ROVER Community Transportation
Chester County's Paratransit System

484-696-3854

 

Visit Rover's website

EDITORS: The following is for immediate release. If you have any questions, please contact Chester County Public Information Officer Rebecca Brain at 610-344-6279, rbrain@chesco.org, or Communications Coordinator Michelle Bjork at 610-344-6820, mbjork@chesco.org.

Rover Community Transportation Service to
Transition to Chester County Government

WEST CHESTER, PA – January 26, 2023 – From April 1, 2023, responsibility for the majority of paratransit services currently provided by Rover in Chester County will transition to a County-run operation, overseen by the Chester County Department of Human Services.

The Rover community transportation service was introduced in 1984 to offer diversified transportation for Chester County residents, especially those who cannot drive or have no other means of transportation, including seniors, individuals with disabilities and those requiring medical assistance transportation.  The service has been contracted by the County with Rover since its start.

Over the past four years, Chester County’s Department of Human Services has employed a consultant to review the county’s community transportation needs and costs, and the department has partnered with PennDOT to assess ridership feedback. Final reports from both the consultants and PennDOT note high rider satisfaction (93 percent) with the Rover service.  The move to a County-led operation addresses the cost efficiencies of providing the community transportation service itself, while maintaining the high quality of service.

Ridership of Rover Community Transportation currently stands at 55 percent of pre-COVID levels, and state and national trends indicate that future usage of paratransit systems will remain uncertain.

Pat Bokovitz, Director of the Chester County Department of Human Services, said, “Because of the uncertainty in ridership levels, and the cost to subsidize the community transportation service, the County will take the lead on providing the majority of community transportation service, from April 1 of this year.

“We appreciate the expertise and service provided by Rover in running this service. It has been valuable to the residents of Chester County since its start nearly 40 years ago, run with the professionalism that is the hallmark of the Krapf family and its transportation companies.”

A new Department of Community Transit has been established by Chester County Government to accommodate the Rover service.  Positions of employment will begin to be offered to Rover employees – from schedulers and dispatchers to drivers – within the coming weeks. Further details of the community transportation service will be provided as the timeline for the April 1 transition gets closer.  All current ridership services will continue as scheduled.

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Update 3/31/20

     Just to remind you that Rover continues to run grocery, pharmacy and medical trips if you need transportation. They have expanded hours (pickups as early as 5:00am for 6:00am arrival at a participating grocery store) and eliminating the increased Same Day Ride fees. 

• If a senior calls requesting a ride for Grocery or Pharmacy trip, they are waving the increased fees and will transport the same day for the normal $1 Co-Pay to the Senior.
• Their Call Center will be active at 5:00am every weekday taking reservations for Grocery/Pharmacy trips.

 

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Rover and Rainbow Cab are now one company. Please click here to read more.

National statistics show that seniors citizens who spend time socializing at their local senior center do not experience
feelings of depression as those who stay home alone with very little contact with people their own age. Take a ride on
Rover (the Chester County Senior Bus Service) and visit our Center.

Please read this article on USA Today's site titled
"Programs aim to keep elderly from being isolated after their driving days end"

To read the Rover Gazette, Click on the Month below
2016 Newsletters	2015 Newsletters	2014 Newsletters
August 2016	April 2015	October 2014
May 2016	February 2015	August 2014
		July 2014
		May 2014
		April 2014
		January 2014

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Rover's No-Show Policy Being Enforced

As we continue to seek ways to improve our service and scrutinize the issues, we identified an ongoing problem which is actually brought on by a small group of passengers. When a passenger phones in a last-minute cancellation (usually when the driver pulls into the driveway), or is not at his or her pick up point, or simply decides not to go, they become a NO-SHOW. No-shows and last-minute cancellations cause delays in service and adversely affect many of our passengers who want to ride. Perhaps you have been on one of our buses when this happens.

We are currently enforcing our long-established NO-SHOW Policy as outlined below:
A NO-SHOW is defined as any scheduled trip that is not taken or not cancelled within the required time frame. You must cancel your ride no later than two (2) hours prior to your scheduled pick-up time otherwise you will be considered a NO-SHOW. Cancellations may be called in as early as 6:00AM Monday through Friday at any of our reservation numbers. A passenger is considered a NO-SHOW in the following situations:

• The passenger does not call ROVER to cancel his/her ride at least 2 hours prior to pick-up time.
• The passenger is not present at the designated pick-up site when the driver arrives.
• The passenger does not choose to accept the ride when the driver arrives.

A passenger who accumulates three (3) no-shows within a thirty (30) day period may be suspended from the transportation program for up to thirty (30) days. If the passenger has accumulated three (3) or more no-shows during any 30-day period a letter of notification will be mailed.

We would like to remind you that when scheduling a ride, it is your responsibility to carefully listen to and confirm the information read back to you by our customer service representative. Once the rides have been scheduled, the customer service representative will repeat the day, date, time and address information discussed - please listen carefully - we will not be responsible for errors once the phone call has ended. Please call us at 484-696-3854 with any questions or concerns about our No-Show Policy.

Date of Reminder: 12/1/12

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ATTENTION ALL ROVER RIDERS

October 2011 Announcement

Effective November 1, 2011

The Department of Aging will sponsor rides to any senior center within 20 miles of a senior's residence, to any grocery store and pharmacy within 10 miles of a senior's residence. This distance should allow seniors to shop at the larger stores and pharmacies.

These changes are listed below. If you use Rover for one of the trips that have been eliminated, it will now cost you more. You can get the new rate by calling Rover at (610) 594-3911.

Department of Aging Sponsored Trips	Changes as of 11/1/11
Medical Appointments	Unchanged
Adult Day Centers	AAA Consumers only
Adult Day Centers	3 days VA sponsored depending on total household income
Senior Centers	Within 20 miles of rider's residence
Department of Aging	Unchanged
Voting	Unchanged
Department of Aging Sponsored Events	Unchanged
Employment	Eliminated
Church	Eliminated
Nursing Facility Visits	For family members
Volunteering	Eliminated
Groceries & Pharmacy	Within 10 miles of rider's residence between 10am - 2pm

 

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Dear Members and Family,

Chester County Rover (Paratransit) plays an important part in the lives of some of our participants.

The procedure for scheduling Rover (Paratransit) transportation to and from the Center is listed below:

The Center will automatically arrange Rover (Paratransit) transportation for everyone who puts a checkmark or a "T" in front of his/her name in the Rover column on the daily lunch sign-up sheets. Otherwise, you must call the Center at least two days in advance before 10 AM to arrange for Rover (Paratransit) transportation. Telephone numbers and times are listed below:

(610) 932-5244 - Weekdays from 8:30 am to 3 pm
After hours and weekends leave a message with your name, phone number and day you need transportation.

Changes/Cancellations

In case of an emergency, please contact the Center, at the telephone numbers listed above, as soon as possible.