DIal A Ride Updates No Show Policy, Eliminates Fee

October 4, 2024 - Dial-A-Ride, the City of Midland's curb-to-curb on-demand bus service, has announced revisions to its no-show policy that aim to reduce hardships on riders and encourage more efficient use of the bus system.

As of October 1, 2024, Dial-A-Ride has eliminated the $16 no-show fee that was previously assessed to riders after missing three (3) or more rides in a 30-day period. The new policy goes into effect after a rider misses three (3) or more rides in a 30-day period that exceeds 10 percent of the passenger's total rides. The new policy also reduces the length of service suspension and provides a more progressive approach aimed at educating riders.

The new policy includes the following steps:

• First offense - Contact from Dial-A-Ride supervisor
• Second offense - Contact from Dial-A-Ride supervisor and one-week suspension of rides
• Third (or subsequent) offense - Contact from Dial-A-Ride supervisor and one-month suspension of rides

As with the previous policy, riders who receive a no-show will be required to pay the cost of the fare for the missed ride the next time they board a bus.

"A thorough review of our data collected over the past ten years found that the previous policy not only didn't discourage no-show rides, but actually created hardships for many of the clients we serve who rely on Dial-A-Ride," said Director of Public Services Karen Murphy. "This revised policy still holds riders accountable, but with a softer approach that aims to help them understand how no-shows impact our operations."

For more information, please call Dial-A-Ride at 989-837-6940 or visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/dart.