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Flex service
What is flex service?
Flex service is a “call first” curb-to-curb, flexible
transportation service which serves a dedicated area with limited timed
stops.
As long as you are in the designated flex service area, we can pick
you up at your curb and take you to any destination within the service area
or to the bus stop that connects with Votran's fixed route bus system.
Transfers to/from routes 40 and 41 must be made at the Canal Street and U.S.
1 bus stop. The vehicle travels within one of two flex designated areas.
If your trip starts in one flex area and you are going in the other flex
area, you will need to transfer at the Live Oak Street and Canal Street bus
stop. Reservations are required for each trip and will be scheduled “first
reserved, first served.”
Flex vehicle
The flex bus is a paratransit vehicle with a seating capacity of
18 passengers (if there are no wheelchairs). Each wheelchair occupies the
space of four seats. The vehicle is equipped with seat belts and a bike rack
that holds two bikes. Passengers must be seated to ride. The flex bus does
not kneel to board wheelchairs at the front of the bus. Passengers who need
a ramp are boarded with a lift at the rear of the vehicle.
Age requirements
Children under 6 MUST have an escort. Children under 4 and/or
under 45 pounds will be required to use a child restraint device provided by
the accompanying adult.
Service area
Flex service is available in New Smyrna Beach on the beachside
and mainland (see map) and
will connect with Votran fixed routes 40 and 41 at the Canal Street /U.S. 1
transfer point.
Service times and dates
Service is available Monday through Saturday and begins at 6:43
a.m. and runs through 6:33 p.m. There is no Sunday or holiday service.
Please see the schedules for exact times.
Eligibility
Flex Service is available to the general public and has no
eligibility requirements.
Anyone can use this service.
Bikes
The bike rack can hold two bikes. To ensure a spot for your bike,
you should make a reservation for the bike space when you call for a trip
(please see the Votran “Stow and Go” guide.)
Unscheduled trips
If you are at Walmart or the fixed route bus stop at Canal Street
/U.S. 1 that connects with flex service you may ride without a reservation
if seating is available for that trip. We will honor reservations first.
Even if the vehicle is not full when it departs, seats may be reserved for
other passengers. This means the vehicle could fill up after it leaves the
time point and before it reaches the next time point. For this reason
reservations are advised.
Recurring trips (subscriptions)
If you travel to and from the same location on the same day each week, you
may request a subscription. A subscription is a standing order for the same
trip. Having a subscription means you do not have to call to make a
reservation each time you want to make that trip. You may ask your bus
operator for a subscription card or call 386-424-6810 or 386-763-3733; a
dispatcher will contact you to verify the information. Please allow two
business days for the subscription to be processed and put in the system.
Please note:
If you have a subscription trip and decide not to make that trip, please be
sure to cancel with Votran at least two hours in advance. If you fail to
cancel trips you do not intend to make, your subscription is subject to
cancellation. You then will be required to make a daily reservation.
Fares – exact fare only
(Subject to change without notice)
Flex Service fares are the same as the fixed route service. Like
fixed route service, you must have exact change. You may pay for a one-way
trip or purchase an all-day pass that would be valid for flex service and
fixed route service.
Regular Votran passes are accepted on flex service
trips.
Votran does not issue transfers. We recommend you purchase an all day pass.
Passengers must show valid proof of status when paying a reduced fare or
showing a reduced fare pass.
-
Adult $1.25
-
Senior Citizens (65 Or Older) 60 cents
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Disabled 60 cents
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Youths (Ages 6-17) 60 cents
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Children (Under 6) Free
Children must be accompanied by an adult fare-paying passenger.
Limited to three children.
Senior citizens (65 and older): Government
ID or license, U.S. Medicare card (red, white and blue), passport, etc.
Disabled: Valid agency ID: Conklin
Center, ACT, UCP, Medicare card (red, white and blue), passport, (not
Medicaid Gold Card) or Votran ID card indicating “disabled.”
Youth (ages 6-17): Government ID or
license showing valid proof of age, school ID (not college ID)
Value passes
Value passes offer convenience and cost-savings for frequent riders.
There are multiple options to suit your travel needs.
-
Passes offer unlimited rides for the duration of the pass.
-
Fares can be paid with cash, tokens or passes.
-
One-day passes are available on-board all fixed route buses and flex
buses
-
Other value passes are available for purchase at the following
locations:
Pass outlets
-
Votran Office: Weekdays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
-
Transfer Plaza: Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
New Smyrna Beach Library:7 days per week. Call (386) 424-2910 as hours
vary by day.
1001 S. Dixie Freeway
-
Brannon Center: (31-day pass only) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
105 Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach
How to ride
To use this service, call 386-424-6810 at least two hours before
you wish to travel. The call is toll-free from New Smyrna Beach. Outside New
Smyrna Beach, please call 386-763-3733. The best time to make a reservation
is Monday through Saturday between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. For early morning trips
please call the day before. Reservations can be made up to three days in
advance. Remember to schedule your return trip and be at the curb at least 5
minutes before your scheduled pick-up. When you call, you should have the
following information available:
-
Your name and the address and ZIP code of your pick-up location.
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Address and ZIP code of the destination you wish to go to or the fixed
route bus stop transfer point at Canal Street and U.S. 1.
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If you will be traveling with a mobility device, such as a wheel chair
or motorized scooter.
To streamline the reservation process, it is recommended you
pre-register. Providing your basic information allows staff to enter you
in Votran’s reservation system, making your reservation quick and easy.
Think of the way you ride as having a bus stop at your location. The bus
will leave your curb at the estimated pick-up time you are given when
you make your reservation.
Helpful tips
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Call as early as possible: This service is first reserved, first served.
The vehicle could be full at a particular time and you may need to
schedule another time.
-
What to say: When the Votran dispatcher answers, please say: “I would
like to schedule a flex trip.”
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Bikes: Be sure to make a reservation for the bike if it will travel with
you.
