Transportation Services

Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the Disabled

Berkeley Rides for Seniors & the Disabled (BRSD) provides no cost taxi, accessible wheelchair van and GoGo (Uber and/or Lyft) rides for eligible City of Berkeley senior and disabled residents.  The taxi rides are provided by permitted City of Berkeley taxicabs and our accessible wheelchair van services are provided by our community partner, Easy Does It.  We also have a partnership with GoGo, a call center, that arranges and provides rides with Uber and Lyft.

Eligibility requirements and how to apply

You are eligible for free transportation with Berkeley Rides for Seniors & the Disabled if you are a Berkeley resident and meet one of the criteria below:

• You are 70 years old or over, or
• You are East-Bay Paratransit certified, of any age

To apply to BRSD, complete an application form and submit it to: Berkeley Rides for Seniors & the Disabled, 1901 Hearst Avenue Berkeley, CA 94709 OR email application to BRSD@berkeleyca.gov.

If you are a Berkeley resident with disabilities and are not yet East-Bay Paratransit certified, please apply on their website or by calling (510) 287-5000.

BRSD applications take 2 to 3 weeks to process and approve. Once your application has been processed, you will be notified by mail and receive instructions on how to use the taxi, GoGo (Uber/Lyft) and accessible wheelchair van programs.

You will receive paper taxi scrip and van vouchers by mail during the months of August and January. You will also receive your GoGo ride credits during same months.

Services BRSD provides

Taxi Scrip Program

Provides a limited amount of free scrip (i.e., temporary paper money) to pay for rides on conventional taxicabs.

Wheelchair-Van Program

Provides a limited amount of free van vouchers to wheelchair users needing accessible wheelchair van service for rides. Residents who travel by wheelchair and are certified by East Bay Paratransit requiring wheelchair-lift service are eligible for the program, regardless of age and income level, are eligible for the program. Rides are provided in an accessible wheelchair van by our community partner, Easy Does It.

East Bay Paratransit Tickets

Provides for a limited number of free East Bay Paratransit tickets to individuals currently registered with BRSD and certified by East Bay Paratransit.

High Medical Need Program

BRSD program participants who have at least 2 medical appointments per month can get additional free taxi and van vouchers. Medically related appointments include doctor visits, physical therapy or other related rehabilitation therapies, dialysis, radiation and chemotherapy treatment. Must have a Physician’s Certification signed by your physician verifying your medical visits.

GOGO (GG) Program

GGG is a call center that arranges rides with Uber and Lyft. BRSD has partnered with GG to provide no cost Uber and Lyft rides. 

Travel Training 

In collaboration with United Seniors of Oakland and Alameda County, BRSD hosts travel training opportunities at both the North and South Berkeley Senior Centers throughout the year. The trainings provide information on how to safely and successfully navigate public transportation such as AC Transit and BART.

For further information or questions, please call (510) 981-7269.

sENIOR CENTER TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM

Senior Centers offers transportation to and from our senior centers, grocery shopping and field trips, museums,  national parks and beaches, festivals and concerts. To find out about upcoming trips, please view the Nugget monthly newsletter. To register, call (510) 981-5170 or (510) 981-5190.

Services provided in part with support from Alameda County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and California Department of Aging.