{"id":16058,"date":"2016-08-29T05:00:29","date_gmt":"2016-08-29T12:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/?p=16058"},"modified":"2026-02-22T15:32:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T23:32:18","slug":"calling-all-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/calling-all-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"Calling All Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

For seniors struggling to get to and from medical appointments, coordinating transportation just \"shutterstock_116595961\"got a little bit easier, thanks to ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber.<\/em><\/p>\n

For many, the first real taste of freedom comes with the acquisition of a driver\u2019s license. Suddenly a whole new world opens up, one covered in blacktop and filled with endless possibility. But licenses don\u2019t last forever, and eventually we are all forced to surrender the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n

While public transportation, bicycles, and even taxi services can help the \u201ccarless\u201d get around, for many older adults giving up the car keys means giving up independence. But that\u2019s all about to change!<\/p>\n

With the advent of Uber and Lyft, relatively budget-friendly, on-demand car service can be beckoned with the touch of a button. Because only 25% of American seniors own smartphones, in the past they\u2019ve been left out of the rideshare loop. Recent efforts by Lyft and Uber aim to close that gap. In the last few years, both companies have embarked on programs designed to open up their services to older adults.<\/p>\n

No More Waiting Around<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Senior Housing News<\/a>, 3.6 million U.S. citizens skip medical care and miss doctor\u2019s appointments because they lack access to adequate transportation. For seniors, the inability to receive regular checkups and non-emergency medical care leaves them vulnerable to life-threatening complications.<\/p>\n

Many traditional transportation services available to seniors require advanced bookings, which can make impromptu appointments impossible. Pre-booked transportation services also operate within limited schedules, leaving seniors with no other option but to arrive hours early or wait around for a ride long after the examination is over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe inefficiencies in this industry are enormous, and patients have no voice or alternative,\u201d Anya Babbitt, Founder & CEO of SPLT stated in a recent press release<\/a>. \u201cPatient Trust is what we plan to bring back to the NEMT experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

No House Call, No Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n

The almost instantaneous nature of on-demand car service available through Uber and Lyft provides senior citizens with greater flexibility and more options in terms of appointment times and coordinating medical appointments with other necessary errands. Best of all, on-call car services make it easier to plan for regular doctor visits.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting a patient to their doctor appointment can lower the cost and increase the quality of care,\u201d added Lyft\u2019s head of enterprise partnership, Gyre Renwick in the same press release. \u201cIt’s our mission to connect people and communities through effective, affordable, safe and accessible transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of a partnership with SPLT, \u201can enterprise-first carpooling app,\u201d Lyft will soon be providing Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) to senior citizens in and around Detroit.<\/p>\n

Eliminating the need for a smartphone, the Lyft\/SPLT service allows users to summon with a text, phone call or online request.<\/p>\n

As Babbitt explained in a recent interview with Crain\u2019s Detroit Business<\/a>, their partnership with Lyft won’t require smartphones. Instead, Splt has developed a system allowing users to request services online, by text message or with a simple phone call.<\/p>\n

“More seniors are using smartphones, but they won’t need to have one,” she adds.<\/p>\n

Riding Shotgun<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, San Francisco-based Uber has been working with senior centers and community groups to help\u00a0older\u00a0area residents\u00a0access its ridesharing services. Debuting in October of 2015 and dubbed uberASSIST<\/a>, Uber\u2019s program endeavored to help older adults call and pays for rides via smartphone.<\/p>\n

Recognizing more could be done, Uber launched a community-based senior outreach program in July of last year. The program hosts technology tutorials and offers free rides at participating retirement communities and senior centers, with the aim to illustrate how technology can enhance the day-to-day lives of retirees.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty-six million American depend on someone else as a way to get around,\u201d Meghan Joyce, regional general manager for Uber East Coast, told Senior Housing news. With Uber, she says, \u201colder riders are now able to gain their independence.”<\/p>\n

Uber\u2019s efforts aren\u2019t confined to California. Collaborating with cities and local senior-focused organizations through the country, the company is currently running similar pilot programs in Florida, Arizona and California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a great opportunity for us to learn about the needs of our users,\u201d Joyce told Senior Housing News.<\/p>\n

\u201cUber is an incredible way for people who need a little more help with transportation to get a ride safely and reliably. It\u2019s an amazing way to maintain your independence even if you no longer want to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For seniors struggling to get to and from medical appointments, coordinating transportation just got a little bit easier, thanks to ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":16063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_s2mail":"yes","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2952,6],"tags":[9,842,868,196],"class_list":["post-16058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-senior-living","category-technology","tag-consumer-technology","tag-senior-living","tag-seniors","tag-smartphones"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nYardi Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For seniors struggling to get to and from medical appointments, coordinating transportation just got a little bit easier, thanks to ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Calling All Cars\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For seniors struggling to get to and from medical appointments, coordinating transportation just got a little bit easier, thanks to ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/calling-all-cars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Yardi Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-08-29T12:00:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-22T23:32:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/08\/shutterstock_116595961.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Cutright Elizabeth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Cutright Elizabeth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/calling-all-cars\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/calling-all-cars\/\",\"name\":\"Calling All Cars - 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