Seniors Will Receive Free Ubers Following SEPTA Cuts

Older adults in Philadelphia will soon be able to request free rides from Uber as SEPTA rolls out significant cuts to its public transit system.

The rideshare company told The Philadelphia Inquirer that it will fund the services through its new Uber Senior Rides Program. Uber spokesperson Freddi Goldstein said the new measure aims to “fill in transit gaps” from SEPTA service reductions. The first round of these changes took effect on Sunday, Aug. 24.

According to The Inquirer, Uber has pledged upward of tens of thousands of dollars to the program. The Senior Rides Program will continue until funds are depleted or customer demand necessitates scaling up the service, Goldstein said.

State Rep. Morgan Cephas, who represents parts of West Philadelphia and directs the city's all-Democratic House delegation, said Uber representatives contacted her team about its pilot program. She hopes that the program will launch by early September.

Once Uber's rideshare program has officially launched, Philadelphia residents ages 60 and older can request vouchers for free rides by contacting two city nonprofits: ACHIEVEability or the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC), according to Cephas. Staff from these organizations will also be able to assist older adults in obtaining rides and teach them how to use the Uber app on their smartphones to request rides.

OARC President and CEO Kimberly A. Lloyd said that her staff seeks to prioritize older adults in three West Oak Lane-area ZIP codes: 19138, 19126, and 19150.

“We're trying to be very conscious of where the rides are going,” Lloyd told The Inquirer. “We don't want someone to take a ride to go visit someone outside of Philadelphia. We look at this as an opportunity for a round trip,” such as to and from a local grocery store or appointment.

ACHIEVEability's staff plans to prioritize Philly's older adults from any neighborhood who are going to the doctor, the grocery store, or financial appointments, said executive director Jamila Harris-Morrison.