Objective
Since travelling expenses pose a great financial burden on persons with disabilities (PWDs) encountering financial difficulties when they go out for entertainment, shopping, receiving medical treatment and participating in other activities, Rehabus has introduced the Dial-a-Ride Service Half Fare Concessionary Scheme in August 1996 to alleviate their burdens, thereby encouraging them to take part in more activities and integrate into the society.
Target
PWDs who are recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA). [Note: Disability Allowance does not apply.]
Eligibility
- Individual users who are recipients of CSSA can enjoy the half fare concession when using Dial-a-Ride service.
- For Dial-a-Ride service used by organization users, passengers who are recipients of CSSA and had successfully applied for the Half Fare Concessionary Scheme can also enjoy the half fare concession. However, this concession does not apply to the activities that are arranged by the organization.
- Applicants obtaining transport subsidy from Social Welfare Department (for medical treatment or training, etc.) are not eligible.
- CSSA customers must agree that Rehabus has the right to inquire about and verify all the information provided in their applications to the Social Services Department, and that the relevant information may be submitted to the Transport Department and the Audit Department of the Hong Kong Government for auditing purposes.
New Registration or Renewal Methods
1) Customers should provide a copy of the valid “Exemption of Medical Expenses for CSSA Recipients” or “Approval Notice for CSSA Application” document issued by the Social Welfare Department as proof. Customers should submit the copy of the document to our organization for registration through their personal account customer information. Our staff will process it within three working days, and upon approval, the registration or renewal will be completed. The methods for registration or renewal are as follows:
i) Log in to the “REHABUS.ICOMS” webpage or mobile application, go to the “Customer Information” section, fill in the “Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Program Information,” and provide the aforementioned valid proof document issued by the Social Welfare Department. After system approval, the registration or renewal process will be completed. See Appendix (Part A) for reference.
ii) Fill out the “FEG02_Notification on Change of Personal Information” and submit it to our organization along with the valid proof document according to the submission method specified on the last page of the form. After approval, the registration or renewal will be completed. Ways to obtain the form:
- by downloading the form from our website at http://www.rehabsociety.org.hk (select [Our Services] [Accessible Transport & Travel] [Rehabus Service] [Form Download]).
- by calling our service hotline at 2824 6500, (refer to the attached New Interactive Voice Response System IVRS Keypad Menu) to request the form from the staff.
2) In the future, the system will automatically send a renewal notification one month before the expiry date of the CSSA status. This notification will prompt customers to update their information as soon as possible. Customers must submit the latest valid proof document to our organization for approval before the expiry date in order to continue receiving the half-price fare reduction benefit. Failure to do so will require reapplication with valid proof documents if the deadline is missed.
Reimbursement Procedure
- For individual on-call service applications, customers who have not received subsidies from the Social Welfare Department and wish to apply for the half-price fare reduction can select “Yes” in the “Do you require a half-price fare reduction?” field during the service application. Follow the instructions to input the required information. The system will automatically deduct the relevant half fare concessionary from the initial quotation and actual total fare calculation. Customers do not need to pay the full amount upfront and apply for a refund. Refer to Appendix (Part B) for more details.
- The date of using the on-call service to claim the half-price fare reduction must fall between the “Registered and Approved Date” and the “Expiry Date.” If the system detects that the date of the service application has exceeded the CSSA’s “Expiry Date” or is outside the effective period, an expiry reminder will be sent, and the service will not be eligible for Half Fare Concessionary Scheme.
- Customers must enter the required customer information for the half fare concession in the service application at least five days before the date of use (the system will re-calculate the fare quotation). Late applications will not be accepted.
Inaccurate and False Information
If there are suspicions or doubts regarding the reported information, our organization reserves the absolute right to verify with the Social Welfare Department. In the event of discovering false or misleading information, the exemption benefits will be terminated, and further applications from the individual will not be accepted.
As all reported information will be submitted to the Transport Department and Audit Department for auditing and review purposes, false declarations may be subject to investigation and follow-up by relevant government departments.
For inquiries, please contact our staff by calling the new service hotline at 2824 6500 (follow the voice instructions: select language; 2. apply, change, or cancel services, or update account information; enter the main account number; 4. inquire about accounts; 1. dial-a-ride service; 3. Rehabus Dial-a-Ride Service Half Fare Concessionary Scheme information) after the launch of ICOMS.