ATTENTION: To call our paratransit service, you must dial all 10 numbers of the phone numbers: dial 912.233.5767 or 912.236.2111, otherwise they will not go through at this time.
Service Alert:Â CAT Mobility is continuing to transport customers for necessary trips but requests that riders only use the service for essential trips such as medical appointments, grocery shopping and work. Customers also are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering during their trip.
To help protect the health of customers and CAT employees, customers also are asked to abstain from using CAT services if:
- They have a fever
- They have traveled out of the country
- They have a new cough
- They have COVID-19 or a known exposure to the virus
CAT Mobility customers can schedule or reschedule an appointment or get in touch with CAT for any reason by calling (912) 233-5767 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. CAT has an after-hours number for CAT Mobility customers to call after 8 p.m., Monday-Friday. The number is (912) 651-0490. The number also should be used after 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations can also now be requested online, using our CAT Mobility reservation request form. (Next day reservations must be in by 3:30 p.m.) In addition, CAT Mobility customers can now purchase tickets on their smartphones using the Token Transit app. (Customers first have to call customer service to get set up to make mobile purchases.)
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.
CAT Mobility serves passengers in a safe and effective manner. State-of-the-art wheelchair lifts make boarding and exiting the vehicle safe and convenient. Each of our lift-equipped CAT Mobility vans accommodate three wheelchair passengers or up to 10 seated passengers. These vans feature a 6-point tie-down system, which holds the passenger and wheelchair securely in place. 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.
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.
Open and print the English application by clicking here or the Spanish application by clicking here. 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. Online Applications also can now be submitted by clicking here.
* 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
Call the Customer Service Ride Line at (912) 233-5767 at least one day and up to seven days before your intended trip. Reservations can be made seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Schedulers will make every effort to incorporate a requested change in your schedule; however, same-day trip changes cannot be accommodated on this shared-ride service. Cancellations may be made up to two hours before pickup time and are appreciated with as much notice as possible.
Making your reservation is easy. Simply have the following information ready when you call:
Your name, address and telephone number
Number of persons making the trip
Date
Time of appointment (and return, if round-trip)
Destination – street address required (and return, if round-trip)
TIP: Having all of your trip details prepared before you call saves time setting up your reservation and cuts down on everyone’s phone time. Since relying on the scheduler to look up addresses for you slows down the process for everyone, your fellow CAT Mobility customers will appreciate your thoughtfulness of being ready.
* Remember to always inform us if:
- You will have any accompaniment on your trip. This can be a personal care attendant, guest, service animal, etc.
- You need to make a special notification request, such as asking for the operator to beep the horn of the bus upon arrival if your disability affects your vision.
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.
For a quick overview of the differences in the 2017 Paratransit Ride Guide, click on the image/table to the right.
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.
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.
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.