Dial-a-Ride | Mencap | Easy Read

Dial-a-Ride

A minibus with the back doors open and a ramp and lift.

The Dial-a-Ride scheme is a door-to-door minibus service for disabled people.

A building with 4 people standing in front of it and a pile of money.

Dial-a-Ride schemes usually get their money from a charity or a local authority .

A map of the UK with people

This means that the Dial-a-Ride scheme where you live may be different to other Dial-a-Ride schemes.

A handful of pound notes

You might have to pay to join a Dial-a-Ride scheme.

A man with a walking frame and a purse with money in it in front of a minibus.

You might have to pay each time you use a Dial-a-Ride scheme.

A woman on the phone. There is a speech bubble with a picture of a shop inside it.

To use a Dial-a-Ride scheme, you contact the scheme and let them know where you want to go.

A man smiling and looking in a diary or book.

They will check if they can take you where you want to go.

A woman looking at her watch.

It might be easier for them to take you if you do not mind what time you travel.

A minibus with the side door open.

Dial-a-Ride schemes often use minibuses.

A group of people standing in front of a minibus.

You might have to share the minibus with other people who will get on and off the minibus at different places, just like a bus.

A finger points to a watch on the other hand

Your journey might take longer if the minibus has to stop at a lot of places.

A lady sitting at a desk on the phone with a minibus behind her. Around her are 4 people all making a phone call.

If lots of people want to use a Dial-a-Ride scheme it might be full at some times of the day.

A minibus with pictures of a person in a shop, a group of people at a pub and three friends standing together around the minibus.

Dial-A-Ride schemes can be good if you want to:

go shopping
visit friends or family
go to the pub or the leisure centre.

A red cross in front of a woman sitting at a laptop with clocks behind her showing 9.00 and 5.00.

It is not a good idea to use Dial-a-Ride schemes to travel to and from work.

A red cross in front of a minibus with images of a college, a day centre and a hospital around the minibus.

In most areas, you can not use a Dial-a-Ride scheme to:

go to medical appointments
go to a day centre
go to school or college.

A lady helping a lady with a walking frame by a car.

There are other services you can use for these journeys.

A man on a phone and another man using a laptop

For more information about the Dial-a-Ride scheme where you live, contact your local authority.