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People with Disabilities

Public transportation for people with disabilities

Access-A-Ride Paratransit Service (AAR) | New York City Transit

1. How it Works

Access-A-Ride (AAR) Paratransit Service provides public transportation for eligible customers with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from using the public buses and subways for some or all of their trips. AAR operates 24/7/365.

  • Services are available within NYC’s five boroughs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens) and within an area three quarters of a mile beyond fixed-route service across the NYC border to nearby parts of Nassau and Westchester counties
  • Fares are the same as full fare on public transit.
  • AAR operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
  • You may ride with other customers in a shared-ride program.
  • Origin-to-destination service or feeder service is available for eligible customers.
  • AAR offers non-priority trips with maximum ride times based on trip distance.
  • AAR complies with federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
  • AAR provides interpretation and document translation services if your preferred language isn’t English. These free services are available during the application, eligibility, and scheduling processes.

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2. Determine Your Eligibility

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2. Determine your eligibility

You may be eligible for Access-A-Ride if you have a disability that prevents you from using accessible buses or subways for some or all of your trips. At your in-person assessment, you will be asked to show whether you can:

  • go up or down subway stairs,
  • travel to a subway or bus station,
  • get on, ride, and exit a subway or bus,
  • and ride or navigate the bus or subway system on your own.

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3. What You Need to Include

3. What you need to include

When you go to the assessment, you will need to bring medical documents that prove your transportation-related disability.

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4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

Apply online

Complete the online “About You” form to schedule an appointment at an assessment center.

  • After this, AAR will mail you information about your scheduled in-person functional assessment and an AAR application form within one week.

Complete the form

Apply by phone

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More ways to get help with this program

Visit the website

Visit the Access-A-Ride website for more information.

Email Access-A-Ride

Email Access-A-Ride for additional help.

Call 311

Ask for Access-A-Ride.

Call Access-A-Ride

Call 877-337-2017 or 718-393-4999 for more information.