Parallel Transit has been serving Stratford residents for over 30 years, providing a shared ride service for individuals who are unable to access Stratford Transit. With well-trained and caring drivers, Parallel Transit uses lift-equipped buses that provide accessible door to accessible door service.
- Address: Parallel Transit office, 60 Corcoran Street
- Direct Phone: 519-271-4000
- General Hours of Operation (Office): Monday through Friday, 8am - 12pm and 1pm - 7pm, Saturdays, 9am - 5pm, Closed Sundays and Public Holidays
- Hours of Service
How can we direct you?
Contact Us
Hours of Service
Our Commitment to Passengers with a Disability
Requesting a Ride
Parallel Transit Rates
Am I Eligible?
Parallel Transit is for persons who are:
- Physically unable to use Stratford Transit
- Physically unable to walk a distance of 175 metres (575 feet)
- Have temporary mobility impairment (i.e. a broken leg)
- Physically unable to walk 175 metres (575 feet) during winter months
How to Apply
- Download the Stratford Parallel Transit Application Healthcare Form and have your Healthcare Professional complete it on your behalf. The completed form can either be uploaded with the online Passenger Application or attached to the printed Passenger Application.
This form must accompany all Passenger Applications (see Step 2), whether submitted online or delivered to our offices in a printed format.
To be completed online or in a printed format by the person applying to use the service, or their designate.
Choose one method:
- Online – Complete the application online at https://forms.stratford.ca/Parallel-Transit/Parallel-Transit-Application#
- Print – Obtain a copy from the Parallel Transit Office or a Parallel Transit Driver. Once completed, submit your printed application (along with your Healthcare Form) to a Driver, fax at 519-271-6029, mail or drop off at 60 Corcoran Street, Stratford, Ontario N6A 1V7.
- All Passenger Applications must include a completed Healthcare Form (Step 1).
- Applications must include both a completed Healthcare Form and Passenger Application.
- For assistance completing either form, please call 519-271-4000, Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm.
- Parallel Transit reserves the right to re-evaluate passenger applications and request a reassessment.
- Parallel Transit is not responsible for any cost associated with the completion of forms and applications.
- In the event an application is denied, a third-party assessment may be obtained with all costs being incurred by the applicant.
Hours of Service
| Day | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Monday through Friday | 6:20am | 9:40pm |
| Saturday | 6:20am | 7:40pm |
| Sunday | 8:20am | 4:00pm |
| Statutory Holidays | No Service | |
Temporary and seasonal service is available to people who only need Parallel Transit for a limited time or during a particular season of the year. We also offer charter service outside of Stratford, seven days a week.
Parallel Transit Rates (2023)
| Type | Rate |
| 1 Way Trip - Adult | $3.00/person |
| 1 Way Trip - Senior | $2.75/person |
| 10 Ride Card - In Town | $30.00/person |
| Charter - In Town | $31.64/hour + HST + $3.00 person |
| Charter Wait Time* | $31.64/hour + HST |
| 1 Way Trip - Out of Town | $3.00/person + ($1.47/km + HST) |
| 30 Day Pass - Adult | $70.00/person |
| 30 Day Pass - Senior/Affordable | $60.00/person |
Applicable taxes are extra.
*For all charters, there is a $31.64 per hour plus HST extra wait charge. Mileage is charged for each direction.
Requesting a Ride
To request a ride, please call 519-271-4000 during office hours. Requests can be made Monday through Friday, 8am - 12pm and 1pm - 7pm, and Saturdays 9am to 5pm. Our offices are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. As listed below (New Years Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Family Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Boxing Days).
Cancellations and No Shows
Pick-Up & Travel Policies
- Plan enough time to and from your appointments. You may be on the bus for up to 45 minutes
- Be ready at least 5 minutes prior to your pick-up time. Due to unexpected situations, and a Shared-Ride system, buses may run up to 10 minutes late
- Wait at the pick-up locations accessible door (ie. lobby of medical facility)
- Ensure that your driveway, sidewalk and stairs are kept clear of snow and clutter
- When attending appointments, book the return ride allowing for the possibility it may run late. Informing the receptionist of your pick-up times can be helpful. If your appointment finishes early, call the office as we may be able to pick you up sooner.
- All wheelchairs and scooters MUST back onto the lift. Need assistance? Just ask!
- Each rider must use the passenger restraint system provided in the bus
- Passengers using electric scooters must transfer to a seat. Drivers are not permitted to assist in transferring. If you cannot transfer from your scooter, a signed medical release is required
- When you are purchasing a wheelchair, please make sure it is suitable for travel on the bus. We use Q-Straint tie-downs
- No smoking in or near the parallel transit bus
Our Commitment to Passengers with a Disability
As required by Ontario Regulation 191/11, this document sets forth the policies and procedures for serving Stratford Transit and Stratford Parallel Transit passengers with a disability under normal circumstances, and in exceptional cases such as the failure of a vehicle accessibility feature. These following procedures are Stratford Transit and Stratford Parallel Transit policies.
If an official bus stop is not accessible for a passenger with a disability, the Operator shall ensure that passengers with disabilities are able to board or get off the bus at the closest available safe location, as determined by the Operator.
In determining where a safe location may be situated the Operator shall give consideration to the preferences of the passenger with a disability. Operators shall report to Maintenance Staff a Transit Stop that is inaccessible.
Trip on Detour Effective March 1,2013 Operators starting a trip with a known detour are required to announce to customers at the start of the trip and after leaving all time-points along the trip, the detour route and requesting customers needing assistance to or an alternate stop location to speak to the Operator.
Sample Announcement
"We apologize in advance for the inconvenience, however this trip will be on detour between [street 1] and [street 2]. Should you need assistance in getting to your destination please speak to me. Thank you."
Operators are required to provide trip and destination information to boarding passengers upon the passenger’s request
To ensure consistency of the information presented to passengers and to align with other public information systems, Operators are instructed to use the information displayed on the bus destination sign control screen when asked for route information.
Operators are to announce the route and destination, including any ‘via’ directions in a clear statement, loud enough to be heard by the passenger requesting the information.
With the implementation of AODA, Ontario regulations require that passengers, other than persons with disabilities, must vacate the priority seating when requested to do so by a passenger with a disability or by the vehicle operator.
Operators should be polite and tactful when requesting that a passenger to give a priority seat to a passenger with a disability.
In the event an emergency evacuation of the bus, the Operator is to ensure all passengers exit the vehicle and that they are kept away from traffic at all times.
The Operator is required to identify passengers with passengers with injuries or disabilities and provide appropriate assistance to help them exit from the vehicle and ensure they remain in a safe location.
In the event the ramp power assist does not function the Operator is to manually deploy the ramp.
It is recommended that Operators view the video on Emergency Procedures on the Transportation Training page of the City web site:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_O-ADunGd4
Service animals that accompany passengers with disabilities, such as guide dogs, are welcome on the bus and at all public areas of Stratford Transit passenger facilities as well as City buildings and public places.
On the bus:
- The animal must be under the passenger’s care and control at all times
- Service animals must not pose a risk to other passengers or to Stratford Transit Operators
- If the Operator has concerns in this regard, and If it is not clear that the animal is a service animal, he or she may ask the passenger to produce documentation for the service animal, such as a card identifying the animal or a note from a doctor or nurse stating that the animal is needed for reasons of a disability. If the passenger cannot produce a note, contact your Supervisor for direction on how to proceed
- The Operator is not permitted to ask the passenger whether he or she has a disability, or about the nature of his or her disability.
| Problem/Defect Description | Marginal Defect | Minor Defect | Major Defect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramp inoperable (manual deployment) | No | Yes | No |
| Intermittent ramp or kneeling defects | No | Yes | No |
| Wheelchair bell not working | Yes | No | No |
| Bus stop announcement (manual statement) | No | Yes | No |
| Vehicle fails to return to normal level after kneeling | No | No | Yes |
| Mobility restraint: 1 position becomes inoperable during service / wheelchair position not to be used | No | Yes | No |
| Mobility restraint: 2 positions become inoperable during service / wheelchair position not to be used | No | No | Yes |
Marginal Defect:
- Fill in "Defect Form"
- Stay in service
Minor Defect:
- Fill in "Defect Form"
- Stay in service
- Inform maintenance staff, and change off as soon as possible
Major Defect:
- Fill in "Defect Form"
- Inform maintenance staff, change off, drive bus back if possible
Current legislation and Stratford Transit procedures require Operators with non-functioning automated stop announcement technology to contact Dispatch to arrange a change-off as soon as practicable.
Effective August 1,2012, while the bus with non-functioning automated stop announcement technology remains in service the Operator is required to announce to customers at the start of the trip and after leaving all time-points along the trip, the bus stop announcement system is not functioning and should customers need assistance to contact the Operator.
Sample Announcement
"We apologize for the inconvenience however the bus stop announcement system is not working at his time. Should you need assistance finding your stop, please see me. Thank you."
How Drivers assist Passengers?
Our drivers can help move wheelchairs up or down one step only. Electric wheelchairs or scooters excluded.
- Please ensure that your departure and arrival points are accessible.
- Drivers will assist in carrying up to four (4) grocery bags or equivalent.
- Individual passenger shopping carts are allowed on the bus.
To add a ramp to your home or business, please call 519-271-4000 to obtain City-approved ramp guidelines.
Support Persons
To overcome obstacles such as stairs, you must have a support person with you for assistance. Support persons ride free of charge, to a maximum of one support person per passenger.
- Support persons must be previously arranged by the passenger.
- If the support person is picked up and dropped off at an alternate location to the passenger, an additional rate will apply.
- Another passenger may not serve as a support person.