STAR

STAR – Specialized Transit for Arlington Residents

STAR is the paratransit component of Arlington Transit – ART. ART provides public fixed route bus services in Arlington County. STAR serves Arlington residents who have difficulty using public fixed route transit due to the effects of age or disability. STAR is a shared ride paratransit service intended to provide a comparable level of transportation as provided by ART, Metrobus and Metrorail. STAR riders share trips if they are generally traveling in the same direction at the same time. Trips are scheduled, with a few exceptions, without regard to the purpose of the trip. All rides are arranged in advance through the STAR Call Center, or through STAR on the Web. STAR riders must preplan activities and schedule STAR trips in advance as same day service is generally not available.

Who May Use STAR?

Arlington County residents currently certified eligible for MetroAccess are automatically certified for STAR. If you have your MetroAccess ID but have not used STAR, please call the STAR Call Center at 703-228-1900 to make sure we have you in the database. Apply for MetroAccess and STAR.

STAR Business and Scheduling Office (Call Center): 703-228-1900

The STAR Call Center is open Monday - Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm; Saturdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The phone number for the STAR Call Center is 703-228-1900.

• Press “1” for reservations, cancellations, and trip information.
• Press “2” for administration dept.

TDD (Virginia Relay Center): 711

E-mail: STAR@arlingtonstar.com

Web: www.ArlingtonSTAR.com

STAR Public Engagement Results

Winter 2024 | STAR Focus Area Feedback Summary: This past winter, STAR users were asked to provide feedback on four main focus areas of STAR service (travel zones, payment options, same-day trips, potential new features) that came about from the first round of STAR service engagement in fall 2023. This new engagement summary provides an overview of community feedback on how important these different focus areas are to STAR users. Learn more on the STAR Engagement webpage.

Resources

Reach A Ride
Reach A Ride is an online search engine showing the multitude of transportation options for persons with disabilities, older adults, persons with limited English proficiency and low-income commuters. Use Reach a Ride’s searchable database – or their toll-free number – to locate a transportation provider in your area.

The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc. (ECNV) Travel Training
The ECNV Travel Training program is for persons with disabilities and/or older adults who want to learn to travel safely and independently using public transportation in the Washington Metropolitan Area

SeniorNavigator and disAbilityNavigator
For information on resources of interest to older adults and to persons with disabilities, please consult SeniorNavigator® and disAbilityNavigator.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Arlington County is committed to the laws and regulations set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Complementary local and regional transportation services are provided for the disabled community. To further emphasize our commitment and also provide a variety of services, Arlington has encouraged local taxi fleets to purchase accessible/lift-equipped vehicles through a variety of programs, and there are now about 23 such vehicles in the County. If a reasonable accommodation is needed under provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, please have your physician note the needed accommodation in writing -- including how long the accommodation is needed -- and send that request to STAR (see the Contact STAR section).  If the request is denied, you may appeal to the Arlington County Office of Human Rights at 703-228-7096 (voice/TTY) or visit their website.   

About Paratransit

The term paratransit means "alongside transit," including "public or group transportation, as by automobile, van, or minibus, organized to relieve the congestion of mass transportation." In the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, "paratransit" describes the many shared-ride alternative transportation options for persons with disabilities. Most area city and county governments have implemented, and are continuing to enhance, paratransit services for their residents based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. For information on the services provided by local area transportation systems visit CommuterPage.com's Paratransit page. For additional information on these systems, visit CommuterPage.com's Local Bus Systems page.