About The Lift Service...

 

The Lift Service is a public transportation program which provides origin to destination bus service for persons with disabilities who are unable to use the wheelchair-accessible fixed-route bus system.

 

The Lift operates the same days and hours as the fixed route service.

 

Monday through Friday from 5:35 AM to 6:40 PM
Saturday from 8:15 AM to 6:40 PM

 

The Lift service does not operate on Sunday or major holidays.

 

The Lift service operates within 3/4 mile of any regular fixed-route bus stop.

 

A one-way Lift fare is $4.00. A strip of 10 tickets is $40.00.  Lift tickets cannot be used on the fixed route.

 

Ride tickets for the Lift may be purchased at Quincy Street Station, on this website by clicking on “Store”, through the mail, or at our outlet locations, which include all Topeka Dillons stores and HyVee.

 

One (1) personal care attendant (PCA) may travel with a passenger at no charge.

Guests or additional PCAs must pay the $4.00 fare.

Up to three (3) children under age five (5) can ride free with a paying registered adult. 

All PCAs, guests, and children must have the same origin and destination as the Lift passenger.

 

Premium service to locations outside the 3/4 mile service area, but within the contiguous corporate city limits of Topeka may be provided to qualified Lift passengers for $15.00 per one-way ride.

 

For more information regarding Topeka Metro accessibility, visit the "Accessibility & ADA" tab under "About Metro".

 

Eligibility for Service

 

To use the Lift, a person must be certified as eligible according to guidelines set forth in the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) in conjunction with accessibility regulations for public transit services. ADA Paratransit eligibility is based on a person’s lack of functional ability to use the wheelchair accessible fixed route bus service.

 

To Become Eligible

 

An application for ADA Paratransit eligibility can be obtained by calling customer service at 785-783-7000, visiting Quincy Street Station (820 SE Quincy Street), or downloading it by clicking on the link above. The application must be completed in a standard written or typed manner and approved before Lift service will be provided. Assistance in completing the application will be provided upon request.

 

Instructions are available in large print or Braille upon request.

 

Completed forms are to be returned to the Lift Service, 820 SE Quincy, Topeka, Kansas 66612.

 

Applications will be reviewed and verified before a determination is made. While the Federal government mandates the eligibility process be completed within 21 days, Topeka Metro strives to provide approval within seven (7) days.

 

An evaluation may be requested to determine an applicant’s functional ability.

 

Conditional Eligibility

 

The effects of a disability may not be continuous. As a result, a person may be able to ride the fixed route bus system occasionally, but not all of the time. The eligibility process helps the Lift staff make determinations on a trip-by-trip basis in such instances.

 

Specific additional information may be requested when rides are requested by a person who has been determined eligible on a conditional basis.

 

Effective July 1, 2024, Lift passengers with conditional eligibility will be automatically eligible for reduced fare on the fixed route without needing to complete a Reduced Fare ID Application Form. To ride on the fixed route at the reduced fare, Lift passengers will still need to obtain a reduced fare ID at Quincy Street Station. When obtaining their ID, they will need to show their Lift eligibility certificate and one form of picture identification.

 

Eligibility Determination

 

Persons determined to be ADA Paratransit eligible will receive a written determination letter, an identification certificate, and a Lift User’s Guide.

 

Persons determined not eligible for Lift service have the right to appeal.  
Appeal Instructions

 

 

Assistance Provided

 

Lift operators will assist passengers while boarding and exiting the vehicle. The operator will not enter any home or establishment beyond the main lobby to give assistance and are not responsible for unlocking/locking doors. Operators are not to carry groceries, packages, passengers, pet carriers or mobility aids.

 

To Arrange a Ride

 

Once ADA Paratransit eligibility has been established, Lift rides may be arranged by calling 785-783-7000.

 

Reservations must be made by 5:00 PM the day prior to the requested date of travel or up to one week in advance.

 

Calls are accepted daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

 

When calling to arrange a ride, please be prepared to provide the following information to the scheduler or the voice mail:

  • Name (include spelling).
  • Telephone number.
  • Exact pick-up address and destination address. Call-takers will not look up addresses on behalf of the caller.
  • Date, desired time of trip and return pick-up time.
  • Any special instructions (i.e., personal care attendant or guest will be riding, children under age 5, over-sized mobility aid, service animal, pet carrier, oxygen tank, etc.)

Passengers will be given a thirty (30) minute pick-up window. The vehicle may arrive at any time during that window. Once the vehicle arrives, you will be expected to board within five (5) minutes.

 

Once the operator has arrived, passengers who do not board the vehicle within the five-minute wait time will be reported as a no-show. When a passenger is a no-show, an additional bus will be sent only if time and space are available.

 

SAFETY NOTICE:  The Lift Service will not transport passengers who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19, those currently in quarantine for COVID-19, or those who have traveled out of state in the past 14 days.  Face masks are recommended but no longer required in Topeka Metro buses and facilities. Passengers and employees may still wear a face mask if they choose to do so. Please always cover your coughs and sneezes, keep your hands washed, and make sure your mobility aid is sanitized and free of excess baggage.

 

 

Topeka Metro will make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures when necessary to provide equal access to all services for persons with disabilities.  

 

If you feel your Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rights have been violated or you have been denied a reasonable service modification, contact Lead Operations Supervisor Al Bradley at 785-730-8651 or abradley@topekametro.org to file a complaint. You may also call customer service at 785-783-7000 or visit https://topekametro.org/about-metro/submit-a-comment/.