Access
The City of Huntsville’s 19 Access vehicles are radio dispatched and ADA accessible. Access is a specialized, door-to-door, demand-response paratransit service. An ADA Paratransit service application and reservations made in advance by 5 p.m. the day before are required to schedule this service.
CLICK TO SEE THE ACCESS BROCHURE
Amble, a free mobile app compatible with both iPhone and Android systems, is available for all certified Access clients to make trip reservations and track rides in “real-time.” Riders will need to have a customer number to set up a login and password. For more information, call Trae Wiley at 256-427-6829.
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m
Phone: (256) 427-6811
TDD phone number for the hearing impaired:
- 1-800-548-2547 (voice)
- 1-800-548-2546 (TTY)
Access is a public transportation service available to:
- Persons with disabilities who, because of their disability, are unable to ride regular city buses.
- Senior citizens who are over 65 and do not live near a bus route (when space is available)
- If you are elderly (over 65) or you are disabled as above and live in the Huntsville City Limits but not close to the Orbit routes , you are eligible to ride on a limited basis. This service is dependent upon space availability. Call 256-427-6857 for more specific details.
An application must be completed and returned to the Department of Parking & Public Transit before trips on Access can be scheduled. The certification process can take up to 21 days. During that time a person with a disability who has immediate transportation needs may receive conditional eligibility inside the ADA service area.
Personal Care Attendant
- One Personal Care Attendant (PCA) may accompany ADA eligible passengers only, Personal Care Attendants travel free of charge to help with mobility, personal care, eating, communication, translation, sign language interpretation, providing services as a reader, etc
- It is important to indicate a need for a Personal Care Attendant when applying for Access services
Other passengers may also ride with the Access customer if space is available. Please check with the dispatcher prior to being picked up to be sure there will be enough space. The fare for additional passengers is one ticket.
1. Our drivers do not enter any house or building.
2. Our drivers do not move wheelchairs up or down steps of any kind. If there is not a ramp someone with you must move your wheelchair to level ground or Access cannot provide your trip.
3. Our drivers do not take groceries or parcels past the front door of your house or the main entrance of your apartment building. They also do not lift parcels weighing over 10 pounds. You must be able to hold all parcels you bring on board the van. There is no extra space to secure carts, baskets or parcels you cannot hold. Please, bring no more than two bags per person.
All service requires a reservation in advance:
E-mail Access@HuntsvilleAL.gov or call (256) 427-6857 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. After hours, please leave a message.
- Trips may be scheduled the day before or up to a month in ahead of time.
- Trips outside and East of the ADA area may only schedule on Monday, Wednesday’s and Friday’s and have ready times at 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Trips coming in at the 2:30 p.m. time will have to find their own way home.
- Trips outside and West of the ADA area may only schedule on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s and have ready times at 9:00 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Trips coming in at the 2:30 p.m. time will have to find their own way home.
- Trips outside the ADA area are space availability contingent on all ADA service requests being met. Read more about the program in the Access Brochure.
Need to see a map of the Access ADA Service Area? View it here.
Access drivers will accept Access tickets only as you board the van, and one ticket is required each time you board the van. NO CASH OR CHECKS.
How to purchase tickets:
- Public Transit office located at 500 B Church Street, 2nd floor
- Mail a request for tickets along with a check (never mail cash) for the dollar amount to pay for the tickets you want to purchase
- Mail requests to Access, 500 B Church Street. Huntsville, AL 35801
- Include the address where the tickets are to be mailed and your phone number in case we have questions
- All checks should be made out to the City of Huntsville
While you must have a ticket to board the van, we will not charge you another ticket for a stop at our office to buy tickets provided you schedule the stop with the Dispatcher when you schedule your trip. Tickets are $2.00 each. Call 256-427-6811 for more information.
TOKEN TRANSIT
Download the Token Transit app to your smartphone to conveniently pay for fares and board a bus. This contactless fare product can be found in the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android devices. Click the photo to learn more:
On the day of your trip be ready to leave one hour prior to the time you are scheduled to be at your destination. Vehicles will wait no more than five minutes before moving on in order to avoid disrupting service for other passengers. We are a door to door service.
The driver will:
- Assist you from the main entrance door of your house or building (origin) onto the van
- Assist you from the van to the main entrance door of your destination
The driver will not:
- Go into your house or destination for any reason
- Wait longer than five minutes for you to come out of your house or the building where you are being picked up
- Go into the building to try to find you
If you need help beyond the main entrance at your origin/destination, you must arrange for someone to assist you. If you need more help, please arrange to have a personal care attendant (PCA) travel with you.
Please be ready and waiting close to the front door so you can see or hear when the van arrives to get you.
When you are ready to return, call the Access number (256) 427-6857. We will be back to get you within one hour of your call. All calls are time stamped and recorded.
“No Shows”
You are considered a “no-show” if:
- You are not present to board the vehicle within five minutes of our vehicle’s arrival
- You cancel when the vehicle is already in route to pick you up
No-shows cause a disruption of service and needless expense. For that reason, any person with a pattern of repeated no-shows may lose their transportation privileges for ten (10) business days. To keep this from happening, please call the dispatcher to cancel your ride 2 hours before your scheduled appointment.
A client who has a frequency rate for no-shows of greater than three (3) no-shows in a month and seven (7) % during the past (12) months will be considered to have exhibited a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips or making late cancellations this may result in his or her Access service being suspended.
If you are certified for paratransit service in another city, you may use the Access service for 21 days over a 365 day period. Proof of out-of-town certification is required and may be emailed to Access@HuntsvilleAL.gov , or faxed to (256) 427-6869, or mailed to Access, 500 B Church Street NW, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.
