News Details

STA expands popular Medical Trip Concierge program, enhancing transportation options for older and disabled adults thanks to funding allocated by County Board of Supervisors from Coronavirus-related CARES Act funds

September 21, 2020

SOLANO COUNTY – Solano County residents who are 60-years and older, including those living with disabilities, can take advantage of a new transportation pilot program that expands critical access to existing transportation services, giving individuals more options when it comes to attending medical appointments, going to the pharmacy and making other essential trips during the COVID-19 pandemic health emergency.

On Tuesday, August 25, the Solano County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $150,000 in Coronavirus-related CARES Act funding to expand the Solano Transportation Authority’s (STA) Medical Trip Concierge Program.  The funds go to help combine two of its most popular programs, GoGo and Intercity Taxi Card, into a single transportation service called “Medical Trip Concierge.”  The GoGo Grandparent pilot program subsidizes rides in Uber, Lyft and taxi services by up to 80 percent for residents age 60 years and older, and expands the program to include ADA eligible Solano County residents.  The pilot program also doubles the number of subsidized rides individuals can take to and from appointments from 10 rides per month to (up to) 20 rides per month.

“Thanks to the Board’s CARES Act funding, we are able to combine the strengths of both transportation programs into one, making it easier for riders and increasing their ability to make critical appointments,” says Daryl Halls, Executive Director at STA. “This will help address the current situation where an already vulnerable population is now facing reduced access to essential transportation services.”

STA estimates, based on the current demand for both ride-sharing programs, the number of individuals, including the number of rides, will increase considerably as part of the new GoGo Grandparent pilot program.  While the CARES Act funding requires funds to be expended by December 31, 2020, if the pilot program remains popular, STA will seek additional State Transit Assistance Funds to keep the program going in the future.

To schedule a ride on Medical Trip Concierge GoGo Grandparent pilot program, eligible residents are encouraged to call the Solano Mobility Call Center at 1 (800) 535-6883 between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday, and online at
www.SolanoMobility.org.  Dispatchers at the Solano Mobility Call Center offer free personalized assistance to help travelers get to their appointments using this new expanded service.