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Dear Health Care Professional:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is a civil rights bill which
prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities. In accordance, MARTA
is required to provide comparable (paratransit) transportation for individuals
who, because of their disability, cannot travel by fixed route (bus or rail) service.
MARTA's regular bus and rail service is wheelchair accessible and operators make
the required ADA announcements to assist the visually impaired. Many disabled
individuals use our system daily; however, a percentage of patrons cannot travel on
regular buses or the rail system. Individual categories applying to these patrons are
described below.
One of your clients has requested certification for use of MARTA Mobility Services. Your assistance is required for evaluating and properly determining the applicant's ability or inability to use MARTA's regular bus and/or rail service. Please complete ALL sections of the attached Health Care Professional Certification (PART B) of the Application for MARTA Mobility Services and return to your client.
The ADA law specifically defines the conditions of eligibility for paratransit (MARTA Mobility) transportation. We hope that the descriptions below will aid your understanding of the eligibility criteria. The three categories of eligibility are defined as follows:
Category 1: Individuals with disabilities who cannot board, ride or disembark from an accessible vehicle (e.g., people who, because of a visual or cognitive impairment, could never "navigate the system"). These individuals are usually paratransit dependent for life.
Category 2: Individuals with disabilities who can use an accessible vehicle (bus or rail) but an accessible vehicle is not available. These individuals are usually transitional users until the system becomes 100% accessible.
Category 3: Individuals with disabilities who have specific impairment related conditions which prevent them from getting to and from a bus stop. A combination of a disability and environmental barriers (such as a blind person who cannot cross an eight-lane highway or a wheelchair user who cannot go up a steep hill or push through heavy snow) may prevent a person from getting to and from a stop. The existence of a barrier alone, however, does not confer eligibility. Inconvenience and decreased comfort are not a basis for qualification. The condition must prevent the travel.
Should you need additional information or explanation, please call our MARTA Mobility Paratransit Eligibility Office at (404) 848-5389.
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