CAT Mobility Paratransit Service

About CAT Mobility

CAT’s paratransit service, CAT Mobility, is specifically designed to transport eligible persons with disabilities in Chatham County in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. This includes people who are unable, due to a permanent or temporary physical or mental disability, to use the fixed-route public transportation system.

All standard CAT buses contain features and equipment that allow passengers with disabilities to board, ride, and exit vehicles easily and safely, but we understand that sometimes not even that is enough.

 

Service Features

  • Door-to-door service with assistance provided for boarding and exiting.
  • Lift-equipped vans that accommodate up to three wheelchair passengers or 10 seated passengers.
  • Secure 6-point tie-down system to ensure passenger and wheelchair stability.
  • Trained operators to assist passengers as needed.

CAT Mobility serves passengers in a safe and effective manner. Our team of trained operators assist passengers on and off the CAT Mobility van. Service is provided from door to door; however, assistance may not be provided beyond the origin or destination door.

Visitors

Visitors to Savannah-Chatham County are welcome to use CAT Mobility services. All we need is for you to provide us with documentation showing that your hometown transportation provider has determined you to be ADA eligible or provide documentation of your place of residence and disability, if not apparent. For more information on riding the CAT Mobility system as an out-of-town guest, call us at (912) 233-5767.

Although service animals as described above are permitted under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), emotional support animals, comfort animals and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA. A doctor’s note does not qualify an animal as a service animal. While emotional support or comfort animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals but they are not considered service animals.

 

Paratransit Ride Guide

This handbook is provided to paratransit customers for information regarding their passenger rights and responsibilities. Please adhere to the policies outlined in the handbook so that paratransit operations will be more efficient and beneficial for all passengers.

Paratransit Ride Guide

Types of Paratransit Eligibility

Unconditional

All Trips - Screening determines that it is not reasonable to expect the applicant to use fixed-route services under any conditions.

Conditional

Some Trips - Screening determines that the applicant can be reasonably expected to used fixed-route services under certain circumstances.

Temporary

Transitional - Screening determines that the applicant's disability is not permanent or that functional abilities are expected to change in the short term. Note: Temporary Eligibility can be Unconditional or Conditional.

Not Eligible

Screening determines that the applicant can reasonably be expected to use fixed-route services under all conditions.

Applying for Paratransit Services

Potential CAT Mobility customers and renewing clients must complete an eligibility screening process in order to keep paratransit services at the most efficient level possible for all clients.

 

Visit the Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center at 610 W. Oglethorpe Avenue from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday, to pick up a hard copy, or call (912) 233-5767 to request that an application be mailed to you.

 

 

* Alternative formats of the application such as large print and braille are available upon request. Please call (912) 233-5767.

 

After completing the application, including medical verification, call (912) 233-5767 to set up your in-person interview. In-person interviews will take place at CAT Central, 900 E. Gwinnett St., and should take about 30 minutes. You must bring your completed application to the in-person interview.

 

Applicants will be notified by mail about their eligibility status within 21 days after completing the application process. If an applicant does not receive eligibility notification within 21 days, then paratransit service will be provided starting on the 22nd day until a final decision is made. Applicants can appeal an eligibility decision by following the procedure included in the eligibility notification letter.

Making a Paratransit Reservation

Important Notice

To call our paratransit service, you must dial all 10 digits of the phone numbers: 912-233-5767 or 912-236-2111.

 

Health & Safety Guidelines

To help protect the health of customers and CAT employees, please refrain from using CAT services if:

  • You have a fever
  • You have traveled outside the country recently
  • You have a new or persistent cough
  • You have COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus

Scheduling & Contact Information

CAT Mobility customers can schedule or reschedule an appointment, or get in touch with CAT, by calling (912) 233-5767 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., seven days a week.

After-Hours Service:

  • Monday – Friday after 8 p.m.: Call (912) 651-0490
  • Saturday & Sunday after 4 p.m.: Call (912) 651-0490

Online Reservations:

Mobile Ticketing:

  • Customers can now purchase tickets via the Token Transit app.
  • First-time users must call customer service to activate mobile purchases.

Reservation Guidelines

  • Call the Customer Service Ride Line at (912) 233-5767 at least one day and up to seven days before your intended trip.
  • Reservations are available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Same-day trip changes cannot be accommodated.
  • Cancellations must be made at least two hours before pickup.

Online Reservation Requirements

  • You must be certified in the Paratransit Program (CAT Mobility) to book online.
  • Online reservations can be submitted 1-7 days in advance. Requests submitted more than seven days out cannot be scheduled.
  • Your online request must be received by 4 p.m. for next-day service.
  • You will receive an immediate receipt confirmation. A separate trip confirmation will follow via email and phone once scheduled.
  • CAT is not responsible for submission delays caused by internet or system outages.
  • If the reservation form does not disappear after submission, required information was not filled in correctly.

Guests, Personal Care Attendants (PCAs), & Service Animals

  • Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) ride for free and must board and exit at the same location as the rider.
  • Guests/Companions must pay a fare and board/exit at the same location as the rider.
  • Service Animals are permitted in compliance with the ADA.

If you have any questions about our email trip reservation option or would like to apply for paratransit service, call (912) 236-5767.

 

Required Information for Reservations

Before calling, please have the following details ready:

  • Your name, address, and telephone number
  • Number of persons traveling
  • Date of trip
  • Appointment time (and return time, if round-trip)
  • Destination (street address required, and return location if applicable)

TIP: Having all trip details prepared before calling saves time for everyone and improves efficiency.

 

Special Requests

Always inform us in advance if:

  • You will have accompaniment on your trip (PCA, guest, service animal, etc.).
  • You need a special notification request (e.g., having the operator beep the horn upon arrival due to a vision impairment).

Service Animals

Under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), transit providers are required to permit service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and facilities. A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. We may ask if an animal is a service animal and/or ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but cannot require special ID cards for the animal or ask about the person’s disability. The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of their service animal. If the service animal behaves in an unacceptable way, such as uncontrolled barking, jumping on other people, or running away from the handler, CAT does not have to allow the animal onto the bus or vehicle.

Although service animals as described above are permitted under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), emotional support animals, comfort animals and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA. A doctor’s note does not qualify an animal as a service animal. While emotional support or comfort animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals but they are not considered service animals.

 

Emergency Preparedness

The Chatham County Health Department maintains a Functional and Medical Needs Registry that consists of residents who may require medical assistance during emergency situations. Those on the registry may need specially trained health care providers, special facilities equipped to meet their needs, and specialized vehicles and equipment for transport. If a hurricane is threatening our area, it is important CEMA and Health Department officials know where the most vulnerable residents are located so that evacuation assistance can be provided to them.

How to Register:

  • Call the Functional and Medical Needs Coordinator at the Chatham County Health Department, (912) 691-7443.
  • Download the application from the Coastal Health District website.
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