Driver of the Month - August 2021

We appreciate our drivers! Their courtesy, professionalism, and bravery is a huge part of what makes ClasTran a success, and that's been especially true throughout this pandemic. Covid-19 has been hard on everyone, but it has been especially difficult for essential workers, including drivers in the public transit industry. They kept going when everything else was shut down.

Our drivers put their lives and the lives of their families at risk during the pandemic to continue providing essential transportation for the elderly and disabled. They provided transportation to grocery stores during senior hours, medical appointments, critical dialysis treatments, and Covid-19 testing and vaccination sites. Because of them, we were able to deliver thousands of meals to homebound seniors during the pandemic. They even came in after hours to transport people to shelter and safety during the fire at the Highland Manor apartments.

Sadly, ClasTran lost one of its most beloved drivers, Randy Roberson, to Covid-19 in January 2021. Randy loved his job. He was a wonderful, caring, and brave soul with a great attitude and a passion to serve his community. He even volunteered to transport dialysis patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 to and from critical treatments. He will be sorely missed.

As a tribute to Randy's life and service, we are bringing back our Driver of the Month program to shine a light on our dedicated drivers who work so hard to make a difference in our communities and to ensure our continued success. Please join us in congratulating our drivers of the month for August 2021!

Darron Johnson

Stats last month:

Trips performed: 394

On-time performance: 99%

Words from our riders:

"Darron is great! He's a very polite man. He takes care of all of the seniors that ride his bus." — Virginia A.

Words from the driver:

"What I really enjoy about working at ClasTran is to interact with my coworkers and my passengers. I have a very small family and my mother is deceased, so for me to have a work family is everything. Before my mother left, she always told me to get in church and keep the Lord with me. So I did, and I'm glad I have that and more, because I'm blessed to have a family behind me with ClasTran." — Darron Johnson

Monica Rios

Stats last month:

Trips performed: 143

On-time performance: 92%

Words from our riders:

"Monica does a real good job every time."

— Anonymous

Words from the driver:

"I've been working with ClasTran going on a total of five years. I love what I do and the services I help to provide for the communities of Birmingham. It's a bonus that the people are just as nice." — Monica Rios

Darron and Monica, we thank you! Your hard work and dedication to providing the best customer service and rider experience is what keeps our buses going. Thanks to your service, ClasTran is able to meet the needs of so many who depend on us to provide reliable, affordable transportation service. Keep up the good work!

Say Goodbye to Paper Tickets

ClasTran has stopped issuing new paper tickets to riders, and drivers will no longer accept them after December 31, 2021. Riders may continue to use paper tickets until that date, or they can return their tickets to ClasTran in exchange for fare credits.

Introducing a New Way to Pay

Fare credits are the new, better way to pay. You can load funds on your account, and the one-way fare will be deducted automatically each time you board the bus. Now you don't have to keep up with cash, checks, or tickets to use our service. You literally have nothing to lose.

You have several options to load funds on your account. Call ClasTran at 205-325-8787 and press option 3 to pay using a credit or debit card. (Please note that a 3.5% convenience fee is applied to all credit/debit card transactions.) Mail a check or money order to our PO Box address. Or, visit our office location in 5 Points South to pay with cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card.

To use funds on your account, you only need to board the bus for your scheduled ride. The driver will apply the one-way fare to your balance for you. Upon request the driver can inform you of your current balance, and you may also call ClasTran for credit balance inquiries. We can also provide, upon request, a comprehensive report to show your trip and transaction history.

Of course, riders will still have the option of paying one-way fares directly to the driver each time they board the bus using cash (in exact change), check, or money order. Fare credits are just one more option that we're glad to offer to our riders for added convenience.

If you have any questions about using fare credits or the discontinuation of paper tickets, please contact our administrative office by phone at 205-325-8787 or email at info@clastran.com.

9 Tips for Scheduling a Ride

Wherever you need to travel, here are some tips to help you when scheduling a ride with ClasTran:

1. Schedule your trips one or two weeks in advance.

Availability is limited, so the further in advance you can book your ride—up to 14 days in advance—the better your chance of booking trips for the specific times you want. You may book trips for the next day if you call before 11:00 a.m.; however, you may need to schedule your trips at a different time or on a different day if we are already booked.

2. Know the details for your trip before you call.

When you call, you should have the following information ready:

• first and last name of rider

• date of trip

• address and phone number of pick-up location

• address and phone number of drop-off location

• requested arrival/appointment time

• requested return time, if scheduling a return trip

• notify if you will be using a wheelchair or if you have trouble with steps

• notify if you will be traveling with any other passengers or a service animal

3. Confirm the details with the customer service representative.

Make sure to confirm all of the details for your trip such as the pick-up and drop-off address, the date of the trip, the requested pick-up or drop-off time, any mobility devices used, and any additional passengers that will accompany you.

4. Know your 30-minute pick-up window and be ready.

At the time you schedule your trips, the customer service representative will advise you of your 30-minute pick-up window for any trips that you schedule. It is your responsibility to be accessible and ready to board the vehicle at any time the driver may arrive within your 30-minute pick-up window. If the driver arrives and cannot locate you, or if you are not ready to board the vehicle, the driver will wait only five minutes before marking you as a no-show and moving on to his/her next stop. Excessive no-shows may result in a suspension of service.

5. Pay your fare in advance.

You can purchase fare credits in advance to cover your fare on the day of your trip. When you schedule your trips, you can request to add any amount to your account balance using a credit/debit card, and the driver will deduct your fare amount from your account when you board the vehicle. This saves you time on the day of service and saves you the hassle of having to remember to carry exact change.

6. Schedule your trips any time.

It's always best to call us during office hours, but you can still give us a call after office hours to schedule your trips. Leave a voicemail message with your first and last name, phone number, and trip details, and a customer service representative will call you back to confirm your request during regular office hours.

7. Check on availability.

When you first call to schedule your trips, if you are not able to book the time or day you requested, check back with us at a later time. Sometimes cancellations before the day of service or other variables may allow us to accommodate trips that we could not accommodate previously.

8. Be flexible.

Try to be flexible when scheduling your trips. We may not always be able to pick you up at the exact time you request, but we may be able to pick you up a little earlier or a little later. The more flexible you can be when scheduling your trips, the more likely it is that we'll be able to accommodate your request.

9. Remember to bring a mask.

Everyone age 2 and up must continue to wear a mask while using public transit. Stay safe!