Detour & Service Alerts 1

Regular BARTA Sunday Service on Easter Holiday

BARTA Bus Service and BARTA Special Services will operate normal Sunday service on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.

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Policies

Exact Fare Policy

Please have the exact fare ready to deposit in the farebox when boarding.  BARTA operators do not carry money to make changes.

Refund Policy

No Refunds or exchanges for passes.  Passes are Non-refundable and Non-Transferable.

Holiday Service Changes

Service is generally not provided on the following holidays:
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
July 4th
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas

Baby Stroller Policy

BARTA’s Baby Stroller Policy requires all passengers to fold their strollers while boarding the bus.

Smoking, Eating & Drinking Policy

There is no smoking allowed on any BARTA bus.  Please do not bring food or drink on the bus.

Lost and Found

If an item is lost on a bus and retrieved by our drivers, the driver has required to hand in the lost item to the BARTA Administrative Office, 1700 N. 11th Street, Reading.  All items are logged.  If you lose an item on our buses, call 610-921-0601.  All items are kept for 7 days.  This procedure is followed to ensure the proper owner receives their lost item.

Service Animals & Pets

BARTA allows pets to be brought aboard provided they meet certain criteria.  Pets may be permitted on the bus provided they are small enough to sit on a passenger’s lap or are in a small cage.  Your bus operator may deny any animal access to the bus or request that you remove your pet where a safety or health problem exists.

Courtesy Seating

The first aisle facing seats behind the driver are reserved for people with special needs such as the elderly and people with disabilities.

Bicycles

Bike racks are available on BARTA buses and can hold 2 bikes.

Student Policy

Children age 6 to 18 (in grades K to 12 ) must pay the student fare.  School students may be asked to provide a school ID card as proof of their school status.  Without the school ID card, a student will be required to pay the adult fare.  Persons 18 years of age and older who do not have a high school ID card must pay the adult fare.  Any student who purchases passes needs to show a valid Student ID at the time of purchase.


Bus Riding Courtesies

  1. Be considerate of your fellow passengers and keep conversations and cell phone calls in a low tone (use of speaker phone feature on cell phones is prohibited).
  2. No Eating, drinking, playing loud music without headphones, or smoking is allowed on board the vehicle. Smoking on the bus is against the law.
  3. Firearms, weapons, fireworks, chemicals, or hazardous materials of any type are not allowed on the bus.
  4. No pets allowed.
  5. The seats near the driver are designated for seniors or those with disabilities. Please volunteer your seat to anyone who is less able to stand than you are.
  6. Standing in front of the yellow standee line on the floor of the bus or sitting or standing in the bus stairwells is prohibited.
  7. For safety reasons, please do not engage in unnecessary conversation with the driver while the bus is in motion.
  8. Each passenger should only take one seat. If it is necessary to stand, please hold on to the safety bar above or the handrail on the back of each seat.
  9. Keep the aisles clear of parcels, strollers, umbrellas, or other objects that might cause harm to others.
  10. Please do not litter or discard trash on the bus. Take trash with you when you exit and dispose of it in a proper receptacle.
  11. Behavior, that disturbs others, interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle, or causes damage, may result in ejection from the bus. Fighting, throwing things, pushing, shouting, rough behavior, and vulgar language are all forbidden.
  12. Vandalism or graffiti on seats and other portions of the bus is subject to a fine and/or prosecution.
  13. Anyone who intentionally assaults a transit operator or destroys transit property will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

American With Disabilities Act (ADA) Reasonable Modifications

On March 13, 2015, the Federal Department of Transportation issued a Final Rule affecting 49 CFR Parts 27 and 37:  Transportation for Individuals With Disabilities; Reasonable Modification of Policies and Practices.  The purpose behind this final rule is, “…specifically to provide that transportation entities are required to make reasonable modifications/accommodations to policies, practices, and procedures to avoid discrimination and ensure that their programs are accessible to individuals with disabilities.”  The modification requires Federal funding recipients to make reasonable accommodations in policies, practices, or procedures, when necessary, to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability unless recipients can demonstrate that making the accommodations would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity or result in an undue financial and administrative burden.  This requirement, applying to both fixed-route and paratransit services, is effective July 13, 2015.

BARTA’s Reasonable Modification request process is consistent with the ruling: (1) individuals requesting modifications are asked to describe what they need in order to use the service; (2) individuals are not required to use the term “reasonable modification” when requesting modifications or accommodations; (3) when feasible, requests for modifications should be made in advance; (4) operating personnel may make a determination for modification at the time of service – management may be consulted to grant/deny the request.  Requests may be submitted to the Reasonable Modification Officer, 1700 North 11th Street, Reading, PA 19604 or by email at barta@bartabus.com or by phone at (610) 921-0601.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Modificación Razonable

El 13 de marzo de 2015, el Departamento Federal de Transporte emitió una norma definitiva que afecta a 49 CFR Partes 27 y 37: Transporte para Personas con Discapacidad; Modificación Razonable de Políticas y Prácticas. El propósito detrás de esta regla final es: “… específicamente para disponer que se necesitan entidades de transporte para hacer modificaciones razonables / alojamiento en las políticas, prácticas y procedimientos para evitar la discriminación y garantizar que sus programas sean accesibles a las personas con discapacidad.” La modificación requiere beneficiarios federales de financiación hacen ajustes razonables en las políticas, prácticas o procedimientos, cuando sea necesario, para evitar la discriminación por motivos de discapacidad a menos beneficiarios pueden demostrar que lo que el alojamiento alteraría fundamentalmente la naturaleza del servicio, programa o actividad o dar lugar a una carga financiera y administrativa excesiva. Este requisito, aplicando tanto a ruta fija y servicios de transporte informal, es efectiva 13 de julio 2015.
Razonable proceso de solicitud de modificación de BARTA es coherente con la sentencia: (1) las personas que solicitan modificaciones se les pide que describan lo que necesitan para utilizar el servicio; (2) los individuos no están obligados a utilizar el término “modificación razonable” al solicitar modificaciones o adaptaciones; (3) cuando sea posible, las solicitudes de modificaciones deben hacerse con anticipación; (4) El personal que operan pueden hacer una determinación para la modificación en el momento de la gestión del servicio puede consultarse a conceder / denegar la solicitud.
Las solicitudes podrán presentarse a la razonable Modificación Oficial, 1700 North 11th Street, Reading, PA 19604 o por correo electrónico barta@bartabus.com o por teléfono (610) 921-0601. Para obtener más información, visite https://www.bartabus.com

Solicitation Policy

Your time is as valuable to you as ours is to us, therefore no salespeople are seen on our premises without an appointment. Please call (610) 921-0605 to leave your information and appointment request to be forwarded to an appropriate BARTA representative. Please note that due to staff time constraints and/or pre-existing procurement contracts, BARTA may not be able to honor all appointment requests received. We thank you for your understanding on this matter.