AARP Hearing Center
Background
Some transportation options and programs provide consumers with more flexibility. They allow passengers to get from one specific location to another rather than travel on a fixed route. This is known as Mobility on Demand or demand-responsive transportation. It is common in rural areas because of the low population density and long distances between destinations. Such services can also take the form of taxicabs, transportation network companies (TNCs), volunteer drivers, and ride-share programs. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective for human service agencies to contract with private taxis or nonprofit volunteer driver programs to obtain transportation services for their clients. For example, some area agencies on aging offer their clients vouchers that subsidize taxi rides rather than providing the services directly.
Transportation network companies: TNCs, also known as ride-hailing companies, use online platforms. They connect passengers who need rides with drivers who offer rides using their personal, noncommercial vehicles. Most states have put in place some regulations of TNCs. Some local jurisdictions have done so as well.
TNCs maintain that they are not service providers but rather facilitators of transactions. Therefore, they have limited responsibility for complying with legal requirements such as background checks, insurance coverage, and vehicle safety mandates (see also Accessibility). This claim has been challenged in the courts. Until it is fully resolved, the uncertainty about which laws apply to TNCs presents unique challenges for regulators seeking to protect both passengers and drivers.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS): This is a program that integrates various transportation services into a single app or website. It enables people to plan, book, and pay for multiple types of mobility services, such as public transit, ride-hailing, bike rentals, and car-sharing. The key idea behind MaaS is to provide flexible and convenient mobility solutions tailored to individual travel needs, moving away from personally-owned vehicles toward shared and on-demand transportation options. It is especially useful in urban areas.
Universal MaaS is an extension of the traditional MaaS platform. It aims to integrate specialized and assisted services into the platform. In addition to mainstream services, it adds nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT), volunteer transportation services, and other transportation options for underserved populations. This approach ensures that all users, including older adults and people with disabilities, have access to a comprehensive range of mobility options in one place.
MOBILITY ON DEMAND: Policy
MOBILITY ON DEMAND: Policy
Transportation network companies (TNCs)
Policymakers should ensure that TNCs:
- ensure safety,
- incorporate consumer protections in such areas as access to redress, and
- expand access to transportation in a nondiscriminatory manner.
At a minimum, state and local governments should ensure that TNCs:
- hire only drivers who are at least 21 years old, properly licensed, appropriately insured, and adequately trained, and whose driving records and background checks are consistent with passenger safety;
- ensure that vehicles are properly registered and routinely inspected and provide visible identification for customers to ascertain their driver and vehicle;
- maintain proper documentation on each driver and vehicle;
- ensure transparency in transactions from the start, including on rates charged;
- establish a meaningful dispute-resolution process and provide consumers with clear information on how to file a complaint;
- provide service to all people in a nondiscriminatory manner; and
- provide or support access to transportation for people with disabilities.
Universal Mobility as a Service
Policymakers and the private sector should implement UMaaS to expand access to transportation for everyone in the community. This includes older adults, people with disabilities or limited mobility, and people with low incomes.