Home > Accessible Services > Access Link > Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What Is NJ TRANSIT Access Link? A. Access Link is ADA Paratransit service provided curb to curb for eligible people with disabilities. Access Link was developed to comply with the paratransit regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Access Link service is comparable to the NJ TRANSIT local bus network. Transportation is provided during the same hours and days and at the same fares as the local bus network. In order to use Access Link, you must be determined to be eligible for ADA Paratransit. Q. What Does Eligibility Involve? A. NJ TRANSIT has set up a network of local agencies, known as "Assessment Agencies," to assist you in applying for Access Link eligibility. NJ TRANSIT requires all persons interested in applying for Access Link to attend an in-person assessment at one of these agencies. During the assessment interview you will be asked to describe your disability as it relates to your ability to use the bus. Access Link does NOT take assessment information via the phone nor will we send you an assessment form. To arrange for an appointment with an Assessment Agency, please contact NJ TRANSIT by dialing 1-800-955-2321 (TTY 1-800-955-6765) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Choose the "not a Certified Access Link Passenger" option to speak to a Certification Clerk.) If you require transportation to the Assessment Agency, round-trip service may be provided. Please make this request when scheduling your assessment interview. A round-trip fare of $4.00 per applicant will be charged.
Q. How Is Eligibility Determined? A. Having a disability does not automatically make you eligible for ADA Paratransit. For many people with disabilities, the accessible features on a bus make them usable, such as the lift for mobility devices, the Public Address (PA) announcements, the kneeling feature, etc. (For more detailed information about these features and bus accessibility, please refer to the Guide to Accessible Services.) The ADA regulations consider the following issues in determining ADA Paratransit eligibility.
Q. What Happens After My Assessment Appointment? A. NJ TRANSIT must make a determination regarding eligibility within 21 days from the date a complete assessment is received. An assessment is considered complete when the assessment is conducted and the Healthcare Professional Verification form is received by NJ TRANSIT. If a decision is not made within the 21 day requirement, you are considered "presumed eligible" until or unless a final decision is rendered. You may call NJ TRANSIT to check on your eligibility status. Call 1-800-955-2321 and choose the "not a Certified Access Link Passenger" option to speak to a Certification Clerk. When a determination has been made, you will receive a letter with your eligibility status. If you are eligible to ride Access Link you will be issued an identification (I.D.) number. If you disagree with the determination, please be sure to follow the instructions in the letter if you want to appeal the decision. You must make your request within 60 days from receipt of letter.
Q. What Happens If I Can't Go To My Assessment Appointment? A. If you cannot keep your assessment appointment, you must call NJ TRANSIT to cancel. If you do not show up for your assessment appointment and do not cancel your appointment at least 50 minutes before your requested pick-up time, when you call to reschedule your appointment you will be charged double the fare for transportation to your rescheduled appointment. Also, if you do not show up for your second appointment, we cannot provide transportation to a third or subsequent assessment interview appointment.
Q. What Is The Access Link 3/4 Mile Radius Service Area? A. Your trip qualifies for Access Link Service if your pick-up and drop-off points fall within 3/4 of a mile on either side of an eligible local fixed bus route. Access Link "shadows" local fixed route buses. Commuter bus service is not Access Link Paratransit eligible. If your ride begins within our service area but ends outside of the service area, we cannot take you to your final destination. Access Link can transfer passengers to other modes of transportation within the service area. A reservationist will be able to assist you when you call to reserve your trip. Access Link may not be used for travel to areas outside the State of New Jersey unless NJ TRANSIT provides local bus service to those locations.
 NJ TRANSIT reserves the right to change local bus service schedules. As a result, pick-up and/or drop-off points may no longer be within the 3/4 mile service area. Service changes may affect some trip requests which had previously qualified for Access Link Paratransit Service. (Please see the back of this manual for a list of local bus routes in your service area.)
Q. What Are The Hours And Days Of Service? A. Access Link service is available during the same days and hours as regularly scheduled local fixed route bus service in your travel area, including weekends and holidays. If local bus service is available, Access Link service will be available. If there is no local bus service, Access Link will not be available. Check the schedule of the bus route(s) in the areas you wish to travel. Bus schedules are available by calling 1-800-772-2222 in Northern New Jersey, and 1-800-582-5946 in Southern New Jersey. Also, when you call Access Link to make a reservation, the reservationist will check the bus schedule for time/trip availability.
Q. What Is The 20-Minute Window Or When Will The Access Link Vehicle Pick Me Up? A. An Access Link vehicle will arrive within a "window" of twenty (20) minutes before to twenty (20) minutes after your requested pick-up time. When you call for a trip, you tell us the time you would like to be picked up. We call this your "Request Time." During the scheduling process, we need to adjust the request times of passenger trips to enable them to fit together to form as efficient a schedule as possible. This scheduling adjustment is the "Twenty-Minute Window." It is very important that you plan for this twenty-minute window adjustment when you make your reservation.
 Example: Your request time is 12 p.m. The vehicle may arrive as early as 11:40 a.m. or as late as 12:20 p.m. If you have any questions about this, an Access Link Reservationist will assist you when you call. Q. What Is The Fare For This Service? A. Eligible Passengers and Companions will be charged a fare based on the local bus fare and number of zones you are traveling. Passengers must have EXACT FARE when boarding the vehicle. One-dollar bills and coins (except pennies) are accepted. Drivers cannot make change. If you do not have the proper fare, you will not be permitted to ride. A designated Personal Assistant may ride free of charge when accompanying an eligible passenger. We will tell you your fare when you make a reservation. Pre-paid fares are not utilized at this time. There are no 1/2 fare programs available on Access Link at this time. Children under five (5) years of age ride free when accompanied by a full fare paying passenger. Q. What Kind Of Trips May I Take On Access Link? A. You may use Access Link for any trip; there are no restrictions or trip priorities. You may travel to places of employment, education, recreation, shopping, to attend social functions, visit family, friends, physicians, dentists, run an errand or just to get out of the house and relax. Remember the origin and destination of a trip must be in the 3/4 mile radius service area described above. Q. What Are The Reservation Hours? A. NJ TRANSIT Access Link reservation lines are open between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., seven days a week including holidays. You may call 1-14 days in advance, but not less than the day before the trip date. 1-800-955-2321 (TTY 1-800-955-6765)
A. Yes, Access Link Service is provided in "shared-ride" vehicles. That means, a vehicle will have more than one passenger on board and will not necessarily take you directly from your pick-up to your destination. This helps Access Link maximize the use of our vehicle fleet and provide as many trips as possible to as many passengers as possible. Your "ride time" should be comparable in length to the following guidelines: Local Trips, 3-12 miles can be at least 1 hour in trip length or comparable to the local bus ride time. Mid-Range Trips, 12-24 miles are comparable to local bus ride time but no more than 1&1/2 times the local bus ride time. Long Distance, over 24 miles, will follow the same guidelines as mid-range trips. It is important to remember when making your reservation to include any time you need to get ready, take medications or extra time needed for boarding/disembarking the Access Link vehicle. Remember to account for any delays you might encounter on your trips, such as traffic, unexpected road delays, shared riding, etc. Portable medical equipment (i.e., portable oxygen, etc.) is allowed on vehicles. Please tell the Access Link Reservationist if you will be carrying medical equipment.
Q. Will I Have To Transfer From Vehicle To Vehicle On Access Link? A. Yes, you may be required to transfer between two or more vehicles depending on the distance of your trip, just as you would if you were riding the local bus service. Access Link is designed to complement service available on local bus routes. All information about "transfer trips" is provided to you at the time of your trip reservation.
Q. What Information Must I Have To Make A Reservation? A. When you call for a trip, please have the following information ready.
You must reserve a specific time to return that is at least 90 minutes after your pick-up time. We cannot accept open-ended or "will call" return times. Child Seats All children 5 and under who are riding must be in a child seat. You must make a reservation for a child in order to have a child seat available upon arrival of an Access Link vehicle. If you do not inform us of this in advance, your trip cannot be completed.
Q. Is Access Link A Curb-To-Curb Service? A. YES. All Passengers are required to come to the curb to meet their vehicle without any assistance from the driver, within 5 minutes of the vehicle arriving. Access Link vehicles are required to wait up to 5 minutes for passengers to come out and board. If you do not come out within 5 minutes, the vehicle will depart without you and you will be declared a "No-Show." As long as you can see the vehicle and are able to reach it within the 5-minute wait time, we suggest you wait indoors in inclement weather. If someone will be helping you to get out to the vehicle, that person should be waiting with you. If someone assists you from the vehicle to your door at your destination, the individual(s) must be ready to meet the vehicle when it arrives. Drivers provide assistance from the curb for boarding and exiting the vehicle; to and from your seat; and securing any mobility devices or seat/lap belts. Drivers may not assist you to or from your door.
Q. The Access Link Cancellation And No-Show Policy And How Do I Cancel A Ride? A. Passengers must call Access Link 90 minutes or more before your requested pick-up time for an on-time CANCELLATION. (call 1-800-955-2321 and choose the "Certified Access Link Passenger" option, then choose the "cancel your ride" option.) Late Cancellation If you give Access Link notice more than 50 minutes but less than 90 minutes before your requested pick-up time you will be declared a "Late Cancellation." If you accumulate 4 "LATE CANCELLATIONS" within a 30-day rolling period, you will be notified by mail that you are out of compliance with our "Late Cancellation" Policy and you may be temporarily suspended from the service. No Show If you don’t call at least 50 minutes before your requested pick-up time, or you do not board at the time the vehicle arrives, you are considered a "NO-SHOW." A total of 3 "NO-SHOWS" in a 30-day rolling period will be grounds for suspension and you will be notified by mail that you may be temporarily suspended from the service. After a pattern of 2 "NO-SHOWS" within a 30-day rolling period Access Link will notify you by mail that you are in violation of the Access Link "NO-SHOW" Policy. Please Note If you are a "No-Show," all subsequent trips for that day will be automatically cancelled unless you telephone Access Link and confirm that you still need your other trips. You must notify Access Link within 60 minutes of the trip that you were a "No-Show" for, to keep later reservations for that day. Trip Tip Do not ask the driver when you are "scheduled" to be picked up. Because of the 20-minute window and unforeseen schedule changes, the time you receive may be different and you may miss your vehicle and be recorded as a "No-Show." All questions concerning your trip schedule should be made by telephone to the Access Link Operations Center.
Q. Can I Appeal A Temporary Suspension Due To Late Cancellations And No-Shows? A. Yes. There is an appeal process to demonstrate that a "No Show" violation(s) is incorrect. This information is explained to you in the suspension letter you receive.
Q. Do I Cancel A Ride By Phone? A. YES and only by phone. Call 1-800-955-2321 or (TTY 1-800-955-6765) to cancel. Choose the "Certified Access Link Passenger" option, then choose the "cancel your ride" option to cancel a ride. Cancelling your trip is important because it allows us to change the driver’s schedule to pick up other passengers. If you call too late, we will not have time to change the driver’s schedule to make it more efficient and we have left a seat empty that someone else could have used. Trip Tip Do not tell your driver you are cancelling a trip. They are not responsible for relaying the information to the Access Link Operations Center.
Q. If My Vehicle Has Not Arrived By The End Of My 20-Minute Window, What Can I Do? A. Call the Operations Center at 1-800-955-2321 and choose the "Certified Access Link Passenger" option, then choose "Check on the Status of your Ride" option. A Service Monitor will give you information about the status of your trip and/or will contact the Service Provider for an updated time of arrival.
Q. Is It Possible To Be Temporarily Suspended Or Lose Access Link Service? A. Yes. The following is a list of offenses not tolerated on Access Link.
Q. Can I Be Refused Service Because My Mobility Device Does Not Fit Onto The Access Link Lift? A. Yes. If your mobility device exceeds the ADA definition of a standard (30" x 48") wheelchair and does not fit onto the Access Link vehicle’s wheelchair lift, you will not be able to be transported using this mobility device. If your mobility device cannot be secured safely in the securement area or obstructs the aisle space causing an unsafe environment for other passengers, you will not be transported in that mobility device. In such cases, a higher level of transportation service may be appropriate for your needs.
Q. May I Bring Packages On Access Link? A. Yes but ONLY WHAT YOU AND YOUR PERSONAL ASSISTANT OR COMPANION CAN CARRY. NO REPETITIVE TRIPS ON AND OFF THE VEHICLE TO LOAD PACKAGES WILL BE PERMITTED. Drivers MAY NOT carry packages for you. Your packages must be self-contained and may not pose a safety hazard (rolling, spilling, etc.) Passengers are allowed only one collapsible/folding shopping cart. Bicycles are not allowed. Passengers who do not comply with this policy may be subject to forfeiting their ride and temporary suspension of service.
Q. Do Access Link Drivers Provide Any Medical Or First Aid Assistance? A. NO. Access Link drivers are not trained to provide first aid assistance. In the case of a medical emergency, Access Link will call for the closest ambulance.
A. Standing Orders are trips that a passenger calls in to reserve once. This trip must be to and from the same place, at the same time on the same day(s) of the week. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for Paratransit, allows NJ TRANSIT to maintain up to 50% capacity of Standing Order trips.
Q. How Frequently Must The Trip Be Taken? A. At least once per week, but no more than 7 times per week.
Q. How Many Different Standing Orders Are Allowed Per Access Link Customer? A. Generally one per passenger, requests for additional Standing Orders will be considered on a case by case basis.
Q. Can I Change My Standing Order Requested Pick Up Times? A. No. Once you give us your Standing Order requested pick-up times, they may not be changed. However, if you are on vacation, ill or do not need your Standing Order for a period of time, you must contact Access Link and have your Standing Order temporarily placed "on-hold." For a 1 day change in pick-up location or time, you will need to cancel the standing order for that day and book a new individual trip for the new time or location.
Q. If I Change Jobs Or Destination, Am I Permitted To Change My Standing Order Destination? A. No. If your destination address changes, you forfeit your Standing Order and must request a new Standing Order, and book new individual trips.
Q. How Long Can A Standing Order Be Temporarily "Put On Hold"? A. 30 days.
Q. What Happens If I Don't Need My Standing Order After 30 Days On Hold? A. Your Standing Order trip will be forfeited, but you should always call to cancel as soon as you have a change.
Q. Can A Standing Order Customer Lose Their Standing Order Trip Status? A. Yes, if they violate NJ TRANSIT Access Link Passenger Policies, including the Passenger No-Show Policy.
Q. Are Standing Orders Automatically Put On Hold By Access Link On Holidays? A. Yes. If you need your Standing Order on any of the following holidays, you must contact NJ TRANSIT in advance to request your Standing Order trip for that particular holiday. The Holidays Are
A. Yes. We encourage customers to provide us with this information in advance.
Q. Who Do I Call To Put My Standing Order On Hold? A. Call Access Link and select the option to cancel your ride, a Service Monitor will take your information. Please make a record of the date, time and name of Service Monitor you spoke with.
Q. How Do I Request A Standing Order Trip? A. Contact the Access Link Operations Center; ask to speak to the Service Monitor in charge of Standing Orders. If the times you request are not available, you may request to be put on the waiting list.
A. The level of service in each of our regions is at different growth levels. Therefore it depends on the service area where you travel and the current number of Standing Orders reserved. Remember the ADA guideline for Standing Orders is 50% of trip capacity.
Q. Are Passengers Allowed To Tip Access Link Drivers? A. NO. Our drivers are never permitted to accept tips of any kind.
Q. Who Do I Call If I Have A Compliment/Complaint? A. NJ TRANSIT is very interested in how our passengers view Access Link Service. Passengers who wish to communicate with us may call 1-800-955-2321 or (TTY 1-800-955-6765) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., to speak with the Access Link Customer Service Representative. (Choose the "Certified Access Link Passenger" option, then choose the "Customer Service" option.) When calling please have as much information as possible, including.
NJ TRANSIT will investigate all complaints. We will endeavor to respond to your complaint in writing within five business days.
Q. What Are NJ TRANSIT's Responsibilities? A. NJ TRANSIT is committed to
Q. Who Do I Call To Have Additional Questions Answered? A. Access Link Information: 1-800-955-ADA1 (2321) (TTY 1-800-955-6765). If you’re calling from a rotary phone or are unable to select an option stay on the line for assistance. NJ TRANSIT Accessible Bus and Train Information
A. A person other than a personal assistant (PA), who will be riding with an ADA eligible passenger (i.e., a friend, relative, etc.). A companion pays the same fare as the ADA eligible passenger. Demand Trip A single reservation to individual destinations. ID Number A unique number assigned to a passenger which is used to identify the passenger. Late Cancellation A trip cancelled less than 90 minutes but more than 50 minutes before your requested pick-up time. No-Show A passenger who fails to cancel a trip, or cancels a trip less than 50 minutes before their requested pick-up time, or a passenger who does not arrive at their pick-up point within the 5 minute wait time. On-Time Cancellation A trip cancelled at least 90 minutes before your requested pick-up time. Personal Assistant (PA) An individual selected by an Access Link passenger or a passenger’s agency to provide personal assistance. PA’s do not pay a fare. Region A geographically defined area in which an assigned Contractor or Service Provider provides Access Link Service. Request Time Requested "pick-up" time. This is the time you ask for your pick-up. Your requested time may not be your "scheduled" time as it may vary within the 20-minute window. Example: If your requested time is 10 a.m. you MUST be ready for your trip at 9:40 a.m. until 10:20 a.m. This is your 20-minute window. Ride Time "Target" Comparable to, but no more than, 1 & 1/2 times the ride time of the local fixed route bus, depending on the distance traveled. (see page 11 "Shared Ride and Ride Time"). Service Area Origins and destinations of Access Link trips located within 3/4 of a mile radius of local NJ TRANSIT bus routes. Service Provider A company that is contracted by NJ TRANSIT to provide Access Link Service. Also known as the "Contractor." Shared Ride More than one passenger going to more than one destination on the same vehicle. Tour A list of trips or a "route" operated by a particular vehicle on any given day. Wait Time The period of time a vehicle will wait for a passenger once it has arrived at any scheduled pick-up point. This time is five (5) minutes. Note:
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