Welcome

This Ride Guide is designed to assist new riders in becoming familiar with the services provided by Marty. It also provides current riders with program guidelines to assist them in efficient use of the service.

Marty offers fixed route, deviated fixed route and commuter bus service, as well as ADA paratransit service. Marty’s ADA paratransit service (Marty Access) is a shared-ride, door-to-door service. 

The ADA paratransit service is an eligibility-based program and complies under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

No fares are required to board Marty or Marty Access.

Services

Fixed Route Service operates along a prescribed route according to a fixed schedule. Marty’s fixed route services typically run between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Fixed Route buses are equipped with ramps for ease in boarding and alighting of mobility devices. You must always be seated while riding. If you are riding in a wheelchair or using a mobility aid, your equipment must be secured to the floor of the vehicle by four securement straps. Drivers are trained to secure your mobility aids to the floor and can assist with securing your seat belt and verify that you are secure.

Mobility Aids on Fixed Route

Marty can accommodate walkers, canes and “common wheelchairs” whether operated manually or powered. MARTY may not be able to accommodate you if your wheelchair/mobility device is longer than 48 inches or wider than 30 inches or if your total weight when occupying your wheelchair is more than 600 pounds. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is not intended to be a comprehensive system of transportation for individuals with disabilities.

Deviated Fixed Route Service is a scheduled route that may deviate up to ¾ of mile from time to time to pick up ADA eligible riders. Marty’s deviated fixed route services typically run between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday in Indiantown only.

Commuter Buses are limited stop services along a prescribed route to Palm Beach County, or from Indiantown to Hobe Sound.

ADA Paratransit Service is a shared ride, door-to-door trip provided to ADA eligible individuals and whose origin and destination fall within ¾ of a mile of a scheduled fixed route service. This service runs the same hours as fixed route service — between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law which protects the civil rights of people with disabilities.

Holiday Schedule

Services are not available on the following six holidays:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

If a holiday falls on a Saturday, there will be no service on the Friday before the holiday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, there will be no service on the Monday following the holiday.

Personal Care Attendants, Escorts, Children & Service Animals

Children under the age of twelve (12) must be accompanied by an adult. Newborns to children five (5) years of age must ride in a child safety seat provided by the rider on routes that are operated by light-duty vehicles.

Marty Access allows riders to travel with a Personal Care Attendant (PCA), service animal and one(1) companion (or escort). Additional individuals beyond the first companion are carried only on a space available basis. 

You must reserve a space for the companion(s) when you reserve your trip. PCA’s and anyone else approved to accompany the rider must board the vehicle at the rider’s scheduled location and time of pick-up. 

PCA’s and escorts are subject to the same rules and regulations as a MCPT rider, including fare requirements. Newborns to children five (5) years of age must ride in a federally approved child safety seat provided by the rider/PCA.

A PCA is a person traveling as a necessary aid to facilitate travel by a person with disabilities who cannot travel alone, or children aged twelve (12) and under. Riders are limited to one (1) PCA. Activities performed by a PCA may include but not limited to mobility assistance, personal care or communication (translation, interpretation, reading and assistance at the destination). Marty will not provide a PCA for a rider.

A Service Animal shall mean any guide dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that a person with a disability cannot perform on their own.

ADA Paratransit Services

To reserve your ride, you will need to call (772) 463-2822. Marty’s reservation center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can reserve a trip up to seven (7) calendar days before you wish to travel.

When reserving your ride, you will need to provide the following information:

  • Your full name and telephone number
  • The date you want to travel
  • Pickup and drop-off address details
  • Appointment and return times
  • PCA, escort, service animal or mobility device (i.e., wheelchair or cane)

A “No Show” is defined as a rider who is not home or at the designated pick-up destination at the scheduled pick-up time and has not notified MCPT at least two (2) hours prior to the scheduled pick-up time. A cancellation at the door is considered a “No Show”.

If you need to cancel your trip, please be considerate of others that need the service and call in as soon as possible. You may call after office hours and leave a message on the voicemail box to cancel your trip. Cancellations must be made at least two hours before your scheduled pick-up. If you cancel your trip less than two hours before the start of your scheduled pick-up window, you will receive a “no show” letter at your door.

MARTY's customer service representative may negotiate up to one hour before or one hour after your desired travel time. Trip requests may be negotiated to accommodate all service requests.

The Marty Access is a door to door, shared ride service. Riders under the age of twelve (12) years old must be accompanied by a Personal Care Attendant (PCA).

Drivers will meet you at the front door of any private residence or at the ground floor entrance of any residence or public building. Drivers are prohibited from entering any private residence.

Please be ready and waiting to board the vehicle at the start of your scheduled pick-up window. The driver will wait only five minutes. If you are not ready to board, you will be charged with a “no-show”.

When the vehicle arrives, you will be asked to:

  1. Sign the vehicle manifest. If you are unable to sign, the driver will mark “UTS” indicating “unable to sign” on the manifest.
  2. Board the vehicle. Enter the vehicle by ramp, by climbing the steps or by riding the lift.
  3. Secure your safety belt. When riding, you must be seated at all times. If you are riding in a wheelchair or using a mobility aid, your equipment must be secured to the floor of the vehicle by four securement straps. Drivers are trained to secure your mobility aids to the floor and can assist with securing your seat belt and verify that you are secure.
  4.  Mobility Aids. Marty Access can accommodate walkers, canes and “common wheelchairs” whether operated manually or powered. MCPT may not be able to accommodate you if your wheelchair/mobility device is longer than 48 inches or wider than 30 inches or if your total weight when occupying your wheelchair is more than 600 pounds. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), paratransit service is not intended to be a comprehensive system of transportation for individuals with disabilities.

Packages, Stairs, Doors & Other Barriers

Riders may travel with one medium-sized piece of luggage and one carry-on. Packages or luggage cannot weigh more than 35 pounds combined. Packages must fit under your seat or on your lap. Riders may travel with up to two large paper grocery bags or four standard plastic-handled grocery bags. Riders cannot carry oversized or heavy packages of any kind or packages containing firearms, knives or explosive materials.

ADA Paratransit Services Only

Drivers will provide assistance up or down one flight of stairs, as long as the stairs are between the vehicle and the front door or ground floor entrance of the origin or destination. Drivers cannot assist riders using mobility devices up or down more than one step, or through grass or sand. Drivers are prohibited from entering a rider’s residence.

Rider Responsibilities & Conduct

Rider’s Responsibilities

  • Be informed about program benefits and limitations
  • Be ready and waiting for the vehicle in the designated pick-up location
  • Cancel trips in a timely manner, if applicable
  • Report anything you notice that constitutes a safety hazard to your driver
  • Wear seatbelts and remain seated until vehicle comes to a complete stop at your destination
  • Keep track of personal belongings. MCPT is not responsible for items lost or stolen on vehicles
  • Use headphones when playing electronic devices.

Riders should refrain from engaging in disruptive, aggressive, threatening or illegal behavior. Such behavior will result in a suspension of service for a minimum of 30 (thirty) days. Riders who engage in physical abuse or cause physical injury to others will be permanently suspended.

Disruptive, aggressive, threatening or illegal behavior is defined as:

  • Foul, derogatory and/or inappropriate language directed at staff, drivers and other riders
  • Behavior which is offensive (inappropriate touching), aggressive, threatening (verbal/physical) or incidents that pose a direct threat to the health, safety or welfare of MCPT personnel, drivers and other riders.
  • Possession, distribution or under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or controlled substances on vehicles
  • The committing of any crime on vehicles
  • Tampering with or operating vehicle equipment or two-way radio.

Formal ADA Appeals and Complaints

The ADA paratransit service affords the opportunity for appeals in the following situations:

  1. Denied ADA eligibility status
  2. Temporary services

Appeals must be filed within 60 days of the written notification date from Martin County Public Transit. A copy of appeal procedures can be found at martin.fl.us/Transit.