular operating hours or one-way trips, a cash fare is $1.20 per mile. The minimum fare (1-4 miles) is $4.00 each time boarding the bus.

Saturdays, before 8:00 AM and after 1:00 PM, the fare is $1.20 per mile and the minimum fare is $4.00 each time boarding the bus.

Sundays, the fare is $1.60 per mile with a minimum fare of $5.00 each time boarding the bus.

A service charge may apply to long distance one-way trips. Waiting fees or service charges are charged at a rate of $7.00 per hour.

Attendants/Escorts -

Child or Children:

RTEC requires that a child twelve (12) and under must be accompanied by one responsible adult. The escort will be allowed to ride the bus at no additional charge and must board at the same location as the child or pay regular fare while the child to be accompanied is not on board. One escort per child is allowed at no additional charge. RTEC does not require an escort, but will allow an escort at no additional charge to accompany an individual 13-17 years of age. When the reservation is made, the passenger must inform the reservation staff when an escort will be riding. Two escorts are required for a group consisting of five or more children per vehicle.

Infant:

RTEC will allow the parents of an infant child to ride the bus at no additional charge to accompany the infant to an urgent medical appointment. The parents must board at the same location as the child or pay regular fare while the person to be accompanied is not on board, or charge to other programs when arrangements have been made in advance. Families must provide an approved infant/child seat that meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

Disoriented Person:

RTEC requires that one (1) responsible escort accompany any person or group of persons who are disoriented. The driver may serve as an escort in some cases.

Violent or Disruptive Behavior

RTEC requires that one (1) responsible escort (other than the driver) must accompany a person who has the potential of becoming disruptive, who is at risk of causing harm to self, driver, or other passengers.

An escort must board at the same location as the passenger or pay regular fare while the person to be accompanied is not on board.

Escort When Medically Necessary:

When medically necessary, RTEC will allow an escort to accompany a passenger to a medical facility when the person having an appointment is visually/hearing impaired or other illness or injury causing the passenger to need a high level of assistance. An escort must board at the same location as the passenger or pay regular fare while the person to be accompanied is not on board. Any additional escorts will be required to pay full fare. Additionally, RTEC may require that an escort accompany a passenger who is the resident of a 24-hour nursing care facility.

Animals:

Service animals are allowed to board the RTEC vehicles and the responsibility of the passenger.

Mission Statement – RTEC’s mission is to provide transportation services that are affordable, accessible and available to all persons living in the 12-county service area.

Level of Transportation Service

Passengers should be ready and waiting for the arrival of the bus. Scheduling the return trip is equally as important as the original appointment.

Drivers should not need to enter the residence or facility, except in circumstances with prior approval from RTEC management.

Facilities and residences should have an accessible entrance, including a ramp and electronic doors. When an electronic doorway is not possible, the facility or residence should offer an alternative method for holding the door open to make wheelchair accessible.

The different levels of services are briefly described below:

Curb-to-Curb or Regular Service - A service where the passenger does not need assistance from the driver and under most circumstances will board the bus at the curb.
Door-to-Door – A service where the driver will assist a disabled person from the door of a facility and assist with boarding the bus. A physician’s statement may be required to support the need for this service.
Wheelchair Service – The driver will assist the wheelchair user from the threshold of their residence to the facility destination and assist with boarding the bus and securement devices.

Over the past several years, wheelchairs and scooters have become increasingly diverse with regard to size, design and functional capabilities. Various types of wheelchairs and scooters have become commonplace and are being used by a broader range of people with disabilities.

In order to meet ADA accessibility guidelines, fixed route buses and trains, as well as ADA Paratransit vehicles, are required to accommodate a wheelchair or scooter that measures up to 30-inches wide and 48-inches long and weighs less than 600 pounds when occupied. Mobility devices that fall within these ranges are referred to as "common" wheelchairs in the ADA. Vehicles must also have sufficient maneuvering space to allow a "common" wheelchair to reach the securement area. Commuter rail cars must also follow similar accessibility guidelines.

Even if fixed route buses and trains, commuter rail cars and ADA Paratransit vehicles meet the accessibility guidelines, it is important to know that some wheelchairs and scooters do not meet the standard measurements for a "common" wheelchair and may not fit on public transportation vehicles. Wheelchairs and scooters must not exceed these clearly defined measurements in order to assure that the individual using these mobility devices is able to maneuver through the aisle of a transit vehicle to the wheelchair securement area. The ADA does not require public transit operators to accommodate wheelchairs or scooters that do not meet the ADA's guidelines for size and weight.

Comments:

These guidelines may be revised as needed and will become effective immediately. Do not hesitate to call the RTEC Central Business Office for other guidelines or to request a clarification of this information.

Thank you,

Management

Send mail to rtec@kih.net with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2004-2010 Rural Transit Enterprises Coordinated, Inc. This page was edited 01/27/2010.

Send mail to rtec@kih.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2004-2010 Rural Transit Enterprises Coordinated, Inc.
This page was edited 01/27/2010.