10A NCAC 71I .0102. METHOD OF PROVISION

Transportation services may be provided directly by the county department of social services, or through purchase of service contracts, or by vendor payment, or by cash payment to the client, or through volunteers.  The department of social services may choose to use one or more of these methods concurrently.  The transportation resources chosen shall appropriately meet the clients' individual needs in the most cost effective manner possible.

(1)           Direct Provision.

(a)           Driver Qualifications.  All county departments of social services staff, including full‑time drivers, volunteers, and other staff whose regular primary responsibilities include transporting clients to and from service resources must be at least 18 years of age and hold an appropriate operator's license as required by G.S. 20‑7.

(b)           Insurance Requirements.  County departments of social services providing direct transportation services shall have sufficient liability and comprehensive insurance coverage to adequately protect the agency and the individuals transported.  A guide for minimum coverage shall be the amount required for common carrier‑passenger vehicles by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Department of Commerce, 430 N. Salisbury Street, 4325 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C 27699-4325.

(2)           Purchase Contracts and Vendor Agreements.

(a)           Driver Qualifications.  Drivers operating under a transportation services contract must be at least 18 years of age and must hold an appropriate operator's license as required by G.S. 20‑7.

(b)           Minimum insurance requirements for contracted services transportation services contractors must have liability and comprehensive insurance coverage no less than the minimum required for common carrier‑passenger vehicles by the North Carolina Utilities Commission for each vehicle used to transport Social Services Block Grant (Title XX) eligible individuals.

(3)           Public Conveyance.

(a)           Maximum Rates.  Maximum rates and reimbursement for direct purchase of services by public conveyance is the established standard charge for taxi service, city bus fare, intercity bus tickets, railway passenger rates, tourist class air fare, etc. established by the controller.

(b)           Driver Qualifications.  Public conveyance operators must meet the statutory requirements for their classification and operator responsibilities.

(c)           Minimum Insurance Requirements.  Each public conveyance agency must have liability and comprehensive insurance coverage for its particular classification no less than the minimum required by the laws of North Carolina and where applicable by federal regulations.

(4)           Payment to Friends, Relatives and Others.

(a)           Maximum Rates and Reimbursement.  A relative, friend or other nonrelated individual who provide transportation for a client may be paid up to the state's maximum travel allowance per vehicle mile for automobile expenses, as established in G.S. 138‑6, and up to the federal minimum hourly wage for time spent providing the service.

(b)           Driver Qualifications.  An individual providing transportation under a vendor payment agreement as a relative, friend or other non‑related individual must hold a valid operator's license, as required by law.

(c)           Minimum Insurance Requirements.  An individual providing transportation under a vendor payment agreement as a relative, friend or other nonrelated individual and using his own vehicle must have at least the minimum liability insurance coverage required by law on the vehicle used to transport the client.

(5)           Cash Payments.  County departments of social services may provide transportation through cash payments in accordance with policies relating to cash payments issued by the Director of the Division of Health Service Regulation to eligible individuals who are capable of arranging and purchasing transportation for themselves.

(6)           Volunteers.  Volunteers attached to county department of social services, as members of volunteer service agencies or groups or as independent individuals may be used in various ways to support the transportation program.  Volunteers whose regular responsibilities include driving clients to resources shall be at least 18 years of age, hold an appropriate operator's license as required by G.S. 20‑7 and carry at least the minimum insurance coverage on the vehicle used to transport clients as is required by the North Carolina Utilities Commission for common carrier‑passenger vehicles.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143B‑153;

Eff. February 16, 1977;

Readopted Eff. October 31, 1977;

Amended Eff. July 1, 1990; February 1, 1986; July 1, 1984; July 23, 1979.