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Dial-a-Ride & ADA Service

Both Dial-a-Ride and ADA Service are door-to-door services requested from CATA in advance of your trip.

Call (978) 283-7916 up to a month before your trip to schedule. You must call at least one day before your requested trip, by 1pm for Dial-a-Ride and by 5pm for ADA Service.

Service areas

ADA Service is available in Rockport and Gloucester year-round and seasonally in Ipswich and Essex. Dial-a-ride service is available Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton.

Eligibility and registration

People with a disability may ride both Dial-a-Ride and ADA Service. People 60 and over can also ride Dial-a-ride.

If you have never ridden with us before, you can sign up for either Dial-a-Ride or ADA Service by filling out this form, and mailing it or dropping it off at our offices at

3 Pond Road
Gloucester, MA 01930

Please call (978) 283-7916 to schedule your visit. For ADA Service applicants, we may perform a brief functional assessment of your disability to ensure we provide you quality service.

Service Details

You can find out other detailed policies regarding Dial-a-Ride and ADA Service in the rider guides below:

Additional Services

CATA also offers these other services for specific needs.

Dialysis Service

CATA provides service to the North Shore Regional Dialysis Center at 133 Brimbal Avenue, Beverly for residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton. Service is available Monday through Saturday for customers scheduled for first or second shift dialysis treatments. Let the Dialysis Center know you are interested in using the CATA van and they will help coordinate your transportation. Click here for the Dialysis Transportation Application. The regular fare is $4 round trip ($2.00 one-way). CATA offers Dialysis Bus Passes at $20 for 6 round trip rides. Call CATA at 978-283-7916 for additional information.

Ipswich Medical Bus

CATA partners with the Ipswich Council on Aging to provide out-of-town medical transportation services to Ipswich residents. The regular fare is $4 round trip ($2.00 one-way). CATA offers Ipswich Medical Bus Passes at $20 for 6 round trip rides. For additional information and to register for this service, please contact the Ipswich Council on Aging at 978-356-6650.

Hamilton Transportation Services

CATA provides transportation services for Hamilton seniors to the following towns: Hamilton, Wenham, Beverly, Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich, Rowley, Salem, Peabody, and Danvers. Transportation is available Monday through Friday, from 8am-4pm. For additional information, review this PDF or call Dispatch at 978-283-7916.

Essex Transportation Services

CATA provides transportation services for Essex seniors to the following towns: Essex, Hamilton, Wenham, Beverly, Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, Rowley, Salem, Peabody, and Danvers. Transportation is available Monday through Friday, from 8am-4pm. For additional information, review this PDF or call Dispatch at 978-283-7916.

Cape Ann Seniors on the GO!

Did you know Cape Ann Seniors on the GO! is an initiative program funded by a grant from the City of Gloucester to increase access to healthy food & physical activity opportunities for at risk older adults on Cape Ann? CATA partners with Gloucester Council on Aging, which arranges Monday FUNday pickups from Rose Baker Senior Center.  Interested in participating? Contact the Gloucester Council on Aging to make a reservation at 978-352-5800.

ADA Service decision appeals

If an applicant is informed that they are “conditionally eligible” (i.e., eligible for paratransit only under certain circumstances), or “not eligible,” the specific reasons for this determination will be stated in the determination letter. The applicant will also be informed of the process available for appealing the decision. Applicants must provide notice that they wish to exercise his/her right to an appeal hearing within 60 days of the decision denying or limiting eligibility. Applicants can provide notice in writing or verbally if providing written notice would create a barrier to the appeals process. This notice should be submitted to CATA’s Administrator:

Cape Ann Transportation Authority
Felicia Webb, Administrator
3 Pond Road
Gloucester, MA 01930

An in-person hearing will be scheduled for the applicant to present information. An applicant may waive the in-person hearing and proceed on the basis of a written presentation. An applicant may speak on their own behalf and/or have others represent them during the appeals proceeding. Appeals will be determined by a professional who specializes in the primary disability of the applicant and who has not been involved in the initial determination. CATA will have the following professionals, as appropriate, to meet applicants, assess all information submitted, and make appeal decisions: the CATA Administrator, a Physician, an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist, a Psychiatrist, and a Physiatrist or Physical Therapist.

The applicant will be provided a written notification of the decision within 30 days of the hearing or receipt of the applicant’s written presentation. The written notification of the appeal determination will include the reason for the decision. If a decision has not been made within the 30 day period, transportation will be provided until and unless a decision to deny the appeal is issued.

ADA Complaint Policy and Procedure

Dial-A-Ride and ADA customers may submit service comments, complaints, or commendations by telephone to 978-281-8315, ext. 214 or by mail to: [email protected] 

Shelton Labitue, General Manager 
Cape Ann Transit Management, Inc.
3R Pond Road
Gloucester, MA 01930

All Dial-a-Ride and ADA comments, complaints or commendations will be responded to within 48 business hours. Customers are encouraged to leave their full name, address and phone number.

Reasonable Accommodation

CATA will make reasonable modifications to policies and procedures to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to all of its services. Individuals requesting modifications shall describe what they need in order to use the service. Individuals requesting modifications are not required to use the term “reasonable modification” when making a request.

CATA will accommodate requests provided that:

  • The fundamental nature of the service, program, or activity is not altered, or
  • It does not cause a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or
  • It does not result in an undue financial and administrative burden, or
  • The requestor would not be able to fully use the service provided by CATA without the modification.

Whenever feasible, requests for modifications shall be made an determined in advance, before CATA is expected to provide the modified service, for example, during the paratransit eligibility process or through customer service inquiries at 978-283-7916. Where a request for modification cannot practicably be made and determined in advance, operating personnel shall make a determination of whether the modification should be provided at the time of the request.

Other Information

ADA Missed Trip: a missed trip is one that is not booked or performed due to a scheduling or other human error made by staff

ADA Trip Denial: a trip denial is a trip that cannot be provided within one hour of the requested pickup time