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Questions and Answers About Plan-A-Ride

Questions and Answers About Plan-A-Ride

Click on a question below for more information on that topic, or scroll down to read all the questions and answers.

1. What is “Plan-A-Ride” all about?
2. What bus routes or time slots will be affected?
3. How does it work?
4. How do I make a reservation?
5. What is the phone number?
6. How do I make a reservation online?
7. Why do I have to make a reservation by noon the day before my trip?
8. What if I forget to make my appointment by noon the day before?
9. What do I do if I am hearing- impaired and cannot use the phone and I don’t know how to use the Internet?
10. I go to the same place every week at the same time. Do I have to call you every week to reserve a ride?
11. What if I decide not to go one day?
12. How can I remember to call ahead?
13. Where will the bus pick me up?
14. What do I do if the bus is late?
15. What if I cannot get to the pickup point on time?
16. If I see a bus on Saturday or Sunday between 8-9AM or 5-6PM can I get a ride?
17. Can my family/friends/caretaker still ride with me?
19. Is there someone who can help me set up my first reservation?
20. Who do I contact if there’s an emergency?
21. Why are you changing the bus system?
22. How was this system selected?
23. Is the entire bus system going to be like this eventually?

1. What is “Plan-A-Ride” all about?

Plan-A-Ride lets residents call ahead of time to make a reservation, meet the bus at a regular pickup location and get to where they’re going more directly and without the need for transfers. This has been implemented during the hours between 8-9 AM and 5-6 PM when ridership is low. The fixed routes at this timeslot will be replaced gradually by Plan-a-Ride. Plan-A-Ride runs at those timeslots 7 days a week (Monday thru Sunday).
Plan-A-Ride replaced the fixed-route service that kept eight buses moving in a continuous loop from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. whether or not there are people riding the bus at the time. Back To Top.

2. What bus routes or time slots will be affected?

Plan-A-Ride is now implemented during the 8-9 AM and the 5-6 PM timeslots. Back To Top.

3. How does it work?

It’s very simple. You just contact us before 12:00 noon the day before you are ready to go and make your reservation. You can either call our dedicated hotline at 949-268-2590 or go to www.lagunawoodsvillage.com and give us all the information we will need to plan a smooth trip to and from your destination. We will call you back once we have scheduled the exact time for your pickups and dropoffs. Back To Top.

4. How do I make a reservation?

You can make a reservation by phone (Plan-A-Ride Hotline:949-268-2590) or over the Internet at the Laguna Woods Village Website. The phone number and website are on the Plan-A-Ride refrigerator magnet and brochures to help you remember. These are available in buses, clubhouses, community center lobby, Transportation building at Via Campo Verde. Back To Top.

5. What is the phone number?

The Reservation Hotline is 949-268-2590. It’s on the Plan-A-Ride refrigerator magnet and brochures to help you remember. Back To Top.

6. How do I make a reservation online?

Just go to the same Web page where all Laguna Woods Village information is posted and look for the button called Plan-A-Ride. Click on the button and it will take you to the page where you can enter your trip information.

The address is www.lagunawoodsvillage.com. It’s on the Plan-A-Ride refrigerator magnet and brochures to help you remember. Back To Top.

7. Why do I have to make a reservation by noon the day before my trip?

We have to set a deadline so that all trip requests can be processed to create a schedule and so we have time to confirm your trip the afternoon before your trip. Back To Top.

8. What if I forget to make my appointment by noon the day before?

We will try to accommodate your request if possible. However, if you are going somewhere that is not a destination on that bus driver’s schedule, you might have to wait until we deliver the residents who made their reservations on time so that they are not late to their appointments. Back To Top.

9. What do I do if I am hearing- impaired and cannot use the phone and I don’t know how to use the Internet.

If you are unable to use either reservation system, we suggest that you have your caretaker, a family member or a friend make the reservation for you. It will help if you write down your trip details on the Plan-A-Ride reservation pad. Back To Top.

10. I go to the same place every Sunday at 5pm. Do I have to call you every week to reserve a ride?

No. If you have a trip that happens at the same time and day every week – like an appointment or Sunday church service– you can make a one time call for a recurring reservation. Then you only have to renew it every three months. Back To Top.

11. What if I decide not to go one day?

For the sake of the other bus riders, we would appreciate it if you called to let us know not later than one hour before the scheduled trip. The phone number to call is 949-597-4659 for cancellations or to change a trip request. It is on the Reservation Notepad. Back To Top.

12. How can I remember to call ahead?

If you ride this bus regularly, the driver will try to remind everyone to make their reservations ahead of time. You should also put your Plan-A-Ride refrigerator magnet or brochure where you will see it every day as a reminder.

This system takes a little more planning, but we think it will be better for everyone. Residents can pick a specific pickup and drop off time, instead of waiting around for the next bus, and you won’t have to make any transfers – we will take you right to the place you want to go. Your other option is to use the fixed route bus system from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Back To Top.

13. Where will the bus pick me up?

At the closest point to your residence that the bus driver can safely stop. Pickup and drop-off locations will follow the current fixed-route and B-bus pickup and drop-off locations. So wherever you catch the bus now probably would be where we will pick you up. If you are uncertain where to meet the bus, please let the Transportation Dept. know when they call to confirm your pickup time or call at 949-597-4659. Back To Top.

14. What do I do if the bus is late?

Please give us approximately 10 minutes to arrive at your pickup point. The schedule may be flexible – especially in the beginning – to accommodate other passengers or unexpected traffic problems. After 10 minutes, you may call 949-597-4659 to follow up on your request. Back To Top.

15. What if I cannot get to the pickup point on time?

If a passenger is not waiting at the designated pick-up point, the bus driver will wait approximately 5 minutes before departing. This policy is only fair to those passengers on board who need to be on time. Back To Top.

16. If I see a bus during Plan-A-Ride timeslots, can I get a ride?

Buses that are operating on the Plan-A-Ride system will not stop for passengers who are not on its pre-planned schedule. However, if you are waiting at a pickup point reserved by another rider, we will try to accommodate you. If you are going somewhere that is not a destination on that bus driver’s schedule, you might have to wait until we deliver the residents who made their reservations on time so that they are not late to their appointments. Back To Top.

17. Can my family/friends/caretaker still ride with me?

Yes, if you are going to the same place. But please let us know when you make your reservations how many people will be accompanying you, so we can reserve space for them. Only residents of Laguna Woods Village with valid ID, their guests, and caregivers with valid Passes are authorized to make reservations and ride the Plan-A-Ride buses. Back To Top.

18. Is there someone who can help me set up my first reservation?

You can call 949-597-4659 for assistance. Back To Top.

19. Who do I contact if there’s an emergency?

Call Security at 949-580-1400. Back To Top.

20. Why are you changing the bus system?

The fixed-route bus service keeps eight buses moving in a continuous loop from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, whether there are riders who need it or not. This is very inefficient, especially during off-peak hours when buses sometimes make an entire circuit with just one or two passengers or no passengers at all. The cost of this to the community has been enormous. Something had to be done. The implementation of Phases 1 to 3 (Saturday and Sunday 8-9 AM and 5-6 PM) has saved the community about 80% of bus operating cost at those timeslots. Back To Top.

21. How was this system selected?

The Transportation Department has been researching a solution to this problem for several years. In 2007 the Golden Rain Foundation approved the purchase of special software to create on-demand bus schedules to allow us to implement Plan-a-Ride.

For the past two years we have been testing and integrating the system, which was fully functional in early 2009. It is now being used by the B-buses and lift buses. In July, the GRF gave us the green light to start converting off-peak hours to the new system. Back To Top.

22. Is the entire bus system going to be like this eventually?

Just the off-peak hours where we can save on cost.

Our only direction from the Golden Rain Foundation is the conversion of the bus system during off-peak hours, which is 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday thru Sunday to Plan-A-Ride bus service.

Our goal is provide full service to all residents of Laguna Woods Village when they need it in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible. At this time, there is still enough demand for fixed-route service from 9 am to 5pm that there is no need to change the entire system. Back To Top.

Composed: 10/14/2009 | Modified: 09/22/2010

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