Montgomery County, Maryland, is getting the word out about a way for the elderly and those with disabilities to catch a free ride if they’re in need to get to and from a COVID-19 vaccination or testing location.
Action, Anytime and Regency/Barwood taxi companies are partnering with the county to offer the roundtrip rides at no charge.
The county Department of Transportation will reimburse each company with money funded by an Enhanced Mobility Grant from the Council of Governments.
Participants ages 65 and older and those with a disability must call ahead of time to Connect-A-Ride and obtain a code before booking a taxi. Then they sign a voucher at the end of the trip.
“Programs like these are imperative to the County’s fight against the pandemic,” says County Executive Marc Elrich in news release. “Transportation should not be an obstacle to vaccination and testing.”
And even though it’s being billed as a free transportation program in relation to COVID-19, the county isn’t making any restrictions on other usages.
“This program provides curb-to-curb service and while its being promoted for COVID-19 vaccination and testing, it can be used for any purpose among eligible community members,” said Transportation Director Chris Conklin.
Anyone riding in a taxi is also required to wear a face covering for the duration of the trip.
Connect-A-Ride can be reached at 301-738-3252. Participants need to provide their name, address, phone number and age to receive a “Free COVID Taxi Code.”
Once the code is received, you can call one of the three taxi companies involved to grab a ride:
- Action Taxi: 301-840-1000
- Anytime Taxi: 301-637-9292
- Regency/Barwood Taxi: 301-990-9000 or 301-984-1900
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