What to Expect on Your Trip

• 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 subscription 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 online 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.

All Massachusetts vaccine sites offer:

• Accessible entrances
• Waiting areas with seating available before and after  vaccine appointments
• 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:

• Doubletree Hotel (Danvers): 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 (Boston): 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 (Boston): 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.

In-home Vaccination Programs

In-home vaccination programs offered by the state may be available to people unable to leave their home.

Learn more about in-home vaccination programs

Riders can also check with their local board of health or council on aging, as some municipalities are operating local homebound vaccination programs as well.

Mass Health Transportation

All MassHealth members are eligible for transportation to and from vaccine sites. Members who normally have access to transportation can ask their doctor to submit a vaccine transportation request on their behalf.

Call the MassHealth Customer Service Center at 800-841-2900.

RideMatch

RideMatch assists users in finding public and private transportation options in their community.

Learn more about RideMatch

Call 844-427-7433 to locate the vehicle or estimate its time of arrival. 

If you’re able to walk, but use a manual wheelchair or walker, the driver will collapse and store it in the cargo area once you’re on board. The driver can help you get over 1 curb and 1 step, but can’t carry you or your mobility device.

Your driver will offer you the optional use of an MBTA body belt when they greet you. They’ll also explain how they will fasten and unfasten seat belts on the vehicle’s wheelchair/scooter securement system.

If you use a support cane, you can choose to hold it or store it in the cargo area. You can’t store it on the floor of the vehicle. If you use a red or white cane that collapses, you may collapse it and keep it with you.