The RIDE

Temporary Changes to The RIDE
As part of the continuing effort to protect the health and safety of customers and MBTA employees, and to preserve the continuity of services essential travel, the following service changes have been made in consultation with The Riders’ Transportation Access Group, the Boston Center for Independent Living, and the Massachusetts Senior Action Council.
- Shared trips have been eliminated. RIDE customers can still bring a personal care attendant and/or guest on their trip.
- The RIDE Eligibility Center (TREC) is closed for in-personappointments until further notice. All interaction with TREC, including ADA Visitor Requests, will be conducted during business hours over the phone.
- Booking windows have been adjusted. Starting March 28, RIDE customers will need to book trips 1 – 3 days in advance.
- Customers with subscriptions trips will be contacted by TRAC to confirm those trips are still required.
- The RIDE will work to eliminate transfer trips to reduce customer interaction with multiple drivers.
- All RIDE vehicles are cleaned and disinfected every 24 hours.
Learn more about these changes
Please note: All riders and employees are required by federal and state law to wear face coverings while riding the T unless a medical condition prevents them from doing so during travel. Not doing so is a violation of federal and state law and failure to comply may result in denial of boarding, removal, penalties under federal law, and/or a fine issued by the Transit Police.
The RIDE customers can book trips to travel to and from their vaccination or testing appointments.
We recommend customers book two trips on The RIDE—one for your drop off at the site, and one for your return trip.
Booking the day before: Schedule a trip or call 844-427-7433.
Booking with flexibility: The RIDE pilot* with Uber and Lyft enables customers to book trips within minutes of needing them. New and existing pilot customers will receive 2 additional monthly trips from April through July to ensure they can get to their vaccine appointments.
*The RIDE pilot is available to all eligible RIDE customers.It includes options to:
- Request a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV)
- Order trips with or without a smartphone
- Sign up and be approved within 2 business days (including switching providers)
For in-person vaccination and testing sites:
- To be dropped off, schedule your trip based on your appointment time. Leave some extra time in case of delays.
- For your return trip, please allow extra time as the site may require you remain there for observation.
For drive-through vaccination and testing sites:
Please note that The RIDE vehicles will not stay at the site during your vaccination or test.
- Confirm with the site in advance that you can be vaccinated or tested without a vehicle.
- Since customers cannot stay in the vehicle, follow the same booking tips as you would for an in-person site.
In-home Vaccinations
The state and many localities recently launched homebound vaccination programs providing in-home vaccinations for people unable to leave their home. For additional information, call the Homebound Vaccination Central Intake Line at 833-983-0485. The call center is open Monday –Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Customers can also check with their local board of health or council on aging, as some municipalities operate local homebound vaccination programs.
Learn more about in-home vaccinations
Mass Health Transportation
All MassHealth members are now eligible for transportation to and from vaccination sites. Members who normally have access to transportation can ask their doctor to submit a vaccination transportation request on their behalf. Members who don’t typically have this option can call the MassHealth Customer Service Center at 800-841-2900.
RideMatch
RideMatch assists users in finding public and private transportation options in their community.
State vaccination sites offer:
- Accessible entrances
- Waiting areas for people to sit before and after the vaccination appointment
- Staff available for mobility assistance and direction
- Accessible pick-up and drop-off areas
- Wheelchairs provided on-site
State vaccination sites accessible by The RIDE:
- Danvers Doubletree Hotel 50 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, MA 01923, staff designated to assist customers with mobility issues, wheelchairs provided upon request, accessible ramp at front entrance, visual language line on-site
- Reggie Lewis Center 1350 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02120, staff designated to assist customers with mobility issues, wheelchairs provided upon request, fully accessible entrance and exit, visual language line on-site, in-person interpreters that speak Spanish, Haitian-Creole, and Mandarin Chinese
- Hynes Convention Center 900 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115, staff designated to assist customers with mobility issues, wheelchairs provided upon request, fully accessible main entrance, visual language line on-site, in-person interpreters that speak Spanish, Haitian-Creole, and Mandarin Chinese
Routematch Software Transition
The RIDE implemented new software called Routematch on August 15, 2020. Routematch includes a new and improved website to book, view, and cancel your trips online.
You can also call TRAC at 844-427-7433 to book your trip.
About The RIDE
The RIDE paratransit service provides door-to-door, shared-ride transportation to eligible people who can’t use the subway, bus, or trolley all or some of the time due to temporary or permanent disability.
The RIDE is available year-round in fifty-eight cities and towns in the greater Boston area, with similar operating hours to the MBTA—generally from 5 AM to 1 AM daily. Travel times are comparable to the same trip taken on fixed-route (bus, subway or trolley) plus an additional 20 minutes. The RIDE is a shared service, so you’ll travel with other customers going in the same general direction.
Under the ADA, paratransit functions as a “safety net” for people whose disabilities prevent them from using public transit. It is not intended to be a comprehensive system of transportation that meets all the needs of people with disabilities, nor does it function as medical or human service transportation.
The RIDE serves these cities and towns:
Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Beverly, Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Burlington, Cambridge, Canton, Chelsea, Cohasset, Concord, Danvers, Dedham, Everett, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Lexington, Lincoln, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Marblehead, Medfield, Medford, Melrose, Middleton, Milton, Nahant, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Peabody, Quincy, Randolph, Reading, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Sharon, Sharon, Somerville, Stoneham, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wakefield, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, Wenham, Weston, Westwood, Weymouth, Wilmington, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn.
Portions of Abington, Avon, Billerica, Brockton, Stoughton, and Wellesley are also served.
Who’s eligible for The RIDE?
- People who have a disability (temporary or permanent) that prevents them from using traditional public transit.
- If you’ve had a medical emergency, your licensed healthcare provider can request thirty days of The RIDE for you that starts immediately.
- Out-of-town visitors with disabilities may also be eligible to use The RIDE
How do I apply for The RIDE?
Contact The RIDE Eligibility Center (TREC) at 617-337-2727, or email us at trec@paratransit.org.
Taking a Trip on The RIDE

Once you’re approved for The RIDE, you’ll need to add funds to your account. Please note that you must have sufficient funds in your RIDE account to schedule a trip.
Type | One-way fare per customer | ||
---|---|---|---|
Type | Local ADA | One-way fare per customer | $3.35 |
Type | Premium non-ADA | One-way fare per customer | $5.60 |
How do I add funds?
Log into your RIDE account to add funds with a major credit or debit card. Keep the confirmation number of your transaction for your records.
It can take up to 2 business days for funds to be available in your account.
Call 888-844-0355 and select option 2 (voice and relay).
Hours (including holidays) are:
- Monday – Friday: 7 AM – 8 PM
- Saturday – Sunday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Keep the confirmation number of your transaction for your records.
Funds are available in your account immediately.
The CharlieCard Store is located in Downtown Crossing Station:
7 Chauncy Street
Boston, MA 02111
For the accessible entrance:
32 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02111
Through the 101 Arch Street building.
Funds are immediately available in your account.
Mail a check or money order to:
MBTA - The RIDE
P.O. Box 845097
Boston, MA 02284-5097
Payment should be made out to "MBTA - The RIDE Fares." Please note your RIDE ID number on the memo line.
It may take up to 5 business days for funds to be available in your account.
- Customers may bring one guest, additional guests are allowed if space is available.
- Personal Care Assistants (PCA) and children under the age of 11 (accompanying a customer; up to 2 children per customer) are not charged fares.
Premium non-ADA fares apply if the trip origin and/or destination is greater than 3/4 miles from MBTA bus or subway service or for same-day changes, except for trip time negotiation. Your fare will be confirmed when you schedule a trip.
How do I book trips on The RIDE?
Trips on The RIDE need to be scheduled 1-7 days in advance. Note that trips cannot be booked after 5 PM for travel the following day.
Available 24 hours a day.
Available daily between 8:30 AM and 5 PM.
Call The RIDE Access Transit Center (TRAC):
- Voice: 844-427-7433
- TTY: 857-206-6569
What can I expect from The RIDE?
Before you start traveling, take a few minutes to read through our policies below to learn more about what you should expect from The RIDE.
Other RIDE Programs

The MBTA is running on-demand paratransit pilots with Uber, Lyft, and Curb Mobility (taxi), where RIDE customers can book subsidized rides instantly, right from their smartphones.
Contact Us
If you haven’t received a confirmation call about your trip, or if your driver hasn’t arrived after 15 minutes, please call The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) at 844-427-7433. We can locate your driver and estimate their time of arrival.
Please contact MBTA Customer Support with suggestions, compliments, or complaints.
The RIDE Guide
Download a PDF version of the important information that explains how to get started with The RIDE.
Routematch Software Transition
The RIDE implemented new software called Routematch on August 15, 2020. Routematch includes a new and improved website to book, view, and cancel your trips online.
You can also call TRAC at 844-427-7433 to book your trip.
The RIDE Guide
Download a PDF version of the important information that explains how to get started with The RIDE.