Safety and hygiene

All ambulatory riders must be seated when the bus is in motion, and all riders are required to wear a seat belt.

Child restraints are required by law on all demand response vehicles. Riders are required to provide a car or booster seat for the child. Operators may assist riders carrying the seat to and from the bus, but the rider is responsible for securing the seat appropriately. Infants and children with disabilities who are not in a wheelchair must be secured in a child restraint. The Washington Child Passenger Restraint Law (RCW 46.61.687) requires the following:

• Children up to age two must ride in a rear‑facing car seat.
• Children must be buckled into the seat next to the accompanying adult.
• Children ages two to four must ride in a car seat with a harness, rear or forward‑facing depending on their age.
• Children four years and older must ride in a car or booster seat until they are 4’ 9” in height.

Personal hygiene is important for the health and safety of others. Please be considerate of others.

Note:‑VAN may limit, suspend or deny service to riders who disregard C‑VAN policies, engage in unsafe or threatening behavior, or whose residence or destination is not safely accessible.

Bodily fluids and open sores and wounds

Riders with disabilities who have health‑related open sores, wounds, or other physical issues with the presence of dripping bodily fluids, must ensure proper care is taken to cover the sores/wounds or sanitarily contain the bodily fluids. Leaking or dripping bodily fluids create a biohazard and pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other riders and C‑TRAN employees. Because C‑VAN is a shared‑ride service and is not a medical transportation service, the bus operator is expected to report potential biohazard concerns to dispatch. A rider experiencing leakage or discharge may not be transported. In cases where the rider is already on the bus, they will be taken back to their point of origin. In some cases, 911 may be contacted to arrange for emergency medical care.

Inclement weather

C‑VAN reserves the right to suspend, modify or cancel service during inclement weather conditions that may jeopardize the safety of our riders, our staff or our vehicles.

• In severe weather conditions, service may be delayed or cancelled.
• Be patient, as telephone lines will be busy, and buses may be delayed. If you do not wish to travel due to weather conditions, please call and cancel your ride as soon as possible. Choosing to cancel your ride due to adverse weather will not result in ride penalties such as a no‑show. Don’t forget, you may also cancel your ride using the Ride Reminder system.
• C‑VAN may limit or cancel service when road conditions become hazardous. If this happens, we will call to let you know and work with you to reschedule your ride for when conditions improve.
• If your ride is not essential, consider cancelling or rescheduling during adverse weather conditions. This reduces the chance of travel-related delays or hazards and helps us serve those who need to make essential trips.
• Please listen to the radio, watch television or visit C‑TRAN’s Web site at www.c‑tran.com for updates.

Service animal policy

Under Department of Transportation (DOT) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations at 49 C.F.R. Section 37.3, “service animal” is defined as “any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.” Service animals can travel outside of a carrier but must be leashed or harnessed except when performing tasks where tethering interferes with the animal’s ability to perform. Service animals must remain in the owner’s control and not pose a threat to others, remain in a sitting or laying position, and not block the aisle of the vehicle or occupy a seat. In addition, Washington State’s Law Against Discrimination states that any dog or miniature horse that is undergoing training to become a service animal shall be allowed access to places of public accommodation.

C-TRAN may ask the following questions to ensure compliance with service animal requirements:

• Is the animal a service animal?
• What work or task has the animal been trained, or is in training, to perform?

Pet/comfort/emotional support animal policy

Comfort/emotional support animals are allowed on C-TRAN, but must remain in an enclosed pet carrier that fits on the floor in front of you or on your lap. The carrier may not block the aisle of the vehicle or occupy another seat.

Comfort/emotional support animals provide comfort to their owners but have not been trained to perform a specific duty or task.

Rider feedback

C-TRAN is committed to providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation services and welcomes customer feedback. Riders wishing to submit feedback regarding C-VAN service may do so by telephone, in person, by email or through our website at www.c-tran.com.

Interpreter service over the phone is available for non-English speaking riders to assist in giving feedback. Once your feedback is received, you will receive a call back if requested or if the investigator needs additional information. Citizens who submit feedback are protected from retribution. For a copy of the C-TRAN’s comment policy, please call 360-695-8918.

Title VI policy

C-TRAN operates its programs and services without regard to race, creed, color or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and other applicable laws.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states: “No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, creed, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Persons who feel they have been subjected to discrimination because of race, color, creed or national origin may file a complaint with C‑TRAN. A complaint must be filed in writing within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory act. Complaints should be addressed to C‑TRAN, Title VI Program, 10600 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA 98682; or can be filled out through our website at www.c‑tran.com/about‑c‑tran/title‑vi‑policy. For more information, call 360‑695‑8918.

Reasonable service modifications

In accordance with guidelines provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is C-TRAN’s policy to provide reasonable modifications of policy and practice to ensure that our transportation services are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for modifications are considered on a case-by-case basis and can be denied for one or more of the following reasons:

• Granting the request would fundamentally alter the nature of C-TRAN’s service, programs, or activities;
• Granting the request could create a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
• Granting the request would create an undue financial or administrative burden for C-TRAN; or
• Without such modification, the individual with a disability is otherwise able to fully use C-TRAN’s services, programs, or activities for their intended purpose.

Requests

• Advanced requests for a reasonable service modification may be made by calling C-TRAN at 360-695-0123 or C-VAN at 360-695-8918.
• Please specify your request and explain how it helps you use the bus; there is no need to provide details of your disability.
• You may also make your request at the time of boarding by asking your bus operator for a service modification. Please note that requests made at the time of boarding may not be immediately approved. C-TRAN is best able to address your requests when they are made in advance.

Appeals

If your request is not granted and you feel the decision was made in error, you may appeal the decision using the ADA grievance process stated below. This does not mean your request will be granted as a result of the appeal.

ADA grievance process

C-TRAN is committed to compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990; and RCW 49.60, Washington’s Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). All grievances concerning discrimination in the provision or accessibility of C-TRAN programs, benefits, or activities or about a response to a request for accommodation or modification of programs, services, benefits, or activities should be submitted to C-TRAN. Below are C-TRAN’s policy and guidelines for submitting an ADA grievance:

1. An ADA grievance must be submitted within 60 days following the actions upon which it is based. Any of the following methods can submit a formal ADA grievance: mail, email, phone, or fax. An explanation and reason for the grievance must be included.

Mail to:
ADA Coordinator Julyla Deatherage
10600 Northeast 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682

Email:
ADA@c-tran.org

Phone:
360-906-7525
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling Washington State Relay at 711.

2. Once C-TRAN receives the grievance, the ADA Coordinator or their designee will contact you within 15 calendar days to discuss it, gather additional information, and identify possible resolutions.
3. After the initial contact, the ADA Coordinator or designee shall respond within 21 calendar days in writing or other accessible formats. The response shall explain C-TRAN’s conclusions regarding the grievance and, if appropriate, suggest options for resolving the grievance.
4. If the grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to submit a review of the grievance. Review requests must be made within 15 calendar days from the date of the ADA Coordinator’s response and may be submitted by mail, email, phone, or fax to:

C-TRAN ADA Chief
Attn: ADA Grievance Review Request
10600 Northeast 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682.

Email:
ADA@c-tran.org

Phone:
360-695-0123
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling Washington State Relay at 711.

5. Within 21 calendar days after receiving the review request, the ADA Chief or their designee shall either respond to the grievance in written or other accessible format or contact the person making the grievance to obtain any necessary information.
6. If additional information is requested from the person submitting the grievance, the ADA Chief or their designee shall respond to the grievance within seven days of receiving the additional information.

C-TRAN will retain copies of grievances, investigation and resolution documentation, and C-TRAN’s response to the grievance in accordance with the complaint record retention requirements of the ADA, Washington State Archives Office, and Washington State Department of Transportation Consolidated Grant Program.

To share information about its ADA grievance process, C-TRAN will use the same means it uses to inform the general public about its policies and procedures. This includes the organization’s website at www.c-tran.com.

Rider conduct

Riders are expected to adhere to the following rules when using C-VAN and C-TRAN services:

• Follow all C-VAN policies and adhere to C-TRAN’s Unlawful Bus Conduct law in the next section;
• Refrain from behavior or language that threatens C-VAN riders or operators;
• Keep food and beverages in closed containers;
• No tobacco or e-cigarette products may be used on C-VAN vehicles;
• Maintain good personal hygiene; and
• Use headphones when listening to radios or other audio devices. Please be mindful of headphone volume.

Unlawful bus conduct

1. A person is guilty of unlawful bus conduct if, while on or in a transit vehicle or in or at a transit station, they knowingly perform one or more of the following prohibited activities:
   1. Smokes or carries a lighted or smoldering pipe, cigar or cigarette, unless they are smoking in an area designated and authorized by the transit authority;
   2. Discards litter other than in designated receptacles;
   3. Dumps or discards, or both, any materials on or at a transit facility including, but not limited to, hazardous substances and automotive fluids;
   4. Plays any radio, recorder or other sound‑producing equipment, unless connected to earphones or an ear receiver that limits the sound to an individual listener. The use of public address systems or music systems that are authorized by a transit agency is permitted. The use of communications devices by transit employees and designated contractors or public safety officers in the line of duty is permitted, as is the use of private communications devices used to summon, notify or communicate with other individuals, such as pagers and cellular phones;
   5. Spits, expectorates, urinates or defecates, except in appropriate plumbing fixtures in restroom facilities;
   6. Carries any flammable liquid, explosive, acid or other article or material likely to cause harm to others. Nothing herein prevents a person from carrying a cigarette, cigar, or pipe lighter or carrying a firearm or ammunition in a way that is not otherwise prohibited by law;
   7. Consumes an alcoholic beverage or is in possession of an open alcoholic beverage container, unless authorized by the transit authority and required permits have been obtained;
   8. Obstructs or impedes the flow of transit vehicles or rider traffic, hinders or prevents access to transit vehicles or stations, or otherwise unlawfully interferes with the provision or use of public transportation services;
   9. Unreasonably disturbs others by engaging in loud, raucous, unruly, harmful or harassing behavior;
   10. Destroys, defaces or otherwise damages property in a transit vehicle or at a transit facility;
   11. Throws an object in a transit vehicle, at a transit facility, or at any person at a transit facility with intent to do harm;
   12. Possesses an unissued transfer or fare media, or tenders an unissued transfer or fare media as proof of fare payment;
   13. Falsely claims to be a transit operator or other transit employee or through words, actions, or the use of clothes, insignia, or equipment resembling department-issued uniforms and equipment, creates a false impression that they are a transit operator or other transit employee;
   14. Engages in gambling or any game of chance for the winning of money or anything of value;
   15. Skates or roller skates or in-line skates or rides in or upon or by any means a coaster, skateboard, toy vehicle or any similar device. However, a person may walk while carrying skates or a skateboard while on or in a transit vehicle or in or at a transit station if that conduct is not otherwise prohibited by law; or
   16. Engages in other conduct that is inconsistent with the intended use and purpose of the transit facility, transit station or transit vehicle and refuses to obey the lawful commands of an agent of the transit authority or a peace officer to cease such conduct.
2. For the purposes of this section:
   1. Transit station or transit facility means all rider facilities, structures, stops, shelters, bus zones, properties and rights-of-way of all kinds that are owned, leased, held or used by a transit system for the purpose of providing public transportation services.
   2. Transit vehicle means any motor vehicle, streetcar, train, trolley vehicle, ferry boat, or any other device, vessel or vehicle that is owned or operated by a transit authority or an entity providing service on behalf of a transit authority
   3. Transit authority means a city transit system under RCW 35.58.2721 or Chapter 35.95A RCW, a county transportation authority under Chapter 35.67 RCW, a metropolitan municipal corporation transit system under Chapter 36.57A RCW, an unincorporated transportation benefit area under RCW 36.57.100, a regional transportation authority under Chapter 81.112 RCW, or any special purpose district formed to operate a public transportation system.
3. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.