Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART)

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Discontinued Acceptance of Ventra on DART

Schedule a Ride

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Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART) is provided by the Village of Schaumburg and Pace’s Suburban Bus Division. Schaumburg’s signature transit service has evolved over the years into one of the few community-operated bus services in the Chicagoland that provides access to any location in Schaumburg. Since its inception in 1979, DART has provided more than three million rides.

The DART program is a bus service that is demand driven and operates solely within the municipal boundaries of Village of Schaumburg except for Harper College in Palatine, Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, and the Township of Schaumburg’s main office in Hoffman Estates. Service is open to the public and operates five days a week, Monday through Friday. Discounted rates are provided to seniors, persons with disabilities, students through Grade 12 to and from school, and children ages 7 to 11.

DART Service Change as of May 1, 2023

Due to rising costs, a nationwide driver shortage, and decreased overall program ridership since the pandemic, the Village of Schaumburg implemented service changes to this program, including a fee increase, change in service hours, and the removal of advanced reservations. Please continue reading below for the full program guidelines and information.

DART Service Hours

Service is provided from 6 a.m. through 9 p.m., Monday through Friday

Calls requesting rides are accepted between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Last pick-ups are made by approximately 8 p.m. with all rides being completed and buses pulling back into the base of operation by 9 p.m.

As of May 1, 2023, trips are not offered on Saturday or Sunday.

Cost to use DART

TYPE	REGULAR	REDUCED
Cash	$4.00	$2.00
Transfers	$0.25	$0.15
Ten Ride Tickets	$38.00	$19.00
* The fares listed above are effective 5/1/2023.

Exact fare is required if using cash on the bus; please note that drivers do not carry change. All fares and 10-Ride Tickets are nonrefundable.

Booklets of 10-Ride Tickets can be purchased on the bus online with WebPay or at the Transportation Department at the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center, 101 Schaumburg Ct. Tickets purchased on WebPay will be mailed out within 1-2 business days. Please be sure to verify your address when placing your order.

Ride Free – Passengers who are eligible for ride free would not be required to pay but would need to show their ride free RTA card to the driver.

DIAL-A-RIDE PASSENGER SURVEY

Please take the DART Survey or ask your driver for a physical copy with a postage paid envelope.

Reduced Fare & Ride Free Eligibility

Riders who are eligible for reduced fare must present a valid driver’s license or state issued ID for age verification, a valid student ID, or an RTA-issued identification card with the number beginning with “D”, “S,” or “P.”

Seniors 65 and over
Persons with disabilities

Students through Grade 12, to and from school
Children age 7 to 11
Children under 7 are free if accompanied by an adult

Riders that are eligible for "ride-free" will be required to display an RTA-issued ID card with the number beginning with "F"

DART Destinations & Transfers

Information Needed for Scheduling a Trip

To schedule a ride using DART, call (847) 352-8097

When reserving a trip, the dispatcher will ask you for the following information:

Date of trip
Name of rider(s)
Number of people traveling with you
Requested drop off or pick up time – allow at least a 30-minute buffer for arrival times
When requesting a trip for a specific arrival time (e.g. medical appointments), tell the dispatcher when you need to arrive and have them suggest the pick-up time

Exact street address – be specific about the location, especially if the address has multiple units or entrances. As a reminder, DART is limited to Schaumburg only.

All reservations must be confirmed by the dispatchers. Drivers are not allowed to take or cancel reservations.

Canceling a Scheduled Trip

Changing a Scheduled Trip

Driver Assistance

DART is a curb-to-curb program; as such, drivers cannot escort customers outside of the vehicle or carry packages. Drivers do not assist riders in/out of buildings but will make every effort to assist into/out of the vehicle safely.

All drivers are properly trained in using the wheelchair lift and securing wheelchairs in the bus. Riders needing additional assistance should make their own arrangements to have a Personal Care Attendant or companion ride with them. Drivers are not responsible for riders once they are off the DART vehicle.

Pick Up Procedures

Passengers should allow for a 30-minute pick up window based on their scheduled pick-up time. For example, if a trip is scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. pick up, the passenger should be ready to be picked up between 8:45 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. to be considered on-time.

Customers need to wait for the vehicle within line of sight of their pickup location. If the address is a large facility or has multiple units, be sure to confirm exactly where you will be waiting. You can confirm the exact pickup location with the dispatcher when scheduling your trip.
Be ready to board the vehicle five minutes before your scheduled pick-up time.
Drivers will wait one minute upon arriving.
Drivers will try to locate you, but if this does not happen, your trip is recorded as a “no show”. Riders who do not show up for their trip are at risk of having their riding privileges suspended or terminated.
When you board the vehicle, be sure to confirm with the driver that the trip is assigned to you.

Bag Policy

Passenger Behavior

Travel Time

DART is not a fixed-route service. Routing is developed each day in response to reservations received 90 minutes in advance of a needed ride. Be sure to plan accordingly as you may be on the bus for up to 60 minutes.

Passengers who are traveling to a scheduled appointment should tell the dispatcher their appointment time when calling to schedule the ride. Be sure to include enough time to travel from the drop off location to your appointment.

Ride Notification Reminders

Passengers can sign up for auto notifications to remind them of their scheduled ride. Please inquire about the notification with the dispatcher when you call to schedule your trip. Passengers can choose to sign up for text, email or voice reminders.

Day Before Notification – Reminds passenger about the next day’s trip and pickup time.

Imminent Arrival Notification – Notifies passenger between 10 and 15 minutes in advance of their pickup.

DART Lost & Found

If you’ve lost something on Schaumburg DART, we may be holding onto it for you. Lost items found on Schaumburg DART vehicles are sent to base. At no time does Schaumburg DART assume responsibility for lost items. Items are kept for two weeks after being found. To reach us about your lost item, call (847) 352-8097.

Lost & found retrieval tips:

Items sometimes don’t reach garages until the end of a shift. It is best to wait and call the next day to confirm if Schaumburg DART found your lost item.
When you call, be ready with information that can help us identify your lost item, such as a detailed description or a unique characteristic of an item.
Knowing the bus number, the time of day you traveled, and the final destination.