Call the TRANSPORTATION HOTLINE Today

772-283-1814

772-221-7982 (TDD)

Office Hours are:
Monday through Friday 
7a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Community Coach, a service of the Council on Aging of Martin County, is the public transportation service for Martin County as designated by the Martin County Board of County Commissioners. Community Coach provides a curb-to-curb, advance reservation, shared ride transportation service and also operates fixed-route services in Indiantown and Stuart Our hours of operation are  7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Community Coach is available to all Martin County residents for a fare of $ 1.50 per trip. Our services are used primarily by the transportation disadvantaged - those who are unable to drive or who do not have access to their own transportation - including senior citizens, the disabled and those meeting Medicaid eligibility requirements.

Since trips are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis, it is important that you contact us several days prior to your trip whenever possible. You can call us 14 calendar days in advance. When making reservations to be picked up, we urge you to also schedule a time for your return trip. If you do not schedule a return pick-up time and instead call us to come and get you when you are ready, you may be kept waiting.

Reservations are taken Monday through Friday, from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, excluding holidays. Voice mail is available after hours for cancellations only. Call 283-1814 to schedule or cancel a trip or to provide us with comments. We're here to serve you.

Scheduling Hours

For Reservations Call 283-1814

Toll-Free 888-248-7683

Monday - Friday

7:30 am to 5:30 pm

(Excluding Holidays)

Hearing and Voice Impaired

Hearing and voice impaired persons can contact us through our dedicated TDD line at 221-7982 or through the Florida Relay System:

Voice: 800-955-8770   TDD: 800-955-8771

Transit Hours

Buses are in operation from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. We do not offer service on the following holidays:

• New Year's Day

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

• President's Day

• Memorial Day

• July 4th

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday)

• Christmas Day

Reservations

Community Coach is a "demand response" service. This means you must call and schedule a pick-up and return trip, or you will not have a ride. you will be picked up at the curb or your home, not at a bus stop.

If you have never called us before, or if haven't called recently, you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Your full name (first, last, middle initial)

• Home address (street, number, city, zip code) and directions to your home

• Phone Number

• Date of Birth

• Social Security Number

• Emergency contact, address and phone

• Medicaid number (if applicable)

• Whether you use oxygen, a wheelchair or other mobility device (such as cane or walker)

• If your wheelchair is non-standard

• Whether any children, and escort, companion or service animal will be traveling with you

• Whether a child car seat is required

You'll need to provide the following information each time you call:

• Date you want to ride

• Your preferred pick-up or drop-off time

• Name, address and phone number of your destination

• Return time (time you will be ready to go back home)

When you call to schedule your trip, our scheduler will provide you with a specific 30-minute pick-up window when you can expect your ride. Please wait where you can watch for the vehicle and be ready when your bus arrives. You should also make sure that your street address numbers are clearly visible from the road.

Subscription Trips

If there is some place you need to be on a regular, recurring basis such as a weekly trip for medical treatment, you do not have to call Community Coach every time you need a trip. We will be happy to schedule any requests for a "subscription trip".

Cancellations

You may cancel your trip at any time during regular hours of operation by calling Community Coach and speaking with a scheduler. You may also cancel your trip after business hours by calling and leaving a voice mail message. We ask that you cancel at least 24 hours in advance so that we can schedule a trip for someone else. If this is not possible, then cancel no later than one hour before your scheduled pick-up time. Failure to cancel your tip in advance may result in suspension of your transportation service (see "no-shows" for more information).

FARES

A $1.50 fare applies for each one-way trip. You can also purchase a 10-ride ticket for $7 - a 30 percent discount. Your driver will collect your fare when you board the vehicle. You must have the exact change. Drivers do not carry money and will not make additional stops to get change. Please do not tip the drivers.

A co-payment also applies for all Medicaid riders (see Medicaid section below for details).

MEDICAID

Community Coach provides transportation for eligible Medicaid recipients to receive approved medical care. Transportation services are only available to those eligible recipient who cannot obtain transportation on their own.

Medicaid requires recipients, unless otherwise exempt, to pay a $1 co-pay for each one-way transportation trip. your co-pay is considered as your fare, and it will be collected when you board. Certain exclusions to this co-pay may apply; call our office for details.

Out of Service Area Trips

(for Medicaid riders only)

Medicaid reimburses for a recipient to be transported to sources of medical care within his/her locality, except when the required medical care is not available within the county. If you are a Medicaid recipient and you need to go our of county for medical care, medical documentation from your physician stating "services are not available in Martin County" must be faxed to our office before your trip can be scheduled.

Community Coach's fax number is 219-8507.

GETTING THERE ON TIME

Our goal is to provide every rider with prompt, safe, reliable and courteous service. Occasionally our vehicles will run behind schedule during periods of peak demand, heavy traffic and road construction, or due to inclement weather.

You can help us to serve you better by:

• Calling to schedule your trips between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. whenever possible.

• Being ready within your 30-minute pick-up window. Drivers cannot wait longer than 5 minutes per passenger

• Allowing for time spent picking up and dropping off other passengers before reaching your destination.

To ensure that the vehicle will be on time for other passengers, your driver will not be able to make unscheduled stops. You must schedule a "side trip" to the pharmacy or other destinations when you make your initial reservation.

If your trip includes shopping, your driver will be happy to assist you with any packages that can be carried in one trip and safely stowed on the vehicle.

Remember that Community Coach is not a taxi system. There will be other passengers on board the same vehicle with different, but equally important, destinations. Please be patient and considerate if your trip takes longer than expected.

What should I do if my vehicle is late?

If your vehicle has not arrived within your 30minute pick-up window, call 283-1814, and we will check the status of its arrival time. We can only resolve problems if we are informed. Please do not hesitate to call.

No-shows

Trips must be canceled in enough time to inform the driver before h or she arrives at our door. Cancellations at the door are considered a no-show. you are considered a no-show when the driver arrives to pick you up during your scheduled 30-minute window and you do not board the vehicle as scheduled. Repeated no-shows may result in your suspension from using Community Coach services.

SPECIAL NEEDS

How can we accommodate you?

Community Coach vehicles are designed to accommodate the special needs of our riders who use wheelchairs, walkers, canes, guide dogs and other mobility aids. Our fleet consists of lift-equipped vehicles that accommodate most commonly used wheelchair models. All vehicles are also provided with seat belts, fire extinguishers and other safety equipment.

The following rules apply:

WHEELCHAIRS, MANUAL AND ELECTRIC - Must be in proper working order and equipped with handgrips, footrests and brakes.

PORTABLE OXYGEN - Will be permitted in vehicles, providing it is self-administered and of sufficient quantity for your round trip.

PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS (PCAs)/ESCORTS - Are required to accompany those rides who need assistance. PCAs are not charged a fare. PCAs must have the same reservation as the passenger they are accompanying to allow for sufficient room on the bus.

DEPENDENT CHILDREN - Children aged 13 and younger must be accompanied by an escort who is 18 years or older. Children aged 4 or younger must use an approved child restraint carrier.

Note: To ensure that we offer consistent, reliable transportation to everyone, we are unable to honor specific requests for drivers, seats vehicles and routes.

Fixed-Route Services

Along with advance-reservation, curb-to-curb transportation, Community Coach also operates two fixed-route services - the Stuart Shuttle and the Indiantown Shuttle - and provides connections to the U.S.1 service, the Treasure Coast Connector.

The Stuart Shuttle operates Tuesdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., serving primarily the condominiums along East Ocean Boulevard, Martin Memorial Hospital, downtown Stuart and various retail locations along U.S.1. More information about the Stuart Shuttle is available in a separate brochure.

The Indiantown Shuttle operates Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. serving the community of Indiantown. More information about the Indiantown Shuttle is available in a separate brochure.

The Treasure Coast Connector is operated by Community Transit of St. Lucie County between Martin and St. Lucie counties. Service is provided from Martin Memorial Hospital to downtown Stuart, the Treasure Coast Square Mall, and north to to Ft. Pierce. More information about the Treasure Coast Connector is available in a separate brochure.

Fares for the Stuart Shuttle, Indiantown Shuttle and the Treasure Coast Connector are $1. The fare for seniors over 60, students, adults with disabilities and Medicare cardholders is 50 cent.

YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

You have a right to expect certain things from Community Coach:

• Courteous, safe and timely transportation

• Accurate information

• Clean, smoke-free vehicles properly equipped with seat belts and safety equipment

• Air conditioned/heated vehicles

• A properly identified driver

• Assistance with getting in and leaving the vehicle

As a rider, you are responsible to:

• Be on time

• pay your fare of co-pay at the time of the trip

• Refrain from smoking in the vehicle

• Avoid distracting the driver

• Avoid littering the vehicle

• Remain seated until the vehicle comes to a completed stop

• Keep seat belts securely fastened

• Report anything you notice that constitutes a safety hazard to your driver

For everyone's safety:

• Riders deemed medically contagious may not be transported

• Riders with open wounds MUST have them covered during transport

• Except for medically necessary reasons, eating and drinking in the vehicle is prohibited

Passengers are responsible for being considerate of other passengers in sharing rides, practicing good personal hygiene and refraining from excessive noise.

If you Experience a Problem ...

Please call us at 283-1814 as soon as possible to report the issue. We will need to know details such as the date, time, location and a description of the problem you experienced. This information will help us to investigate and resolve the problem as quickly as possible. We will thoroughly investigate the matter and respond to you within 24 hours. We appreciate your input and want you to feel comfortable in contacting us.

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may obtain information on the Local Grievance Procedures from Community Coach, or contact the State Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged Helpline at 800-983-2435.