Transportation Services
Free door to door rides for seniors and eligible residents within Jackson County. All vehicles are fully accessible with wheelchair lifts and trained drivers.
Free door to door rides for seniors and eligible residents within Jackson County. All vehicles are fully accessible with wheelchair lifts and trained drivers.
Our transportation service operates on a demand response, shared ride basis. You ride with other passengers heading in the same direction. All rides are curb to curb, meaning the driver picks you up and drops you off at the curb of your location.
Before your first ride, you must register as an active participant at the Moss Point Senior Center or Ocean Springs Senior Center. Registration is free and takes a few minutes.
Submit a ride request online or call your senior center to schedule your ride. Provide the date, time, pickup location, and destination. Same day requests cannot be guaranteed.
On the day of your ride, be at the curb and ready to board when the driver arrives. The driver will assist you with boarding and any mobility equipment. If you use a wheelchair or walker, the driver will operate the lift or ramp for you.
Transportation is available to registered participants of our senior center programs. Individuals with disabilities are served on an equal basis regardless of age.
Adults 60 years and older who are registered at a CASOMS senior center.
Individuals with disabilities, regardless of age, receive the same level of service as all other riders.
Transportation is available within Jackson County only. Rides operate Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
There is no fee to ride. Donations are welcome but never required or expected.
Visit either senior center in person to complete your annual registration. You will need to fill out a Consumer Information Form and provide the following:
Every vehicle in our fleet is accessible. All drivers hold a Commercial Driver's License with a Passenger ("P") endorsement and are trained in the operation of lifts, ramps, and securement equipment.
Lifts are cycled on every pre-trip inspection. If a lift or ramp is inoperative, the vehicle is removed from service until repaired. No exceptions.
Drivers will provide adequate time for passengers with disabilities to board and exit the vehicle. This includes adjusting the schedule and waiting for passengers to be seated before moving.
Only trained transit employees may operate the lift or ramp and secure the wheelchair in the securement station. Passengers may board facing toward or away from the vehicle.
All wheelchairs must be secured before the vehicle moves. Securement is the responsibility of the driver. Drivers are trained on proper securement based on manufacturer specifications.
If the securement system is not compatible with your wheelchair, the driver will still make every attempt to safely secure it. If your wheelchair cannot be secured due to its design, you still have the right to ride.
Required for all passengers. Seat belts are never used as a substitute for wheelchair securement.
Wheelchair users may choose to transfer to a fixed seat. Drivers may recommend but will never require a transfer. No waivers needed.
Walkers, crutches, and scooters are accommodated as long as the lift can safely handle them and they do not block the aisle.
Respirators and portable oxygen supplies are permitted on board, consistent with U.S. DOT hazardous materials regulations.
Lift or ramp access is not limited to wheelchair users. Any passenger with a disability who requests use of the lift or ramp to board or exit the vehicle will be accommodated, even if they do not use a mobility device.
In compliance with 49 CFR Part 37, CASOMS allows trained service animals to accompany passengers with disabilities on all vehicles and inside all facilities open to the public.
A service animal is any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability. This includes guiding, alerting to sounds, providing protection, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.
Drivers will not ask for proof of the animal's qualifications. The driver may ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but no documentation, certification, or vest is required.
CASOMS is not responsible for the care or supervision of your service animal during the ride. The animal must remain under your control at all times.
A service animal that displays vicious or disruptive behavior toward passengers or staff, or poses a direct threat to health and safety, may be excluded from riding. Each situation is evaluated individually.
Emotional support animals are not trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, emotional support animals are not considered service animals and are not covered by this policy.
If you need more assistance than our drivers can provide, you may bring a personal care attendant (PCA) with you on the vehicle at no additional cost. Your PCA rides free. Let us know when you schedule your ride that a PCA will be traveling with you.
If you need assistance beyond what our drivers can provide, you are responsible for arranging a personal care attendant. CASOMS staff will work with you and your caregiver or social worker to clarify what assistance the driver can and cannot offer, and this will be formally documented in a letter sent to you.
If your disability requires a change to any CASOMS transportation policy or practice in order for you to use our service, you have the right to request a reasonable modification.
Contact the Director of Adult Services, Lee Ann Kendrick, by phone at (228) 769-3292 or by email. Describe the modification you need and how it would help you access our transportation service.
When possible, requests should be made in advance so staff can determine the best accommodation before your ride. If a request is made at the time of service, the driver will make a determination on the spot and consult with management if needed.
A request for modification may only be denied on one or more of the following grounds:
If your request is denied, CASOMS will take all other possible actions (short of a fundamental alteration or direct threat) to ensure you can still receive transportation services. You will not be left without a solution.
Community Action of South Mississippi relies on scheduled trips to serve as many riders as possible each day. When a rider does not show up for a scheduled trip or cancels at the last minute, that seat cannot be offered to another rider who may need it.
We understand that life happens. This policy is designed to keep service reliable for everyone while making sure no one is penalized for situations they cannot control.
A late cancellation is any trip canceled less than 2 hours before the scheduled pickup time. Cancellations made 2 or more hours in advance are not counted against the rider.
If you need to cancel a scheduled trip, please contact your senior center as early as you can:
No-shows and late cancellations are tracked over a rolling 30 day period. If a pattern develops, we will work with you to resolve the issue. Continued no-shows may result in a temporary pause on scheduled rides so we can make sure service stays available for all riders.
A no-show or late cancellation will not be counted against a rider when it results from circumstances beyond their control, including:
If you believe a no-show was recorded in error or resulted from one of the exceptions listed above, please let your senior center know within 5 business days.
Any rider who receives a pause notice has the right to appeal. Appeals can be submitted by phone, email, or mail within 10 business days of receiving the notice.
This policy was approved by the CASOMS Board of Directors on December 9, 2024. It establishes operating and service guidelines for the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as it applies to our demand response transportation service.
It is the policy of Community Action of South Mississippi to comply with all legal requirements of federal and state laws and regulations as they pertain to individuals with disabilities. If state laws and federal regulations are contradictory, the federal ADA regulations prevail.
The transit system provides quality transportation services without discrimination to all persons including individuals with disabilities. Discrimination on the basis of disability against any person by transit system employees will not be condoned or tolerated.
Community Action of South Mississippi demand response transportation service is a shared ride service. It is the policy to provide service for individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of the individual, including providing service to individuals with disabilities on the same vehicles and together with all other riders.
Same response time as all other riders
No higher fares for riders with disabilities
Same geographic area and service hours
No trip restrictions based on disability
Equal access to scheduling and reservations
No capacity limits based on disability
If you believe you have been discriminated against in any CASOMS transportation service on the basis of disability, you have the right to file a complaint. All complaints are investigated promptly and objectively.
All complaints are forwarded to the Human Resources Manager and objectively investigated. CASOMS will promptly communicate its response to the complaint, including the reasons for its decision.
Corrective or disciplinary action will be taken for any behavior that violates this policy, up to and including termination of employment. All complaint documentation is kept on file for a minimum of five years as required by FTA regulations.
For the full step by step complaint process, visit our ADA Complaint Procedure page.
Call your senior center to request a ride at least 48 hours in advance. If you have questions about eligibility, registration, or our accessibility policies, we are here to help.
Or email: makingadifference@casoms.org