There is a new process for Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) customers to submit their Access-a-Ride (AAR) taxi and car service receipts online.
The optional procedure saves time and stamps – and potential trips to the post office or a mailbox – for customers who prefer digital transactions to mailing forms and receipts. Customers can now go online and submit their trip information and a copy of their receipt, by submitting a digital reimbursement request.
The new online reimbursement process will help customers keep digital records of receipts and be able to take care of transactions from their phones or other electronic devices without worrying about holding on to paper receipts and having to purchase stamps or go to the mailbox. The implementation is another way the MTA is working to provide convenient ways for paratransit customers to receive services. All authorization reimbursement rules still apply.
“We continue to look at ways to seamlessly assist our paratransit customers from pickup, to dropoff, to customer service,” said Craig Cipriano, senior vice president for Buses of MTA New York City Transit and president of the MTA Bus Company. “Our vehicles are moving customers safely and more quickly thanks to the efforts of our operations team and dedicated bus lanes that are expanding throughout the city.”
In order to provide efficient service and enable expedient travel, customers may obtain authorization from the Paratransit Command Center to use a taxi or other for-hire-vehicle if a scheduled AAR vehicle is not available to pick up a customer within a reasonable time period. NYC Transit will authorize the customer to do so and give the customer a taxi authorization number. NYC Transit will reimburse the customer for the cost of the taxicab or car service, as described below. All taxi reimbursements must be pre-authorized.
AAR customers who use an authorized taxicab or car service will continue to obtain a valid receipt completed by the driver with the trip date, fare, car number and driver’s signature and name and number of car service; or a metered receipt for taxicab customers. Customers using an app-based service like Uber or Lyft, will submit the detailed electronic receipt. Separate trips will require separate digital forms with the authorization number for that trip.
Dedicated white and blue Access-A-Ride (AAR) vehicles were given access to bus lanes May 2019. As the city adds more bus-only lanes, AAR customers will reap the travel time benefits of being able to use them.
Customers may continue to safely choose how to book their trips via online trip management, the MYmta smartphone app or by calling the Access-A-Ride call center at 1-877-337-2017. Live agents, automated messages, online communications, and customer emails will include updates for customers and reminders about riding safely during COVID. Posters and signage will also be present on paratransit vehicles.
