Key Takeaway: The SFMTA should address the need for services between the time of ADA paratransit application submission and when it is finally approved.
By law a paratransit rider's application for eligibility must be evaluated by the SFMTA within 21 days of receipt. For riders who are unable to wait that long due to urgent appointments or because they have no other transportation options, presumptive eligibility is available in an emergency. While applicants wait for their eligibility to be approved, the SFMTA Mobility Management team can help applicants with resources that can meet their transportation needs.
In general, Mobility Management staff try to match prospective clients to the program that best matches their needs.
- The Essential Trip Card (ETC) best serves Muni riders who only need occasional rides outside of Muni and who qualify for paratransit but prefer to use other modes.
- Although rare, some prospective paratransit applicants who require immediate transportation assistance apply for the ETC while they are undergoing the ADA eligibility process. This option is limited by available staff time and the ETC program’s photo ID requirement.
- Since the program’s inception, 671 ETC clients have transitioned to paratransit, comprising 16% of active ETC riders.
In the future there is also the potential that Mobility Management Center staff learn about and connect prospective riders with University of California San Francisco or San Francisco General Hospital staff who both maintain their own taxi voucher program and for which riders may be eligible.