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The Ride (sometimes styled as The RIDE) is the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's ADA paratransit program for people with physical, mental or cognitive disabilities that make it difficult or impossible to ride the MBTA's fixed-route bus, subway, and trolley system. The Ride provides door-to-door service, from vehicle to door. Using wheelchair accessible vans and four door sedans (cars), drivers (paratransit operators) assist passengers from door to vehicle, take them directly to their destinations, and assist them from vehicle to door. The Ride satisfies requirements under the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act for transit systems to provide services for those who cannot ride the fixed-route system.[1] The service began in April 1977 with two vehicles.[2] In 2023, The Ride provided 1.5 million rides to 30,000 riders with a $130 million budget.[3]
Unlike the MBTA's fixed-route services, The Ride trips must be scheduled in advance, typically by 5pm local time the day before. Same-day trip changes and those greater than 3/4 mile from fixed-route services and outside of the core service area are considered premium trips and incur a surcharge.[1] The Ride does not use the MBTA's CharlieCard; instead, passengers must set up an individual account with the MBTA.[1]
In 2016, the MBTA started a pilot program that allows passengers to use a TNC (transportation network company) such as Lyft or Uber a specified number of times per month.[4] This is a curb to curb service rather than door to door service, and there is very limited availability of TNC vehicles with wheelchair lifts. However, there is no need to call and schedule the day before: the TNC trip is set up through a smartphone application. Under this program, for each trip the passenger pays a small fare and the MBTA pays the TNC up to a certain amount; if the total fare is above that amount, the passenger is responsible for the rest of the fare.[3]
The Ride has attracted criticism in recent years for its high operating cost per rider per trip (over US$65 in 2016) and its inefficient service model. The vendors operating the Ride are contracted to receive over $40 per trip made minus penalties for lateness. As of July 2019, passengers pay a fare of $3.35 for an ADA regular trip and $5.60 for a non-ADA premium trip. The rest of the cost, over 90%, is covered by the MBTA.[5][6] By policy or regulation, the fare for a trip on The Ride is kept close to the fare for a trip on an MBTA bus.
- ^ a b c "THE Ride Paratransit Program". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ "MBTA Marks The Ride's 25 Years of Service" (PDF). TRANSReport. Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization. May 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ^ a b Coholan, Ryan; Stiehler, Michele (April 25, 2024). "The RIDE Low Income Fares & RIDE Flex Contracts" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
- ^ "The RIDE Flex | the RIDE | MBTA".
- ^ Katz, Bob; et al. (December 2011). "Ride Program Review – Final Report" (PDF). Financial Analysis and Control Technology Services LLC. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ Quinn, Colleen (21 February 2012). "Inspector General recommends money savers for costly MBTA Ride program". MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved 11 July 2013.