This Request for Proposals is for the operation of the medical taxi program in the City. These specifications are intended to cover all labor, material, and standards of pool maintenance workmanship to be employed in the work called for or reasonably implied by terms of same. Work or arterials of a minor nature which may not be specifically mentioned, but which may reasonably be assumed as necessary for the completion of this work, shall be performed by the Contractor as if described in the specifications. The Medical Taxi program is a phone-a-ride program that provides curb-to-curb transportation services to residents of Bell Gardens. I. SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS A. Hours of Operation. Service shall operate six days a week, fifty-two weeks per year, Monday-Saturday, 4 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding six major holidays (Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving). The service characteristics describe the qualifications the City requires. Where the Proposer cannot, or for good reason declines to provide the described service or condition, they should provide a written explanation. B. Eligible Users. The service shall be available to City residents who are: (a) at least fifty-five (55) years of age; or (b) have a disability as certified by a physician. C. Identification Card. Each eligible resident who signs up to use the service shall have a uniquely numbered Identification Card with a unique QR Code linked to transaction tracking software. These cards will be issued by the Contractor. D. Dedicated Telephone Number. The Contractor will maintain a dedicated telephone number for the exclusive use of City of Bell Gardens Medical Taxi Program users. The Contractor will have its dispatchers and other staff members answer the line with the words “Medical Taxi.” Contractor must have a bilingual staff with Spanish speaking capabilities. E. Calling for a Ride. When a resident embarks on a Medical Taxi Trip, he or she must telephone for a taxicab and report their identification number to the dispatcher. When the traveler begins the ride, the resident must provide the driver with their swipe card and pay the $1.00 co-pay. Failure to present the swipe card and pay the $1.00 copay means that the traveler must pay full Fare, and the City will not pay for any portion of the Trip. F. Lead Time in Calling for a Taxi. Riders will be required to call for rides 30 minutes in advance of when they wish the taxi to arrive. Riders will be responsible for calculating when they need the cab to arrive. G. Response Time. A taxicab will arrive sometime during a ten-minute “response window” that starts ten minutes after the cab is called. If a taxicab arrives more than 40 minutes after a customer calls, the customer will ride free of charge, and the City will not be billed for any portion of the Trip.
