 |
| How Easy Lift Schedules Your Ride |
Easy Lift provides nearly sixty thousand rides a year to about 2,000 passengers. As a
non-profit organization with limited resources, we depend on highly efficient computer
scheduling in order to fit the maximum number of rides into our fleet of vans. At Easy
Lift, every minute of the day is precious, and we make every effort possible to use that
time efficiently.
How Much Time Does Each Ride Take?
On average, a ride on an Easy Lift van will last about twenty minutes. But if you think
about it, the amount of time that it takes to travel from your home to your destination is
only one part of the trip. First, the van must travel from its last drop-off point to your
home. Keeping this travel time as short as possible is absolutely necessary for Easy Lift
to run efficiently.
What is Efficient Scheduling?
It is our goal to be as efficient as possible when scheduling rides. This way we can use
our limited resources to provide our passengers with as many rides as possible. The
more efficient we are, the more rides we can provide.
What do we mean when we say "efficient"? When an Easy Lift operator schedules your
trip, he or she is able to tell if a van will be in your neighborhood around the time that
you want a ride, or if the van will need to travel a long distance in order to pick you
up. It is far more efficient to pick a passenger up with a van that is already in their area
rather that sending one from across town. In fact, if a van must travel a long distance to
pick up a passenger, it means that it will be busy for that period of time and not be
available for other passengers to ride. This would be a tremendous waste of time and
fuel, and would not be very efficient.
Ride Times
It is important to realize that the ride times that the operator gives you may be
influenced by our need to schedule efficiently. When you book a ride with Easy Lift,
please be prepared to be flexible.
Generally, if a passenger books their ride with plenty of advance notice, they will
receive pick-up times most closely matching their preferences. However, Easy Lift is a
community transit system and not a taxi service. Passengers should be prepared to
share rides with other clients and accept flexibility in pick-up and drop-off times.
As an example, if a van is in your neighborhood a half-hour before you would ideally
like to leave for your appointment, it will be necessary to book you on that van rather
than sending another vehicle from across town. The reason for this is obvious. If a van
must travel out of its way to pick you up, then it will be unavailable for other passengers
to use during that time. So, even though you would get your ideal pick-up time, a
different passenger would lose a ride altogether. This approach is the only way Easy
Lift is able to book so many rides with a relatively small fleet of vehicles.
Adjustments to your scheduled pick up and drop off times may need to be slightly
altered in order to accommodate other passengers. For instance, if your scheduled pick
up time is at twelve noon we may have to change it to 11:50am in order to pick up
another passenger in the same general area. You will be notified of these changes the
afternoon prior to your trip.
Pick-up and Drop-off Procedure
To ensure that your trip goes smoothly, Easy Lift has developed the following pick-up
and drop-off procedures. Some passengers have special needs and may arrange for
"special assistance" in advance. For more information, see How Drivers Will Assist You.
Where to Wait
Easy Lift provides curbside-to-curbside service. Therefore, the driver will wait for a
passenger at the curb of a public street, in front of or as close to the rider's house,
building, or other safe designated pick-up location as possible.
For drop-offs, the driver will drop the rider off at the sidewalk or another safe waiting
area next to the curb of a public street, in front or as close to the designated drop-off
location as possible. Unless a passenger has arranged for special assistance in
advance, the rider must be waiting at the sidewalk, or at another safe waiting area in
front of or as close to the entrance of the pick-up location as possible.
Drivers may not negotiate multiple stairs, carry packages or purses, enter private
homes, or go beyond the ground floor lobby of office buildings or care facilities.
Apartments, Office Complexes, and Shopping Centers
Easy Lift has designated standard pick-up and drop-off sites at major activity centers
and certain destinations such as large medical centers, malls, college and university
campuses, and many nursing homes. If a rider schedules a trip to one of these
destinations, the operator will tell the rider where the pick-up point is located and the
rider will need to wait at that location for the van.
Nursing Homes, Adult Programs, and Day Care Centers
Passengers picked up at nursing homes, adult programs or day care centers must be
present when the Easy Lift van arrives. Drivers are not permitted to go beyond the
ground floor lobby of care facilities, or go into rooms to pick up riders. Nursing homes
and day care centers must have facility personnel ready to assist the passenger, if
necessary.
How Long Must A Rider Wait
Although Easy Lift vans will usually arrive within one or two minutes of their scheduled
times, sometimes the vehicle may arrive early or late due to traffic or other unforeseen
circumstances. It is important to be waiting for the van at curbside 15 minutes before
your scheduled pick-up time. If the vehicle has not arrived within 5 minutes after its
scheduled pick-up time, please call our office immediately.
How Drivers Will Assist You
It is important to realize that Easy Lift is a non-profit provider of transportation services,
and that our drivers are not trained or equipped to be personal care attendants. Unless
a passenger has previously arranged for "special assistance," Easy Lift drivers are only
allowed to assist riders getting on and off the vehicle. They may also escort a rider to
and from the sidewalk or another safe waiting area located next to the street, to the
ground floor of an office complex, or to the lobby of a multi-story building.
Wheelchair Lift
If a rider is unable to use the steps to board the van, the driver will board the passenger
using the wheelchair lift. Most vans are equipped with boarding chairs to assist
ambulatory passengers using the lift. For reasons of personal safety and liability,
passengers must remain seated in the wheelchair while the lift is in use.
Securement on Board
Easy Lift will make all attempts to secure wheelchairs. However, it if exceeds normal
size, the driver may ask the rider to transfer to a seat, as it may be difficult to safely
secure the passenger within the mobility device. Passenger safety is our first and
foremost concern.
Easy Lift requires that all riders use seat belts. Drivers may assist riders with their
seatbelts, if requested, and drivers will also secure the tie-downs for a wheelchair
passenger. If a rider is traveling with a child who is 4 years of age or younger, or
weighs 40 pounds or less, then they must supply a "hook up" car seat.
non-profit organization with limited resources, we depend on highly efficient computer
scheduling in order to fit the maximum number of rides into our fleet of vans. At Easy
Lift, every minute of the day is precious, and we make every effort possible to use that
time efficiently.
How Much Time Does Each Ride Take?
On average, a ride on an Easy Lift van will last about twenty minutes. But if you think
about it, the amount of time that it takes to travel from your home to your destination is
only one part of the trip. First, the van must travel from its last drop-off point to your
home. Keeping this travel time as short as possible is absolutely necessary for Easy Lift
to run efficiently.
What is Efficient Scheduling?
It is our goal to be as efficient as possible when scheduling rides. This way we can use
our limited resources to provide our passengers with as many rides as possible. The
more efficient we are, the more rides we can provide.
What do we mean when we say "efficient"? When an Easy Lift operator schedules your
trip, he or she is able to tell if a van will be in your neighborhood around the time that
you want a ride, or if the van will need to travel a long distance in order to pick you
up. It is far more efficient to pick a passenger up with a van that is already in their area
rather that sending one from across town. In fact, if a van must travel a long distance to
pick up a passenger, it means that it will be busy for that period of time and not be
available for other passengers to ride. This would be a tremendous waste of time and
fuel, and would not be very efficient.
Ride Times
It is important to realize that the ride times that the operator gives you may be
influenced by our need to schedule efficiently. When you book a ride with Easy Lift,
please be prepared to be flexible.
Generally, if a passenger books their ride with plenty of advance notice, they will
receive pick-up times most closely matching their preferences. However, Easy Lift is a
community transit system and not a taxi service. Passengers should be prepared to
share rides with other clients and accept flexibility in pick-up and drop-off times.
As an example, if a van is in your neighborhood a half-hour before you would ideally
like to leave for your appointment, it will be necessary to book you on that van rather
than sending another vehicle from across town. The reason for this is obvious. If a van
must travel out of its way to pick you up, then it will be unavailable for other passengers
to use during that time. So, even though you would get your ideal pick-up time, a
different passenger would lose a ride altogether. This approach is the only way Easy
Lift is able to book so many rides with a relatively small fleet of vehicles.
Adjustments to your scheduled pick up and drop off times may need to be slightly
altered in order to accommodate other passengers. For instance, if your scheduled pick
up time is at twelve noon we may have to change it to 11:50am in order to pick up
another passenger in the same general area. You will be notified of these changes the
afternoon prior to your trip.
Pick-up and Drop-off Procedure
To ensure that your trip goes smoothly, Easy Lift has developed the following pick-up
and drop-off procedures. Some passengers have special needs and may arrange for
"special assistance" in advance. For more information, see How Drivers Will Assist You.
Where to Wait
Easy Lift provides curbside-to-curbside service. Therefore, the driver will wait for a
passenger at the curb of a public street, in front of or as close to the rider's house,
building, or other safe designated pick-up location as possible.
For drop-offs, the driver will drop the rider off at the sidewalk or another safe waiting
area next to the curb of a public street, in front or as close to the designated drop-off
location as possible. Unless a passenger has arranged for special assistance in
advance, the rider must be waiting at the sidewalk, or at another safe waiting area in
front of or as close to the entrance of the pick-up location as possible.
Drivers may not negotiate multiple stairs, carry packages or purses, enter private
homes, or go beyond the ground floor lobby of office buildings or care facilities.
Apartments, Office Complexes, and Shopping Centers
Easy Lift has designated standard pick-up and drop-off sites at major activity centers
and certain destinations such as large medical centers, malls, college and university
campuses, and many nursing homes. If a rider schedules a trip to one of these
destinations, the operator will tell the rider where the pick-up point is located and the
rider will need to wait at that location for the van.
Nursing Homes, Adult Programs, and Day Care Centers
Passengers picked up at nursing homes, adult programs or day care centers must be
present when the Easy Lift van arrives. Drivers are not permitted to go beyond the
ground floor lobby of care facilities, or go into rooms to pick up riders. Nursing homes
and day care centers must have facility personnel ready to assist the passenger, if
necessary.
How Long Must A Rider Wait
Although Easy Lift vans will usually arrive within one or two minutes of their scheduled
times, sometimes the vehicle may arrive early or late due to traffic or other unforeseen
circumstances. It is important to be waiting for the van at curbside 15 minutes before
your scheduled pick-up time. If the vehicle has not arrived within 5 minutes after its
scheduled pick-up time, please call our office immediately.
How Drivers Will Assist You
It is important to realize that Easy Lift is a non-profit provider of transportation services,
and that our drivers are not trained or equipped to be personal care attendants. Unless
a passenger has previously arranged for "special assistance," Easy Lift drivers are only
allowed to assist riders getting on and off the vehicle. They may also escort a rider to
and from the sidewalk or another safe waiting area located next to the street, to the
ground floor of an office complex, or to the lobby of a multi-story building.
Wheelchair Lift
If a rider is unable to use the steps to board the van, the driver will board the passenger
using the wheelchair lift. Most vans are equipped with boarding chairs to assist
ambulatory passengers using the lift. For reasons of personal safety and liability,
passengers must remain seated in the wheelchair while the lift is in use.
Securement on Board
Easy Lift will make all attempts to secure wheelchairs. However, it if exceeds normal
size, the driver may ask the rider to transfer to a seat, as it may be difficult to safely
secure the passenger within the mobility device. Passenger safety is our first and
foremost concern.
Easy Lift requires that all riders use seat belts. Drivers may assist riders with their
seatbelts, if requested, and drivers will also secure the tie-downs for a wheelchair
passenger. If a rider is traveling with a child who is 4 years of age or younger, or
weighs 40 pounds or less, then they must supply a "hook up" car seat.
| Or jump to a page: |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
