The Ride United program seeks to reduce transportation barriers that prevent individuals from accessing healthcare, getting quality jobs, completing education programs, and more. Transportation has proven to be a key issue for many individuals seeking services to support pandemic recovery.
Ride United now offers Lyft Passes to connect community members to services that are critical to pandemic recovery, including education, employment, health care, and more. Referring Agents fill out a request form on behalf of riders and, if eligible, riders are contacted via text message with the next steps.
GENERAL FAQ
United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s Ride United Transportation Access Program offers free Lyft rides to residents of Westchester and Putnam Counties without access to a vehicle or public transportation.
Eligible Use Cases:
Health: Medical/Dental/Eye Appt & Testing; Substance Use Support; Mental Health Support/Community Support; Apply for Medicare/Medicaid/CHIP Services; Return Home from ER; Veterans Affairs Services; Pharmacy Services
Employment: Job Interview; Commute to/from Work; Pre-Employment Needs
Food: Grocery Store, Prepared/Hot Meals, Food Pantry/Bank, SNAP/WIC Benefits Access
Education: Enrollment; Commute to/from School, Class, Daycare; Guardian School Engagement; Library or Internet Access
Legal: Eviction Court; Court Ordered Community Service; Probation/Parole Check-in; Court, Ordered Education; Commute to/from Court Proceedings/Counsel
Housing: Accessing & Maintaining Benefits (vouchers, rental assistance, etc.); EmergencyShelter; Utilities Assistance
Economic Stability: Financial Coaching/Empowerment; Tax Preparation
Services; Essential Supplies (non-food); Record Obtainment (SSN, Birth/Death Cert., etc.); Transportation Services (DMV, car repair, etc.)
Yes, the rider needs a smart phone to use a Lyft Pass.
The RUTA Program is free to riders. Please note that for Lyft Passes, the client must pay any overages (including cancellations) or tips associated with the ride.
Referring Agents must request rides at least three business days before the needed scheduled time of pick up (Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 4 PM)
Unaccompanied minors are prohibited from traveling with Lyft. A passenger must be 18 to sign up for a Lyft account, but if a driver believes a passenger might be underage, the driver may ask the passenger to confirm their age.
One adult 18 years or older must accompany any minors in the Lyft.
At this time we are no longer accepting new requests for this program.
Please use the following link to create a Lyft Account: https://help.lyft.com/hc/e/all/articles/115012926947-How-to-create-a-Lyft-account
With Lyft Passes, there are two types of notifications you may receive from Lyft. You have the option to receive via text message or push notification (a pop-up on your mobile device): Account and trip updates inform you about ride requests and account information. They’re necessary for using the Lyft app and can be set to text or push notifications, but can’t be turned off.
If a rider repeatedly violates the conditions of the program, UWWP reserves the right to remove riders from the program. Violations include the following:
- Using Lyft Pass funds for uses that are not eligible.
- Using Lyft Pass funds for transportation outside of Westchester and Putnam Counties without permission.
Please note that for Lyft Passes the client must pay any overages (including cancellations) or tips associated with the ride.
