On the Go | Transportation for Seniors

On-The-Go Transportation

Transforming lives with freedom of transportation

On the Go offers a rider-centered experience and delivery platform, for organizations getting individuals or supplies from point A to B.

Partering with Cars

A Program of CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services)

Affordable transportation is a critical tool for aging with dignity, staying active in the community, and maintaining independence. Yet, as life expectancy increases, many older adults eventually lose the ability to navigate their surroundings by automobile. According to the American Public Transportation Association, “Compared with those who still drive, older non-drivers make 15% fewer trips to the doctor, 59% fewer shopping trips and visits to restaurants, and 65% fewer trips for social, family, and religious activities.” For too many older adults, decreased mobility means greater social isolation, a predictor of poorer health and a diminished quality of life. According to the Administration for Community Living, “Isolation and loneliness are known to be associated with higher risks of chronic disease, heart disease, depression, and anxiety, even dementia and Alzheimer’s.”

Recognizing the need for more affordable and accessible transportation options to enable older adults to stay active and connected to their communities, CARS established On the Go in 2006. The program, which is operated in partnership with Jewish Family Service of San Diego, offers comprehensive transportation solutions – including individual rides, group shuttles, and excursions – to older adults throughout San Diego County. Each month, On the Go provides San Diego seniors with more than 2,300 rides to needed medical appointments, personal errands, religious and cultural events, social destinations, and more. The program has completed over 400,000 rides and continues to broaden the scope of its services to encourage greater independence and social connection among the region’s growing population of older adults. On the Go addresses transportation barriers with a passenger-centered approach that enables seniors across San Diego County to access services when and where they need them with personalized door-through-door assistance.

Transportation Coordination - We Make "CARE EASY"

On the Go Transportation Coordination offers a rider-centered experience and delivery platform, for organizations getting individuals or supplies from point A to B. We offer a high-touch transportation solution for anyone that has mobility restrictions, such as older adults, persons with disabilities or people with limited transportation capabilities.

Our comprehensive service is an end-to-end solution comprising of a call center with highly trained staff and dispatch and billing software. We also monitor rides and have specialized call center personnel able to help with escalations or emergencies. To learn more about our partnership with Lyft, or our transportation programs, please visit otgrides.org

“MY LOVE AND appreciation for what On the Go does for me is endless. My whole life has changed. To get out, see people, get to the doctor, go to Temple, see the trees, the cars, the terrain, riding — it is like a breath of fresh air.

– May, On the Go Rider

“I INJURED MY FOOT in August. I lost the ability to walk to do my errands. I had no one to help me. Your shuttles allowed me to buy groceries and get to and from the medical clinic. Your driver was helpful guiding me up and down the stairs of the van in a way to avoid pressure on my foot. I was lost without you. You have done me a good deed.

– Harry, On the Go Rider

“I HAVE HAD the most polite and helpful people pick me up. We laugh and talk. I love all of you.

– Edith, On the Go Rider