Public Transit Service Policies
The purpose of all Washington Parish Public Transit policies and procedures, which have developed over years of experience, is to provide the best service possible for the greatest number of people. If you’re planning a trip with us, please review our service policies below, and refer to our ride guide for more information.
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Transit System Responsibilities
Washington Parish Public Transit is responsible for providing safe, clean, reliable, and efficient service. We are committed to:
Complying with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations
Keeping all vehicles and equipment properly maintained and in safe working order
Carrying adequate insurance liability that exceeds the legally-mandated minimums
Providing a drug-free and alcohol-free workplace
Drivers are trained in blood-borne pathogens safety, defensive driving, passenger assistance, drug and alcohol awareness, and other programs considered appropriate by the agency. All drivers are licensed by the state of Louisiana through the Department of Public Safety.
Washington Parish Public Transit is responsible for providing transportation services as detailed in the various sections of this policy page.
WPPT is not responsible for any item(s) left behind on a vehicle.
Non-Discrimination in Service Delivery
Washington Parish Public Transit will not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability in the provision of services.
Passenger Responsibilities & Conduct
Passengers are expected to behave in a courteous, respectful, and polite manner toward the driver and other passengers. The driver is responsible for behavior on the vehicle and authorized to maintain a safe and pleasant atmosphere for all passengers. Some vehicles may be equipped with cameras for monitoring behavior that may disrupt the safe operation of the vehicle.
General restrictions:
No smoking, eating, or drinking aboard vehicles*
No use of smart phones, tablets, radios, iPods, or similar devices on the bus unless earbuds or headphones are used and other passengers are not disturbed
No fighting or use of abusive or threatening language/actions
No physical or verbal abuse to the driver or other passengers
No possession of firearms, weaponry, illegal substances, or hazardous chemicals
No animals, other than special assistance or service animals
No socializing with or distracting the driver while the bus is in service
No revealing or inappropriate attire
Personal hygiene must meet acceptable standards for the comfort and safety of all
*If a rider’s disability requires periodic consumption of food, then eating/drinking is permitted
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Priority seating is made available for passengers with disabilities and seniors. If a passenger with a disability or a senior citizen boards, the driver may request an ambulatory passenger occupying priority seating to move.
Drivers will provide minimal assistance. If a passenger requires additional or special assistance, he/she should have a personal care attendant accompany them on all trips. For more information, please refer to our passenger assistance and attendant policies.
Drivers are not trained for paramedical situations. To protect all concerned, services may be denied or restricted for the medically tenuous. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
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Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult, and must be properly restrained in an age or size appropriate passenger restraint system that meets the applicable federal standards.
Strollers are permitted on vehicles if they can be folded and stored safely. Please fold the stroller before boarding and carry your child onto the bus.
Washington Parish Public Transit reserves the right to refuse service to anyone who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal or dangerous substances, whose conduct is beyond the control of the driver, or whose behavior can impede, compromise, endanger, or otherwise jeopardize the safety of other passengers. The driver is authorized to make such determinations when a supervisor is not available or time does not permit discussion.
Washington Parish Public Transit reserves the right to refuse any passenger services if they violate any of the above standards, or any standards outlined elsewhere in our service policies or ride guide.
Passenger Assistance
Washington Parish Public Transit provides curb-to-curb service for passengers. You are responsible for getting in and out of your residence and destination addresses. Drivers are not allowed to cross the threshold or enter any residence, nor push wheelchairs up or down ramps.
Drivers will provide only minimal assistance to passengers boarding or disembarking a vehicle. Minimal assistance is defined as bracing, holding a passenger’s arms, or assisting with lifts and securement systems for passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Drivers may also assist you with groceries and packages, however this is limited to one trip from the vehicle to the door per ride.
Drivers are not trained for paramedical situations. To protect all concerned, services may be denied or restricted for the medically tenuous. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Note: Door-to-door assistance may be available for ADA-eligible riders upon request.
Drivers will:
Provide assistance with lifts and securement systems for passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility devices
Assist with groceries and packages on one trip from the vehicle to your door
Drivers will not:
Cross the threshold or enter any residence
Push wheelchairs up or down ramps
Assist with groceries or packages on multiple trips from the vehicle to your door
If you require additional or special assistance, you should have a companion or personal care attendant accompany you on all trips. You are required to furnish your own personal attendant.
Companions & Personal Care Attendands
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) eligible riders may bring no more than two companions along with them for trips on a space-available basis. Companions must get on and off the vehicle at the same time/location as the eligible rider and must pay the full fare. If a rider plans to travel with companions, please be sure to notify the dispatcher when calling to schedule the trip.
A personal care attendant is a person designated to care for and travel with an ADA-eligible rider. This person can be a paid employee, family member, or friend. Riders who travel with a personal care attendant will be certified by the transit system as requiring a personal care attendant. Personal care attendants will ride free and must accompany the passenger on all of his/her trips.
Passenger eligibility for a personal care attendant is determined on the following basis:
Any person who, because of the nature of his/her disability, cannot navigate an accessible transit system independently.
This includes persons who cannot independently board, ride, or disembark from an accessible vehicle due to their disability.
This does not include the operations of the wheelchair lift or securement system since drivers are required to operate all vehicle equipment.
Any person may be temporarily eligible if his or her disability is intermittent or temporary. Those persons would be certified based upon the most limited aspects of their disability, and like many other ADA-eligible riders, rides would be subject to specified conditions.
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
WPPT offers non-emergency medical transportation services. Transportation will not be provided to patients having same-day surgery, outpatient procedures, or hospital discharges. Other medical transportation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Whenever a driver arrives to pick up a passenger, he or she may determine if the passenger is unsafe for transport. If this happens, the driver will contact a supervisor to report the situation. The release should certify that the patient of the facility is stable and can complete the trip without incident.
Drivers are not trained beyond basic CPR and First Aid. To protect all concerned, services may be denied or restricted for the medically tenuous.
Mobility Devices & Medical Equipment
Wheelchairs & Mobility Devices
Washington Parish Public Transit provides transportation for individuals who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Please inform WPPT if you use any kind of mobility aid when you schedule your trip.
If you use a manual wheelchair, please have an attendant assist you up and down steps and ramps, over rough terrain, or steep slopes to our curb-to-curb bus service. Drivers will assist with lifts and wheelchair securement systems, but please refer to the section on passenger assistance for more information.
All passengers using a wheelchair must have it in the upright or semi-upright position, and the passenger must be able to remain seated upright in the chair while boarding, during securement, in-transit, and disembarking, otherwise a postural belt may be necessary for the safety of the passenger. WPPT does not supply postural belts. Passengers are responsible for purchasing his or her own postural belt.
Please also notify the dispatcher if your wheelchair is oversized. Our lifts can accommodate most wheelchairs up to 30" wide and 48" in length. Maximum weight is specified by the wheelchair lift manufacturer. If your wheelchair exceeds these dimensions and the manufacturer weight limits, WPPT may deny services.
If you use a mobility aid or wheelchair, please keep the equipment in good working condition. If a driver believes you cannot be safely transported utilizing your wheelchair or device, he will inform you that he will be unable to transport you until you obtain or acquire equipment in good working condition. Please inform WPPT in advance of your scheduled trip if you are having problems with your mobility aid.
Your wheelchair may be considered unsafe if:
The wheels or other parts are loose or dangerous
The tires are low or flat
One or both brakes do not hold the wheels securely
Footrest(s) or stabilizer bars are missing
Battery on an electric wheelchair has a low charge
Power Scooters
You may board our vehicles on a power scooter, but you may be asked to transfer to a seat while in transit if you cannot use the safety belts installed in the vehicle. We will secure your scooter and assist you to a seat if you wish. WPPT cannot ensure your safety and the safety of others if you remain on the scooter while in transit.
Two-wheeled scooters are not considered a wheelchair under ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), and therefore are prohibited.
Medical Equipment
We will transport passengers who use portable medical equipment such as portable oxygen tanks, respirators, etc. You must be able to hold your equipment securely, or we must be able to safely secure it on the vehicle. WPPT cannot transport equipment that cannot be safely secured.
If your equipment is unwieldy in size or dimension, and you are not able to carry it or operate it independently, you will need to have an attendant accompany you. Drivers cannot administer oxygen or operate any other life support equipment.
Transporting Service Animals
Riders may travel with a service animal, which may be a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal that has been trained to work or perform tasks for persons with disabilities. Drivers may ask the passenger if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or tasks the animal has been trained to perform. These questions will determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal.
Service animals must be leashed or controlled. If an incident occurs while transporting a service animal, the passenger responsible for the animal is accountable for damages and/or injuries. WPPT may exclude the service animal if it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
Safety Procedures
Washington Parish Public Transit employs properly licensed and trained drivers. All staff are trained on an ongoing basis in order to provide safe service.
Each vehicle is equipped with standard safety equipment such as a fire extinguisher, flares, first aid kit, etc. Vehicles are inspected daily to ensure that these items are present on the vehicle and in proper working condition.
Washington Parish Public Transit reserves the right to decide where and when passengers can board safely. The transit system may determine if a boarding location is unsafe for equipment/personnel and request that a passenger relocate to a safer location. Please refer to our ride guide for more information on pick-up and drop-off locations.
Passenger Safety Requirements
Once on board the vehicle, riders are required to use the seat belt system provided and any other passenger-securing devices as appropriate.
Children under the age of 13 years will be properly restrained in an age or size appropriate passenger restraint system that meets the applicable federal standards.
Riders using wheelchairs or other mobility devices may transfer to a vehicle seat, but this is not required. Click here for more information on our wheelchair and mobility device policies.
All packages, belongings, groceries, mobility devices, etc. must be tied down or placed in a secure location. Drivers will assist passengers in securing their belongings.
Vehicles will not move until all passengers and belongings are secure, and riders must remain seated and secured until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. Unwillingness to utilize the available methods of securement will result in service denial.
Emergency Procedures
In case of an emergency involving a vehicle or another passenger, always do the following:
Remain calm
Follow the driver's instructions
Notify the driver if you or another passenger is in distress
Contact the proper authorities for assistance, if necessary
Participate in an orderly evacuation, if necessary
Do not smoke around the vehicle in any emergency situation
In the event of an evacuation from the vehicle, you should move to an area that’s a safe distance from the roadway and away from traffic, and remain there until it’s safe to return or you’ve been given further instruction.
Weather Emergencies & Natural Disasters
The transit system may choose to cease services at any time when there is threatening weather or unsafe driving conditions. Washington Parish Public Transit is a participant in the Emergency Operations Plan developed by the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for weather and disaster related emergencies. In the event of such an emergency, the transit system will operate according to the parish plan.
Passenger Feedback & Complaints
Washington Parish Public Transit's goal is to provide excellent service to meet each passenger’s individual needs. In order to satisfy this goal, we welcome any comments that passengers may have regarding our public transit service.
If you’d like to give us your feedback, you can call our office at 985-732-6868 or submit your comments online.
Passenger Complaints
Should you have a complaint, please follow the complaint procedure below. All passengers will be informed in writing at their initial service contact of the complaint procedure and the passenger’s right to utilize the procedure.
The complaint should be presented in writing by the passenger or passenger’s representative to the Executive Director of Washington Parish Council on Aging within 14 calendar days of the date of the complaint.
Filing the Complaint
The Executive Director will investigate and review the complaint with the passenger within 7 calendar days of receipt. The passenger will be notified of the Executive Director's decision in writing.
Review & Decision
If the passenger is not satisfied with the Executive Director's decision, he or she has the right to appeal to the Washington Parish Council on Aging Board of Directors. This appeal should be presented in writing to the Board's Chairman within 14 calendar days of the Executive Director's written response.
If an appeal is not received within 14 calendar days, the Executive Director's decision will be considered final.
Passenger Appeals
The Washington Parish Council on Aging Board of Directors will address appeals within 14 calendar days of receipt. All parties will be issued a written decision within 7 days of the determination.
Appeal Review & Decision
Your Feedback Is Important
Please remember that we value your comments and suggestions. The purpose of all WPPT policies and procedures, which have developed over years of experience, is to provide the best service possible for the greatest number of people. If you believe any of our policies, procedures, or the service itself could be improved, please do not hesitate to call our office or submit your comments online.
Public Transit Office Information
To schedule a ride or more more information, please call our office.
TTY: 1-800-846-5277
VRS: 1-800-947-5277
Office Hours
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.