Ride codes provide discounted transportation access to both doses for seniors in need

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Armando Trull
Media Relations Manager
571-527-4007
armando.trull@ncoa.org

Arlington, VA (May 19, 2021) — The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the national voice for every person’s right to age well, is partnering with Lyft to provide access to reliable, affordable transportation to older adults who need a ride to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

Lyft has provided ride codes with a value of up to $25 each to travel to and from COVID-19 vaccination appointments for both the first and second doses. NCOA will distribute the codes to older adults and to professionals at local nonprofit organizations who can help their older clients use them. The effort is part of the company’s Universal Vaccine Access campaign, which is mobilizing a coalition of partners to provide access to rides to and from vaccination sites across the country. 

“We know that lack of transportation can make it difficult for many older adults to travel to and from medical appointments, including the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Ramsey Alwin, NCOA President and CEO.

“NCOA is grateful to Lyft for recognizing that this need is even greater among low-income communities of color—and for providing access to rides for this population.”

“Millions of people lack access to basic needs every day because they can’t get a ride,” said Lisa Boyd, Director of Social Impact, Lyft. “Through our Universal Vaccine Access campaign, we’re working to address transportation barriers and support equitable vaccine access for those who need it most.”

All older adults who use the Lyft codes will be required to follow Lyft’s Health Safety policies, which include staying home if they are sick, wearing a mask, keeping the car and their hands clean, sitting in the back seat, and keeping the car windows open when possible.

As of October 19, 2021, the Lyft/NCOA vaccine ride code program successfully redeemed all funding and is no longer active.  NCOA will continue to keep the aging services network updated should funding open back up for this important effort.

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or zip code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Follow us at @NCOAging.

About Lyft
Lyft was founded in 2012 and is one of the largest transportation networks in the United States and Canada. As the world shifts away from car ownership to transportation-as-a-service, Lyft is at the forefront of this massive societal change. Our transportation network brings together rideshare, bikes, scooters, car rentals and transit all in one app. We are singularly driven by our mission: to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation.