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St. Mary's County, Maryland
Est. 1637
Office Status: Normal
Employee Information

Statewide Specialized Transportation Assistance Program

Statement of Policy

It is the policy of the Commissioners of St. Mary's County, Maryland to ensure that, when viewed in their entirety, St. Mary's County Government services, programs, facilities, and communications are readily accessible and usable by qualified individuals with disabilities to the maximum extend possible. St. Mary's County Government is an equal opportunity employer, and no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be subjected to discrimination in the employment, recruitment, or hiring practices of St. Mary's County government. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of St. Mary's County government, or be subjected to discrimination in the provision of such services. The Commissioners of St. Mary's County have an ADA Coordinator to ensure the coordination of St. Mary's County's compliance with the ADA, including the investigation of any complaint alleging disability-based discrimination or lack of equal accessibility to county services, programs, or facilities. Review more more information on ADA resources.

The Transportation Division is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of the transit services we offer. The policy is consistent with the requirements of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. If you believe you have been subject to unequal treatment because of race, color, or national origin, then you have the right to file a formal complaint. Complaints may be filed within one hundred-eighty (180) days following the date of the alleged discriminatory action. Complaints may be submitted by mail (addressed to Ms. Mary Ann Coontz, Transportation Supervisor St. Mary's Transit System P.O. Box 409 44829 St. Andrew's Church Road); by telephone (call us at (301) 475-4200 ext. 1123 ) or by email at MaryAnn.Coontz@stmaryscountymd.gov.

Program Goals

The Statewide Special Transportation Assistance Program (SSTAP) is described in Section 2-103.3 of the Transportation Articles of the Maryland Annotated Code which was amended to provide for a transportation program for elderly and persons with disabilities of Maryland that are not sufficiently close to public transportation routes. The legislation calls for the program to be administered by the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation in consultation with the Maryland Office on Aging and the Governor's Office for Disabled Individuals. Between $130,000 to $175,000 of grant funding is provided under the program each year with a required local match. The goals of SSTAP are to (1) Provide general purpose transportation for both elderly and persons with disabilities; and (2) Encourage and facilitate the efficient use of funds used to provide transportation to elderly and persons with disabilities through the coordination of programs and services. Over 17,000 riders currently utilize this service every year. Please refer to our Bus Rider's Rules for information on the use of guide animals. Planned demand routes in rural areas do not operate everyday to the same locations. Service is provided to different places on different days of the week ("SSTAP Zones" as described below) to offer better coverage at a more reasonable cost. This type of service is geared to senior citizens that do not make daily trips and can plan their trips to match the service and who do not have direct access to a public transportation route(s). For more information, please refer to our SSTAP Rider's Guide and ADA Paratransit Fact Sheet.

SSTAP Zones

Notice to all SSTAP Riders and Health Care Providers: The Transportation Division has established five (5) Zones within the County in order to ensure that the STS can serve more clients both in the same area and on the same day. One of the advantages of this initiative is that if STS happens to be in your area on the scheduled day and you have an emergency, that we will be able to respond to you more readily.

Zone 1: Monday -STS will serve the Ridge, Lexington Park, Great Mills, Callaway, Piney Point, Tall Timbers, St. Inigoes and Mechanicsville areas.

Zone 2: Tuesday- STS will serve the Mechanicsville, Charlotte Hall and Golden Beach areas.

Zone 3: Wednesday-STS will serve the Leonardtown, Hollywood, Breton Bay, Compton, Wicomico Shores and Lexington Park areas.

Zone 4: Thursday -STS will serve all Zones or all County on this day. (All areas)

Zone 5: Friday STS will serve the Lexington Park, Wildewood, California, Hollywood and Oakville areas.

  • Please schedule your appointments appropriately, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
  • Pick up times may vary between 10:00 a.m. in the morning and in the afternoon home arrival will be between 12:00 noon and 1 p.m. There will be one bus trip in the morning and one in the afternoon.
  • Please call (301) 4754200 ext. 1120 or 1121 in the morning to confirm your pick up times. The fare will remain at $6.00 round trip. You will be allowed one trip for one fare. If you need to stop more than once, pay additional $3.00 for each stop or you may use Public Transportation at the discount rate. You will be taken and returned to your destination for your scheduled appointment; this is a door to door service.
  • No shows will be charged $6.00 if the STS bus comes out to the home. There will be no charge for cancellations if appointments are cancelled a day in advance or in the morning. Continuous no-shows will be denied transportation.
  • Appointments can be made up to 30 days in advance

Door to Door Service

STS provides door-to-door transportation for the clients to four (4) senior nutritional centers - Oakley, Northern, Loffler and Garvey centers located throughout the County. Program participants are transported to and from these facilities daily and the funding is provided by the Specialized Statewide Transportation Assistance Program (SSTAP). Our SSTAP program is available to all senior citizens in the mornings and afternoon on a "first come, first served" basis, with preference given to individuals with scheduled medical appointments. A Senior Rides Program is also available through the Department of Aging and Human Services and is available to seniors who are unable to utilize other transportation options and lack other reliable sources of transportation. Through the use of volunteer drivers, seniors are provided with door-to-door transportation to medical appointments, social engagements, shopping, etc. For application, fee and program information, please contact (301) 475-4200 extension 1066 or review information on the Department of Aging. A privatized Medical Adult Day Services (MADS) Program provides a variety of health, social, and related support services in a protective, caring setting. Services include medical supervision, a daily activity program, counseling, transportation to and from the center, and a mid-day meal. An important benefit of the program is life enrichment and self-image enhancement for the participant this service provides transportation to all seniors for their medical appointments, shopping visits etc. The program is operated through a non-County Government provider called: St. Mary's Adult Medical Day Care and can be reached by calling (301) 373-6515.

Identification

Seniors need only present proof of age to the drivers to receive discount fares. There are special identification cards available and issued by the STS Transit office located at 44829 St. Andrews Church Road, California, Maryland 20619. Feel free to contact us at (301) 475-4200 ext. 1120 or 1121 or send us an email at st.dispatchers@stmaryscountymd.gov.

Child Safety Seats Effective July 1, 2006, there are ten (10) child safety seats available for public use. For more information on this new initiative, please contact our Transportation Office at (301) 475-4200 ext. 1122.

Use of Public Transportation for Students

Federal transit laws and regulations place limitations on the use of public transportation to transport students to and from school and school-sponsored activities or trips in competition with private transportation providers. This Federal Transportation Brochure is intended to help transportation providers understand those limitations, as well as the permissible use of public transportation for school students.

Transportation Mobility Coordination

An informational flyer has been prepared to assist individuals with finding available transportation options, to help citizens understand how to use the STS transit bus system; and to provide guidance on completing Paratransit applications for STS transportation. The flyer includes names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers in order to provide direct transportation assistance and to help determine program eligibility. Other transportation service providers are also provided to help address your mobility needs.