Lift+ Specialized Transit

Active Registrant

An active registrant regularly travels on Lift+ during a consecutive twelve (12) month period. Registrants who have not travelled with the Lift+ service in at least twelve (12) consecutive months will be deemed inactive. If you are inactive, you will notified by mail and will need to re-register with Lift+ to resume use of the service.

Appeals

If you are given a level of eligibility different than what you applied for you can appeal the decision. You must complete a Notice to Appeal form and return it to the Office of the City Clerk by the date noted in your application letter. All appeals are managed by the Office of the City Clerk. If your appeal is not heard within thirty (30) days of filing, you will receive temporary eligibility for Lift+.

Application

You have to apply to use the service. Applications are available online or in person at Transit Services. Your application must be completed, signed, and returned to Transit Services by mail or in person. We will respond to you by letter within fourteen (14) days of receiving your completed application. If a decision is not made within fourteen (14) days, you will receive temporary eligibility.

Booking your Trip

You can call the booking line at (807) 345-0777 up to seven (7) days in advance to book your ride. Bookings are made on a first come, first served basis so for the best availability it's recommended you call as soon as the booking window opens.

The booking line is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sundays/Holidays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Voicemail is available during the off-hours for cancellations only. All trip requests are based on availability. If your trip is not available, we can put your trip on a wait list. We will call you closer to the day of travel if we can provide your trip for you.

Cancellations

You must call the booking line to cancel your trip at least two (2) hours before the scheduled time or it will be considered late. You will be charged a fee of $3.25 for all Late Cancellations. If the booking line is closed, you can leave a voicemail to cancel your trip.

Children

Children under the age of 12 cannot travel alone on Lift+. They must have a travel companion with them at all times. If the child requires a booster seat as per Ministry of Transportation guidelines, it is the passenger's responsibility to provide a valid seat.

Companions

All registrants may have a person occasionally travel with them on Lift+. A registrant must indicate at the time of booking if a companion will be travelling with them. Companion travel may be restricted based on availability. All companions must pay the relevant fare.

Eligibility

Your eligibility for the service is determined by your ability to use Thunder Bay Transit. There are three levels of eligibility that you can apply for:

• Unconditional - you are unable to ride Thunder Bay Transit at any time
• Conditional - you can sometimes ride Thunder Bay Transit but weather or inaccessible locations make it difficult
• Temporary - you have a temporary disability which prevents you from riding Thunder Bay Transit

All levels of eligibility qualification are reviewed a minimum of every three (3) years.

Fares and ID cards

You can use any approved fare to pay for your trip.

In order to use the service, you must have a Lift+ photo ID card. If you do not have one, please visit the Transit Services office at 570 Fort William Road, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is a $5.00 cost for the card.

Hand-to-Hand Attendant

Some registrants of Lift+ may be able to travel alone; however, may require an attendant to meet them at their destination. Without the hand-to-hand attendant present, a Lift+ Operator is unable to leave the registrant at their destination and may have to return them to their pick-up location. The registrant is responsible for ensuring there is an attendant available at the destination if required.

Hours of Operation

Lift+ service hours are Monday through Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sundays/Holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

No-Shows

Your trip will be considered a No-Show if:

• You are not ready to leave within ten (10) minutes of the booked pick-up time, either before or after;
• The passenger or their caregiver refuses the ride when it arrives; and/or
• The passenger has not ensured a safe walkway or pathway to their residence.

Return trips will automatically be cancelled if the originating trip is deemed a No-Show. You will be charged a fee of $6.30 for all No-Show trips. 

Permanent Rides

If you have trips that you make on a regular basis - same day(s), same time, and same location - you can request a permanent ride. Your trip will be booked each week for you. Your only responsibility is to call and cancel if you are not going. All requests are based on availability.

Support Person

Some registrants of Lift+ may require a support person while travelling for communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or with access to goods, services, or facilities. A support person should be in place if the registrant is unable to travel alone during the trip. Lift+ Operators provide door-to-door assistance.

Subject to approval, a medical professional must confirm the need for a support person. A support person application form for Lift+ is available online or in person at Transit Services. The registrant must always be accompanied by their support person while travelling with Lift+ or the trip will be cancelled. The support person will ride free of charge.

An approved registrant's Lift+ ID Card will show that a support person is required.

Taxi Scrip Program

Taxi Scrips provide a 30% discount off metered taxi fares. The Taxi Scrip program does not replace Lift+, and can be used when a ride on Lift+ is not available. Taxis must be booked and paid for by the Lift+ registrant.  

Active registrants are able to purchase a maximum of three (3) Taxi Scrip booklets each month. A booklet contains $50.00 worth of Taxi Scrip coupons and costs $35.00.  Taxi Scrip booklets are available for purchase only at Transit Services.

Registrants must have a valid Lift+ ID Card to purchase and use Taxi Scrips for payment with Roach’s or Diamond Taxi.

Transit Skills Assessments

If based on the information provided in your application Transit Services is unable to determine your level of eligibility, a mandatory Transit Skills Assessment will be scheduled to determine your level of eligibility. The assessment will be completed by an independent assessor at the Transit Services office and will take approximately one (1) hour.

If required, your transportation to and from this assessment will be provided to you by Lift+ at no cost. Until eligibility can be determined, you qualify for temporary eligibility of the Lift+ Specialized Transit service pending results of your Transit Skills Assessment.

Visitors

If you are a visitor to the city and are unable to use Thunder Bay Transit, you may be able to use Lift+ during your time in the city. It may take up to fourteen (14) days for your visitor application to be approved, make sure you apply before coming to the city.