LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

G u i d e l i n e s

All data (name, address, phone, etc.) appearing in the system can be viewed by the public. If you do not want an item of data displayed, do not give it to your Approving Agency or enter it into the system. You may replace it with other acceptable data.

The LA City Charter Bus Program may be used for public recreational, educational, and cultural purposes. It is funded through Proposition A/C. If used for City or other purposes not indicated above, other funds must be used.

Groups must submit Trip Requests/Changes to Approving Agencies (Council District Offices or other Authorized Agencies) at least 20 calendar days prior to a trip date. Zip Codes for Pick-Up Locations and Destinations are required. If unknown, you may find them at http://www.mapquest.com.

Approving Agencies must submit Approved Trip Requests/Changes to LADOT 14 calendar days prior to a trip date.

a. A penalty fee ($50/day up to $700) will be recorded against an Approving Agency for submitting a Trip Request/Change less than 14 calenday days prior to a trip date. This is currently for tracking compliance only. No fees will actually be subtracted.

From May through September, Approving Agencies must receive Trip Requests at least 6 weeks prior to a trip date, and LADOT must receive the Approved Trip Requests at least 4 weeks prior to a trip date.

Trips may be limited to certain general age groups or persons with disabilities, but must also be made available to the public as individuals within that designated group.

All Confirmed Trips are listed in the LA City Charter Bus website for the public to view. Approving Agencies are to post a list of their Confirmed Trips at a facility open to the public by the First and Fifteenth of each month.

Approving Agencies and Groups are to respond to all inquiries from the public about their confirmed trips.

The Pickup locations for the start of a trip must be within the City of Los Angeles. Pickup outside the City is permitted only if it is a one-way return trip. Travel must be within the counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Kern, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial. Trips outside these counties are not permitted.

10.

Travel less than 85 miles in one direction from the City of Los Angeles and within Orange or Ventura counties or designated portions of Kern, San Bernardino or Riverside counties are free of charge to Community Groups.

11.

Travel in one direction outside the six county area above require the Group requesting the trip to prepay the cost of the trip in proportion to the distance traveled outside the area. The prepayment will be set at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or more of the cost of the trip and the Approving Agency will be charged for the remainder.

12.

Groups whose trip exceeds 85 miles or more in one direction will be required to prepay 1/2 or more of the cost of the trip and the Approving Agency will be charged for the remainder.

13.

Groups and Approving Agencies must ensure any prepayment is received by LADOT at least 5 business days prior to the Trip Start Date or the trip may be cancelled.

14.

Trips cancelled 3 business days prior to a Trip Start Date will not incur a charge.

a. Approving Agencies will be charged the remaining costs for a trip if their Group is a “No Show” or cancels less than 24 hours prior to the Trip Pickup Time.

15.

Groups will be limited by the Approving Agency as to the type and number of buses that may be selected.

16.

Drivers with School Pupil Activity Bus (SPAB) licenses must be used when transporting children for school related functions on Coach and Transit buses. If your bus requires a SPAB driver, enter SPAB in the Remarks Section of the Trip Request Page.

17.

There are 4 types of Charter Buses. Submit separate Trip Request if different types of buses are needed. Only one type of bus may be selected on the Trip Request Page:

a. Coach Buses may be used when the passengers are ambulatory adults. Coach Buses may only be used for children if a SPAB driver is used.

b. School Buses may be used for ambulatory adults and/or ambulatory school children.

c. Transit Buses may be used for ambulatory adults. It may also be used for ambulatory adults and/or ambulatory school children if a SPAB driver is used.

d. Wheelchair Accessible Buses may be used when one or more wheelchair positions are needed. DOT’s Account for the Disabled will be charged for trips where three or more wheelchair positions/bus are needed and requested .

18.

Bathroom facilities are only available on some Coach Buses. Groups needing a bathroom on their bus must indicate their need in the Remarks Section of the Trip Request Page.

19.

Additional pickup locations and destinations not previously indicated, SPAB driver, seatbelts, and other special items you may need must be requested in the Remarks Section of the Trip Request Page. Some items may result in an additional charge.

20.

Bus selections asterisked on the Trip Request Page may only pickup north of the Santa Monica Freeway.

21.

Bus service is only available within the following times:

a.	School or Wheelchair Accessible Buses
	School Days:	9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and/or
		5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
	Saturdays:	Any Time
	Sundays and Holidays:	6:00 AM to 9:00 PM

b.	Coach Buses
	Any day:	6:00 AM to 12:00 AM

c.	Transit Buses
	Any day:	4:00 AM to 12:00 AM

22.

Groups must consider travel time when indicating times desired for a trip. Travel within the City is usually within one hour and travel outside the City is usually within three hours. Go to http://www.mapquest.com and click on Driving Directions to estimate the minimum travel times without traffic. Add time for traffic for greater accuracy.

23.

Groups must be ready for pick-up and departure as scheduled. Some buses have other assignments and may leave without a Group if the Group is not ready as scheduled.

24.

Alcoholic beverages and/or alcohol consumption is not permitted on buses.

25.

The City, LADOT, and the Charter Bus Program are not responsible for any loss, theft or damage to any personal items carried or transported by passengers.

26.

If there are questions before the trip, Groups should contact their Approving Agency, NOT DOT OR THE BUS CO.

27.

If a Group needs to make a change to a trip request, it may directly enter the change into the Charter Bus System if the Approving Agency has not already approved the request. If it has been approved, the Group must ask the Approving Agency to make the change. The Approving Agency may make the change if the trip request has not already been assigned to a Bus Company by DOT. After making the change, the Approving Agency must remember to re-approve the request. If the trip request has already been assigned to a Bus Company, the Approving Agency must phone the DOT to make the change and confirm that request by faxing a completed change form to the DOT.

28.

If a bus does not arrived within 15 minutes of its scheduled Pick-up Time or if there are other problems during the trip, Groups should contact DOT at 213-216-4781 from 7 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday. After hours, call the pager at 888-458-8371, enter your area code and phone number and DOT will return your call within a few minutes.

29.

If you are unable to reach DOT to resolve a problem on the day of the trip, contact the Bus Company assigned to your trip:
Laidlaw                  800-300-9599
Coach America       800-642-3287 x2
CA Touch of Class 323-232-7466
Atlantic Express      323-225-9105
California Tours      888-422-5786
Gold Coast Tours    800-638-6427
Transit Systems    818-504-7270

30.

After the end of your trip, report any complaints by phone and/or in writing to your Approving Agency. The Approving Agency will forward your complaint to the DOT for action.