Information
What you need to know when using Kingston Access Bus.
For information on Covid-19 procedures and policies, please go to the "What's New" page.
On Road Hours of Service:
Current hours (as of January 1, 2023) are:
Sunday: 8am to 9pm (last pick-up 8:30pm).
Monday- Saturday: 6am to midnight (last pick-up 11:30pm).
Please note: 85% of our trip requests are for Monday-Friday between 8am and 6pm. As a result the majority of our buses are scheduled for this time. We have limited service available during non-peak hours (i.e. weekdays before 8am and after 6pm, and all hours on weekends).
For service on stat holidays please see below section “Stat Holiday Service”.
Trip Reservation Office Hours:
Monday-Saturday: from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm.
Sunday: from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm.
After hours, KAB uses an answering service which can take cancellations and handle minor inquiries. Trip bookings can only be made during regular office hours. KAB offices are closed on most stat holidays.
Trip Bookings:
Once registered, passengers may book trips up to 14 days prior to the day of the trip (for example bookings for June 22nd start being accepted on June 8th) and up to one hour in advance of the required time provided there is remaining availability. Please note that the more advance notice provided increases chances of availability. If a vehicle is not available at the time you request, an alternate time may be available. Depending on the time, origin and destination of the trip, transportation may not be available. Kingston Access Bus accommodates 97% of trip requests we receive.
All bookings are made on a “first come, first served” basis. Kingston Access Services is not permitted to prioritize trips based on the purpose of the trip.
Kingston Access Bus is a "shared-ride" service. We in many instances will pick-up/drop-off other passengers during your trip. No passenger is guaranteed a direct trip, or a bus without any other passengers. We try to minimize your travel time; however you may be on the bus for up to 60 minutes. If you have a specific appointment time at your destination, please make us aware of this at the time of booking so we can factor this into your pick-up time.
In order to accommodate as many passengers as possible your booked pick-up time may be moved 5 minutes earlier or 5 minutes later. As a result passengers are to be ready for their bus 5 minutes before their pick-up time.
To make a booking by phone:
Call our office at 613-542-2512 during regular office hours. Please note that our after-hours answering service does not accept trip bookings.
Kingston Access Services audibly records all calls. This is done to monitor and confirm the accuracy of bookings, and the information provided to passengers.
To make a booking by e-mail:
Send an e-mail to: kabbookings@gmail.com
Include in your e-mail:
Your full name and passenger identification number (if you know it);
The date of your trip;
The address where you are being picked up from, and the address of where you are going;
The time you need to be at your destination;
If there will be anybody riding with you.
You will receive a return e-mail within 24 hours with your trip time (48 hours for requests received on weekends/stat holidays). If your requested time is not available, we may contact you via phone to discuss alternative times.
Regular booking procedures apply starting 14 days in advance. Requests submitted more than 14 calendar days in advance will not be accepted NOR will requests be held by KAS until the booking window of 14 advance days opens. Please note: This will be strictly enforced.
It is strongly recommended that you call our office at 613-542-2512 for bookings if your trip request is for a time KAS operates with limited service (e.g. weekends; stat holidays; and weekdays before 8am or after 6pm). Additionally trip requests for a time within 7 days we recommend you call our office.
Finally, from time to time KAB may have more demand than capacity, so we may not be able to accommodate you every time, however we will do the very best that we can.
Cancelling Bookings:
PLEASE provide as much notice as possible when you need to cancel a trip. To cancel call our office at 613-542-2512. After our offices are closed, our answering service will accept cancellations. Please be clear about which trips you are cancelling.
Late Cancellations & No-Shows:
KAB cannot accommodate all trip requests. Approximately 10% of all booked trips are cancelled by the passenger with less than 24 hours notice or the passenger does not show for the bus. This limits or provides no opportunity for KAB to provide service to other passengers who wanted trips at those times.
Kingston Access Bus has a policy regarding passengers with excessive late cancellations and no-shows. Please click on the link below or go to the Policy Section to see our "Late Cancellation & No-show Policy".
Service On Statutory Holidays
Please contact our office at 613-542-2512 or go to our FaceBook page for more information on upcoming stat holiday service.
Kingston Access Bus does not operate and all Standing Order Trips are automatically cancelled on:
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New Years Day,
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Good Friday,
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Christmas Day.
Kingston Access Bus operates with limited service on the following stat holidays:
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Family Day,
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Easter Monday,
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Victoria Day,
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Canada Day,
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August Civic Holiday,
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Labour Day,
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Thanksgiving Monday,
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Boxing Day
Note: Limited service may be operated on a day in lieu if the stat holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
If Standing Order Trips are required on a stat holiday which KAB operates, passengers must contact our office at least 21 days in advance of the stat holiday or day observed in lieu of a stat holiday to inform that they require their Standing Order Trips for that day. Some changes to times may be required.
KAS trip booking office is closed on most statutory holidays. When the office is closed, our phones are monitored by an after-hours service, who can take trip cancellation calls from passengers. Please note: Trip bookings can only be made during regular office hours.
Information specific to upcoming stat holidays can be found on the "What's New" page.
Click here for our 2024 stat holiday service schedule
Fares:
Cost of Service:
Effective January 1, 2020 the fare is:
a) $3.25 in cash per trip each way per registered passenger paid to the driver. Exact fare please as drivers do not provide change; or
b) Provide a pre-purchased ticket to the driver. A book of 10 tickets can be purchased for $32.50 from a driver or at our office. Please be aware: Tickets can be purchased with CASH OR CHEQUE OR INTERAC E-TRANSFER ONLY. Interac or credit card cannot be used to purchase books of tickets; or
c) Have a valid monthly pass (see "Monthly Passes" section below).
CASH CHEQUE* DEBIT** CREDIT*** E-TRANSFER****
Individual Fares ✔
Books of tickets ✔ ✔ ✔
Monthly Passes ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
* Make cheque payable to Kingston Access Bus
**Debit can only be done in-person at office. Debit cannot be done over the phone.
***Credit cards can be used over the phone or in-person at office.
**** Send payments to payments@kingstonaccessbus.com Please clearly indicate in the e-mail the name of the passenger.
MONTHLY PASS PRICING
To purchase a monthly pass, the following methods are accepted (if possible, please use options “a” or “b” as this assists in social distancing and reduces the physical handling of cash/cheques/debit card machines):
a) Via credit card over the phone (613-542-2512).
Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm only.
Please note: debit card payments cannot be done over the phone.
b) Via Interac E-transfer.
Send your payment to: payments@kingstonaccessbus.com
Put the name of the passenger in the comments so we know who the payment is for.
Please note: Interac E-transfers are ONLY for monthly pass purchases, and is a temporary option during COVID-19.
c) Via cash, cheque, credit card, debit card at KAS offices.
Please note: As KAS offices are not open to the public at this time, all in-person purchases are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm and will be done outside in our parking lot. Walk-ins are not permitted.
All persons coming to our offices are required to wear a mask when in proximity of our staff.
d) By providing a cheque or cash (exact payment only) to a driver.
Please note: Drivers accepting cash for monthly passes will be in place temporarily during COVID-19.
We will not be issuing physical monthly pass cards until further notice.
Option 1 - Regular Monthly Pass
$80.00
Applies to passengers who do not qualify for Option 2 or 3.
Option 2 - Affordable Transit Monthly Pass
The City of Kingston has reduced the pricing of Affordable Monthly Passes to $20 for the period of April to December 2023. After that the price returns to the original pricing of $40.
Based on City of Kingston Municipal Fee Assistance Program qualifications. Please see below for more information.
Option 3 - Affordable Transit Monthly Pass (Senior)
The City of Kingston has reduced the pricing of Seniors Affordable Monthly Passes to $14.88 for the period of April to December 2023. After that the price returns to the original pricing of $29.75
Based on City of Kingston Municipal Fee Assistance Program qualifications (see below for more information) AND Age 65+ BOTH CRITERIA MUST BE MET
MONTHLY PASS - AFFORDABLE TRANSIT PASS PROGRAM
Based solely on the passenger qualifying for the Municipal Fee Assistance Program (MFAP) through the City of Kingston. The City of Kingston uses Statistic’s Canada’s most current after-tax “Low Income Cut-off (LICO) to determine eligibility.
Kingston Access Services does not determine eligibility or the criteria for the program.
Please note: this program is only available to residents of the City of Kingston.
Completed applications for the MFAP program are reviewed and eligibility determined in-person at City of Kingston Housing & Social Services, 362 Montreal Street. Do not send or bring applications for the MFAP program to Kingston Access Services.
Information and applications for the Municipal Fee Assistance Program are available at:
City of Kingston Housing & Social Services, 362 Montreal Street
City Hall, 216 Ontario Street
Kingston Branches of the Public Library
INVISTA Centre, 1350 Gardiners Road
Artillery Park Centre, 382 Bagot Street
CityofKingston.ca/fee-assistance
If approved for the MFAP program, each member of the household who qualify for the MFAP will be provided a “My Kingston” card which makes transit, recreation, and Grand Theatre Presents performances more affordable to low-income Kingstonians. If approved, the passenger or a designate is responsible for bringing/sending a copy of the “My Kingston” card to Kingston Access Services offices at 751 Dalton Avenue. MFAP eligibility is until January 31st of the following year. The name on the MFAP card must match the name of the registered passenger of Kingston Access Services. It is the responsibility of the passenger to reapply to the City of Kingston for the MFAP program annually, and if approved in subsequent years provide confirmation to Kingston Access Services.
To quality for a seniors Affordable Pass: In addition to qualifying for the Municipal Fee Assistance Program through the City of Kingston, the passenger must also be age 65+. The 9assenger must provide to Kingston Access Services valid government issued identification confirming date of birth. This information only needs to be provided once to Kingston Access Bus.
For information on procedures once you have been approved for the MFAP program please click on "next steps" below.
MONTHLY PASS GENERAL INFORMATION:
Passes must be purchased in advance.
a. Passengers must meet eligibility requirements and be registered with Kingston Access Bus. Purchasing a monthly pass does not automatically qualify a person to use Kingston Access Bus. For information on how to apply to use Kingston Access Bus, please visit our website or contact our office.
b. The monthly pass is valid from the first day of the month until the last day of the same month (e.g. February 1-28, March 1-31, April 1-30, etc). Passes must be purchased in advance. Please note:
- Any trips in a month taken prior to the monthly pass being purchased are not covered by the monthly pass. For example: a pass purchased on the 5th does not cover fares for any trips taken from the 1st - 4th. Passengers will be required to pay the regular single trip fare for any trips taken prior to the purchase of a monthly pass.
- Any fares paid by a passenger in a month prior to purchasing a monthly pass cannot be applied to the cost of the monthly pass. For example: fares paid from the 1st – 4th cannot be applied to the cost of a pass purchased on the 5th.
c. Monthly passes do not cover any charges for trips outside Kingston Access Bus service area, which is defined as the City of Kingston boundaries.
d. Monthly passes are only valid for the registered passenger. They are not transferable. Passengers with a monthly pass may still have one support person or companion travel for free (please note: registered passengers cannot travel as a free companion or free support person of another registered passenger). Fares for any additional companions or support persons are not covered by the monthly pass.
e. Passes purchased after the beginning of a month are not pro-rated in cost. There are no refunds for unused monthly passes, nor refunds should there not be trips available at the passengers requested time. The purchase of a monthly pass does not guarantee trip availability.
f. Passes are valid on Kingston Access Bus only. Kingston Access Bus passes are not valid for use on Kingston Transit. Kingston Transit passes are not valid on Kingston Access Bus.
g. Kingston Access Bus reserves the right to revoke a monthly pass and not sell monthly passes to any passenger who acts in a fraudulent manner, or whose payments for the monthly pass are declined due to “N.S.F.”. Any fees charged by financial institutions for N.S.F. situations will be passed onto the passenger for payment. Passengers are not permitted to purchase a monthly pass if they have outstanding amounts owing to Kingston Access Services.
h. Any trip fees the passenger incurs for the purpose of purchasing a monthly pass or registering for the MFAP program (see below) are the responsibility of the passenger.
i. It is the responsibility of the passenger to coordinate payment of the monthly pass if a third party organization is purchasing the pass on their behalf. Kingston Access Bus will not “split costs” between multiple paying parties.
j. Kingston Access Bus will not send an invoice/bill for the purchase of monthly passes.
k. Passes must be purchased in advance.
l. Kingston Access Bus “Late Cancellation/No-show” policy remains in effect for passengers with excessive late cancellations and no-shows in a calendar month. For information on this policy please go to our website.
m. Kingston Access Bus reserves the right to amend policies and procedures regarding the sale, use, and terms of monthly passes.
Using The Bus
Service is provided to/from the vehicle and the exterior entrance of a destination. Drivers do not enter or accompany passengers beyond the building entrance. Drivers are not required to ring a buzzer or doorbell, nor search for you when not present at the exterior entrance.
Drivers may arrive within a "window" of 5 minutes BEFORE or 5 minutes AFTER your scheduled pick-up time. Passengers are to be ready accordingly (i.e. ready 5 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time). To ensure other passengers are not inconvenienced, drivers are not required to wait more than 5 minutes for passengers, provided their arrival time is within the “window”. Most KAS vehicles are equipped with Automatic Vehicle Locators which can be used to confirm exact time of arrival and departure.
Changes to destinations and or times can only be made with KAB office. Drivers cannot make those changes.
Personal items (i.e. luggage, parcels, groceries) are limited to those which the passenger, support person, companions can handle without assistance from the driver and be safely secured by the passenger. Drivers are not required to carry items onto the bus for passengers. Items cannot block aisles. For more information on bringing personal items on the bus, please go to the Policies section of our website.
It is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure that laneways, driveways, ramps, sidewalks, etc are maintained in safe condition and clear of snow and ice. Unsafe conditions may result in transportation being denied. Passengers who reside in multi-residence units are to coordinate such with their property manager.
All passengers must wear KAB seat belts.
No smoking or vaping on KAB vehicles.
Passengers are not to wear scented products on the bus. Passengers and mobility devices are to be in reasonable hygienic condition. For more information go to the "Policies" area of our website.
Verbal abuse, physical abuse, or unacceptable behaviours towards passengers or Kingston Access Services employees will not be tolerated and may be grounds for temporary or permanent cancellation of registration with Kingston Access Services. For more information on passenger code of conduct, please go to the "Policies" section of our website.
KAS reserves the right to require passengers who are unstable on their feet or unable to ambulate to/from the bus in a reasonable period of time to use a mobility device such as a wheelchair. The passenger is responsible for having a mobility device to use in those situations.
Mobility Devices:
Mobility devices must completely fit within 33 inches wide by 50 inches long AND must not prevent the vehicle lifts outside safety barriers from activating. The maximum combined weight between passenger and mobility device that can be accommodated on our vehicle’s lift is 363kg/800lbs.
All wheelchairs and scooters must be loaded on the vehicle's lift with the passenger facing away from the vehicle. This is as per the lift manufacturer's recommended procedures.
Kingston Access Services reserves the right to refuse to transport any mobility devices that cannot be safely secured and transported OR is unsafe for the passenger to be utilizing during transportation.
All mobility aids must be kept clean, hygienic, and in good repair or they will not be transported.
All wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers must have functioning brakes.
It is strongly recommended that all wheelchairs have lap belts and footrests. Kingston Access Services reserves the right to require such for passengers should a safety issue be identified.
All mobility devices must be transported with the passenger in no more than a 30-degree angle from neutral upright.
Bags, parcels, etc. on mobility aids must not interfere with or limit the driver’s ability to apply the securement system. Wheelchairs with trays may prevent the vehicles lap belt from being applied properly.
Oxygen containers must meet Transport Canada guidelines and must be capable of being secured.
Kingston Access Bus is not medical transportation. Medical equipment must be: designed to be portable, easily loaded, capable of being secured for transportation, and not be of delicate/sensitive nature.
INFORMATION FOR MOBILITY SCOOTER USERS
NOTE: The vast majority of mobility scooters are not designed for use on specialized transit vehicles, nor do they meet minimum crash test standards.
Passengers utilizing a 3-wheel scooter are required to transfer to a regular seat during transit. Under no circumstances will a passenger be transported while on a 3-wheel scooter. Passengers must be able to transfer to/from the 3-wheel scooter and a regular seat with minimal assistance from the driver. All passengers wishing to use a 3-wheel scooter must update their registration with Kingston Access Services to indicate that they utilize a 3-wheel scooter.
We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that any passenger using a 4-wheel scooter transfer to a regular seat during transportation. KAB reserves the right to require any passenger who uses a 4-wheel scooter to transfer to a regular seat if KAB deems the scooter to be unsafe for transportation with the passenger on it.
WALKER/WHEELCHAIR COMBO DEVICES (also known as "rollators"):
As these devices are not designed for public transit, passengers MUST transfer to an ambulatory seat during transit.
SUPPORT PERSONS / CARE TO CARE PASSENGERS / COMPANIONS
All passengers are registered in one of the following travel categories:
Independent
Cannot Travel Alone (see below information on "Support persons for passengers who cannot travel alone)
Care to Care (see below information on "Care to Care - Passengers who cannot be left alone at destination)
Support Persons for passengers who cannot travel alone:
Kingston Access Bus is not an attendant care service. If you require a support person during transportation to assist with communication, mobility, personal care, or medical needs this person must be provided by you. Kingston Access Bus drivers cannot provide special medical assistance to passengers (e.g. feeding tubes).
Passengers who display unacceptable behaviour that affects other passengers and/or the driver will be required to travel with a support person at all times. Passengers may have one support person travel with them on the bus for free.
Please note:
The person travelling as a support person must be capable of meeting the needs of the passenger at all times during transportation.
If you require a support person, this will apply to all trips and destinations you travel to/from.
Passengers who have frequent seizures are required to travel with a support person.
A registered passenger can travel as a free support person of a passenger who is designated as "cannot travel alone". A registered passenger must pay a fare when travelling as a companion or support person when traveling with a passenger who is "independent" or "care to care".
Care to Care - Passengers who cannot be left alone at destination:
If the passenger can travel on the bus unattended, however cannot be left unattended at their destination please indicate on the application form. The passenger may travel independently, however a caregiver must be at the destination to receive the passenger. This designation will apply to all trips and destinations you travel to. To avoid delays to our service, we require the caregiver to be at the destination when the vehicle arrives. Please note: Kingston Access Bus does not call to inform when the bus is on the way to the drop off location. If someone is not available to receive the passenger, they may be required to travel with a support person at all times.
Companions:
All passengers can bring one person on the bus for free, provided they are not:
Already travelling with a support person; or
The companion is a registered passenger of Kingston Access Bus.
Medical Callbacks:
As we all have experienced, it is difficult to know when a medical appointment will be finished. Therefore KAS offers a “medical callback” option; whereby as opposed to booking a bus for the return trip at a specific time (and possibly missing that bus if the appointment runs long) the medical callback option permits passengers to call us when their appointment is complete. Then when a bus is available we send it to pick up the passenger and complete their return trip home. We are one of the few cities to still offer the callback option.
To schedule a callback:
Book the callback with us following regular booking procedures (up to 14 days in advance due to availability).
On the day of the trip, when your appointment is done call our office at 613-542-2512 to let us know you are done.
Please note:
Several factors affect the wait-time for callbacks such as the number of callbacks we receive, the time of day, and the destination. Thus we cannot provide an exact time of when a bus will arrive to do a callback. In some instances it may take up to one hour for a bus to come available which can complete your callback.
For those passengers who dislike the wait time, or uncertainty of not knowing exactly when the bus will show, they should book a bus at a specific time for their return trip (using regular booking procedures up to 14 days in advance based on availability). Please ensure you add in extra time should the appointment run late.
Callbacks are limited to weekdays only for legitimate medical trips only.
Callbacks must be received by 4:30pm. After 4:30 there may be considerable wait (beyond 1 hour) or we may not be able to get you at all. If your appointment will possibly run past 4:30 we suggest you book a bus at a scheduled time as opposed to using a callback.
There some geographical areas we cannot offer callbacks to (rural areas of Kingston).
For more information on callbacks please call our office.
Transit Training
Kingston Transit and Kingston Access Services are offering “Transit Training” sessions at The Seniors Centre (65 Francis Street). The purpose of the training is to aid seniors in learning about how to use both regular and specialized transit in Kingston. There is no cost to attend the training. Pre-registration is required, however space is limited. Contact the Seniors Centre at 613-548-7810 to register for upcoming sessions.
Standing Order Trips
A Standing Order Trip (formerly referred to as a “Permanent Booking”) are weekly repeating trips. Unlike “occasional trips”, Standing Order Trips (S.O.T.) once approved do not require passengers to contact Kingston Access Services (KAS) office daily or weekly to make bookings.
Standing Order Trip requests are not guaranteed to be granted (or continued). The number of S.O.T.s available is limited by operational considerations such as high demand, budgeting and the need to ensure availability of buses for passengers needing occasional trip bookings. This means that KAS cannot accommodate all S.O.T. requests.
All Standing Order Trip requests must be:
Same passenger,
Same day of the week,
Same time,
Same pickup address and
Same destination address.
Making a Standing Order Trip Request:
Passengers may request a S.O.T. booking by contacting the KAS office at 613.542.2512 or kabbookings@gmail.com.
To complete a Standing Order Trip request passengers must provide the following information:
Passenger name (and name of person making request if not the passenger),
Passenger identifying pin number,
Mobility device used if any (e.g., wheelchair, walker, no mobility device),
Specific calendar day for when the S.O.T. starts (note: there is no guarantee the request will be in place for the requested date),
Specific pick-up street address,
Specific destination street address,
Specific pickup time (staff will do their best to provide a trip close to this time if possible). Note: If there is a specific time the passenger needs to be at their destination, the passenger should tell staff when they make the S.O.T. request and
Passengers must indicate whether attendants or companions will be joining them on the trip(s).
Requests for Standing Order Trips may be submitted up to 28 days in advance. Until a S.O.T. is approved passengers should continue to make occasional trip bookings as needed.
Standing Order Trip Requirements:
Once in place, a Standing Order Trip must be used unchanged at least 75% of occasions within each 12-week period.
If any S.O.T. is cancelled (including no-show) or changed by a passenger it will count as “non-usage” under the 75% requirement threshold.
All S.O.T.s (with the exception of trips for dialysis treatments) are automatically cancelled by KAS on statutory holidays and days observed in lieu of statutory holidays by KAS, unless otherwise specifically requested by a passenger at least 21 days in advance. S.O.T. trips cancelled by KAS on statutory holidays or days observed in lieu of statutory holidays do not count towards the 75% usage threshold.
As of 2021 the statutory holidays observed by Kingston Access Services are: New Years Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, August Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Please note: KAS does not operate at all on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and Christmas Day.
It is the responsibility of the passenger or designate on the passenger’s behalf to cancel all S.O.T. trips that will not be required for any reason including, but not limited to:
Days (other than statutory holidays and days observed in lieu thereof by KAS) where programs or destinations are closed; or
Days which the passenger elects not to travel due to weather conditions.
Please note: KAS does not count cancellations as non-use on days when school buses are cancelled in the City of Kingston for weather related reasons or due to inclement weather on non-school days, at the discretion of the Executive Director. Any “no-show” by the passenger on such days does count towards minimum usage requirements.
Revising a Standing Order Trip:
If a passenger needs to change a Standing Order Trip on an on-going basis, the passenger must cancel the current S.O.T. and make a new S.O.T. request. Revised Standing Order Trip requests are not guaranteed to be granted.
If a passenger needs to make a change to a S.O.T. for a specific week only the passenger needs to cancel the S.O.T. for that week and request an occasional trip to accommodate the change.
Temporary Hold on Standing Order Trips:
Standing Order Trips can be placed on hold by contacting the KAS office during regular business hours (613.542.2512 or kabbookings@gmail.com). It is possible to put a SOT on hold for a maximum of 8 weeks per year. A minimum of 7 days notice is required to do this. Standing Order Trips are automatically resumed following the interruption end date. S.O.T.s put on hold do not count towards the 75% usage threshold.
Minimum Usage Requirement of Standing Order Trip:
Passengers would be in violation if a Standing Order Trip is not used a minimum of 75% of occasions within a 12-week period.
S.O.T. First violation: Passengers will be sent a registered letter informing the passenger that one (or more) of the passenger’s S.O.T.s did not meet the 75% usage requirements. The letter will include specific details of the usage, future actions should the passenger continue to be in violation of this policy and a copy of this policy.
S.O.T. Second violation: For a 6-month period, starting the date of the first violation letter, passengers will be required to meet 75% usage requirements over every rolling 2-month period within that 6 months. Should the passenger continue to not meet minimum usage requirements the passenger will be sent a registered letter informing the passenger that each specified S.O.T., in non-compliance, has been cancelled.
If the passenger is in compliance of the immediately preceding paragraph for the 6-month period, the passenger’s record is reset and the next violation, if any, will be treated as a first violation as set out above.
Passengers who have a Standing Order Trip cancelled due to non-use are not permitted to apply for any S.O.T. bookings for a period of 3 months following the date of the letter to the passenger advising of the cancellation.
Please note: KAS is unable to make allowance for passengers not meeting minimum usage requirements for any reason not specifically set out in this policy including, but not limited to:
the number of disabilities/medical conditions of a passenger,
the severity of disabilities/medical conditions of a passenger,
the length of time a passenger has been registered with KAS or
the availability of a person to call on behalf of a passenger to cancel a trip.
Taxis
Kingston Access Bus will occasionally use taxis when vehicles are delayed due to weather or traffic conditions or vehicle breakdowns.
We do not schedule passengers to taxis when there is not an opening to accommodate a trip request.
If you are unable to use a taxi please inform us.
Both Modern City and Amey's Taxi have accessible taxis operating in the City of Kingston and the surrounding municipalities.
About Kingston Access Bus Vehicles
All Kingston Access Bus vehicles:
Are designed to have 4 securement locations for mobility devices and seating for 6 passengers. The seats can be folded up to permit up to 6 mobility devices.
Use the "Q'Straint" securement system for mobility devices (fact: The system which is now used around the world was invented at Queen's University, thus the "Q" in the name).
Have a hydraulic lift which is capable of lifting 800 pounds. There is also a stairwell for passengers to use if able.
Are equipped with Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVL) technology which updates every 15 seconds proving information on location and speed. Historical data is available if required. KAS uses the data to confirm vehicle locations and arrival/departure times if a question arises over such.
Cameras are on all vehicles which includes audio. For information on our Video Surveillance Policy please go to the "Policies" section of our website.
CAMERAS, RECORDINGS, AVL
Kingston Access Services audibly records all inbound/outbound calls. Recordings will be used to confirm booking accuracy and information provided to/received from passengers (i.e. trip times, destinations, etc.) should a question arise regarding such.
Kingston Access Bus vehicles are equipped with Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVL) which can confirm previous and current location of vehicles, arrival and departure times (+/- 15 seconds), and vehicle speeds in the event there is a question of such.
All Kingston Access Bus vehicles are equipped with video cameras which include audio. Cameras are to enhance the protection and safety of employees, passengers, vehicles, and the general public; and assist in the investigation and resolution of passenger/general public/driver complaints. The camera system cannot be viewed in real-time. The video is stored on a secure on-board Digital Video Recorder hard drive, and can only be accessed by authorized Kingston Access Services personnel. The information is collected under the legal authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. For more information please click "Camera Policy" below.