Anna R.
1/5
OUTREACH Para-transit is the WORST AND THE LEAST RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE I've ever seen!
If you need to go somewhere on a regular basis, check with your insurance company for other transportation companies they are contracted with. Not only you will get a way better service than with Outreach, it's also can be free for you. I can't believe Outreach dares to charge money for their lousy disgraceful service.
First of all they never come on time. 9 out of 10 times vehicle will be late even with "half an hour window" that they take for their convenience.
Second, if their vehicle gets broken, or stuck in traffic they wouldn't offer you a replacement vehicle. So most likely you will miss your appointment.
Third, most of their dispatch stuff is careless and disrespectful to customer's needs. They would not offer you ride time that is convenient to you, but whatever they have available. They do not gather all information that is necessary, like suite number and phone number, and even if they do, they fail to pass it to drivers. Thus if the driver can not find you in the main lobby, he has no way, (nor will) to look for you and just leaves.
Fourth, they have very poor to no communication between dispatch and drivers. So, if something goes wrong, they might cancel your ride without letting you know.
Here is just the last nightmare story about Outreach so-called service. My mom is wheel chair bound Alzheimer's patient who needs to go every day for radiation treatment for her breast cancer. Appointment time is 1:30. The treatment itself takes about 10 minutes. In order to use Outreach service we have to be ready 2 hours prior to appointment time. That's how their ordering system works. So, we end up coming hour and a half before the appointment, or, if there is so called "a share ride", my poor wheel chaired mom has to be in the bus for two hours waiting till other passengers are taken to their destinations. The worst thing, that you never know how Outreach will screw you next time. Will you be the only client in the van, or the fifth client in the bus.
I tried to order our ride back home for 2:15 PM, but the operator told me that they have only 2:45 ride, so they gave me what they call "window" from 2:45 to 3:15. When at 3:15 vehicle did not arrive, I called dispatch to find out what's going on. Got the answer that vehicle is 8 minutes away. I called 15 minutes later and got an answer that vehicle is 2 minutes away. Called 5 minutes later and dispatch goes:"Now you have every reason to be mad, because driver came at address and did not find you, so he left". ? - What I called you, guys, 3 times telling that we are here and we are waiting for the ride! - The driver did not have a phone number to call... - I gave you the exact address, the suite number and all phone numbers at the time of order! - Well, the driver left. I'll connect you with customer service. (Not even he did not bother to apologize, he did not offer to send another vehicle either!!!!)
Finally, nice lady at cancer care medical office took a matter into her hands. Called for replacement vehicle and offered me to contact my insurance for different transportation options. We finally got home at 6PM that day. My mom was in wheel chair for 6 hours totally!!!!!!
Today we were riding with UBF Transport Services. Wow! What a difference! First of all, there is no stupid "half an hour window". They came sharp on time, not when they have time, but when we needed them to come. Second, perfect communication between drivers and dispatch. Drivers report directly to dispatch when they pick up the client, or if there is any delay. So, for 1:30 appointment we were picked up at 12:45 and got our ride back home at 2PM arriving home at 2:30. Less than 2 hours altogether. With Outreach it would take more than 5 hours, $16, and tons of nerves worrying whether they are going to come at all.
