Printer
TextTransportation Guide to Northern Virginia for People with Disabilities
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Americans with Disabilities Act
Paratransit
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City and County Operated
Paratransit
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Bus Systems
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Rail
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Train
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Taxi Cabs
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Airports
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Other Transportation
Resources/Programs
The purpose of this guide is to help Fairfax area residents who have disabilities coordinate their transportation needs. If you have specific questions, please contact the relevant transit provider or visit the provider’s website. Accessible transportation is a necessity for basic life activities. Getting to work, attending religious ceremonies, visiting friends, going to the grocery store, and just about any other errand requires transportation. Transportation promotes freedom, independence, and access to the community. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the civil rights of people with disabilities by mandating equal access on both public and private transportation. To be protected by the ADA, a person must have a disability or impairment that "substantially limits one or more major life activities, or be perceived by others as having such an impairment."
Title II of the ADA covers public transportation and is enforced by the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA). If you have any questions or concerns regarding public transportation for people with disabilities, you can contact the FTA on their toll-free ADA Assistance Line at 1-888-446-4511, by email at FTA.ADAAssistance@dot.gov, or visit www.fta.dot.gov/ada.
All information regarding policies, fares, and contact numbers that is disseminated by transportation providers must be made available in accessible formats upon request. Braille, large print, TTY, email, telephone recordings, and accessible websites are examples of alternate means and formats.
Riders with disabilities are permitted up to two service animals on public or private transportation. The ADA defines a service animal as one that has been trained to provide assistance to a person with a disability. The civil right concerning service animals is an exception to a "no pets" policy. The ADA requires that stops be announced, upon request, at sufficient intervals along a route to orient a person with a visual impairment to the vehicle’s location. Associated with this is the requirement to announce or otherwise notify customers waiting at a transit stop of the arrival of a fixed route vehicle when that stop is served by more than one route. All ADA compliant vehicles have a two or four part securement system. The driver or operator will secure the passenger’s wheelchair via the frame. The securements used on the wheelchair are meant to replicate the stationary chairs on the bus with the intent to increase safety for all passengers. A person who uses a wheelchair can request assistance with fastening the seatbelt if desired. People who use mobility devices and/or people who have a disability that limits stair use, can request to use the vehicle’s lift or ramp to embark and disembark the vehicle. Public transit and paratransit permits one personal care attendant to ride for free for every qualified passenger with a disability.
Americans with Disabilities Act Paratransit
MetroAccess (Serving the DC Metro area)
301-562-5360, TTY 301-588-7535
www.wmata.com/accessibility/metroaccess_service/
MetroAccess is the ADA paratransit service for the Washington, DC
metropolitan area for people with disabilities who cannot access or use
public transportation because of their disabilities. MetroAccess provides
door-to-door transportation service for eligible riders.
MetroAccess services any location in the District of Columbia;
Montgomery, Prince George’s, Arlington, and Fairfax counties; and the
cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church that are within
three-quarters of a mile of any fixed-route service operated by
Metrorail, Metrobus, or any of the above local jurisdictions.
Before using MetroAccess, customers must complete an application
and undergo an eligibility assessment. At the eligibility assessment, a
staff member will evaluate your functional abilities related to use of
public transit, including, for example, your ability to walk or travel a
measured distance. If you use a mobility aid, you must bring it to the
assessment. ?Once eligible, a customer is issued an identification card
and assigned an identification number for making reservations.
Reservations can be made 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. Trips
can be scheduled 1-7 days in advance of the date of travel. MetroAccess
also provides service to visitors to the Washington metropolitan area.
When visiting the area, persons wishing to use MetroAccess can obtain
temporary eligibility by calling and selecting the
eligibility/recertification option from the phone menu.
City and County Operated Transportation for People with Disabilities
City Wheels (Serving the City of Fairfax)
703-385-7859
www.fairfaxva.gov/cueBus/RiderInformation.asp
City Wheels is a City of Fairfax program that provides alternative
transportation within Fairfax City, to the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail
station, to George Mason University-Fairfax campus, and to Fair Oaks
Hospital for city residents with disabilities who cannot use bus service.
Persons must apply for eligibility for City Wheels. Once accepted,
participants receive an identification card, order forms, and a list of
participating transportation companies. Coupons are valid for a one-way
non-stop trip and can be ordered and paid for in advance.
DOT Paratransit Program (Serving the City of Alexandria)
703-746-4079, TTY 703-836-5222
www.alexandriava.gov/transit
DOT is the City of Alexandria’s specialized transportation service for
residents who cannot use public transportation due to their disability.
Trips are provided by taxicabs and wheelchair accessible vans. DOT
provides service to the City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church,
Arlington County, Fairfax County, and Fairfax City.
Fastran (Serving Fairfax County and Cities of Falls Church and
Fairfax)
703-222-9764 ext. 2, TTY 703-324-7079
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/rec/fastran
Fastran offers specialized transportation services for residents of
Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church participating
in human service agency programs. All Fastran riders must be certified by
a participating agency before utilizing the service. Most riders are not
charged a fare. Dial-a-Ride users pay $1 - $2 in the farebox each way,
depending upon the length of the trip. Critical Medical Care users pay up
to $5.00 per one-way trip, depending upon income.
STAR (Serving Arlington County)
703-892-8747
www.arlingtontransit.com/pages/star
STAR serves Arlington residents who have difficulty using public transit
due to the effects of age or disability. STAR is a shared ride
paratransit service intended to provide a comparable level of
transportation as provided by ART, Metrobus, and Metrorail. STAR riders
share trips if they are generally traveling in the same direction at the
same time. Trips are scheduled, with a few exceptions, without regard to
the purpose of the trip. STAR riders must preplan activities and schedule
STAR trips in advance as same day service is generally not
available.
Bus Systems
ART (Serving Arlington County)
703-228-7433
www.arlingtontransit.com
ART - Arlington Transit operates within Arlington County, supplementing
Metrobus with smaller vehicles and providing access to Metrorail and
Virginia Railway Express. All ART buses are fully accessible with
wheelchair lifts and priority seating.
CUE (Serving the City of Fairfax)
703-385-7859 (Voice/TTY)
www.fairfaxva.gov/CueBus/CueBus.asp
The City of Fairfax’s CUE Bus system not only provides regularly
scheduled, low-cost service to George Mason University, to shopping
centers and other locations within the City of Fairfax, but also serves
as a feeder network to the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail Station. All
buses on every route are fully accessible.
DASH (Serving the City of Alexandria)
703-746-3274
www.dashbus.com
The Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH bus system provides service within
the City of Alexandria, and connects with Metrobus, Metrorail, Virginia
Railway Express, and all local bus systems. DASH serves all of the
Alexandria Metrorail Stations and the Pentagon Metrorail station during
morning and evening peak periods. All DASH buses are wheelchair
accessible.
Fairfax Connector (Serving Fairfax County)
703-339-7200, TTY 703-339-1608
www.fairfaxconnector.com
The Fairfax Connector system serves Fairfax County/ All buses are
accessible and have a mandatory wheelchair securement policy. Bus service
hours vary by route.
Loudoun County Transit (Serving Loudoun County)
877-465-2287, TTY 711
www.loudoun.gov/bus
Loudoun County Transit operates rush hour service from park and ride
lots in Loudoun to destinations that include West Falls Church Metro,
Rosslyn, the Pentagon, and Washington, D.C. Loudoun County Transit buses
are equipped with wheelchair lifts and appropriate seating for up to two
wheelchairs.
Metrobus (Serving the DC Metro area)
202-637-7000, TTY 202-638-3780
www.wmata.com/bus/
Metrobus, operated by Metro, provides bus service to the entire
metropolitan area, including Virginia, the District, and Maryland. All
buses in the Metro fleet are accessible.
OmniLink (Serving Prince William County)
703-730-6664, TTY 711
www.prtctransit.org/local-bus/index.php
OmniLink is the local weekday (demand responsive) bus service that
operates in Eastern Prince William County and the Manassas area. OmniLink
was designed to meet the transportation needs of the entire community,
including individuals who may have difficulty getting to established bus
stops. All OmniLink buses are wheelchair-accessible and all have
designated priority seating.
OmniRide (Serving Prince William County)
703-730-6664, TTY 711
www.prtctransit.org/commuter-bus/index.php
OmniRide offers weekday service from locations throughout Prince William
County along the I-95 corridor and Manassas and Gainesville areas along
the I-66 corridor to destinations that include the Vienna, West Falls
Church, and Franconia/Springfield Metrorail Stations; the Pentagon;
Crystal City; Rosslyn/Ballston; downtown Washington, D.C.; Capitol Hill;
the Washington Navy Yard; Bolling AFB; and Anacostia NAS. Most
OmniRide buses are wheelchair-accessible and all have designated priority
seating.
Metrorail
202-637-7000, TTY 202-638-3780
www.wmata.com
MetroRail provides rapid rail service to the entire Washington
metropolitan area. Stations and rail cars are accessible, and elevators
are in all stations. Each station has an accessible fare vending machine
with lower panels and easy-to-use instructions in Braille, raised
alphabet, and audio. Extra wide, accessible faregates are available for
customers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. A TTY-equipped
telephone is on each mezzanine. Truncated domes are in all key and new
stations to alert customers who are blind or have low vision that they
are near the edge of the platform. Barriers between rail cars and gap
reducers also assist customers with disabilities.
Metro’s Disability and Senior ID card customers pay half of the regular
fare at all times. Personal care attendants may qualify to ride at half
the regular fare depending on the eligibility criteria of the Metro
Disability ID card holder. MetroAccess customers with a valid MetroAccess
photo ID and companion ride free.
Visitors from outside the Washington metropolitan area with a disability
must show a Medicare card or a onetime courtesy Metro Disability ID card
and valid photo ID. Senior citizens from outside the area must show photo
ID that shows their date of birth (65 years of age or older) to purchase
specially-encoded $10 reduced farecards at Metro sales offices and some
retail locations.
Train
Virginia Railway Express
703-684-1001, TTY 703-658-6377
www.vre.org
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provides commuter rail service between
Manassas, VA, and Washington, DC, and between Fredericksburg, VA, and
Washington, DC. VRE has accessible parking, access ramps, audio/visual
public address system, talking ticket vending machines, TTY phones, and
Braille signage. All VRE stations are wheelchair accessible with ramps
that lead to the platforms and motorized lifts on each train.
Taxi Cabs
Note: Only companies offering lift-equipped service for people with
disabilities and charging the same or lower fares as those paid by riders
without disabilities are listed under this heading.
Arlington Blue Top Cab
703-243-8294, TTY 711
www.bluetop.com
Arlington Blue Top Cab offers 24-hour service to and from Northern
Virginia, including Washington National Airport. It has accessible taxis
available for use.
Arlington Red Top Cab
703-522-3333, TTY 711
www.redtopcab.com
Arlington Red Top Cab provides taxi service to and from Arlington and
the surrounding Washington, DC metro area twenty-four hours a day. Red
Top’s wheelchair accessible vans are equipped with ramps and securement
devices.
Fairfax Red Top Cab
703-333-3333, TTY 711
www.fairfaxredtopcab.com
Fairfax Red Top Cab serves Northern Virginia and all airports, using a
metered fare. They have wheelchair accessible minivans with ramps. Red
Top also offers a 10% discounted rate for senior citizens and persons
with disabilities.
Falls Church Yellow Cab
703-534-1111, TTY 711
www.yellowcaboffairfax.com
Falls Church Yellow Cab serves Northern Virginia and all airports, using
a metered fare. They have wheelchair accessible minivans with
ramps.
Springfield Yellow Cab
703-451-2255, TTY 711
www.springfieldyellowcabs.com
Springfield Yellow Cab serves Northern Virginia and all airports. They
have wheelchair accessible minivans with ramps.
White Top Cab Company of Fairfax
703-644-4500, TTY 703-683-4374
www.whitetopcab.com
White Top serves Fairfax County, City of Alexandria, and all airports,
and has lift?equipped minivans.
Subsidized Taxi Programs
Fairfax Seniors On-the-Go!
703-877-5800, TTY 711
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/seniors.htm
Seniors On-The-Go! is a transportation program that helps
moderate-income older adults. Older adults who qualify for this program
may purchase taxicab coupon booklets worth $30 at a cost of only $20 per
booklet, which means that one-third of the cost of the taxicab rides will
be subsidized by Fairfax County. Once registered, a customer may then
call one of the four approved taxicab companies and schedule a ride.
- Fairfax Red Top Cab - 703-333-3333, TTY 703-522-3331
- Fairfax White Top Cab - 703-644-4500, TTY 703-683-4374
- Falls Church Yellow Cab - 703-534-1111, TTY 711
- Springfield Yellow Cab - 703-451-2255, TTY 711
Fairfax TaxiAccess
703-877-5800, TTY 711
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/taxiaccess.htm
TaxiAccess is a program that provides subsidized taxicab service to
Fairfax County residents who MetroAccess users. TaxiAccess users have the
opportunity to purchase coupon books good toward taxicab rides at
one-third of the face value. Participants can purchase up to eight
coupon books per year and the coupons can be used with any of the four
taxicab providers licensed to do business in Fairfax County. The taxicab
providers are as follows:
- Fairfax Red Top Cab - 703-333-3333, TTY 703-522-3331
- Fairfax White Top Cab - 703-644-4500, TTY 703-683-4374
- Falls Church Yellow Cab - 703-534-1111, TTY 711
- Springfield Yellow Cab - 703-451-2255, TTY 711
Senior Taxi
703-836-4414, extension 15, TTY 711
www.seniorservicesalex.org/taxi.html
You must be at least 60 years of age to use Senior Taxi and be a
resident of the City of Alexandria. Its purpose is to help those most in
need who no longer drive and need assistance. Alexandria’s older adults
can be transported via taxi to medical appointments, grocery stores, and
the pharmacy.
Car Sharing
Zipcar
1-866-494-7227, TTY 711
www.zipcar.com
Zipcar allows members to use cars throughout the Washington, DC area by the hour or day. A Zipcar member requiring the use of hand controls to operate a vehicle will be reasonably accommodated. Zipcar requires 24 hours' notice from the start time of the reservation in order to reserve a hand control equipped vehicles.
Airports
Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall
Airport
301-261-1000, TTY 410-859-7227
www.bwiairport.com/en/service/disability
All shuttle buses servicing the BWI Marshall parking lots and the BWI
Marshall Rail Station are wheelchair accessible. Accessibility features
in the airport include wheelchairs, pet relief areas for service animals,
accessible parking, and services for people who are deaf or blind.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
703-417-8000, TTY 711
www.metwashairports.com/national/index.htm
Courtesy van service to parking lots is available for patrons with
disabilities by calling 703-419-9795. Airport accessibility services
include pet relief areas for service animals, accessible parking, and
TTY/TDD phones.
Washington Dulles International Airport
703-572-2700, TTY 711
www.metwashairports.com/dulles
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is fully committed to
providing universal access to all public facilities and services at
Washington Dulles International Airport for all of its patrons. Airport
accessibility services include pet relief areas for service animals,
accessible parking, and TTY/TDD phones.
Washington Flyer Airport Express
1-800-235-9372, TTY 711
www.washfly.com
Washington Flyer Airport Express operates 17 lift-equipped buses. This
service links Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with Washington
Dulles International Airport, connects Dulles with the Metrorail system,
and provides nonstop transportation to downtown, stopping several times
each hour at city hotels. Call for rates, schedule information, and
reservations.
Other Transportation Resources/Programs
Commuter Connections
1-800-745-7433, TTY 711
www.mwcog.org/commuter2
This regional transportation network is dedicated to easing the daily
commute. It provides information on ridesharing services, public transit,
park and ride lots, and suggestions and recommendations related to onsite
employer programs and staggered workweeks or compressed schedules. A
Guaranteed Ride Home Program is offered for those who rideshare or
commute using public transportation. Call for more information.
JCA Connect-A-Ride
703-323-6494, TTY 301-881-5263 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.)
www.accessjca.org/article.php?id=17
Available in Montgomery, Arlington, and Fairfax Counties. The
specially-trained staff provides free information about transportation
options for adults ages 50 years and older. Public, private and
volunteer transportation services are matched with the needs of
individual callers, whenever possible.
Metro System Orientation Sessions
202-962-1558, TTY 202-962-2033
www.wmata.com/accessibility/advocacy_policy/metro_accessible.cfm
Orientation sessions are offered on the Metrorail and Metrobus systems
to provide hands-on learning. During the orientations, riders will learn
everything from how to locate Metrobus stops and Metrorail stations to
purchasing a fare card and navigating the system.
Mobile Accessible Travel Training (MATT) Bus
703-877-5600, TTY 711
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/mattbus.htm
The bus, called MATT (Mobile Accessible Travel Training), is used to
educate people with disabilities and older adults through a hands-on
learning experience. Fairfax County staff will coordinate travel training
trips in which individuals will travel by bus and rail transit to and
from a destination of their choice. The travelers-in-training will
identify a bus stop near their residence, learn to read bus schedules and
route maps, learn how to pay the fare, and how to signal the driver to
stop, as well as other bus travel skills.
Reach a Ride
1-855-732-2427, TTY 711
www.reacharide.com
Reach a Ride provides transportation options for individuals with
special transportation needs in the National Capital Region. This
website, along with an information hotline provides links to
transportation for employment, health and medical services, educational
services, and other needed trips. This website includes a searchable
database to allow people with special transportation needs, as well as
case managers and agencies, to find transportation in the National
Capital Region.
SmarTrip Cards
1-888-762-7874, TTY 711
www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip/
SmarTrip is a permanent, rechargeable fare card. It’s plastic, like a
credit card, and is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps
track of the value of the card. In order to receive a free transfer
on buses and a discounted fare on rail-to-bus tranfers, riders must use a
SmarTrip card. Currently, SmarTrip cards can be purchased for $5 at Metro
sales offices, commuter stores, select Giant Food Supermarkets, local CVS
stores, and Metrorail stations that have parking. SmarTrip cards may also
be purchased online for $30, which includes $25 in fare. For individuals
with disabilities, there is a reduced fare SmarTrip card that entitles
users to a 50% discount when riding Metrorail and on regular Metrobus
routes, and for discounted fare on other participating bus service
providers. In order to obtain a reduced SmarTrip card, riders must have a
valid Metro Disability ID Card. For more information, visit
www.wmata.com/accessibility/disability_id.cfm.
Advisory Committees
There are local advisory committees that advocate for accessible
transportation for all users. The meetings are public and anyone may
attend.
Fairfax Area Mobility and Transportation Committee
This joint committee of the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board and
Fairfax Area Long Term Care Coordinating Council works on transportation
and pedestrian related issues for individuals with disabilities and older
adults. Contact 703-324-5421, TTY 711 for more information.
Metro’s Accessibility Advisory Committee
202-962-1100
www.wmata.com/accessibility/advocacy_policy/
Metro’s Accessibility Advisory Committee was created to address the
needs of older adults and persons with disabilities. Their efforts have
resulted in numerous service upgrades. They are held the first
Monday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the lobby level Meeting
Room at Metro’s Headquarters at 600 5th Street, NW, Washington,
D.C.
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