Developing and Implementing Functional Eligibility Criteria for Users of Specialized Transportation Services

This paper describes how it is generally required that users of specialized transportation services for the disabled register prior to receiving such service. The purpose of registration or certification procedures is to ensure that only persons who qualify for specialized transportation service will receive it. The determination of who “needs” these services, however, varies widely among specialized transportation systems. Screening potential users becomes especially important in light of limited resources. Because of the demand-responsive nature of these services and the special equipment involved, subsidy levels per trip for specialized transportation are usually higher when compared with those for regular route transfer service. It is therefore critical that available resources be used to provide transportation to those who need it most and cannot use alternative modes because of their limited mobility.