Passenger information

• Be prepared to board the bus at the designated pick-up time & location. Bus Operators are permitted to wait for 5 minutes. Waiting time will be extended for those with disabilities.
• Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop, the door to open fully, and for any exiting passengers before entering the bus.
• Have exact fare or tokens ready when boarding the bus. Bus Operators cannot make change. Tokens are available for purchase in MOTA's Front Office.
• Take a seat as soon as possible, do not change seats once seated. Allow those using mobility devices to board first. Seating is provided on a first come first serve basis. Seating is assigned only under special circumstances and cannot be reserved. When available, priority seating will be offered to passengers who are senior citizens, disabled, or expectant mothers.
• If you must stand, hold onto the railings or seat backs. Always stand behind the yellow standee line located at the front of the aisle behind the Bus Operator.
• Plan for a longer trip than you would normally have, the bus may need to make several stops.
• Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.
• Radios or other electronic devices may be used only with headphones at a low volume so as not to disturb other passengers.
• Vandalism or graffiti to seats and other portions of the bus is prohibited and could result in a fine and/or persecution.
• Stay clear of the doorways and stairwell, never put arms, hands, or head outside windows. Please keep your feet off the seats and out of the aisle. Do not take more than one seat.
• If you have questions while on the bus, the Bus Operator will gladly help while the bus is stopped completely.
• Dispose of garbage prior to exiting the bus. We appreciate your help in keeping our fleet clean!
• Remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. For your safety and those around you, hold on to the handrails until you clear the door and then move away from the bus.
• If you need medical attention or other assistance while riding the bus, the Bus Operator can contact Dispatch for immediate aid (police, ambulance, etc.)
• If you would like assistance in learning how to ride the bus, call the office and we will be happy to aid or accompany you.

• You may bring up to 4 packages, not more than 40 pounds each, on the bus. For safety reasons, additional packages will not be permitted.
• Service animals (as defined by the ADA) are permitted to accompany you. Non-Service animals are also permitted, in approved enclosed carriers only.
• If traveling with a stroller, please fold it and keep it out of the way of other passengers. Children are not permitted to be transported while inside any stroller or foldable wagon. It is always highly recommended to place a child in a seat and use the safety restraints to ensure safe travel, if cannot be held securely by the parent/guardian.
• To avoid being charged a no-show, please notify dispatch as soon as possible if you need to cancel. Refer to No-Show Policy.

This policy establishes the administrative process that will be followed by MOTA for passengers who establish a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips. This behavior is called a "No-Show;" and the following definitions of, and internal procedures for, this activity apply to all specialized service and demand-response trips, including subscription trips and grouped trips arranged by the passenger or someone on the passenger's behalf.

The No-Show Policy and procedures will be applied when the following occurs:

• MOTA does not receive a one-hour cancellation notice of a trip prior to the arrival of a bus.
• The passenger is not at the requested pick-up address.
• The passenger is at the pick-up address but decides not to go once the bus arrives.
• The passenger is at the pick-up address within the pick-up window but is unavailable to board within the 5 minutes of the time the bus arrives. Waiting times will be extended for those with disabilities.
• No one is at home or at the drop-off point to receive returning passengers who cannot be left alone.

The No-Show Policy and procedures will not be applied to any trip missed by a passenger due to MOTA error or circumstances which are not under the control of the passenger. Such circumstance are but not limited to:

• The passenger's mobility aid failed.
• A sudden turn for the worse in a passenger with a variable condition.
• Adverse weather impacting the passenger's travel place, precluding the passenger from canceling in a timely way.

A no-show beyond the control of the passenger will not be counted as a no-show. Passengers are encouraged to contact MOTA if a no-show was beyong the passenger's control.

If a passenger incurring a no-show is scheduled for subsequent trips on the same day, those trips will not be automatically canceled unless the passenger contacts MOTA and confirms that the scheduled trips are to be cancelled. If a passenger is taken to a destination, the passenger will not be left stranded, even if the passenger incurs a no-show for the scheduled return trip. Return service will be provided as soon as possible but without a guaranteed on-time window.

Bus Operators are to radio Dispatch after waiting 2 minutes. The Dispatcher will attempt to telephone the passenger. Bus Operators are not to return for passengers who miss the bus unless instructed to do so by the Dispatcher. Another ride may be scheduled when another bus is available, and a no-show demerit will apply. All no-shows will be documented by Dispatch. 

MOTA provides open-door transportation throughout Mecosta and Osceola Counties and is committed to providing public transportation services in a safe, effective, and affordable manner to every passenger. To that end, there is no upper age limitation for MOTA passengers. Since young children have special needs, the policy for children is as follows:

• Children 5 years of age and under may ride only when accompanied by a parent or a designated responsible adult and must be secured in a child safety seat as required by Michigan Law. Providing the seat and securement of the seat and the child is the responsibility of the parent or the designated responsible adult.
• Children ages 5 to 16 must be properly protected by a safety belt as required by Michigan Law.
• When scheduling unaccompanied transportation for children of elementary school age or younger, the parent or the responsible adult must provide more than one adult name and telephone number at which the parent or the responsible adult can be contacted in the event that there is no responsible adult available to receive the child from the MOTA bus at the child's destination. If in the judgement of MOTA, a child of elementary school age or younger cannot be safely left at the child's destination, the telephone numbers will be called to get alternate destination instructions. If no one can be reached at those telephone numbers, the child will be transported to the nearest police station.

Passengers Misconduct Policy:

It is MOTA's policy to provide safe and efficient service and to be reasonable in responding to the behavior and needs of our passengers. But when passengers abuse the service and create hazards that can adversely affect operations, boundaries on allowable conduct becomes necessary and employees on MOTA vehicles, guidelines have been established that will be applied when a passenger's misconduct jeopardizes MOTA's bus operations. As a recipient of federal funding, MOTA is required to provide the public with its ridership policies. This policy defines the general categories of passenger misconduct, its consequences for the passenger, and the process to appeal a service suspension.

Passengers Misconduct Behavior:

Hazardous Conduct is defined as any act that creates the potential for injury or death to any passenger, Bus Operator or members of the public, including passengers under the influence of a controlled substance.

Abusive Conduct is defined as any offensive, threatening act or behavior which infringes upon the comfort or safety of other passengers, impairs the ability of the Bus Operator to transport passengers safely, or invades the privacy rights of others such as touching another person in a rude, insolent, angry, or inappropriate manner. Harassment of any kind, verbal or physical, will not be tolerated. Examples also include profanity, screaming, hitting, and the use of electronic devices without headphones.

Unintentional Misconduct:

Any act that would qualify as misconduct but is the direct and immediate consequence of a passenger's disability, such as abusive language that is a result of Tourette's Syndrome or socially unacceptable behavior brought on by a mental illness, shall be considered unintentional misconduct. Unintentional misconduct shall be addressed in the following manner.

A passenger may be subject to any reasonable accommodation requirement that will ensure the safety of all passengers and Operators including being required to ride with a personal care attendant (PCA), and/or being required to attend training or receive additional counseling in proper transit conduct. The accommodation requirement may be permanent if the conduct is beyond the passenger's control. If a passenger commits an act of misconduct that the passenger has learned to be inappropriate, that act is considered intentional.

Consequences of Misconduct:

A first offense will result in a warning or suspension of service up to 5 days. A second offense within a one-year period will result in the suspension of service for up to 30 days. A third offense within a one-year period will result in the suspension of service for up to one year.

In cases of suspension of service, a certified letter will be mailed, notifying the passenger of the service suspension. The letter will contain the nature and basis of the suspension; the length of the suspension; when the suspension will begin, and when service will resume. Passengers involved will always be notified in writing of any decisions affecting their service. The passenger has the right to appeal a suspension through an appeal procedure. Contact MOTA for the Appeal Procedure.

The passenger will be notified of the appeal hearing decision, in writing, within 10 working days of the decision date.