Politics
Evansville Updates Paratransit Rules for Seniors and Disabled Residents
The revised rules clarify who qualifies for door-to-door service and how to book rides within city limits and along fixed routes.
How we reported this
Evansville residents age 65 and older or those with documented disabilities that prevent use of regular METS buses can now access Mobility paratransit under updated eligibility standards posted by the city. The policy also sets a minimum age of six for children traveling without a parent or guardian and extends coverage to qualifying Vanderburgh County residents living outside the main service zone.
Service boundaries and support options
The policy covers trips inside Evansville city limits plus a three-quarter-mile corridor on either side of fixed bus routes that extend beyond those limits, along with a three-quarter-mile radius at route endpoints. Eligible riders may request a personal care attendant to assist with tasks such as reaching items or medical communication at no extra charge, and they may bring one companion who pays the same fare; additional companions ride only if space allows without displacing other eligible passengers.
Local advocates note that these companion and attendant provisions help residents maintain independence while attending medical appointments or running errands in neighborhoods served by the system. Dispatchers receive guidance to interpret service-area questions on the spot, with a map available in the dispatch office for reference.
Booking requirements and daily impact
Trips must be scheduled between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. the day before travel, or up to 14 days ahead, with ADA clients offered a two-hour window around requested times when exact slots are unavailable. Riders are instructed to be ready one hour before their appointment and to keep all belongings near the door, while return rides after daytime drop-offs require a call by 5 p.m. on weekdays or 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
These steps directly affect daily routines for Evansville seniors and disabled residents who rely on the service for work, shopping, or medical visits rather than fixed-route buses. The city document revised in October 2025 outlines the full process and is available on the Evansville government site at the listed topic page.
City staff continue to accept reservations through the 24-hour answering machine or direct dispatcher contact for riders without touch-tone phones or those facing speech or cognitive barriers. Analysts expect the clarified rules to streamline scheduling for both users and operators in the coming months.