Access-A-Ride Paratransit, MTA’s service for seniors and people with disabilities, is breaking ridership and performance records, and with Disability Pride Month just getting started, there’s no better time to spotlight its success.
Throughout the spring, Paratransit averaged 41,000 scheduled trips every weekday, which is not only more riders than the entire bus systems in Cincinnati, Detroit, or Charlotte but also 140% of our pre-COVID base. Nowhere else in the country is a mass transit service exceeding 2019 totals by so much. Access-A-Ride is unique, and not by accident.
Eligible customers are coming back because the service is great. On-time performance is regularly well above 90%, despite us tightening the window we use to measure “on time” – from the 30-minute national standard down to 20 minutes — and customer satisfaction is better than ever, hitting 85% or higher every month so far in 2025. That’s a huge jump from the old days, when Access-A-Ride was still in the metaphorical basement of the Department of Buses.
It was elevated into a powerhouse thanks to strategic investments and a renewed focus on the customer experience:
- We purchased 500 new all-electric vehicles to help modernize our fleet of blue and white vans while expanding oversight for the for-hire vehicles that supplement traditional service.
- We revamped our call center operation, so that customers could actually get same day troubleshooting and faster bookings — it’s taking an average of just 33 seconds to answer calls these days.
- There’s a new assessment facility in Lower Manhattan that’s helping to process applications and eligibility recertifications more quickly.
- And the MY AAR app has been totally redesigned for increased accessibility and convenience.
Next, we’re working on a modern Paratransit Technology System to unlock further scheduling efficiencies and service improvements for riders.
I’m the first to say we’re not perfect, but we’ve gotten much better, and there’s no doubting MTA’s commitment to accessibility overall. This is a personal passion for me as Chair, and I’m thrilled to watch Paratransit – just one part of our accessible service – grow and thrive, not just during Disability Pride Month, but 365 days a year.
Janno Lieber is MTA Chair and CEO
