How to Request a Ride On Demand for Seniors

Having accessible, on-demand ride services has become a critical part of many seniors’ care plans. Senior citizen transportation ensures that older adults can get out of the house, socialize, and accomplish their daily tasks like getting groceries, picking up prescriptions, seeing doctors, and visiting friends. Rather than driving, which can be unsafe and inconvenient, or taking the bus, which often isn’t accessible, a lot of seniors have turned to ride services like transportation routes, rideshare apps, and dial-a-ride services like GoGoGrandparent.   

Recently, the Journal of mHealth published an independent study that showed that on-demand rides for seniors reduce social isolation and improve quality of life. After a three-month study of senior citizens and individuals with chronic diseases, 92% of participants reported that access to ride services like Lyft improved the quality of their daily lives. 

In this article, we’ll go through the three most popular ride services for seniors. We’ll discuss their advantages and disadvantages and why GoGoGrandparent is increasingly becoming the number one choice for senior citizen transportation. 

Senior citizen transportation routes 

Some older adults live in an urban or suburban area that may offer scheduled bus, van, or shuttle routes. These can pick up seniors at their homes or a safe location nearby, and they can bring riders to a variety of commonly visited places like grocery stores, pharmacies, or hospitals. 

These sorts of preset transportation systems have previously been the most common ride services for seniors. While they can be good for some people, especially those living in assisted living facilities, it’s often not the most practical option. Riders do not have the freedom to go where they want, when they want. People can only go to certain locations on a set schedule, not all that dissimilar from a bus route. There’s no freedom of movement with these ride services. 

The difference between a senior citizen transportation route and a bus system is that the predetermined route is often tailored to the accessibility needs of older individuals. For example, the senior citizen transportation route van may have a ramp for those in a wheelchair and the driver may know where the handicap-accessible entrances are for certain destinations.

With that said, aside from accessibility features and professional drivers, a predetermined transportation route doesn’t offer the freedom, independence, and reliability that many adults require. 

Pros of transportation routes

• Accessibility for senior citizens
• Professional drivers with set safety protocols 
• Opportunity to meet new people 

Cons of transportation routes

• Less independence and flexibility 
• Can only go to certain locations
• Time constraints 
• Long waiting times 

Rideshare apps 

Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are common options for on-demand rides for adults. These ride services offer more freedom and independence than senior transportation routes because riders can request a ride to and from anywhere. This means you don’t have to just go to medical appointments and errands. You can also use rideshares to have access to entertainment, leisure, classes, social visits, and more.  

However, the pros of transportation routes like safety and accessibility are often not found with traditional rideshare apps. Ridesharing apps only screen and monitor their drivers to a certain degree. They do their best to ensure the drivers do not have a criminal background and are properly licensed to drive, but they don’t go above and beyond to ensure the quality, safety, or professionalism of their drivers. Additionally, a lot of rideshare drivers aren’t equipped for the unique concerns of senior citizens or adults with disabilities or chronic illnesses. For example, their cars may not have space for a wheelchair or cane, or they may not understand how to help someone who is visually impaired. 

Moreover, one of the major concerns we see with rideshare apps is that the pickups and drop-offs aren’t always exact, which is especially problematic if it happens with senior rides. A rider may put their pickup address as their home, but the GPS on the app tells the driver that their home is a block away. For someone who has trouble walking, this isn’t just an annoyance – this can be a critical failure that can put them at risk of injury, being late to an appointment, or losing their ride altogether. 

These aren’t just minor setbacks. An AARP 2018 study found that only 29% of adults over 50 have used rideshare services, even though 94% have heard of it. These adults note that they have privacy and safety concerns with ridesharing, which is why more don’t use rideshare apps. Also, some people just don’t want to use an app. Many individuals feel more comfortable using a telephone rather than using an app, and Uber and Lyft don’t offer any way to dial a ride. 

Pros of rideshare apps

• More autonomy and independence 
• Greater number of routes 

Cons of rideshare apps 

• Drivers are not vetted, especially for senior accessibility 
• Data breaches
• Faults in the system or GPS 
• No phone or dial a ride option 
• Can be expensive

GoGoGrandparent 

At GoGoGrandparent, we recognized the drawbacks to both traditional transportation services and to the more modern rideshare apps. Our founders wanted to bridge the gap to maintain all the advantages of both services while getting rid of those critical failures. 

With GoGoGrandparent, riders dial a ride and speak to a friendly operator at 1 (855) GOGO-USA. Pickups can happen within 15 minutes, or they can be scheduled in advance to ensure you are never late for an appointment. This reduces long waiting times or time constraints, so you have the freedom of a car – without actually having to drive a car. 

Our rides are like a rideshare app in that riders can get picked up and dropped off anywhere. This provides that critical autonomy and independence that adults need in their daily lives. We have partnered with Uber and Lyft so that drivers are always available to our clients. 

But we don’t just work with any Uber or Lyft driver. Our GoGoGuardian system ensures that we only partner with drivers who are previously approved for senior citizen transportation. That means their cars are accessible, their drivers are friendly and professional, and they are fully equipped to handle the individual needs of their riders. We can even send the driver notes about your exact pickup location, your accessibility requirements, and any preferences you may have. This helps reduce the traditional concerns of rideshare apps like unsafe practices, unvetted drivers, or faults in the automated system. Safety is critical in senior citizen transportation, and our GoGoGuardians take it seriously. 

What makes us different is that we vet drivers, screen cars, and monitor requests 24/7. This ensures riders have support and clear communication with drivers. Learn more about what makes our rideshare services different here. 

Why thousands have chosen GoGoGrandparent for rides for seniors: ‍

• Accessible ride services 
• Professional, vetted drivers who care about their riders
• Reliable, minimal-fault system 
• Flexibility and independence 
• Can go anywhere at any time 
• Dial a ride option

Find out why GoGoGrandparent is the top choice for senior citizen transportation. Call GoGo at 1 (855) 464-6872 or register for GoGoGrandparent here right now and in just a few minutes, you can dial a ride that’s safe and reliable.