MBTA Partners with Uber, Lyft for Paratransit Pilot

BOSTON, MA – The Mass. Bay Transit Authority on Friday announced a partnership that it calls a "first-of-its-kind innovative pilot program" with mobile ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft.

Through the program, the companies supplement the MBTA's "RIDE" program, which serves people with disabilities, by providing subsidized rides. For those without smartphones, Lyft is providing a phone-in option, and Uber is allowing users to obtain a smart phone from them on a limited basis.

According to a release from the governor's office, "The On-Demand Paratransit Pilot Program will allow the MBTA to learn and understand the opportunities and challenges of incorporating on-demand paratransit options into public transit, and follows a program launched in January with multiple Boston-area taxi providers to subsidize trips for RIDE users via cab."

“The reliability of our transportation system depends on the MBTA’s ability to improve its core infrastructure and provide efficient, innovative transit options that meet the needs of the system’s one million daily riders,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in the release. “This initiative represents the MBTA’s efforts to increase accessibility in a more cost-effective and efficient way that also delivers more convenient service for its paratransit customers.”

According to Baker's office, current RIDE service comes at a variable cost of $31 to the MBTA, a $3.15 set fare for customers and a minimum of one day advance notice required. Ride-share pilot participants will have on-demand service available via their smartphone app or the phone-in option and pay the first $2.00 of the trip. The MBTA will pick up the next $13.00 of the trip, with the customer picking up any remaining trip costs.

There are other pieces at play in the pilot as well.

Lyft is partnering with a local Americans with Disabilities Act/Non-Emergency Medical Transportation firm to provide wheelchair accessible rental vehicles to Lyft drivers. To incentivize the supply of wheelchair accessible vehicles on the road, the MBTA will offer an additional $12 per completed trip to those Lyft drivers using an accessible rental, the press release said. Uber currently has wheelchair accessible vehicles through its UberACCESS program that will be available for the MBTA pilot, it said.

Both will also offer additional training for drivers in assisting RIDE customers, as well as educational materials.

A press conference announcing the partnership was held at the Perkins School for the Blind, which helped initiate the pilot, according to Baker's office.

Interested RIDE customers are encouraged to participate by visiting the MBTA’s website for more information and signing up with both Uber and Lyft to maximize participation. RIDE-eligible users approved for the pilot will receive app access to request on-demand services.

For more information on The RIDE paratransit program, including service area, click here.

Photo of MBTA RIDE bus photo via MBTA