Mission
STAR's mission is to provide safe and reliable community-based transportation to our older adult and disabled residents. This millage funded service fosters independence and self-esteem by transporting our residents to medical appointments, personal appointments, shopping, educational, and social activities to meet the needs of people in our community.
Description of service
STAR (Senior Transportation thru Advanced Reservation), operated by the Romeo-Washington-Bruce Parks & Recreation Commission, provides curb-to-curb transportation (door-to-door service is provided upon special request) for residents of Washington and Bruce Townships who are senior citizens 60 years of age and older, and individuals 18 or older with a disability that prevents them from operating a motor vehicle. It is a non-emergency, demand-response/para-transit service. STAR has twelve vehicles; seven are equipped with wheelchair lifts to comply with the ADA.
Days & hours of service
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Holiday closings are posted in STAR vehicles or available from the STAR office at (586) 752-9010. No transportation is provided for out-of-township medical appointments scheduled later than 2:00 p.m.; out-of-township appointments scheduled for 2:00 p.m. or earlier must end by 3:00 p.m. and return to the area by 3:45 p.m. Transportation is provided for after-hour trips offered by the Senior Activity Center, and considered for after-hour Senior Activity Center activities if requested by four or more eligible riders, with at least two days' notice.
Reservations, scheduling & cancellations
To guarantee a ride, call before 12:00 noon at least two business days in advance (for Monday, call by noon the previous Thursday). Scheduling is 8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, at (586) 752-9010; you must speak to a dispatcher. Medical appointments may be scheduled up to one month in advance and all other appointments two weeks in advance. Ride daily if you like, with a maximum of two stops per day. Cancel between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm the day prior, or after hours on STAR's voice mail; 24 hours notice is appreciated. All pickups are scheduled times (no will-calls). Same-day requests to doctor's offices are considered if a driver is available. STAR has a 20 minute pick-up window (ten minutes before or after the scheduled time); please be ready 10 minutes early. If you are running late, after 3 minutes the vehicle may need to leave.
Fares
STAR is supported by a local millage; there is no charge for transportation. Passengers who wish may make a donation by sending it to the STAR office; checks should be made out to STAR TRANSPORTATION.
Passenger assistance
STAR is a curb-to-curb service; door-to-door assistance is provided on request where walks and driveways are safe, hard-surfaced and clear of debris, ice and snow. Passengers needing personal care must provide their own caregiver (18 or older). Wheelchair users receive reasonable door-to-door assistance where ramps meet STAR's specifications (about 1 inch rise per foot, non-slip surface, rails on both sides); wheelchairs must be in good working condition and are secured with a four-point tie-down and passenger restraint. Please say a lift vehicle is needed when scheduling. Mobility devices with four or more wheels in proper working order are transported. Passengers from nursing homes, rehabilitation or extended care facilities must bring an assistant over 18. Drivers do not go into buildings.
Passengers with disabilities
Transportation is provided for individuals under 60 with a disability that prevents them from operating a motor vehicle. A letter from the individual's doctor stating whether the disability is permanent or temporary, and that it prevents the individual from driving, is required and must be approved before transportation is provided. Only trained, well-behaved personal service animals that comply with ADA requirements are allowed, on a leash; please tell STAR when you will bring one.
Passenger conduct & responsibilities
Passengers are expected to be courteous and considerate; abusive, threatening or unsafe behavior may result in loss of service, and transportation may be denied for hygiene issues affecting other passengers until resolved. Only previously arranged stops are allowed; all trips are scheduled through the dispatcher. Repeated non-emergency cancellations, no-shows, cancellations at the door, or not being ready may result in loss of service. Seat belts are required; no smoking, eating or drinking. Passengers are responsible for their packages. No pets except personal trained service animals. Shopping is limited to four paper bags (or equivalent), with no item over twenty pounds. Passengers must keep an emergency contact form on file.
Drivers' and STAR's responsibilities
Drivers' main responsibility is to drive safely; they assist with packages and provide light assistance in and out of vehicles and to and from doors on request. Drivers are not allowed to enter passengers' homes. STAR is committed to a safe, reliable and efficient service, abides by all its policies and applicable federal, state and local regulations, maintains an alcohol and drug-free workplace, and keeps vehicles clean and safely maintained, with daily driver inspections and certified-mechanic checks when problems are found.
Safety & emergency procedures
STAR employees hold chauffeur licenses, are trained in vehicle operation and inspection, wheelchair lift operation and emergency equipment, complete orientation, pass physicals, driving-record and background checks (repeated yearly), and are subject to pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing. In an accident or emergency, passengers follow the driver's instructions and stay off the roadway. For a medical incident STAR will call 911 and the passenger's emergency contact. STAR is not responsible for Do Not Resuscitate documentation; give that information to your emergency contacts and medical professionals.
Inclement weather
If driving is hazardous at the beginning of the workday, or if the Romeo School District is closed because of inclement weather, STAR may close and cancel all rides for the day. If a storm moves in during the day, STAR will cancel remaining pick-ups except for riders already at their destinations, who will be returned home as soon as possible; passengers who refuse to leave early must provide their own transportation home.
Non-discrimination & closing statement
It is the policy of STAR Transportation and the Romeo-Washington-Bruce Parks and Recreation Commission to provide equal transportation and courteous service to all passengers. STAR is supported by a local millage from the Townships of Bruce and Washington, which has always been approved by an overwhelming majority of voters, plus municipal and community credits from SMART. Comments or suggestions are always welcome: call STAR Transportation at (586) 752-9010.