Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART)

The DART service is available to individuals of any age whose disability prevents them from independently boarding an accessible fixed-route bus and/or prevents them from getting to or from a boarding location. DART customers must live and/or travel within the fixed-route bus service area. Visitors to the area may also be eligible – please see the ‘Visitors’ tab within the FAQs.

Service is available only to individuals approved through the application process. Applicants whose disability always prevents them from using fixed-route service may be accepted with ‘Unconditional Eligibility’. Applicants who can sometimes use fixed-route service, in certain circumstances, may be accepted with ‘Conditional Eligibility’.

Download the DART application

Completed applications can be faxed to (910) 772-7942 or mailed to:

Wave Transit Paratransit Department
P.O. Box 12630
Wilmington, NC 28405-0130

To obtain an application via mail or fax, call the Paratransit office at (910) 202-2053.

View denial, appeal, and no-show policies

Application

DART service is available only to individuals approved through the application process. A portion of the application must be completed and signed by a registered healthcare professional. Applications will be processed within 21 days of receipt.

Download the DART application

To obtain an application via mail or fax, call the Paratransit Department at (910) 202-2053.

Completed applications can be faxed to (910) 772-7942 or mailed to:
Wave Transit
P.O. Box 12630
Wilmington, NC 28405-0130

Approvals
Applicants whose disability always prevents them from using fixed-route service may be accepted with ‘Unconditional Eligibility’. Applicants who can sometimes use fixed-route service, in certain circumstances, may be accepted with ‘Conditional Eligibility’.

Eligibility decisions will be mailed to the applicant within 21 days of receiving the application. Approved applicants can start scheduling trips immediately. To check on the status of your application, call the Paratransit Department at (910) 202-2053.

Denials & Appeals
Applicants may be deemed ineligible for service based on the information presented in the application. Denials can happen if the application was completed incorrectly or is missing information. Applicants who do not meet the requirements for conditional or unconditional service will be denied.

If your application for DART service is denied, you are entitled to appeal that decision.

To appeal a denial, please email Deputy Director Jonathan Dodson at jdodson@wavetransit.com and include ‘Appeal’ in the subject line of the message. If email is unavailable, please contact us over the phone at (910) 202 – 2057 or by mail to Wave Transit, P.O. Box 12630, Wilmington, NC 28405. Staff will confirm receipt of the appeal. If you have communicated your intent to appeal but have not received a confirmation of receipt, it is the responsibility of the applicant to follow-up with staff.

Intent to appeal must be communicated to Wave Transit within 60 days of the date of denial, which is listed in the decision letter.

‘No Show’ Policy

A ‘no show’ occurs when a customer misses a scheduled pick-up without notifying Wave Transit at least one hour in advance of the scheduled pick-up time. In order to ensure timely service, customers who ‘no show’ for 25% of their trips within a thirty (30) day period, provided they had at least eight (8) reservations during that period, will be subject to progressive service suspensions. For the first offense, the customer will receive a warning letter. For the second offense, the customer will be suspended from using the DART service for 5 days. For the third offense, the customer will be suspended from using the service for 14 days. For the fourth offense and all remaining offenses, customers will be suspended from using the service for 30 days. A ‘no show’ will not count against the customer if it was caused by circumstances beyond their control. Notice of discipline will be made in writing and mailed to the customer’s last known address at least 21 days prior to the start of the suspension period.

View/Download the DART Appeals Process and Policies

Once you have been approved for the DART program, rides can be scheduled by calling the DART reservation line at (910) 202-2053 or email ptschedule@wavetransit.com. Please Note: Once a ride has been requested, you will receive a confirmation via phone or email from DART staff (this may occur during the initial ride request). If you have left a voicemail or sent an email and not yet received a response, your reservation is not confirmed.

If you would like support or assistance as you become comfortable with the DART scheduling process please contact our Paratransit Manager at 910-202-2052 or crode@wavetransit.com.

DART schedules trips on a first-come, first-served basis. Requests must be submitted during regular office hours the day before the intended travel date. DART provides next-day service.  Customers are encouraged to submit trip requests in advance.

Customers calling on a holiday or day Wave Transit is closed to request a trip for the day following the holiday or closure date are asked to leave a voicemail at 910-202-2053 or email their request to ptschedule@wavetransit.com. Staff will contact you the morning Wave Transit re-opens to try to accommodate the request.

Please Note: DART is not an emergency ambulance service and drivers are not trained to handle medical problems. The operators will assist you on and off the wheelchair lift and will secure your wheelchair once on the bus. Drivers are not permitted to leave the bus unattended and may not assist customers into buildings.

DART operators cannot make change. You must have exact fare and pay at the start of each trip. DART vans can only wait three minutes. If you are not ready by then, the DART van will move on to the next pick up. This is done in an effort to schedule DART passengers in the most efficient way possible.

Wave Transit does not provide attendants. If you require additional assistance, you must provide your own attendant. Attendants may ride free of charge. To maintain the most efficiency, Wave Transit has implemented a no-show policy.

View/Download the DART ‘no show’ policy.

Welcome to Wilmington!

Individuals who are eligible for ADA van service and are visiting from other localities outside of Wave Transit’s service area, will be served when eligible trips are requested. The visiting individual’s local certification will be honored by Wave Transit and its contractors. If a visitor does not have ADA certification from another jurisdiction, but makes a claim of eligibility, that claim will be honored as required by the ADA. However, in such cases, Wave Transit reserves the right to require proof that the individual is not a resident of the county and if the individual has a disability which is not apparent.

Visitors may only use Wave Transit’s DART service for 21 days in a 365 day period. After 21 days, the visitor must submit a formal application for eligibility certification.

Planning a trip to Wilmington? Call our Paratransit Department to discuss eligibility and to make service arrangements: (910) 202-2053.

Wave Transit strives to maintain the highest compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Requests and complaints are processed within 21 days of receipt. Staff will promptly confirm receipt of requests and complaints. If you have submitted a request or complaint and have not heard from staff, we kindly ask that you contact the ADA Coordinator again, as your communication may not have been received.

Requests

Requests for ADA modifications to Wave Transit policy may be made via phone or email to the ADA Coordinator:
(910) 202-2045
info@wavetransit.com

If you are unable to reach the ADA coordinator through the phone number above, please call (910) 343 – 0106.

Complaints
To submit an ADA complaint, please fill out the form linked below or contact the ADA Coordinator.

ADA Complaint Form

ADA Coordinator
(910) 202-2045
info@wavetransit.com

If you are unable to reach the ADA coordinator through the phone number above, please call (910) 343 – 0106.

Alternative Formats & Communications
Hard copies of the ADA complaint form are available at our offices or through the mail at your request. Alternate formats and languages are available upon request. If you need to communicate through the mail or in-person rather than by phone or email, please connect with staff at our offices or through the mail.

Mail:
Wave Transit ADA Coordinator
P.O. Box 12630
Wilmington, NC 28405-0130

Wave Transit Offices: Regular business hours are Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Padgett Station
520 N. 3rd St.
Wilmington, NC 28401

Forden Station
505 Cando St.
Wilmington, NC 28405

Operations & Maintenance Facility
1480 Castle Hayne Rd.
Wilmington, NC 28405