Shared Ride is bus service that provides consolidated trips between customers’ origins and destinations that are not well served by scheduled route bus service. Often referred to as “Paratransit,” Shared Ride operates during limited hours and specific travel areas. There is a required application and reservation process.

Despite being an origin-to-destination service, Shared Ride does not provide “taxi” service and is not a non-stop ride for one person. Different riders are grouped together depending upon their travel time and location(s). Shared Ride does not provide emergency medical transportation services.

There are many individual programs within Shared Ride service. Each of these is governed with a different set of regulations, funding sources, reporting standards and service delivery guidelines. No two passengers’ trips or experience are the same.

Paratransit transportation is available for seniors, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health/intellectual and developmental disabilities and those willing to pay full fare who do not qualify for other funding sources.

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Senior Shared Ride Program

Capital Area Transit, through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Lottery Transportation Division, provides shared-ride transportation at a discounted rate to persons over the age of 65. If you would like to find out more about the Senior Citizen Transit Card, please call or come into our offices. We would be happy to assist you in the application process or you can download the application in English or Spanish.

In Harrisburg, Share-A-Ride service is available Monday to Friday from 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 6 AM to 6 PM.

Eligibility for the program requires that you be:

  • A resident of Dauphin County
  • Over the age of 65
  • Be able to produce verification of age such as a driver’s license, birth certificate, or similar identification.

ADA Complementary Service

Capital Area Transit (CAT) operates a variety of transportation services in Harrisburg, Cumberland County, and Dauphin County. Among these is fixed-route bus service which serves the entire urbanized area. For individuals who cannot use fixed-route bus service within ¾ mile (typically 7 city blocks, including wheelchair users, CAT offers its ADA Complementary Service.

The ADA Complementary Service program provides origin-to-destination service for qualified persons, in the areas and at the times when bus service is generally available. It is intended to be complementary to fixed-route bus service, and as such is intended to fulfill the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The service is shared-ride in nature. That means that you will likely be riding with others, and that other individuals may be picked up and dropped off before you reach your destination. We try to make sure that the trip takes no longer than one hour, but the trip will take longer than if you were going by yourself, so passengers need to plan accordingly.

Eligibility individuals are eligible to use CAT’s ADA Complementary Service Program if they meet one of the following eligibility criteria:

  • Inability, as the result of a physical or mental impairment, to use regular buses.
  • Inability, as the result of a specific, impairment-related condition, to travel to and from a bus stop.
  • Previous certification from another transit agency.

Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Program

Capital Area Transit’s Persons with Disabilities Program is an origin-to-destination service that provides transportation to residents of Dauphin County. Service is available to members of the general public at full fare, and to Senior Citizens, riders with disabilities, and certain other individuals, qualified through the Persons with Disabilities Program, at discounted fares.

In Harrisburg, Shared Ride service is available Monday through Friday from 5:00AM to 6:00PM and Saturdays from 6:00AM. to 6:00PM.

Eligibility for the program requires that you be:

  • A resident of Dauphin County
  • Over 18 and under 65
  • Have a verified disability as defined by the ADA, either temporary or permanent.

Medical Assistance Transportation Program

For Information – Contact the Center for Community Building (CCB) at (717) 232-7009, or toll free at 800-309-8905.

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