City of Austin Senior Transportation Program
The city program provides rides for adults age 60 and older who live within Austin city limits. It includes routine medical trips, routes to meal sites, and reserved rides for errands inside the city, with different fees and procedures.
About City of Austin Senior Transportation Program
In Austin, one call to the city program can address a practical barrier: getting to a routine medical appointment, a community lunch, or a basic errand when driving is no longer easy. Parks and Recreation operates the service for residents age 60 and older within Austin city limits. It does not cover all of Travis County or every suburb in the metro area.
The city separates three ride types. Routine, non-emergency medical trips and regular routes to meal centers are free, with an optional one-dollar contribution. Reserve-a-Ride provides door-to-door trips to destinations within Austin for three dollars per destination. Group trips cost six dollars per rider and require at least seven riders. Reservations are taken by phone on a first-come basis, so advance planning matters.
For schedules and reservations, call (512) 974-1464; riders first need to register and receive eligibility confirmation. The city’s rider guide asks users to plan ahead, mention an accessible vehicle if needed, and observe the pickup window. This is not emergency transportation: surgery and urgent situations are not treated as routine medical trips under the program.
Lunch offers another point of entry. Austin lists eight congregate meal centers in partnership with Meals on Wheels Central Texas. They are open to people age 60 and older; the suggested contribution is one to three dollars, but payment is not required. Some sites also offer activities, nutrition education, and social-service referrals. The ride program may connect a rider’s home with the nearest meal center, so it is useful to ask about both services at once.
People living outside Austin can contact the Capital Area Agency on Aging (CAPCOG), which serves Travis and nine other counties with information, benefits support, temporary caregiver help, and local service referrals. That regional coverage does not automatically expand the city ride boundary. Medicare also should not be confused with ongoing daily care; confirm the program, geography, and eligibility before relying on a specific ride or service.
Municipal senior transportation program