The RIDE

Starting in early 2023, additional service providers will be available for your trips. New drivers will have the same level of testing and training as RIDE drivers. They will also provide the same door-to-door service as RIDE drivers.
Learn what to expect on your trip
About The RIDE
The RIDE paratransit service provides door-to-door, shared-ride public transportation to 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 58 cities and towns in the greater Boston area, with similar operating hours to the MBTA—generally from 5 AM to 1 AM daily. Customers schedule their trips on The RIDE one to five days in advance and are given a pick-up window for their ride’s arrival. Travel times are comparable to the same trip taken on fixed-route transit (bus, subway, or trolley) plus an additional 20 minutes. Like other public transit services, The RIDE is a shared service, so you’ll travel with other customers going in the same general direction.
Paratransit, like other public transportation services, may not meet all the needs of people with disabilities, and it does not function as medical or human service transportation. For information about alternative transportation options, please contact the Mobility Center.
Download a map of The RIDE service area
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
- Somerville
- Stoneham
- Swampscott
- Topsfield
- Wakefield
- Walpole
- Waltham
- Watertown
- Wenham
- Weston
- Westwood
- Weymouth
- Wilmington
- Winchester
- Winthrop
- Woburn
The RIDE also serves portions of Abington, Avon, Billerica, Brockton, Stoughton, and Wellesley.
The Mobility Center
Not sure where to start? Call the Mobility Center* to learn more about accessible transit options, including The RIDE.
*As of May 11, 2023, masks are encouraged but not required for staff and visitors at the Mobility Center.
Getting Started with The RIDE
People who have a disability (temporary or permanent) that prevents them from using fixed-route public transit are eligible for The RIDE.
How to Update Your Contact Information
Need Help?
If you are experiencing a health or safety emergency, please call 911.
For help scheduling a trip, or if your driver does not arrive during your pick-up window, call The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) at 844-427-7433. Phones are staffed during The RIDE's hours of operation. Reservationists are available to schedule trips 8:30 AM – 5 PM daily.
Contact MBTA Customer Support at 617-222-3200 if you have suggestions, compliments, or complaints. Phones are staffed Monday - Friday: 6:30 AM - 8 PM and Saturday - Sunday: 8 AM - 4 PM.
The RIDE Flex
The RIDE Resources
Other RIDE Programs
Get Involved
The Mobility Center
Not sure where to start? Call the Mobility Center* to learn more about accessible transit options, including The RIDE.
*As of May 11, 2023, masks are encouraged but not required for staff and visitors at the Mobility Center.
Need Help?
If you are experiencing a health or safety emergency, please call 911.
For help scheduling a trip, or if your driver does not arrive during your pick-up window, call The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) at 844-427-7433. Phones are staffed during The RIDE's hours of operation. Reservationists are available to schedule trips 8:30 AM – 5 PM daily.
Contact MBTA Customer Support at 617-222-3200 if you have suggestions, compliments, or complaints. Phones are staffed Monday - Friday: 6:30 AM - 8 PM and Saturday - Sunday: 8 AM - 4 PM.