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8 min read 6 stepsMay 8, 2026Verified May 2026

How to Find Rides When You Can No Longer Drive

Practical guide for older adults who have stopped driving on finding affordable, reliable rides for medical visits, errands, and social outings.

At a Glance

Call GoGoGrandparent for Uber and Lyft Without a Smartphone

~55s

GoGoGrandparent is a service built for older adults who want the convenience of Uber and Lyft without owning a smartphone or learning an app. You sign up once with a regular phone call to 855-464-6872. A real person walks you through the setup. After that, every time you need a ride, you call the same number, press 1 for a ride, and a human operator orders the closest Uber or Lyft for you. The driver pulls up at the address on file. And you pay through the credit card you gave at sign-up. The service charges a small fee of about 27 cents per minute on top of the regular Uber or Lyft fare. A typical 15-minute ride to a doctor's office runs about 18 to 30 dollars total in most cities, similar to a regular taxi.

Quick Tip

Save the GoGoGrandparent phone number on a piece of paper taped near every phone in your house. Some users also save it as speed dial number 2 or 3 on a basic flip phone.

Sign Up for Your Area Agency on Aging Ride Program

~49s

Every state runs a network of Area Agency on Aging offices, often called Triple A or AAA in casual conversation, that offer free or low-cost rides for adults 60 and older. To find your local office, dial 1-800-677-1116, the nationwide Eldercare Locator hotline. The operator asks for your zip code and gives you the phone number for the nearest office. Call that office and ask about transportation. Most offer rides to medical appointments, grocery shopping, the senior center, and community events, with fares that range from free to about 5 dollars round-trip. Some offices require booking 48 hours ahead, while others handle same-day requests for medical emergencies. The drivers are usually trained volunteers or part-time staff who have passed background checks.

Quick Tip

Ask the Area Agency on Aging staff if they offer a Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation benefit. If you qualify for Medicaid, your rides to doctor visits may be completely free.

Find an Independent Transportation Network Affiliate

~51s

Independent Transportation Network America runs a senior-focused ride-sharing model in 26 cities across the United States. The organization started in Portland, Maine in 1995 and now serves cities including Charlotte, Memphis, Sarasota, Indianapolis, and Twin Cities. The model works like a cross between Uber and a friendly neighborhood carpool. You pay a small annual membership fee of about 50 dollars, then a low per-mile rate of about 2 to 3 dollars for each ride. Drivers are paid volunteers and neighbors. Many rides are arranged door-through-door, meaning the driver walks you from your front door to the car and from the car into the doctor's office. Visit itnamerica.org or call 207-857-9001 to check if a local affiliate operates in your area.

Warning

ITN does not operate in every city. If no affiliate exists where you live, ask the Area Agency on Aging about similar local volunteer ride programs. Many faith-based groups, Rotary clubs, and senior centers run small versions of this same model.

Use Public Transit With a Senior Discount

~53s

Public buses and subways offer steep discounts for adults 65 and older in most American cities. The discount varies but is often 50 percent off the regular fare. New York City charges 1.45 dollars per ride for seniors instead of 2.90. Los Angeles charges 35 cents per ride for seniors instead of 1.75. Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Boston all run similar programs. Apply for the senior reduced-fare card at the transit agency office or website. You usually need a photo ID and proof of age. Some agencies require an in-person photo for the card, while others mail the card after you upload a photo online. Once you have the card, plan trips with the free Google Maps Transit feature or by calling the agency's customer service line.

Quick Tip

Ride the bus or subway with a friend for the first few trips, especially if you have not used public transit in years. The route patterns, fare-payment methods, and station layouts may have changed since you last rode.

Try a Faith-Based or Volunteer Driver Program

~53s

Many churches, synagogues, and mosques in the United States run volunteer driver programs for older members. These rides are usually free, given by congregation members who sign up to drive a few hours a week. Call the office of any local religious community and ask if they offer rides for seniors, even if you do not belong to that community. Many of these programs serve anyone in the neighborhood, regardless of faith. The Catholic Charities network, Lutheran Social Services, and Jewish Family Services all run formal senior transportation programs in most large cities. The local Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, and American Legion also organize neighborhood ride teams. Ask your nearest senior center for a printed list of all the volunteer driver programs in your area.

Quick Tip

If you used to drive others, consider asking the volunteer driver program to pair you with one of the people you used to help. Familiar drivers and familiar passengers make the rides feel more like a friendly visit than a paid trip.

Set Up Family and Neighbor Backup Rides

~54s

Some of the most reliable rides come from family members, neighbors, and longtime friends. Sit down with your adult children, your siblings, or a close neighbor and have a friendly conversation about backup rides. Make a small written list of two or three people who agree to take you to a doctor visit on short notice. Add their phone numbers to your kitchen wall and to your wallet. Offer to chip in for gas or to take them to lunch in return. Make the arrangement feel friendly and not like a burden. Many older adults find that their family is happy to help once asked but does not know how to start the conversation. You taking the first step makes the help easier to accept and easier to give.

Quick Tip

Create a one-page Transportation Plan that lists every ride option, the phone number, and the typical cost. Keep one copy on the fridge, one copy in your purse or wallet, and one copy at the home of a trusted family member.

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Giving up the car keys does not mean giving up your life. About 600,000 Americans over 70 stop driving every year, and the vast majority go on to live full social lives, attend medical appointments, run errands, and visit family. The trick is to know about the many ride options that exist outside of owning and driving your own car. The cost of all of them combined is almost always less than the cost of car ownership, which the American Automobile Association estimates at about 10,000 dollars per year per vehicle once gas, insurance, repairs, and depreciation are added up. Many older adults find they save several thousand dollars a year after they stop driving.

The American ride landscape in 2026 has more options than ever before. Uber and Lyft serve nearly every metropolitan area and many smaller cities. GoGoGrandparent and Arrive Plus are concierge services built for older adults who do not want to use a smartphone app. Independent Transportation Network America runs senior-only ride programs in 26 cities, where neighbors give rides to neighbors for a small monthly fee. Area Agency on Aging offices in every state offer free or low-cost rides to medical appointments through a federal program. Public transit, taxi voucher programs, faith-based volunteer drivers, and family rides round out the choices. Most older adults end up using a mix of two or three options that fit their specific area.

This guide walks through six of the most useful ride sources, with a real-life sense of what each one costs, how to set it up, and when it works best. We focus on options that work for adults who may not own a smartphone or feel comfortable using one. We also cover what to ask before the first ride, how to stay safe with a driver you do not know, and how to handle the rare problem ride that goes wrong.

The most important takeaway from this guide is to start setting up your alternatives before you actually need them. If you wait until the day your car keys come away to look at options, you will feel rushed and overwhelmed. Set up two or three options now, take a practice ride with each one, and keep the phone numbers in your kitchen or by the phone. The peace of mind from having a backup plan is real.

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