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About MTED

Mesquite Transportation for the Elderly and Disabled (MTED) is a limited-eligibility public transportation service operated by the City of Mesquite. MTED utilizes a fleet of fifteen paratransit buses to provide more than 37,000 trips each year to Mesquite residents. Any Mesquite resident over the age of 60 may use the MTED service. Service is also offered to Mesquite residents under the age of 60 who are certified by a medical professional as having a disability.

MTED destinations include job locations, educational facilities, non-emergency medical appointments, senior centers, and career-training facilities in Mesquite. MTED also provides service to non-emergency medical appointments in Balch Springs, Dallas, Garland, Seagoville and Sunnyvale.

Funding for MTED is provided through federal grants (49 U.S.C. 5307), state grants, and local contributions. General oversight is provided by the City of Mesquite Department of Housing and Community Services, the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation).

The City of Mesquite also offers a complementary service for senior citizens called “Senior Alert.” This program assists seniors with a variety of needs including prescription delivery. For more information, contact the Senior Alert coordinator at 972-329-8335.

MTED POLICIES

  1. ELIGIBILITY / MTED SERVICE AREA
  2. REGISTERING FOR MTED SERVICE
  3. USING THE MTED SERVICE
    1. Service hours and days of operation
    2. Definition of curb-to-curb / Passenger assistance
    3. Scheduling
    4. Boarding and riding
      1. Fares
      2. Identification
      3. Passenger securement
      4. Types of mobility aids and service animals
    5. Schedule changes and cancellations
    6. No-show policy
    7. Notification of suspension and appeals
    8. After-hours phone line
    9. Suggestions or concerns
  1. ELIGIBILITY / MTED SERVICE AREA

    MTED provides limited-eligibility, shared-ride public transportation services to Mesquite residents who are at least sixty (60) years old or who are disabled. MTED destinations include job locations, educational facilities, non-emergency medical appointments, senior centers, and career-training facilities in Mesquite. MTED also provides service to non-emergency medical appointments in Balch Springs, Dallas, Garland, Seagoville and Sunnyvale.

  2. REGISTERING FOR MTED SERVICE

    All customers must register with the MTED dispatch office before being transported. Eligibility does not expire for permanently-disabled Mesquite residents. Customers must purchase an MTED identification card for $2.00. Customers may obtain registration forms at the MTED dispatch office, from the City of Mesquite web site, or via mail or fax.

    Mobility impaired visitors to the city as well as temporarily-disabled individuals are welcome to ride but must also be registered. Temporarily-disabled customers’ status is determined through the same eligibility process as permanently-disabled customers, but eligibility is limited to a specific period of time. This eligibility period can be adjusted depending on circumstances. Visitors may present a valid paratransit identification card from another public transportation service, if available, as proof of disability. Otherwise, visitors must complete the regular registration process.

  3. USING THE MTED SERVICE

    MTED is a demand-response curb-to-curb public transit system. Customers must contact the dispatch office at least two (2) business days in advance to schedule an appointment to ride MTED.

    Appointments are scheduled on a “first-come, first-serve” basis subject to time and space availability. Last-minute trips are sometimes available, but customers are strongly encouraged to schedule trips as far in advance as possible to ensure service (1-2 weeks in advance is recommended).

    1. Service hours and days of operation

      MTED service is available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m, Monday through Friday. The latest return trip each afternoon is 4:30 p.m. from out-of-town locations and 5:30 p.m. from Mesquite locations. Any pick-ups that are requested outside this time frame must receive approval from the dispatcher or transportation coordinator prior to being scheduled. For will-call customers, failure to contact the dispatch office before 4:30 p.m. to arrange a return trip will result in a no-show.

      MTED operates reduced service (dialysis trips only) on Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and the day after Thanksgiving. No service is operated on Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Day, or Christmas Day.

    2. Definition of curb-to-curb / Passenger assistance

      MTED service is provided curb-to-curb. Customers are picked up at the curb of their origin (usually a residence) and transported to the curb of their destination. Drivers are not permitted to assist customers from their house to the curb or into their destination. Drivers will assist customers from the curb into the vehicle and provide assistance to customers boarding and exiting the vehicle. This assistance is limited to the movement and placement of wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and canes and the general safety of the passenger. If a customer requires additional assistance, an attendant may ride with the customer free of charge. Other guests may ride MTED vehicles but must pay the appropriate fare if not providing assistance to the customer.

      Customers with personal attendants or guests who will accompany them must notify the dispatcher when making reservations.

    3. Scheduling

      Requests for service may be made between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. by contacting the dispatch office by phone at least two (2) business days prior to the desired pick-up time (e-mail requests are not accepted). Requests are granted based on time and space availability. If your first choice is not available, alternative times or dates will be offered.

      Customers with recurring trips (same days and times) may schedule their trips on our subscription service. Subscription trips will be automatically added to the day’s schedule, eliminating the need to constantly reschedule them.

      When requesting a trip, please have the following information available.

      1. Your name
      2. Appointment date
      3. Pick up address
      4. Destination address
      5. Appointment time
      6. Number of passengers

      An MTED vehicle will arrive within a thirty (30) minute ready-time window. Customers should watch carefully for the MTED vehicle to arrive. If your pick-up time is 9:15 a.m., the vehicle may arrive as early as 9:00 a.m. or as late as 9:30 a.m. However, once the MTED vehicle arrives, drivers will wait no more than five (5) minutes. If your requested pick-up time is 9:15 a.m. but the MTED vehicle arrives at 9:00 a.m., you have until 9:05 a.m. to board the vehicle.

      If a customer does not board the vehicle on time, the driver may honk his horn, and the dispatch office will attempt to contact them by phone. If the dispatch office is unable to contact the customer, the driver will continue on their route. Customers who are not available at the time and location of their scheduled pick-up may receive a “no-show” (see no-show policy below).

      Pre-scheduled return trips are strongly encouraged. Pre-scheduling your return trip will allow you to predict the arrival of the MTED bus and plan accordingly. If you are unsure when your appointment will be finished, you may schedule a Will Call return trip. Once you are ready to return home, call the dispatch office at 972-329-6833. The next available driver will be dispatched to transport you back home. Be aware that the waiting time can vary significantly depending on the time of day, your location and vehicle/driver availability. Will Call wait time may exceed two (2) hours, but every effort will be made to arrive as quickly as possible.

    4. Boarding and Riding

      For the comfort and safety of everyone on board, customers are expected to follow instructions from MTED drivers at all times. No eating, drinking or smoking is allowed. Drivers cannot accept tips. Verbal or physical abuse of drivers or other passengers will not be tolerated. Violations of on-board policies may result in suspension or termination of services.

      1. Fares

        A ride coupon is required each time a customer boards the vehicle. Thus, a round-trip fare from the origin to the destination and back to the origin requires two ride coupons. Ride coupons are available only from the dispatch office; they may not be purchased from the driver. Ride coupons also may be purchased by mailing a check or money order to the dispatch office. The coupons will be delivered to the customer at their next scheduled pick-up or by mail.

        Ride coupons cost $1.00 each or $10.00 for twelve coupons.

      2. Identification

        All passengers must carry an MTED identification card when riding an MTED vehicle. You should be prepared to present the card to city officials if asked. Passengers who fail to present an MTED identification card may be denied future service until an identification card is obtained or presented. If you have lost your MTED identification card, contact the dispatch office to arrange for a new one. The first replacement card is free, and subsequent cards are $2.00 each.

      3. Passenger Securement

        To improve customer safety, MTED requires all passengers be properly secured in the vehicle. Seat belts must be worn at all times, and passengers are not allowed to stand or change seats while the bus is in operation.

        Wheelchairs, scooters, and other wheeled mobility devices must be secured to the floor of the vehicle. When possible, customers are advised to relocate to a bus seat, but relocation is not required. Customers remaining on their mobility device must wear the provided seat belt/shoulder harness. Customers must face forward and be secured at all four corners of the frame of the device (never the wheels). When properly secured, the wheelchair or scooter will not move more than one inch in any direction. If you are not satisfied with your securements, inform your driver immediately.

        The bus will not proceed on its route until all passengers are safely seated and secured.

      4. Types of mobility aids and service animals

        The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a “common wheelchair” as any mobility device that is no more than thirty (30) inches wide and forty-eight (48) inches long when measured two inches above the ground and which does not weigh more than six hundred (600) pounds when occupied. Although this standard is referred to as a “common wheelchair,” the law applies to any mobility device, including wheelchairs, scooters, seated-walkers, etc. Customers using mobility devices that fall within these dimensions cannot be denied service because of size or type of mobility device. Customers using mobility devices that fall outside these specifications are still eligible to ride MTED but only if they are able to find an alternative mobility device which meets ADA guidelines.

        Service animals are welcome aboard MTED vehicles.

    5. Schedule changes and cancellations

      Changes to existing trips must be made no less than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled pick-up time and will be granted based on time and space availability.

      Cancellations must be received by the dispatch office at least one (1) hour prior to your scheduled pick-up time. If you are calling outside normal office hours or are unable to reach a dispatcher during normal office hours, please leave a message on our voicemail system with your name, phone number, and a brief message noting your cancellation request.

    6. No-show policy

      If a cancellation notice is not reported to the dispatch office in a timely manner and the customer is not at the scheduled location at the scheduled time ready to be transported, the customer may be classified as a "no-show."

      Customers with two (2) no-shows within thirty (30) calendar days may be suspended from MTED service for up to thirty (30) calendar days.

    7. Notification of Suspension and Appeals

      Customers who have been suspended from MTED service will be notified according to the following schedule:

      1. Suspensions resulting from violations of safety or security policies will be effective immediately. The transportation coordinator or department director will attempt to inform the customer by phone as soon as possible, and a written notification will be sent within two (2) business days.
      2. All other suspensions will be effective once the customer has been contacted either by phone or by mail. A written notification will be sent within two (2) business days.

      Suspension notifications will include a detailed explanation of the reason for suspension. Customers wishing to appeal the suspension should respond within 5 business days. Appeals will be reviewed by the department director, and customers will be informed of his decision within two (2) business days of receiving the appeal.

    8. After-hours Phone Line

      If you are scheduled to be picked up after 4:30 p.m. and your bus is more than thirty (30) minutes late arriving at your location, you may call the MTED after-hours phone line to speak with the on-call dispatcher. The after-hours phone line is accessed by dialing the dispatch office at 972-329-6833 and pressing “2” when prompted. The after-hours phone line is NOT to be used for scheduling new appointments or for cancellations. Abuse of the after-hours phone line may lead to suspension of service.

    9. Suggestions or Concerns

      Customers are encouraged to provide feedback. If you have a suggestion or concern regarding MTED personnel or service, please contact the MTED supervisor at 972-329-8337. All inquiries will receive a response within two (2) business days.

      If you are unsatisfied with the supervisor’s response, please contact the Director of Community Services at 972-329-8330.