LADOT launches program to register eligible participants for Cityride Paratransit Program
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is launching a program to register eligible seniors and people with disabilities in south Los Angeles for the Cityride Paratransit Program and is offering up to 5,000 free one-year memberships to qualified individuals. Grant funding for the program comes from the State of California Air Resources Board Sustainable Transportation Equity Program (CARB STEP) augmenting LADOT’s Universal Basic Mobility pilot program. Residents within specific zip codes within the pilot program area, who qualify for Cityride membership, will be eligible for this discounted membership.
Cityride provides affordable, on-demand transportation services to seniors aged 65 and older and eligible people with disabilities residing in the city of Los Angeles and select areas of Los Angeles County. LADOT notes the program is one of the largest paratransit programs in the U.S., and participation in the program has grown continually since its inception in 1993 thanks to the program’s discounted fares and the quality of its Dial-A-Ride and taxis services. In the most recent Cityride Customer Satisfaction Survey, fielded in 2024, LADOT says 88 percent of respondents revealed they were very or somewhat satisfied with the program’s services.
“LADOT’s CityRide program provides the flexibility, accessibility and affordability that can help seniors and people with disabilities live life to the fullest,” said LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo. “Thanks to this STEP grant, we’ll be able to reach thousands of new members and ensure they can access the program and all of its benefits.”
LADOT notes eligibility for seniors aged 65 and older is determined by a birth certificate, Medi-Cal card, DMV card, passport or other government-issued document. Disabled people can use a Metro disabled identification card. Once the application is submitted, it is reviewed to confirm eligibility. Once eligibility is verified, the applicant will receive $84 of fare value to ride either Dial-A-Ride van or permitted taxi service each quarter for one year following verification of the applicant’s eligibility. After that period, the Cityride user can purchase $84 of fare value for $21 each quarter, low-income participants pay only $9 each quarter for $84 in fare value.
