Sarnia Care-A-Van: A Specialized Transit Service

Sarnia Care-A-Van provides transportation services from accessible door to accessible door.   

Sarnia Caravan provides specialized transportation to eligible residents of Sarnia and Point Edward, who have a disability that prevents them from riding conventional transit all of the time or on occasion.

Eligibility Criteria/Guidelines

Care-A-Van services are for residents of the City of Sarnia who are unable to use conventional fixed-route transit as per the Integrated Regulations of the AODA.  

Did you know… that all of Sarnia Transit’s Conventional/Fixed Route buses are fully accessible. 

Sarnia Care-A-Van is a registered service.  

Application forms are mandatory, and require a medical professional to sign and confirm your need for Care-A-Van service. This form must be renewed every 3 years.  Eligibility is considered on a case-by-case basis and is not based on a specific health condition but how a specific medical condition impacts mobility. 

Registering for Care-a-van does not affect your ability to use Sarnia Transit’s conventional bus service. You may travel on Care-a-van or on regular fixed-route buses, depending on your needs and the trip you are taking.

Service Guidelines: The Service We Provide

We Do:  Provide transportation services (only)

  • assist passengers from accessible door to accessible door. This includes assisting passengers, who use a wheelchair or mobility device, from an exterior door to an exterior door.
  • we provide assistance to ambulatory passengers who cannot board/alight steps by using our onboard wheelchairs to bring you onto and off the vehicle using our lift
  • we assist clients and their mobility devices on and off their vehicles to and from their destinations.

We Do Not: Provide any additional service (other than transportation)

  • provide any level of personal support services to passengers, personal or medical
  • enter buildings in search of passengers, to collect passengers or to deliver passengers to appointments
  • assist passengers with their carry-on items at any time.   If you cannot manage your carry-on items on your own, you will need to ensure you are travelling with a support person or a companion to assist you.

All Care-a-Van bookings can be made up to a maximum of 14 days in advance, regardless of their purpose.

Care-A-Van Service Hours

Monday – Friday  6:30 am – 10:30 pm
Saturday 7:50 am – 10:30 pm
Sunday 7:50 am – 6:30 pm
Service does not operate on Statutory holidays

Care-a-Van Booking Office Hours

Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Closed on Weekends and on Statutory and non-Statutory Holidays (Easter Monday, Civic Holiday, Day of Truth & Reconciliation, Remembrance Day)

Your Responsibilities

  1. Service is from accessible door to accessible door. If assistance is required for any reason, you must be accompanied by an attendant /support person or have one present where necessary. Anyone travelling who is not a designated support person must pay a fare. We reserve the right to deny service temporarily or permanently, if a required attendant/support person is not present at pickup.
  2. Passengers should be ready and waiting 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pickup time. Once the bus arrives, there is a 5 minute waiting period before the driver has to move on to the next pick up.
  3. Vehicles must be able to pull up to a location with no obstructions and vehicles aren’t able to pull into residential driveways
  4. During the winter, please keep lanes, sidewalks and especially steps clear of snow and ice for your safety and ours.
  5. All parcels/shopping must be manageable for the client and attendant/support person as drivers are unable to assist.
  6. All passengers must wear seat-belts, except where exempt for medical reasons.
  7. No Smoking on vehicles.
  8. Expect to share your ride with others and allow for a longer ride on the bus.
  9. If visiting a doctor or medical center, inform them you are using the Care-A-Van when you make your appointment so they can assist in keeping you on schedule.
  10. Please notify us if your mobility needs change as this may affect van requirements.
  11. All rides are booked on a “first come, first serve basis” from time of request. All trip requests are not guaranteed and are based on bus availability. You will receive a trip confirmation once the trip has been booked.
  12. ALL trip cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance. Late cancellations may be subject to a trip penalty.
  13. Care-a-Van at any time can institute policies and practices to prevent the misuse of the service, which can result in limited trip booking up to suspension of services.