Transit

All McDowell County citizens have a right to transportation provided by McDowell County Transit; as well as a right to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect at all times by Transit personnel.

SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS:

• Appointments for transportation services must be made by 10:00 a.m. the day before the service is rendered. Monday appointements must be made by 10:00am on Friday prior to Monday's appointment. Appointments are based on availability and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• All appointments must be scheduled by leaving a voicemail with McDowell Transit Dispatch by calling 828-559-0744. Para Español 828-652-0727.
• Passengers will be picked up and dropped off at the locations specified when the appointment was made. If you need to be dropped at another location, you must notify Transit in advance. Advance notice to be dropped off at another location must be made day before.
• Passengers must be ready 90 minutes before appointment time for in county transit. For any out of county transportation, clients will be called the day before and made aware of their pickup time.
• Out-of-county trips are scheduled as follows: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: Asheville Thursday: Morganton, Hickory Other destinations are based on availability.

NO SHOW AND CANCELLATION POLICY:

• All out of county trips must be cancelled by 6am. In-county trips must be canceled a minimum of two hours before the scheduled pick up time. Cancellations, including Medicaid trip cancellations, must be called in to McDowell County Transit. Any cancellations after 6:00 am will result in a “no show.” Any transportation where the pickup is going to be before 6:00 AM must call in and cancel before 8:00 PM the night before.
• If a passenger does not require transportation for their take home trip, they must call 828-559-0744 at least one hour prior to their take home time. Failure to do so will result in a “no show.”
• Passengers must be ready for the driver when the van arrives for pick-up. Transit policy is for drivers to wait (3) three minutes. If a passenger is not ready within three minutes, the driver will leave and the passenger will be documented as a “no show.”
• Three (3) no shows in a three month period will result in a passenger being suspended from riding Transit for 30 days.

The policy of McDowell Transit passenger assistance will now be defined under ADA guidelines as door to door. Further details include: Drivers may not:

• Leave the vehicle beyond 60 feet;
• Enter any doors, private residences or buildings;
• Assist with packages that exceed the current package policy;
• Assist beyond the ground level of any building or apartment.

For information about the McDowell County Transit Department, please visit their site by clicking HERE