Commissioner Jerry Eversole is pleased to provide day trip transportation services to Harris County Precinct 4 residents ages 50 and better. The expanded program includes handicapped equipment with the capacity of up to four wheelchairs per equipped vehicle. The goal is for all Precinct 4 senior adults to participate in community and area events by using this educational and recreational transportation.
Participants must be a resident of Harris County Precinct 4 and at least 50 years of age unless accompanied by a spouse who is 50 years of age. Please see the “Exceptions to the Age Requirement” section.
- Coordinators must ensure that every passenger complies with Precinct 4’s age restriction of 50 years or better. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in termination of the group's bus usage.
- It is necessary that all groups'—existing and newly registered groups—new trip coordinator and assistant trip coordinators attend the first available new trip coordinator training meeting. These meetings are scheduled in February, May, August, and November each year. It is important that anyone representing a group on Precinct 4’s buses attend a training session. Please contact the Transportation Department at (281) 893-3726 for the next available meeting date, time, and location. The schedule is also available online at www.hcp4.net/senioradult. Coordinators should attend at least one training session every two to three years. Former trip coordinators that have not planned trips for two or more years are required to attend the next available trip coordinator training session.
- A maximum of five trip coordinators per group can be assigned each calendar year.
- Important! Trip coordinators are required to call the Transportation Department, (281) 893-3726, three to five working days before a trip to report the maximum number of passengers confirmed for each trip. Please do not exceed the maximum number reported after contacting the Transportation Department. Precinct 4 schedules the vehicle/s to be sent on trips based on the final passenger count, which may accommodate less seating than originally planned for by a trip coordinator. Call our office, (281) 893-3726, should a problem develop.
- Please announce to your group prior to the trip: No eating, drinking, gum or tobacco chewing, or smoking on the bus. Water (only) is allowed on the bus. Picnic lunches may be taken, but not eaten on the bus. The use of alcohol is discouraged while passengers are off the county buses. Excessive alcohol consumption will not be tolerated.
- Requests for the precinct's vehicles are limited to 12 trips per year, per group with only one trip in any calendar month. (Please see exception below.) However, more than one bus may be booked for "same day/same destination" trips.
Exception to the 12 trips per year rule: When buses are available, a second trip in the same month may be scheduled anytime after the 60-day booking period for that month. Example: June reservations begin the first of February. In April, groups can book a second bus for June, if buses are available. Groups may use this “exception” to book an additional trip in a month they already have a trip scheduled. This additional trip does not count as part of the annual 12 trip limit.
- A minimum of 10 passengers is required to use the 27-passenger bus or a handicapped-lift bus. If your group has less than 10 passengers on the day of the trip, the trip will be cancelled. A minimum of 20 passengers is required to use a 39-passenger bus. If your group has less than 20 passengers on the day of the trip, the trip will be cancelled.
Example: As the trip coordinator, you reserved a 39-passenger bus, but unfortunately, three days before the trip, you discover only 15 passengers will now be traveling. If you did not notify our office about the change in the number of passengers, we will be forced to cancel the trip, upon arrival, since the minimum requirement for a 39-passenger bus is 20. Had we known in advance that there would not be enough passengers to meet the 20-passenger minimum for a 39-passenger bus we would have provided a smaller bus to accommodate the actual number of passengers.
Bottom line: Please reconfirm the maximum number of passengers traveling. Please refer to item 4 above.
Precinct 4's Senior Adult Program fleet includes:
One, 20-passenger mini bus
Two, 27-passenger mini buses
Three, 39-passenger buses
Three, 39-passenger buses with a wheelchair lift
Four, 26-passenger mini buses with a wheelchair lift
Note: Precinct 4’s vehicles are not equipped with rest rooms.
Detailed itineraries and plans for the group must be arranged by the group's trip leader or coordinator. Unfortunately, Precinct 4 staff, including the bus drivers, cannot plan trips. For example, rest stops, restaurants, picnic areas, etc., must be planned prior to the trip by the trip coordinator or leader and listed on the required Trip Reservation Form (PDF).
- Whenever possible, please schedule your departure time no earlier than 7 a.m. From the time of passenger pick up to return, all trips are limited to a 10-hour day. Additionally, there are no overnight or out-of-state trips. The precinct’s Transportation Department reserves the right to modify all trip itineraries.
- The pick-up and return point must be the same location and in Precinct 4. No exceptions!
- Bus transportation is provided as a round-trip service. All participants must return to the original pick-up location with the group.
- There is no charge for using Precinct 4’s day trip transportation services for older adults. However, please treat the driver as your guest by covering the cost of expenses required for the driver/s to participate with the group: meal/s, ticket/s, entrance fee/s, and parking fee/s for the bus. Since your driver is a county employee, he/she is not permitted to personally accept cash, tips, or gifts.
No Tipping
Precinct 4 bus drivers are Harris County employees. Under the Texas Penal Code, Chapter 36—Bribery and Corrupt Influence section, governmental employees are not allowed to accept tips of any kind, and especially cash, no matter how small the amount. It’s the law!
However, Precinct 4 bus drivers are allowed to accept the following only when transporting a group:
- Lunch or dinner when dining with a group
- Tickets to events, e.g. Astros games, the theater, concerts, museums, movies, etc.
- Refreshments at rest stop/s
- A nominal “cash advance” ($20 maximum) for lunch/dinner expenses when the group’s itinerary does not include a planned meal. For example, a cash advance can be given to a bus driver at baseball games/sporting events, the Kemah Boardwalk, shopping malls, The Strand in Galveston, etc.
Please do not:
- Provide cash to Precinct 4 bus drivers when lunch/dinner is included in the trip.
- Provide cash to Precinct 4 bus drivers for expenses that did not occur.
Please remember to ask for the change and a receipt of all cash advances. Drivers are required to return the change from cash advances to the trip coordinators, since any amount of money they keep above the actual expenses is considered a tip.
Trip coordinators or group representatives are obligated to request and accept the unused portion of cash advances. Because of the severe limitations for government employees, should drivers not return the change, they could be subject to termination. We ask that all passengers abide by the state of Texas Penal Code and the policies of Harris County Precinct 4’s Senior Adult Program.
Physically and Mentally Impaired Passengers
Precinct 4 bus drivers are unable to provide individual assistance to passengers. Special needs for physically and mentally impaired passengers must be handled by the trip leader or coordinator. Groups must provide volunteers/caretakers to accompany physically and mentally impaired passengers to ensure their safety. The volunteer/caretaker must be at least 18 years of age. The responsibilities of the volunteer/caretaker include, but are not limited to:
- Contacting the destination point to arrange any special services required by passengers
- Assist with the loading and unloading of passengers
- Transferring passengers from wheelchairs to fixed seats on the bus
- Assisting passengers on ramps or elevators that may be encountered during the trip
- Placing protective incontinence pads on the passenger’s seat
- Clean and sanitize the seat/area that is soiled due to incontinence
Passengers who cannot climb the steps to board the bus without assistance or who are in a wheelchair must be transported on a handicapped-accessible bus. When reserving a bus for a trip, please indicate that a handicapped bus will be needed to accommodate the passengers’ needs. A handicapped-accessible bus is not needed for passengers in folding wheelchairs when they are able to walk up the steps to board the bus.
Passengers who require the use of an oxygen tank must place the oxygen tank/extra tank in a carry-on bag. The bag must remain with the passenger at all times.
Wheelchair and Boarding Information
- Precinct 4 bus drivers reserve the right to determine and refuse any wheelchair that cannot be safely secured and transported.
- Transport wheelchairs with small, front wheels and scooter-type wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on Precinct 4 buses.
- Precinct 4 drivers only are allowed to operate wheelchair lifts.
For determining an accurate passenger count when traveling with wheelchairs, please note that Precinct 4’s handicapped-accessible buses can accommodate up to four (4) fixed, non-folding, standard size wheelchairs and six (6) folding wheelchairs. Passengers with extended leg/arm devices may limit the number of fixed wheelchairs. Confirm the maximum number of wheelchairs by calling the Transportation Office three to five working days before a trip. Please do not exceed the maximum number of passengers after making the passenger count phone call.
Exceptions to the Age Requirement
Registered trip coordinators do not need to be 50 years of age, but they must be 18 or older. The registered trip coordinator is the individual listed on Precinct 4's Senior Adult Group Information form (PDF). A maximum of five trip coordinators per group can be registered in any given calendar year.
Nursing home staff who assist residents must be 18 years or older. This policy includes assisted living and/or convalescent care staff. Please note: Precinct 4 requires that nursing homes and assisted living communities provide enough staff for the needs of every individual in the group.
Written notices are required when:
- Groups who wish to include a religious leader and spouse who are under the age of 50. One "under-aged" religious leader and spouse per trip, please!
- A physically challenged participant that is not completely independent and needs a caregiver or assistant to accompany them. This caregiver or assistant must be 18 years or older. Please encourage physically, mentally, or emotionally challenged individuals and caregivers to participate.
- A senior adult wants to include a physically, mentally, or emotionally challenged adult child (18 years or older) who resides with them. Please encourage people in this situation to include their physically, mentally, or emotionally challenged adult child to join the group.
Requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing 21 days prior to the trip departure date. Please mail requests to the Transportation Department, Harris County Precinct 4, 1731 Hugh Road, Houston, Texas 77067, or fax to the Transportation Department at (281) 893-5589.
P.S. Please let us know of other ways we can assist you as a group or individually! We are here to help!
DONATIONS
Many senior adult groups ask how they can show their appreciation for the transportation services and other special activities provided by Precinct 4's Senior Adult Program.
Here is how any group can help:
Donations from groups and individuals to Precinct 4’s Senior Adult Program sponsors events like the annual “Opry in Humble,” concert and theater tickets, senior adult dances, plus a variety of other senior adult activities. Only with continued support and commitment can this fund expand to provide additional special programs for senior adults of Precinct 4.
If your group would like to make a donation, please make a check payable to SAFE (Senior Adults’ Fun Events) and mail it to 1731 Hugh Road, Houston, Texas 77067. All donations are used exclusively for special activities and events, which benefit the senior adults in Precinct 4. We appreciate your support!