New same-day options for riders of paratransit in San Mateo County

“Redi-Wheels is an ADA paratransit program with several federal requirements, one of the requirements being that we must provide trips to all eligible customers who call at least one day in advance. We are not required to provide a service on the same day,” Ana Rivas, director of bus transportation at SamTrans, said. “However, same-day paratransit service is something that our customers have been asking for for a long time. 

The pilot offered trips to Redi-Wheels registrants in two separate zones between 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Though they weren’t sure what to expect, Rivas said the new same-day service has seen significant ridership, completing 380 trips — averaging about four per day — among 136 individuals. About one-third were low-income riders. 

“We found that it’s mostly being used for unanticipated trips, rather than being used as the customer’s primary way of using paratransit services. Most importantly, we found that this has not impacted negatively our Redi-Wheels regular services,” Rivas said. 

During the Aug. 7 meeting, the board approved expansion of the program, eliminating travel restrictions between zones and extending the hours to end at 6 p.m., rather than 3 p.m. The approval also comes with the ability to conduct more marketing and outreach to Redi-Wheels registrants to notify them about the new service. 

Rivas said almost 40% of the trips were for medical appointments, about 20% involved running errands and others took trips primarily for other outings, such as social engagements or grocery shopping. Jeff Gee, SamTrans board member, Caltrain board chair and Redwood City mayor, said the program is an important way for customers to access better medical care.

“This is a good thing. In many ways we’re providing a service that’s responsive to what we’re seeing in the medical industry right now,” Gee said. “What we’re seeing in the medical profession is more of these cancellations or opportunities for that same-day appointment, and by providing this service, our patronage can say, ‘Yes I can be there,’ which can enhance quality of life.’”