A practical guide
Senior Transportation Services
The day your dad hands over the car keys, a new daily problem shows up: how does he get to the cardiologist, the pharmacy, the grocery store, his friend's house? For a lot of families, this is the moment care stops being abstract and becomes a logistics puzzle every single week.
The good news: there is almost certainly more help available in your parent's county than you realize, and a lot of it is free. Here's the honest map.
The 6 ways seniors get around when they stop driving
Almost every community has some mix of these. The trick is knowing they exist and who to call.
1. Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT)
If your parent is on Medicaid, this is the big one — and it's federally required. NEMT covers rides to and from covered medical appointments for eligible enrollees, usually at no cost to your parent. It's booked through the state's Medicaid transportation broker (the Medicaid office or managed-care plan can give you the number). Rides typically need to be scheduled a few days ahead.
2. ADA paratransit (door-to-door public transit)
If your parent can't use regular fixed-route buses because of a disability, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public-transit systems to offer complementary paratransit — small buses or vans that pick up at the door. Fares are usually capped near the cost of a normal bus ride. Your parent has to apply and be found eligible, so start that paperwork before you need it.
3. Volunteer driver programs
Often the warmest option — a vetted volunteer drives your parent, sometimes walks them in, and waits. These run through Area Agencies on Aging, faith communities, and national networks like ITNAmerica. Many are free or run on donations. They're also frequently the answer for the rides Medicaid won't cover (the salon, the church service, a friend's funeral).
4. Senior rideshare — including no-smartphone options
Uber and Lyft both have ride options families can book on a senior's behalf, and GoGoGrandparent lets your parent call a regular phone number to get an Uber or Lyft without ever touching an app or owning a smartphone. Uber Health lets a family member or care team schedule rides in advance. Cost is normal rideshare pricing plus a small fee for the phone-booking convenience.
5. PACE (for dual-eligible seniors)
If your parent qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid, a PACE program (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) bundles transportation in with all their care — rides to the PACE center and to medical appointments are included, typically at $0 out of pocket. It's one of the best-kept secrets in senior care.
6. Senior center & community shuttles
Many senior centers run their own shuttles to the center, the grocery store, and group outings. Some cities and counties run low-cost senior shuttle routes. Your local senior center is worth a phone call.
Does Medicare pay for it?
This one trips up almost every family. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) generally does not cover routine rides to the doctor — only ambulance transport when other transportation would endanger health.
But many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans now include a transportation benefit — usually a set number of one-way trips per year to medical visits. If your parent has a Medicare Advantage plan, check the plan's Evidence of Coverage or call the number on the back of their card and ask specifically about "non-emergency transportation." A lot of families are paying for rides their plan would have covered.
The part nobody plans for: making sure they actually go
Here's the gap families discover the hard way. You can arrange the perfect ride — and your mom still misses the appointment because she forgot it was today, or wasn't ready when the driver came, or got home and no one knew whether she made it.
Booking the ride is logistics. The harder part is the human layer around it:
- Reminding her the appointment is today — and again an hour before
- Making sure she's up, dressed, and ready when the driver arrives
- Knowing she got home safely afterward
- Catching it early if she sounds confused, anxious, or never made it back
If you live far away or work full-time, that layer is exhausting to carry by phone tag.
Where Call Mabel fits
Mabel doesn't drive your parent anywhere — but she can carry the human layer around the ride. As part of her daily call, Mabel can:
- Remember the appointment and remind your parent the day before and the morning of
- Make sure they're ready — a gentle "your ride comes at 9, are you up and dressed?"
- Check that they got home and ask how it went
- Alert family by text within minutes if your parent sounds confused, distressed, or mentions they never made it
So you arrange the ride once, and Mabel quietly makes sure it actually happens — every time, without you having to call three times a day.
Plans start at $29.97/mo. Cancel anytime. No contracts. No app or device for your parent — Mabel calls their regular phone.
Frequently asked questions
What transportation is available for seniors who no longer drive?
In most U.S. communities: Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (free for those eligible), ADA paratransit (near bus-fare cost), volunteer driver programs (often free), senior rideshare like Uber Health and GoGoGrandparent (no smartphone needed), PACE for dual-eligible seniors, and senior-center shuttles. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to find what exists in your parent's county.
Does Medicare pay for transportation for seniors?
Original Medicare generally does not cover routine, non-emergency rides — only medically necessary ambulance transport. Many Medicare Advantage plans, though, include a non-emergency transportation benefit (a set number of trips per year). Check the plan's Evidence of Coverage. Medicaid separately covers medical transportation for eligible seniors in every state.
How can my parent book a ride without a smartphone?
GoGoGrandparent lets your parent call a regular phone number and have a person book an Uber or Lyft for them — no app, no smartphone. Most paratransit and volunteer programs book by phone too, and family can pre-schedule rides through Uber Health. Your parent never needs to touch a screen.
How much does it cost?
Anywhere from free to modest. Medicaid NEMT and many volunteer programs are free for those who qualify; paratransit is usually near local bus fare; rideshare is normal pricing plus a small booking fee for concierge services. Because it varies so much by county, the honest answer is to call your Area Agency on Aging (through eldercare.acl.gov) and ask what your parent qualifies for.