Equitable Access to Transportation

Your guide to affordable, accessible, alternative transportation

ACCESS

You can find dockless bikes and scooters, bus stops, Capital Bikeshare stations, and Metro stations across all eight wards of the District. Qualified disabled and senior residents may also get assistance from WMATA’s bus and rail services.

EQUITY

Explore the many accessible transportation options for DC residents who are age 65 and older, living with disabilities, or considered low-income.

MOBILITY

The District offers programs that enable more equitable access to transportation. There are free and discount programs for eligible residents to use Capital Bikeshare, dockless bikes, electric scooters, and public transit.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

  • Discount Programs

    DC has a number of transportation programs in place that provide free or discounted access to the city’s alternative transportation options. Here’s a quick resource guide available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Amharic, and Vietnamese.

  • Senior/Disabled Programs

    WMATA is committed to helping customers with disabilities use the Metrobus and Metrorail systems for travel around the region. Learn about their accessibility programs and features.

  • Veteran Programs

    Eligible DC veterans seeking educational, health, employment, food distribution, or housing services can get FREE rideshare trips through the VetsRide program.

  • On-Demand Shuttle Service

    DC Neighborhood Connect is an on-demand shared-ride shuttle service, offering service in parts of wards 1, 4, 5 & 8 and the NoMa-Gallaudet Red Line Station in Ward 6.

  • Senior Med Express

    Residents of the District who are 60-years and older and have a medical condition requiring essential life-sustaining appointments are eligible for non-emergency media transportation and meal delivery. Learn how you can apply for these benefits.

  • DC SchoolConnect

    DC SchoolConnect provides dedicated buses for students to DCPS and public charter schools in Wards 7 and 8. Learn more & enroll.

PARATRANSIT SERVICES

MetroAccess, Metro Transit and More.

Want to learn more about Paratransit services in DC? Our Residential & Hospitality Services Coordinator, Lessie Henderson, discusses these equitable services with DC Yellow Cab, DC Department for-Hire Vehicles (DC DFHV) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and how residents can benefit from them. 

RESOURCES & INFORMATION

Transportation equity is the shared and just distribution of benefits and burdens when planning for and investing in transportation infrastructure and services. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is committed to elevating and advancing transportation equity to ensure public investments in transportation justly benefit all residents, visitors, and commuters.

Review DDOT’s equity statement and learn about their committed efforts to achieve transportation equity across all communities.

In the District, focused attention is given to historically under-resourced communities including people of color, individuals who identify as female, low-income residents, residents at risk of displacement, disabled residents, people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity​, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrant and refugee communities, youth, older adults, and people with limited English proficiency and literacy.

DC SchoolConnect provides dedicated buses for students to DCPS and public charter schools in Wards 7 and 8. Learn more & enroll.

Capital Bikeshare offers an affordable, accessible, and fun transportation option for everyone, regardless of income. Bikes are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the DC metro area. Their equity program, Capital Bikeshare for All, allows those who qualify for certain state or federal assistance programs (SNAP, TANF, etc.) to get an annual membership for just $5! This includes unlimited classic bike rides up to 60 minutes. Sign up online or join through a Community Partner.

DDOT requires every permitted scooter company to make its vehicles available to everyone under the Low-Income Customer Plan. These companies must offer programs that reduce barriers to accessing dockless bikes and scooters, regardless of income. If eligible, you can get FREE unlimited 30-minue trips. To sign up, contact the individual operators:

  • The LyftUp program provides FREE and discounted car rides to unemployed individuals, low-income families, and seniors for essential needs like job interviews and trainings, grocery stores, financial assistance appointments, emergency shelter, and more.
  • VetsRide is a FREE transportation service for DC veterans seeking educational, health, employment, food distribution, or housing services. Operating 7 days a week from 6am to 10pm, the program also allows for transport to locations outside of DC for specialized care like Walter Reed in Bethesda, or medical centers in Bowie or Laurel. This program is a partnership between the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) and the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA).
    • To be eligible, you must be a veteran resident of Washington, DC with an annual income less than $45,000 or recently unemployed. To apply, call MOVA at 202-724-4010. Once accepted, vets receive 16 vouchers per month that can be used for rideshare vehicles and dispatch services. To book a ride, call 202-398-0500. 

  • Senior SmarTrip – Customers age 65 and older automatically qualify for reduced fares. Purchase a Senior SmarTrip® card by showing a valid photo ID with proof of age at any Metro Sales office, commuter store, or other select retail outlets.
  • Reduced Fare SmarTrip – Customers under age 65 who receive Medicare automatically qualify for a Reduced Fare SmarTrip® photo ID card and receive half fare on Metrobus and Metrorail. Bring a government-issued photo ID and a valid Medicare card to the Metro Transit Accessibility Center at 600 5th St NW, Washington, DC, 20001. When paying cash on Metrobus, simply show the bus operator a photo ID and a valid Medicare card.
  • Metro Lift offers 50% off Metrobus and Metrorail trips for DC customers enrolled in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). To apply, here’s what you’ll need:
    • SmarTrip card for you and each person in your SNAP household.
    • Active SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
    • SNAP benefit summary (if signing up other members of your household).
    • Current government-issued photo ID card, such as a valid DC driver’s license or state ID; federal ID; military ID; tribal ID; permanent residency (green) card; DC One card; or U.S. passport.
    • Phone number

    Metro offers two easy ways for District residents to enroll: online and in-person. When applying online, complete the online enrollment form for you and/or members of your SNAP household. For in-person, submit documents to the L’Enfant Metro Transit Accessibility Center located at 655 Virginia Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024.

    • Metrorail: Orange, Blue, Silver, Yellow, Green  to L’Enfant Plaza
    • Metrobus routes: 32, 36, 52,74, P6
    • Business hours are Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm. 

Lime Able is an adaptive vehicle program designed for riders with unique ability needs. This is a great option if you are not comfortable or unable to utilize regular electric bikes or scooters; or require storage capabilities to carry vital medical equipment like a cane, braces, or oxygen equipment. Reserve a vehicle for up to 24 hours for FREE ($5 refundable deposit returned upon successful retrieval of device), delivered directly to a location of your choice.

MetroAccess Paratransit – MetroAccess is a shared, door-to-door, paratransit service for people whose disability prevents them from using the regular Metrobus or Metrorail. Rides are offered in the same service areas and during the same hours of operation as Metrorail and Metrobus. To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements:

  • Have a disability as defined by the ADA and be unable to utilize the Metrobus and Metrorail some or all of the time as a result of your disability.
  • Need to use a ramp or wheelchair lift to board or exit a public transit vehicle, but an accessible vehicle is not being used at the time, date, and on the route you would travel. Keep in mind that all Metrobuses are wheelchair accessible.
  • Be unable to travel to/from a bus stop or rail station due to a disability, or an accessible pathway to a bus stop or rail station is not available.

 

To apply, download and complete the application, or request an application by calling 202-962-2700 and select option 1; or TTY 202-962-2033; or by emailing eligibility@wmata.com.

  • AbilitiesRide – Abilities-Ride is a safe, easy, and flexible alternative for MetroAccess customers. The program allows you to take some of your trips with local taxicabs, sedan and van companies, and national transportation network companies at a FREE or discounted fare. Please be advised that Abilities-Ride providers only offer curb-to-curb service, not door-to-door like MetroAccess. For more information, call 202-281-8984.
  • Reduced Fare SmarTrip – Qualified customers and veterans with disabilities can ride public transit at a discounted rate using a Reduced Fare SmarTrip® photo ID card, which can be used to pay Metrobus and Metrorail fares, buy a 7-Day regional pass, and pay half the peak fare on Metrorail. Reduced Fare SmarTrip® photo ID cards are issued on a walk-in basis at the Transit Accessibility Center located at 600 5th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. A card will be issued the same day if you meet the eligibility criteria. To apply, download and complete the application, or request an application by calling 202-962-2700 and select option 1; or TTY 202-962-2033; or by emailing eligibility@wmata.com.

GET A GUARANTEED RIDE

Reliable Rides.

Do you regularly carpool, vanpool, ride a bike or scooter, walk, or take public transit to work? You’re entitled to six FREE guaranteed rides home in the event of an emergency or unscheduled overtime, courtesy of Commuter Connections.

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