21 Unlike fixed route buses or trains, paratransit is “origin to destination,” taking you from where you are picked up to your final destination, within the service area covered by the public transportation system. Communities may also offer similar ride-on-demand services for people with disabilities and seniors, but these services are not subject to the same requirements. A paratransit service has the following requirements for all covered users: • Must provide transportation on a next-day basis You are able to call any time within the service’s operating hours today for a ride any time within their operating hours tomorrow • Cannot put you on a waiting list If you request a ride following the proper procedures, a ride must be provided to you • Must arrive in a specified period of time Your ride can arrive within one hour before or after your scheduled time • Cannot place limits on use You cannot be limited to a certain number of rides, or limited to only certain types of trips (such as medical visits only). Intermittent Disability For some people, whether they can use public transportation or need paratransit is clear. For others, particularly people with relapsing conditions like MS, it may not be as obvious. Unpredictable factors like relapses, intermittent symptoms, heat sen- sitivity, and fatigue can make it difficult. What if you can only use public trans- portation part of the time? Apply for qualification and describe your difficulties as they are on a bad day. If you go through an interview or evaluation at a time when you are relatively well, make that clear and discuss the differences between when you are well and when your condition flares up, as well as any aggravating factors. If your application is denied, you may appeal, or reapply later. Problems with Paratransit While federal law mandates paratransit systems where public transport exists, the lawdoesn’t require that federal funding be allocated forthem.As a result, paratransit is often underfunded and over-burdened. This can lead to poor service for the disabled community. The most common complaints are late pickups, longer travel times as the number of shared rides increases, and missed pickups (where a ride never arrives). An occasional error or delay is to be expected. But when a paratransit system repeatedly experiences these delays, it’s a violation of the rights of disabled passengers. What can you do if you experience these problems on a regular basis? 1. Document the problem. a. Keep track of times when the vehicle arrives outside your scheduled pickup window, rides are excessively long because of the number of other passengers