Orange County Tests Free Ride Service Program for Seniors

The program utilizes Uber and Lyft to help residents 60 and older get to their destinations.

The Orange County Government Center in Goshen, N.Y., on Aug. 19, 2025. The Epoch Times

ORANGE COUNTY, N.Y.—Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus announced the launch of the GoGoGrandparent program on Sept. 9. The service will provide a limited number of free rides for residents 60 and older.

The program utilizes Uber and Lyft to help seniors get to their destinations. Valid destinations for the program include nonemergency medical appointments, visiting a loved one in a hospital or nursing home, faith-based activities, social events, and voting sites.

“GoGoGrandparent will provide safe, reliable rides that help older adults maintain their independence, stay connected to loved ones, and continue to be active members of our community,” Neuhaus said in a statement.

The requirements for the program are that the person must be older than 60 years old, live in Orange County, have a cell phone, and not already receive Medicaid medical transportation. To get a free ride, seniors must call the Orange County Office for the Aging (OCOFA) at 845-615-3710 to register with the system. Then they can schedule a ride.

The limit for free rides is three round-trips, or six one-way trips, Danielle Diana-Smith, director of the OC Office for the Aging, told The Epoch Times. These three round-trips are usable until the end of 2025. At the end of the year, the office will review ridership, need, and funding to determine how many free rides will be available in 2026.

Diana-Smith said that in the two days that the program has been active, the office has received 85 calls and registered 27 seniors. Trial runs by the OCOFA show that wait times for a car in the program were about two minutes.

“This is about giving our seniors more freedom, dignity, and peace of mind,” Diana-Smith said. “Transportation can often be a major challenge, and GoGoGrandparent offers a safe, simple solution to help older adults remain active and connected.”

The program screens drivers ahead of time to ensure that the vehicles are accessible for elderly people.

The service is being paid for by the New York State Office for the Aging. The state government has been working with GoGoGrandparent since 2022 to provide 24,000 additional rides to seniors through local offices.

The program began in three counties but has now spread to 32 of the 62 counties in the state. Past analysis has shown that the median trip with the program in New York is 2.76 miles.

Orange County has 83,406 people who are 60 and older, making up about 21 percent of the county’s population, according to research and advisory firm Neilsberg.

“Our unique and innovative transportation models will build on our commitment to ensuring that every New Yorker—regardless of age or mobility—can live with independence, dignity, and connection,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an August statement about the program.