Dial-A-Ride is a door-to-door service serving individuals with a disability anywhere within the City of Ames or ¾ of a mile from any CyRide fixed route, whichever is greater during all hours the fixed routes are running. Dial-A-Ride’s service area may be viewed at: www.cyride.com/DAR-Service-Area.

Individuals must apply to ride this service.  (See eligibility requirements and application process below.)  All Dial-A-Ride eligible passengers may be accompanied by one Personal Care Attendant (PCA) to provide any necessary assistance during their trip or at their destination as well as one Companion to ride with them during their trip. PCA's ride free while companions pay the same fare as the eligible Dial-A-Ride passenger. If you are a visitor to Ames and wish to ride Dial-A-Ride, please see visitor application process information below.   View CyRide's Dial-A-Ride brochure online for more information.

Currently, Dial-A-Ride is operated by CyRide's contractor the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA). Passengers eligible for Paratransit service as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act can ride for the fares shown below.  Once approved to ride Dial-A-Ride, individuals may ride at the specified fare listed below.

If you do not qualify for Dial-A-Ride (ADA Paratransit), CyRide recommends individuals contact HIRTA (1-877-686-0029) directly to ride the Story County door-to-door service available to the general public that anyone can ride, regardless whether a person has a disability.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE

To be eligible for ADA paratransit service, a passenger must be unable to use a fixed route bus due to one of the following reasons because of a disability:

• Unable to get to or from a bus stop at the point of origin or destination
• Unable to board the bus at a bus stop
• Unable to independently recognize the destination and disembark the bus
• If a trip involves a transfer, unable to travel between routes

If an individual's application for Dial-A-Ride service is denied, they can appeal to CyRide's Committee on the Americans with Disability Act (CYCADA) within 60 days of their denial letter date.   

HIRTA provides an open to the general public door to door service in Ames for those persons who do not qualify for ADA paratransit service. Their phone number is 1-877-686-0029.

APPLICATION PROCESS

• RESIDENTS or NON-RESIDENTS (desiring 21+ days of service each year): If you are unable to use CyRide's fixed route due to your disability and are an Ames resident or a non-resident (including frequent visitors or university students) desiring more than 21 days of Dial-A-Ride service during a given year, please utilize the ADA Paratransit Service application form process below.  Please note that this application may take up to 21 days to process.
  
  

  Download an ADA Paratransit service application to your computer, print it, fill it out and send it to CyRide at 601 N. University Blvd.; Ames, IA 50010.

• VISITORS (Up to 24-hour processing time-frame): If you are unable to utilize CyRide's fixed route due to your disability and are visiting from outside the CyRide service area you may apply for an ADA Visitors Pass on CyRide’s Dial-A-Ride service. CyRide staff will process applications promptly (same day or within 24 hours) and visitors will be notified of the determination regarding status as an ADA Visitor within 24-hours of the request.  For prompt service, please visit CyRide at their offices (601 N. University Blvd.) or call (515) 292-1100 and communicate that you need an ADA Visitor pass for Dial-A-Ride service.  Once you receive your ADA Visitor Pass and approval to ride Dial-A-Ride service, visitors will be able to ride for any combination of 21 days during a 365-day period, beginning with the visitor’s first use of service.

To register as an ADA visitor, CyRide will need the following information:

1. Documentation verifying ADA Paratransit eligibility from another transit system outside the CyRide service area.   (An ADA identification card from home transit system is sufficient as documentation.)
   
   Then, please provide the expected dates (21 days or less) that you intend to travel on Dial-A-Ride Services. If this changes over your stay in Ames, please communicate this immediately by calling CyRide.  CyRide will track visitors' access of its services and communicate this to its contractor.
   
   - OR –
   
   
2. If the visitor does not have an ADA Paratransit eligibility, then please provide the following:
   
   • Verify proof of the disability with a letter from a doctor or other healthcare professional only if the individual’s disability is not apparent
   • Provide documentation of residency outside of CyRide’s service area

    
   Then, please provide the expected dates (21 days or less) that you intend to travel on Dial-A-Ride Services. If this changes over your stay in Ames, please communicate this immediately by calling CyRide.  CyRide will track visitors' access of its services and communicate this to its contractor.

Visitors (i.e. non-residents) requesting to use CyRide’s Dial-A-Ride service for more than 21 days during a 365-day period must apply for and receive ADA eligibility certification by filling out CyRide's ADA Paratransit service application.

RIDE DIAL-A-RIDE SERVICE

Rides may be scheduled up to two weeks in advance and must be scheduled by 4:00 pm of the night before you want to travel to be ensured of a ride. After these hours, customers can leave a message and a HIRTA representative will return the call with information regarding the desired trip.  Please note, Dial-A-Ride only travels within the City of Ames.  Same day calls will be accepted if there is time and space available. 

• Call 1-877-686-0029 to arrange for a ride.
  (If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech impaired,
  contact Relay Iowa: 711 or 1-800-735-2942 for assistance.)
  
  
• Add any Personal Care Attendants/Companions Riding Along to your Reservation at the time you book your ride: When reserving a trip for yourself, indicate if you also need reservations for a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) and/or Companion when booking your trip.  Only one PCA is eligible to ride FREE with the Dial-A-Ride passenger but a companion may also ride along at the same price of the Dial-A-Ride eligible passenger.
  
  
• Cancelling Rides Process: Dial-A-Ride customers must notify HIRTA as soon as possible to cancel a reservation when they do not plan to ride an upcoming trip.  When cancelling your trip, HIRTA will also cancel your PCA and/or companion riding with you.  By calling to cancel, your seat can then be used by another Ames' passenger that needs the bus trip.  Call HIRTA at 1-877-686-0029 at least 30 minutes before your scheduled pick up time to cancel. 
  
  
• Reasonable Accommodation Process: CyRide will consider requests for reasonable modifications to our services so that individuals with disabilities can have equal access to our Dial-A-Ride (ADA Complementary Paratransit) services. Requests should be made directly to Amber Falls, HIRTA's Communication Manager, toll free at 1-877,686-0029 or afalls@ridehirta.com. View CyRide's Reasonable Modifications Procedures.
  
  
• Appeals Process: If you become suspended from Dial-A-Ride service for any reason, an individual can appeal to CyRide's Committee on the Americans with Disability Act (CYCADA) Please view CyRide's Dial-A-Ride Denial of Service Policy regarding when or how an eligible Dial-A-Ride passenger may be suspended for a period of time of riding this service.