Disability Transportation – Easy Concept, Hard to Find
If you live in the Quad Cities, and are a caregiver for a loved one with a disability OR someone who has a disability yourself, getting around the town may seem impossible. But with so many obligations, events, and just wanting to get out in the world, having a safe and reliable means of transportation is incredibly useful for not only getting to things you need to get to, but also things you WANT to get to. Through my time working as a caregiver in the Quad Cities, numerous of the individuals that I have worked with have used a service called Riverbend Transit (RBT) to get around. This service is an excellent opportunity for individuals of all physical, mental, and emotional disabilities to get around the Quad Cities and participate in what the community has to offer. Let’s take a look at how it works.
Riverbend Transit of Eastern Iowa
Who do they serve?
Riverbend Transit (RBT) served individuals of all physical and mental capabilties. Whether this is a senior, individual with a disability, or someone who just can’t get around as well in life, they are there for you. In addition to this, there is a few select times throughout the week where they serve the general public as well. The great thing about Riverbend Transit (RBT) is that there is actually a lift on the bus, allowing individuals in a wheelchair or power chair to be lifted on into the bus, of course with proper belts and bracing to keep them safe on the ride.
Where do they serve?
Riverbend Transit actually has numerous locations across eastern Iowa. To be specific, they serve areas of Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine, and Scott counties. Although this is the case, most of my knowledge comes from what they do here in the Quad Cities. The really neat thing about Riverbend Transit (RBT) is that they actually don’t have a set route that they follow. The routes are designed specifically for whatever the individual needs. In addition to this, it also notes that Riverbend Transit (RBT) does take riders up to the University Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City if needed. This provided a wonderful healthcare transportation, as numerous individuals with disabilities in Eastern Iowa have to visit this hospital for check-ups. If you live in a more rural area, they still serve this portion, just on a more infrequent basis. Busing to school is also available, on an infrequent basis. For the full schedule and areas of where they serve, feel free to visit here. If you live in Davenport and Bettendorf, you are in luck on availability of the buses.
Davenport And Bettendorf On Demand Services
If you live in Davenport and Bettendorf, then you are in luck. Both Davenport and Bettendorf contract RBT to provided door to door paratransit, picking up individuals at their door, and dropping them off exactly wherever they need to go. The hours are slightly different for each town.
Davenport:
- 5:30 AM – 7 PM, Monday through Friday
- 6 AM – 9 AM, Saturday service (this is not ADA restricted and is open to the general public for work trips only)
- 8:30 AM – 7 PM, Saturday ADA only service
- 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Sunday
To setup a time to be picked up in Davenport, reach out to the CitiBus website OR by calling the CitiBus at 563-888-2151.
Bettendorf:
- 6 AM – 6 PM, Monday through Friday
- 8:45 AM – 5:40 PM, Saturday
To setup a time to be picked up you must call the RBT Dispatcher.
Price
The price will vary based off of where you live, where you are going, and what time of day it is. Because of this, I would recommend checking out the Fare Cards section of the website to see what the costs will be. Something I just found out at the time or writing this article is that they actually allow personal care attendants (caregivers or one family member) to ride for free as long as they are attending for someone on the bus. In addition, children 5 or younger get in for free as well. This could be a great option if you are looking for transportation for yourself and a loved one BUT don’t want to drive somewhere, especially for a large event with difficult parking.
Contact
To contact RBT or find out more information about them, feel free to visit their website here. In addition, you can also find out more by contacting their phone number here: (563)386-1350. Their office is located at 7440 Vine Street Court, Davenport, IA, 52806 if you would like to visit them in person.
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