Booking a Ride on C-VAN
C-VAN is a shared ride service, which means we need to accommodate all eligible ride requests for ADA riders. Please be flexible when planning your ride. C-VAN will do everything possible to accommodate your first request, but you may have to accept an alternate time if your first choice is not available. C-VAN may negotiate pickup times with riders but shall not require an ADA eligible rider to schedule a trip to begin more than one (1) hour before or after the rider’s desired departure time. (Per the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Circular 4710.0 Chapter 8.)
Reservations can be made one to two days in advance. We do not accept same-day ride requests or changes. Riders can schedule rides 7 days a week, 365 days a year, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by calling C-VAN Customer Service: 360-695-8918, option 2. Ride requests may also be submitted using our fillable online Trip Booking Form:
Request a C-VAN rideWe are sorry, you are requesting a ride outside of the C-VAN ride scheduling hours. Please come back between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., seven (7) days a week, 365 days a year, or call C-VAN Customer Service at 360-695-8918, option 2, during the same scheduling hours.
Requests must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. the day prior to the requested ride date, requests submitted after 5:00 p.m. the day before the requested ride will not be processed. Riders will need to call C-VAN to verify ride times. This can be done using the automated system 24/7 by dialing 360-695-8918, option 1, using your personalized Client ID and password. Ride times can also be verified by calling C-VAN Customer Service at 360-695-8918, option 2, and speaking with a representative during call center hours. C-TRAN’s call center hours can be found here.
Riders are required to have the full address of their destination(s) when booking a ride. The customer service representative will ask you several questions and guide you through the process.
For additional information on booking a ride, please download a PDF copy of the Rider’s Handbook.
If you're new to C-VAN, use this handout with helpful tips for riding C-VAN, and see the orientation video below.
Orientation video: Welcome to C-VAN!
Ride Reminder (Automated) for C-VAN
Riders are encouraged to utilize the automated system called Ride Reminder to check on or cancel their rides. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To get started using Ride Reminder, ask a customer service representative for your personal ID number and password.
You can reach Ride Reminder by calling 360-695-8918, then press 1 after the greeting starts, and then follow the prompts. For more information on the Ride Reminder system, please refer to the Rider’s Handbook.
C-VAN Fares
Each C-VAN ride costs the equivalent of adult fare on fixed route, regional adult fare would be required when traveling into Oregon. C-TRAN’s fare grid can be found here. Valid fares include:
- A C-VAN personalized Hop card with valid fare loaded. You can request your personalized C-VAN Hop card by calling C-VAN Customer Service: 360-695-8918, option 2.
- Cash fare in exact change (operators cannot give change).
C-VAN No-Shows
No-shows are any occurrence where the rider does not show up or cannot be located for a scheduled ride or declines to take the trip when the vehicle arrives within the pick-up window and waits five (5) minutes.
ADA regulatory citation is 49 CFR Sec. 37.125(h): The entity may establish an administrative process to suspend, for a reasonable period of time, the provisions of complementary paratransit service to ADA eligible individuals who establish a pattern or practice of missing scheduled trips. A pattern of practice is defined as no-shows in excess of 10% of all scheduled rides.
For C-TRAN’s full no-show policy, click here.
Transferring to TriMet from C-VAN
C-VAN paper fares are not valid on TriMet services or the TriMet paratransit service called LIFT. Additional cash fare or a HOP card is required to ride all TriMet services. Riders must make a separate reservation with TriMet LIFT by calling 503-802-8000.
