Access-A-Ride: Contact us and learn more about our paratransit service

Access-A-Ride (AAR) Paratransit Service operates:

• Within the five boroughs of New York City and within a three-quarter-of-a-mile corridor beyond fixed-route service across the NYC borderline to nearby areas of Nassau and Westchester counties.
• A shared-ride program (you may be riding with other customers).
• Origin-to-destination service or feeder service for eligible customers.
• Non-priority trips with maximum ride times based on trip distance.
• 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
• In compliance with federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.

Whether you need temporary eligibility while recovering from surgery, require more long-term access, would like to reapply, or are seeking reciprocal Paratransit Service during your visit to NYC, please contact AAR to begin the eligibility process. You can read more about how to apply or recertify for Access-A-Ride.

Call 877-337-2017 toll-free from area codes in the NY metro area and adjacent counties. From other area codes, call 718-393-4999. Customers who are deaf/hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or the free 711 relay service.

After an important announcement, callers will be guided to press “1” for English. If “1” is not pressed, callers will hear choices in each of the respective languages: For assistance in Spanish, press “2,” for assistance in Russian, Chinese, French Creole, Korean or Bengali, press “3,” for all other languages, press “4.”

Callers will then be directed to press one of the following prompts:

Prompt #1: Eligibility Unit. Agents are available Monday – Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. to assist with eligibility, appeals, certification or application questions and requests for updates to customer’s contact information, visitors/reciprocal service, etc.

Prompt #2: Travel Planning. Agents are available to make a reservation 7 days a week from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Prompt #3: Agents are available 7 days a week from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. to change a trip.

Prompt #4: Agents are available 24/7 to cancel a trip.

Prompt #5: Travel Services. Agents are available 24/7 for assistance with same-day trips. This may include getting information about your vehicle and its estimated arrival time, help with delays that may arise with your pick-ups or with your return trip such as rescheduling a later pick-up, etc.

Prompt #6: Subscription Service. Agents are available Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. to help arrange, re-schedule or cancel subscription service. This service is offered to any customer who travels from the same location to the same destination at the same time of day for each trip at least one day a week.

Prompt #7: Automated system to check status of your same day service.

Prompt #8: Customer Comment Line. Agents are available Monday – Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. to submit suggestions, commendations, complaints, along with requests for publications, and outreaches. You can also contact our customer support team online. Select “Paratransit (Access-A-Ride)” in the “MTA service” field.

Callers may repeat the prompt menu by pressing “0.” They may also hold for assistance if they don’t have a touch-tone phone. Conversations with AAR personnel are recorded and may be monitored.

Manage My Trips (MMT) lets Access-A-Ride customers use a computer, tablet, or smartphone to make trip requests, check the status of trips, and manage subscriptions.

Please call Eligibility staff and request that your cell phone and/or email receive IVR messages. With IVR, customers will receive trip reminders the night before their trip and important trip information on the day of their trip, such as carrier identification and estimated times of arrival. IVR messages may also be issued with an AAR-related announcement about service cancellations or delays.