FAQs

• All residents of Highland, White Lake, Waterford, Walled Lake, Lake Angelus, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, Orchard Lake, Village of Holly, Holly, Rose, or Groveland who are 18 or older are eligible to ride.
• Residents who are 55+, 18+ with a disability, low-income families, or veterans, are eligible for our reduced fares and are given priority.

Registering for WOTA is simple. We have multiple ways for you to register:

• Online: The quickest way is through our website: ridewota.org. Select Application to Ride, complete the e-form, and submit. You will receive confirmation by email or phone. Please check your spam for your confirmation.
• Mail: If you do not have internet access, we can mail you a packet that includes:
  • Registration form
  • Professional verification form (if required)
  • Rider guidelines
  • WOTA closure dates
  • Business card

Required Documents:

• Registration form (completed)

Additional Requirements (if applicable):

• Disability: Professional verification form completed by a doctor or social worker (due within 60 days)
• Senior (55+): Proof of age (ID with date of birth)
• Veteran: DD214, Veteran ID, or VA member card
• Low Income: Completed low-income form only if you do not qualify for other fare reductions.
• Companion Rider: Anyone riding our bus must be registered, including companion riders. A companion rider does not need to live within our boundaries.

WOTA’s service area is quite large.

• 500 square mile service area that goes as far north as Holly, south to Novi, west to Hartland and east to Pontiac.
• Riders in Holly, Rose, or Groveland going north should check with dispatch first.

Unsure? Type in your address to our interactive map to see if it is in our service area.

• Please give at least 2 business days’ notice to schedule
• Book early — spots fill up.
• Exceptions: Work or medical trips may be fit in at the dispatcher’s discretion

• Fares: 
  • General Population: $4.00 each way (cash or check, exact fare only)
  • Seniors, Adults with disabilities and low-income families: reduced fare of $2.00 each way
  • Veterans ride free as well as the first companion rider.
• Payment
  • Pay driver (cash or check — exact fare only)
  • We do not accept credit cards.
  • Rider cards available to purchase from drivers or the office: $20 = 10 one-way rides + 1 free ride

If your requested trip cannot be immediately scheduled, it will be placed on a waitlist. You will be contacted the day before to confirm your ride or to inform you of the inability to accommodate your ride.

• Riders may schedule up to 2 trips per day, with a maximum of 3 stops.
• First trip = priority; second trip = automatically waitlisted
• Example: Doctor + pharmacy in the morning (scheduled), dinner in the evening (waitlisted)

When a reservation is made, the dispatch system generates a 30-minute pickup window. The driver may arrive anytime within that window. For a return trip the pick up window will also be 30 minutes. If you ride is running late, you will be contacted.

Yes — if the stop is 15 minutes or less, the driver can wait. This must be scheduled with dispatch when booking.

Shopping trips are scheduled around medical and work trips, which take priority. We will ask your preferred time, try to stay close to it, and call you a week in advance before with your scheduled time.

Driving Hours:             Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 9:00 pm

Saturday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Sunday, 7:30 am – 3:30 pm

Scheduling Hours:      Monday through Friday,8:00 am – 3:45 pm

WOTA is closed for the following holidays:

New Year’s Day

President’s Day

Easter

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Veteran’s Day

Thanksgiving

Christmas Eve

Christmas

New Year’s Eve

WOTA reserves the right to close when weather is not conducive to driving. We do not follow school schedules and it is possible to limit rides for one community due to road conditions. We consult with our local law enforcement and WOTA personnel drive the roads to determine safety.

Scheduling a ride is easy!

• Call our dispatchers during scheduling hours 8 am – 3:45 pm
• Provide them with your name, the date of the ride, the address of where you are going, and time of appointment.
• Please let them know when you would like to return. If your ride is for a medical appointment or an appointment with a government entity prior to 2pm, we will initiate a call back and you will contact us when you are ready to be picked up. Otherwise, please provide a call back time.
• Also let Dispatch know if you have a companion rider or any specific needs.

There are multiple transportation agencies across Oakland County; service is segmented to provide comprehensive coverage for all of Oakland County residents. All services offer door-to-door (or curb-to-curb) service. We work collaboratively with all the transportation providers across Oakland County to allow you to travel throughout the county. If your location is beyond our boundaries, we will schedule a transfer with one of our partners to help you get to your destination.