Transportation Services

Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the Disabled

Berkeley Rides for Seniors & the Disabled (BRSD) provides free taxi scrip/wheelchair van vouchers to eligible senior and disabled residents.  The taxi scrip/van vouchers are used for rides provided by designated taxicabs and our accessible wheelchair van service provider.  We also have a partnership with GoGoGrandparent, a call center that arranges free rides with Uber and Lyft.  These rides are offered on a limited basis to currently registered BRSD riders.

Eligibility requirements and how to apply

You are eligible for 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 seniors@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.

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.

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

Assists currently registered BRSD program participants with transportation needs associated with frequent medical appointments by issuing extra taxi scrip or wheelchair van vouchers.

GoGoGrandparent (GGG)

GGG is a call center that arranges rides with Uber and Lyft.  BRSD has partnered with GGG to provide free uber and Lyft rides.  The program is currently available to registered BRSD riders on a limited basis.

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. Trainings will be held in April, August and December.

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

BRSD Printable Fact Sheets:

High Medical Needs Program Factsheet

BRSD Taxi Scrip and Van Voucher Factsheet

BRSD General Program Overview Factsheet

Transport to and from Senior Centers

Registered senior center Berkeley seniors who have difficulty finding transportation to Berkeley Senior Centers can request door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services. Space is limited: call the Senior Center you’d like to visit to reserve a spot:

• North Berkeley Senior Center: (510) 981-5190 
• South Berkeley Senior Center: (510) 981-5170

Field trips and shopping trips

Senior Centers offers field and grocery shopping trips to registered senior center seniors to local activities, such as museums, festivals and concerts, as well as shopping trips to local grocery stores.  To find out about upcoming trips, please view the Nugget monthly newsletter. To register, call (510) 981-5170 or (510) 981-5190.