Transportation Options Worksheet

Define what each trip requires

Before contacting a transportation service, outline the details of the actual trip. These specifics help you determine whether a ride will meet the older adult’s needs.

• Where and how often: List medical appointments, pharmacy visits, grocery shopping, therapy, adult day programs, faith gatherings, social activities, and recurring errands.
• When it must happen: Note appointment times, flexible pickup windows, early or late hours, and whether you know the return time in advance.
• Mobility and equipment: Ask about walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, oxygen, safe transfers, and vehicle requirements before making a reservation.
• Help at pickup and drop-off: Determine whether the person needs curb-to-curb, door-to-door, or hands-on assistance, and whether someone must accompany them.
• Booking and return rides: Confirm advance notice, repeat bookings, cancellation fees, wait times, and how the ride home is arranged.
• Cost and coverage: Ask for the full round-trip price, payment methods, and any health-plan, Medicaid, voucher, or other program eligibility rules.

Transportation options to investigate

The right mix will differ by community. Start with these categories, then confirm actual availability, requirements, and costs with local providers.

• Family, friends, and neighbors: Coordinate willing drivers without leaving every ride to one person. Keep a backup for essential trips.
• Public buses, trains, and shuttles: Consider route availability, distance to stops, weather exposure, boarding access, and the person’s comfort using the service.
• ADA complementary paratransit: Ask the local transit agency about disability-related eligibility, service limits, booking procedures, and assistance policies.
• Local aging and disability services: Check senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging, nonprofits, community agencies, and volunteer driver programs.
• Health-plan or Medicaid transportation: Review whether rides are covered for qualifying healthcare visits and what approval, booking, and escort rules apply.
• Taxi, rideshare, or private drivers: Compare overall pricing, availability, vehicle access, caregiver accompaniment, and the support a driver can actually provide.
• Faith-based and membership programs: Look for volunteer or community options for shopping, worship, social visits, and other routine trips.

Compare your local choices

Add one local ride provider or contact per row. Verify cost, eligibility, accessibility, and service area directly before treating an option as available.

On a phone, swipe the table left and right to see every column. The downloadable PDF has more space to write.

Build the backup plan before you need it

A dependable plan covers the ride there, the trip home, and what happens if something changes.

• Assign two options: Record a primary driver or service and at least one backup for medical visits and other essential trips.
• Keep contact details together: Save phone numbers, eligibility notes, booking instructions, pickup locations, and cancellation information where helpers can find them.
• Confirm the return trip: Ask what happens if the appointment finishes early, runs late, or has an unpredictable release time.
• Make handoffs explicit: Decide who will call the backup provider, escort the rider, or manage a cancellation or delay.
• Recognize emergencies: Routine transportation services are not a replacement for the appropriate emergency response system.